To the top of the BCN.

After meeting Helen from her train last night, and dropping off her stuff we went for a meal out at Bella Italia. I think we both slept better once we got to bed, and I'm not sure it was to do with the bottle of wine consumed.

Cambrian Wharf was looking good this morning. We popped back into town for a paper and a few comestibles before setting off. Of course we were a little delayed by the shops not opening until 1100!

We topped up with water by the wharf before setting off. It was quiet at Old Turn and we passed the Fiddle and Bone, Sherbourne Wharf's new pub. It looks like it will be worth having a look as something is going on every night.

Nothing seems to have started on Icknield Island (formed by the canal loop) where a new 'village' has planning permission. This photo looks down the westerly entrance and as there is no towpath it always looks quite tropical. 

We carried on the New Main Line until we arrived at Smethwick Junction where we left to go up the three locks on to the Old Main Line summit. The cast iron roving bridges were relatively un-daubed and make a nice scene on this section of the canal.

A boat was catching is up and as it happened they turned in after us. Just as we approached the bottom lock a boat left so they would be all our way. This photo is from the middle lock and shows just how green the Gault Valley is. Unfortunately as you leave the line of the canal it doesn't look quite so nice. A boat coming down turned the top lock on us just as we arrived so we were a little delayed. The local pyromaniacs had torched the rebuilt toll house at the top lock which is very disappointing.

This is the second time I have seen a heron take a mouse or rat and this time I managed to snap it. Some where after passing the pump house and the Summit Tunnel.

This always looks strange to me with the original canal bridge and the M5 going over head. There are huge quantities of scaffolding on the underside of the road deck for remedial work. I wonder how much has been spent on Blakely Hall Bridge over the years. Then again the M5 has carried many more vehicles that the older bridge hasn't it. The passage under all the motorway sections were useful today to keep us out of the slight rain that was falling.

We soon turned left at Oldbury Junction and headed up the Titford Canal which is now the highest level on the BCN. This is the second of the locks in the flight of 6 that are also known as 'The Crow' after the owner of a chemical works next to the canal. At first there were no locks and it was just a feeder for the canal below. The locks were put in in 1837. They had become derelict but were restored in 1974.

Once at the top we carried on and passed the Langley Maltings. These belonged to the Wolverhampton and Dudley and now appear to have been left to ruin and arsonists. I would have liked to think that they would have made very nice apartments, but maybe in another place.

The canal continues to Titford Pools. From here the Portway Branch went off to some coal mines and Causeway Green Branch separated. In theroy you should be able to navigate round the centarl island by running up to the M5 that you can see on the right, turning left just before it and then heading down the arm coming in on the left. Neither of us fancied our chances of completing it as there was rubbish, trees and lots of mud!

We managed to spin round and head back to the top of the locks. I had spoken to a bloke, Phil, at the locks and he said that we should moor up on a free space on the pontoon moorings down the Tat Bank Branch on the right. The building is the pump house that returned water from the bottom of the locks The building now houses the sanitary station and is the headquarters if the Birmingham Canal Navigations Society.