The Blues in Brum.

After a very quiet nights sleep we set off for Aston Junction. Just before the junction was a mooring on the off side that looked as if the drinkers had been there and the graffiti artists. Our berth last night looked much more appealing.

Helen celebrating 1 year retired!

Science Park mooring. Right next to the Aston University Nursery.

After making the left turn at Aston Junction to approach the Farmers Bridge Locks the canal gets more scruffy with  cider bottles floating everywhere and the towpath with litter. This seems to continue for the first few of the thirteen locks with the smell of urine lingering at under every bridge. It is a shame at the top seven locks are well frequented and this sort of thing doesn't happen apparently.

Aston Junction sign post.

The Farmer's Bridge flight of locks passes just to the right of the BT Tower so we could see where we were heading.

We actually met another boat coming down at the second lock, and then later at about the seventh lock. The locks are close together so it is easy to move ahead and get the next lock ready. Some seem too quick to do this with out looking and seeing if another boat is coming. Today the locks under the building and between them seemed to channel the wind and at one stage I had to get Helen to take the head line as the distance from one lock to the next was not enough to get the head round to line up, and there were pillars there to hit. All worked well in the end.

Lock Four on the Framers Bridge Flight. Called Farmers Bridge after the owner of land on either side of the canal route who had to have an accommodation bridge built to access his land with the canal building. The bridge has long gone.

The top four locks on the Farmer'Bridge Flight. This is a well walked route and lots of questions asked as you ascend, but not too much help with the gates.

Once we got to the top of the locks we went on to the water point and filled up as we had done another load of washing. Afterwards we backed into Cambrian Wharf to moor. Who was there to lend a hand but Mick from bloggers 'Parisien Star'. Once moored and fed with a bit of lunch we left for town to get Helen's rail tickets, and mine for when we are at Manchester. We then wended our way back to the boat via several shops. Close to the boat, of the main drag we came across the Prince of Wales pub and as it was quite warm we thought we would have a pint. Well it turns out that it was a live Blues band a little later. In the end we got there at 1530 and left at 2000! The band was Steve Ajao Blues Giants and they were very good indeed. It was amazing really, and so totally unexpected. I would say about 70% of the crowd would have been eligible for free bus travel and I haven't been in a room with so many pony tails since leaving school, and they were on the blokes today. There was a real mixture of folk in, and all chatting. It was great night.

We had a bit of a downer once we got back as there was a note to say that Mick (of 'Parisien Star' had fished our washing out of the dock for us. The wind had obviously blown the drier over the bow. That will teach me not to lash it down, even when the weather seems benign. Of well will have to do it again tomorrow now. Once we had recovered everything and changed we set off back into Broad Street for a curry before Helen goes back home and leave Macy and I on our own for a week.

Thanks again to Mick and Ellie.