Into the Black Country

Barry arose early once again and had another walk around the basin, though this time he got caught in the rain ...

  The 'Away Group' of narrowboats - 'Away 2 Dine', 'Away 2 Cruise' and the 'Away Service Boat'

Plenty of colour around and opportunities to experience life afloat

An impressive statue opposite 'The Cube'

A shot from our mooring - very grey but strangely tranquil

 

 Our mooring in Gas Street Basin - alongside the now closed-down 'James Brindley' pub, such a shame

Continuing our rendezvousing with friends, we had lunch with Karen, who I went to school with from the age of five to sixteen - we were in a group of girls always getting into some sort of mischief!  I can hear those who know me thinking how that somehow doesn't surprise them ...

Karen and Sandra at the Brasshouse

We left Birmingham shortly after lunch, travelling through a sea of derelict industrial sites, the canal becoming darker as we approached The Black Country, so named as it was the most industrialised county in the nation, lying over the thickest coal seam in Britain with clouds of black smoke emitting from the burning coal.

Fortunately, prior to starting our journey, Barry checked the weed hatch and found this mangled mess

Passing through the stylish canalside apartments at Ladywood Junction

This shot is for John and Diane of the inside of 'The Roundhouse Building' - sadly the best I could get

Two of many abandoned working boats along the Icknield Loop

The imposing Winson Green Prison - not a place to stay around for long

Goslings in abundance - along with their very attentive parents

Beautiful old aqueduct straddling the Birmingham 'New Main Line Canal' at Sandwell

Up the three Smethwick locks and past the aqueduct turnoff to the Galton Valley Centre ...

...  then through the short 'Summit Tunnel'...

... and under the mighty M5 motorway ...

... which wants to completely dominate the poor canal 

We then traversed the 'New Main Line' canal on another aqueduct ...

... but still couldn't quite escape the motorway

At last - peace and quiet - the water became so clear on this stretch we could see shoals of fish swimming about

Sophie and Mikey take control

The entrance to the Netherton Tunnel seen from the aqueduct

Our mooring for the night at Dudley Port - it looked as though we were the only boat to have moored here for some time, judging by the seemingly undisturbed waterlillies

On Wednesday we're planning a visit to The Black Country Museum which I last visited when my youngest daughter was just a toddler.