Worcestershire and Birmingham Canal

[Nightwatch]

Hello.

we have made the decision to not to go through Birmingham but to bypass to the east down to Stourport,River Severn,Worcester and then the W&B. 

My request. Are there any low height restrictions in Tardebigge,Shortwood and Wasthill tunnels. In addition anything else we may want to be aware of.

Dodgy areas we have found become evident once upon arrival,but forewarned is an advantage.our aim is to get south either Southern GU or South Oxford. No rush, wedding to attend in London October time. Not travelling to London but want to be nearer than at present.

Any advice and pee taking gratefully accepted and responded to.

[NickF]

Why not try the Droitwich? But that does have height issues.

As for the W and b I don't think there is any problem. I wouldn't moor overnight between Kings Norton/ Wast Hill tunnel and Gas street Basin but apart from that no problem.

 

Have a great trip

[Neil2]

Yes I find the bit just beyond the Northern portal of Wast Hill a bit grim but once you turn on to the Northern Stratford at King's Norton it's fine, and no air draught issues I can think of.  Lyon's boat yard about a mile after the junction is a friendly place and the diesel is reasonably priced just watch out for flying golf balls, I'm not joking.

If you are in no hurry having got to King's Norton it really is worth heading into Gas Street - if you haven't been before.

[Graham Davis]

The only bit of the southern W & B I wouldn't moor at is between Commandry Lock and the Sports Centre at Perdiswell. Everywhere else seems fine.

You'll find the section approaching Lowesmoor Basin towards the river is hemmed in by rushes.

[Nightwatch]

I'm going to bump this thread to have a change of plan. Talking to a boater at the Bratch Licks. I mentioned my planned route. His suggestion was why not go via the Droitwich Canal.

I seem to remember there's a height restriction under the M5. Is this likely to be an issue?

 

thanks again.

[Chewbacka]

1 hour ago, Nightwatch said:

I'm going to bump this thread to have a change of plan. Talking to a boater at the Bratch Licks. I mentioned my planned route. His suggestion was why not go via the Droitwich Canal.

I seem to remember there's a height restriction under the M5. Is this likely to be an issue?

 

thanks again.

Depends upon how high you are...............

[matty40s]

There was a thread about the M5 culvert just a week or two ago. 

So long as you have nothing on your roof of large size, you should be OK o go under here unless there has been a lot of rain or someone empties the lock behind you.

[Nightwatch]

We're not do the droitwich now. As always,yet another change of plan.

 

Thanks for all the comments though.

[Dave_P]

On 5/27/2017 at 13:31, NickF said:

Why not try the Droitwich? But that does have height issues.

As for the W and b I don't think there is any problem. I wouldn't moor overnight between Kings Norton/ Wast Hill tunnel and Gas street Basin but apart from that no problem.

 

Have a great trip

I've moored between Kings Norton and Gas Street basin more times than I can remember. Good moorings include Bournville VM, just before the Selly Oak Aqueduct, just after the Uni Station near the hydrogen boat, The Vale, Holliday Wharf. Why do think otherwise?

[NickF]

1 hour ago, Dave_P said:

I've moored between Kings Norton and Gas Street basin more times than I can remember. Good moorings include Bournville VM, just before the Selly Oak Aqueduct, just after the Uni Station near the hydrogen boat, The Vale, Holliday Wharf. Why do think otherwise?

Honest answer is because I have never moored there . It sounds like you know the canal better than me so I would suggest the OPtakes note of your opinion and not mime.  I do like Holiday Wharf but that just seemsx like an extension of gas street to me.

[Dave_P]

11 hours ago, NickF said:

Honest answer is because I have never moored there . It sounds like you know the canal better than me so I would suggest the OPtakes note of your opinion and not mime.  I do like Holiday Wharf but that just seemsx like an extension of gas street to me.

The only real downside is the proximity to the railway line. It doesn't really bother me, but some don't like trains. In some areas, there are shallow edges, and in others there's nothing to moor onto. But generally that stretch offers some decent moorings. 

[Pennie]

On 05/27/2017 at 21:25, Graham Davis said:

The only bit of the southern W & B I wouldn't moor at is between Commandry Lock and the Sports Centre at Perdiswell. Everywhere else seems fine.

You'll find the section approaching Lowesmoor Basin towards the river is hemmed in by rushes.

Actually I'd disagree. Mooring at landcroft Park by the mile post is a lovely spot. I moored there for a week and it was really nice.

