The sun is shining, the shopping is done, I’ve resisted the temptation to live on my armchair, so I’ve gone out.
I’m currently sat on the train, leaving Coventry and heading to Birmingham. From there, I’m heading to Dudley Port, where i can pick up the Birmingham Mainline Canal that runs between Birmingham and Wolverhampton. There’s a lovely canal circuit there which I haven’t walked in over 10 years, so I’ll be curious to see what’s changed.
One place i will be going near but not through this trip is Netherton Tunnel. It’s the longest canal tunnel in England that has a towpath along it.
I remember the first time i walked through it. I read the sign on the side that said it takes 45 minutes to navigate. I looked into the tunnel, and could see the light at the end and thought to myself that there was no way it would take that long. So i started walking it.
Ten minutes later, and the light was no bigger. The light behind me was now about the same size, and i realised that it probably was accurate. I also regretted not bringing a torch with me! It took about 45 minutes to walk.
Anyway, the hundred or so feet of solid rock and clay above the tunnel roof makes for a poor signal, so live blogging from there won’t be easy. I might do it later in the year; it’s great timing the walk so i go through the tunnel when the sun is at it’s hottest. Blissfully cool!
Should be at the canal in about an hour or so. Catch you soon!
Sure, it’s good to see that the disabled access seats are clearly marked, but wondering why it is at the end of a row where they can only get to it by stepping over other people’s legs. Also, do the users of these seats want a temporary branding of a disabled sign on their back???
I don’t like negging, particularly canals, but the efficient straight design of the mainline canal does leave it a little featureless. View to the south:
That’s the Stourbridge canal, which will take you past the Black Country Living Museum (where some Peaky Blinder scenes were filmed) and through the Dudley Tunnel, which is even longer than Netherton Tunnel (no towpath though)
But I’m heading in the general direction of Birmingham!
I don’t think it is possible to shout the praises of the staff and volunteers of that organisation; i have gotten so much peace and joy from the canals over the past decade or so!
Just had a chat with a friendly cyclist who has been cycling around Tipton, Dudley and Birmingham on the canals, and he wanted to check where he was, and if he had made it back to Tipton. At the moment we are in Dudley Port, in a place where i now want to retire to.
