Wanted - local knowledge of King's Norton

[keble]

We are off round the Avon ring next week - but SWMBO heard mention of Wast Hill tunnel and is going to go "on foot" for that bit. OK I will single hand it through the wet and dark (what's new?)

So I am looking for help as to finding a sensible walking route.

 

Looking at Google maps the canal crosses under the A441 Redditch Road at Hopwood House. A bit nearer the southern tunnel mouth there is Wasthill Lane - would that be better?

 

At the northern tunnel mouth can I moor up close to the mouth? I could meet her there near Shannon Road.

Any help much appreciated!

Rob

[alan_fincher]

Can't help with geography.

 

But just checking - does she avoid passage of all longer tunnels, or is there something special about Wast Hill that is worrying her ?

 

The reason I ask is that before we did it, several boaters at Gas Street talked of it being a "horrible tunnel" and tried to give us a scare, I think!

 

The reality was that it really was one of the very easiest, neither very wet nor any problems with other's exhaust smoke. It is in good condition, and straight, with a clear view through.

 

Certainly not a difficult tunnel, even though some would apparently say it is!

[keble]

 

 

Certainly not a difficult tunnel, even though some would apparently say it is!

Thanks Alan - I think the ability to see the light is going to help!

[muddywaters]

Can't help with geography.

 

But just checking - does she avoid passage of all longer tunnels, or is there something special about Wast Hill that is worrying her ?

 

The reason I ask is that before we did it, several boaters at Gas Street talked of it being a "horrible tunnel" and tried to give us a scare, I think!

 

The reality was that it really was one of the very easiest, neither very wet nor any problems with other's exhaust smoke. It is in good condition, and straight, with a clear view through.

 

Certainly not a difficult tunnel, even though some would apparently say it is!

Got to agree with Alan when we went through this tunnel found it to be one of the easiest tunnels we have done

[steve hayes]

Wast hill tunnel is fine, if clear takes about 25 mins, if Saturday afternoon with hirers just picking boats up has been known to take over an hour and a half

 

Walking over the top is probably easiest if you drop SWMBO at Hopwood ( good reason to stop for pint), she can then walk up the A441, there is a good footpath along the road. Also a bus service. Follow the road up the hill, past the Man on the Moon pub and on towards King Norton Green. At the roundabout turn right past the Navigation pub and follow the road to the canal. This will bring you out a the bridge where the water point is.

 

Maybe not the shortest route but the simplest and the main haul can be done on a bus.

 

Just realised that I give directions based on pubs !!!!!

[MoominPapa]

The tunnel is fine, but the local yoof stoned us from the bridge over the approach cutting. If it was me, I'd stick with the boat.......

 

MP.

[Smelly]

Twice I've been through in recent weeks and there's a gang of kids that have got settled on the pipe bridge near the north portal (Kings Norton) who were much better shots on the way back but throwing nothing more than stones. I was thinking I might finally buy a catapult before next time we go that way in a couple of weeks.

 

I've been through Wast Hill at least a hundred times on our near monthly sojourns to and fro Alvechurch.

 

Most of the Gas St massif rarely move so see any sizeable "obstacle" as horrible when in reality, at least without any herbal cigarettes, it's just boring and, like any tunnel, a bit soggy in parts if it's raining; the soggiest bit is just after the northerly 1100 metre marker. It's easy if it's empty as it's 16 foot wide although 25 minutes is running very fast; I've managed 27 minutes once and it's usually 30-35 depending how confident I'm feeling with the throttle.

 

Walking it (ETA from the Brum end) means traipsing through some of the most deprived, predominantly redneck (I must tread carefully here as Bagpuss was raised above said tunnel) estates in Birmingham before getting into the green and it really isn't worth stretching one's legs when you can spend half an hour washing up instead.

 

Best done Tuesday to Thursday if you want to avoid the boluses of hirers coming to and fro the concentration of hire bases on the W&B.

 

ETA again, Steve's right but the walk from Hopwood up the Redditch Rd is a hike with big traffic running past your ear at 60; I avoid mooring at Hopwood if I've got work in the morning to avoid that walk. I hate it... really, really, hate it! However I leave 22 minutes to get to the Man in the Moon when I do and that's about half way to the North Portal.

Edited June 7, 2011 by Smelly

[keble]

Many thanks for all the advice.

Alan, I forgot to say that Wast Hill was picked on because of its length - shorter tunnels seem to be manageable!

We should be there Tuesday so that sounds good.

Here's to good weather!

[sociable_hermit]

From memory (and it was a while ago now), the country end is lovely but the City end has a long dank cutting and it's worth avoiding mooring there.