[Graham Davis]

21 hours ago, Pennie said:

Actually I'd disagree. Mooring at landcroft Park by the mile post is a lovely spot. I moored there for a week and it was really nice.

Sorry, but I lived in Worcester for +30 years and I've never heard of Landcroft Park. Where is it?

 

[Captain Pegg]

3 minutes ago, Graham Davis said:

Sorry, but I lived in Worcester for +30 years and I've never heard of Landcroft Park. Where is it?

 

Must mean Lansdown Park. I passed a couple of boats moored up there recently. There are also new visitor moorings next to where the football ground used to be. The site is now apartments.

JP

[Graham Davis]

8 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

Must mean Lansdown Park. I passed a couple of boats moored up there recently. There are also new visitor moorings next to where the football ground used to be. The site is now apartments.

JP

Those must be quite new, as our daughter lived just along from there and was employed by Worcester Council to paint the underneath of the road bridge. Things must have improved slightly.

[zenataomm]

The Worcestershire and Birmingham Canal just like ..... 

The Stratfordshire Canal,

The Stafford and Worcester Canal

The Oxfordshire Canal

...... aren't on any of my maps.

Unlike The Grand Onion Canal, which does, because a young visitor to our boat one day was playing with her crayons.

[dixi188]

Whilst on the W & B last week, we moored outside the Queens Head at Stoke Pound for a drink or two, only for a pub staff member to tell us it is not allowed to moor outside the pub.

We moored opposite and walked over the bridge.

It is due to Bromsgrove council rules.

Why?

[Captain Pegg]

10 minutes ago, dixi188 said:

Whilst on the W & B last week, we moored outside the Queens Head at Stoke Pound for a drink or two, only for a pub staff member to tell us it is not allowed to moor outside the pub.

We moored opposite and walked over the bridge.

It is due to Bromsgrove council rules.

Why?

It's to prevent the risk of smuts from your stove melting the regulars.

JP

[dixi188]

We (6 blokes) were in a hire boat doing our annual trip. No stove to make smoke.

I've seen several pubs that have canal side position but no mooring. The one in Devizes next to the marina comes to mind. They are missing out on trade, or are boaters not welcome?

[Captain Pegg]

6 minutes ago, dixi188 said:

We (6 blokes) were in a hire boat doing our annual trip. No stove to make smoke.

I've seen several pubs that have canal side position but no mooring. The one in Devizes next to the marina comes to mind. They are missing out on trade, or are boaters not welcome?

It isn't a narrowboat sort of place is it? Turn up in a black X5 and you will be right at home.

I am sceptical about the council thing and if it is a genuine restriction its more likely by CRT given there are official visitor moorings opposite. Mostly though I suspect it's an image thing with the pub.

They don't miss out on trade; despite a limited daytime menu, mediocre food and high prices the place is unfathomably popular.

JP

[David Mack]

Moor on towpath, walk to pub. What's difficult about it?

[Richard Fairhurst]

It's not that bad! We had a decent enough pizza there the other month. Yes, it's a bit blingy but you can at least sit and eat close to the bar without booking, which isn't the case for a lot of gastro places. Given the abundance of pubs like the Hopwood House on the Midlands canals (not that the HH is bad, but it's a bit generic) the Queen's Head is a pleasant change.

[Dave_P]

Agreed.  It's an ok pub.  In fact I'd say it was slightly above average for canal side pubs.  After locking down Tardebigge, sitting in the garden with a decent pint and some posh nibbly things is a decidedly pleasant thing.

The service is good, the beer is good, the food is fine, the prices are steep, the clientele are a bit poseur-y.

The main downside is the piped tinny music outside, which you can hear from the moorings.

 

[ditchcrawler]

22 hours ago, dixi188 said:

Whilst on the W & B last week, we moored outside the Queens Head at Stoke Pound for a drink or two, only for a pub staff member to tell us it is not allowed to moor outside the pub.

We moored opposite and walked over the bridge.

It is due to Bromsgrove council rules.

Why?

They told us that after we turned up for dinner in our going ashore cloths, so we had to go back and move over, not impressed, they were happy for us to be there during the day and said it was "Insurance"

[john6767]

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

They told us that after we turned up for dinner in our going ashore cloths, so we had to go back and move over, not impressed, they were happy for us to be there during the day and said it was "Insurance"

I assume their garden is secure when the lock up, and you rather breach that by mooring on that side.  It is a shame but you can sort of see their point, and of course boaters are not really their target market, as with all the Lovely Pubs group pubs, but generally the food and drink is very good if a bit pricey, but then every where seems pricey these days to me.