 

The tunnel itself is straightforward, as others have said.

[RLWP]

Can this be the same Wast Hill tunnel we passed through? The one so filled with smoke that you couldn't see either end during the middle third?

 

Richard

[sociable_hermit]

Can this be the same Wast Hill tunnel we passed through? The one so filled with smoke that you couldn't see either end during the middle third?

 

Richard

Time to service the engine, Richard! Though preferably not while you're actually IN the tunnel.

[RLWP]

Time to service the engine, Richard! Though preferably not while you're actually IN the tunnel.

 

It'd be a bloody funny engine if it could throw smoke forwards.

 

My abiding memory of Wast Hill is of the curious red lights way ahead in the tunnel, that turned out to be boat tunnel lights

 

Richard

[Smelly]

It's rare it's full of smoke, although it's usual not to be able to see the other enduntil you're half way through as unless the sun's pointing down the tunnel the shade of the trees will make it quite dark. Like any long tunnel if the air temp's right fog will rise in't middle but I've never seen it thick, just enough to further obscure the end of the tunnel.

 

Kings Norton end isn't particularly dank to my mind but there are hints of the civilisation (if you can call it that) at the top of the banks and the graffiti is unimaginative.

[RLWP]

Must have caught it on a bad day then

 

Richard

[paulcatchpole]

Can this be the same Wast Hill tunnel we passed through? The one so filled with smoke that you couldn't see either end during the middle third?

 

Richard

 

Sure you weren't following me on CreamCheese, like Shrewley?

 

PC

[Allan(nb Albert)]

Must have caught it on a bad day then

 

Richard

 

It was certainly very clear when we went through twice last week, albeit rather boring.

 

Much more interesting was the fabulously clean washbasin in the sanitary station at Kings Norton junction. I was so taken with capturing a photo of it that I almost spiked my toe on a discarded hypodermic needle.

 

I suppose the moral is do not wear sandals in sanitary stations and watch where you put your feet.

[Smelly]

So will it be a long walk into some of the chaviest bits of Birmingham or half hour underground for Madame Keble?

 

I'm itching to know...

[RLWP]

So will it be a long walk into some of the chaviest bits of Birmingham or half hour underground for Madame Keble?

 

I'm itching to know...

 

Personally, faced with that choice I'd hide under the duvet on the boat

 

Richard

[Smelly]

 

I suppose the moral is do not wear sandals in sanitary stations and watch where you put your feet.

 

and make sure to lock them behind you...

 

Personally, faced with that choice I'd hide under the duvet on the boat

 

Richard

 

You'll often find Bagpuss has beaten you to it.

[RLWP]

and make sure to lock them behind you...

 

 

 

You'll often find Bagpuss has beaten you to it.

 

I hadn't realised hiding under the duvet with Bagpuss was an option. That makes the choice a lot clearer

 

Richard

[Allan(nb Albert)]

and make sure to lock them behind you...

 

That seems to be part of the the problem with this particular facility. It is very difficult to lock the door afterwards!

 

However, I did remove the needle and another one found and they have been safely disposed of.

[keble]

So will it be a long walk into some of the chaviest bits of Birmingham or half hour underground for Madame Keble?

 

I'm itching to know...

She's going for the walk!

A bonus is the bus (and she gets free buses!)

I've done her a map - she'll probably still get lost ...

[Smelly]

She's going for the walk!

A bonus is the bus (and she gets free buses!)

I've done her a map - she'll probably still get lost ...

 

Off the towpath and left.

 

Straight on, over the hill, bus stop's outside the flats opposite the Man on the Moon,roundabout in the village, first stop and walk back to the roundabout, first exit, by the Navigation then down the ramp at the right of the roadway.

 

You'll have the water tank full by the time she gets there.

[Nine of Hearts]

She's going for the walk!

A bonus is the bus (and she gets free buses!)

I've done her a map - she'll probably still get lost ...

 

If it's any consolation to her, I moved the boat through this tunnel once, and then had to cycle back over the top back to where I'd parked my car (in King's Norton). I got fabulously lost.

 

And I agree with all the other posts about the two ends. It's like the wizard of Oz. When you get to the Alvechurch end, everything's in colour.

[steve hayes]

We went north through the tunnel on Saturday morning, glorious sunshine at Hopwood on the way in half an hour later drizzle at Kings Norton, what happened there.

 

Smelly is right about the fog, a few years ago heading south came across a real pea souled about half way through, couldn't actually see the front of the boat. SWMBO who hates the tunnel had to go out front to keep a look out. It suddenly got lighter and next thing I knew I was out of the tunnel. Not scary but a weird experience.