Canal Holiday: Avon Ring

4 June 2006, Day 2: Tardebigge to Hockley Heath

Sunday morning sees us continuing our canal journey around the Avon Ring.


Alan, Helen and Mary on Sunday morning after an ice-cream stop at Alvechurch.

Crossing the embankment which serves as a dam for Lower Bittell Reservoir

From the same point looking north-east along the canal

Having been through Tardebigge and Shortwood Tunnels this morning, now the big one - Wast Hill Tunnel. We passed nine boats inside the tunnel, including the hotel boat pair Dawn and Dusk.

We stopped for lunch just short of King's Norton Junction, the first junction for us on the Avon Ring.

Here Lucy steers Elsa round the corner onto the Stratford Canal. Straight on lay Birmingham, but for us Avon Ring navigators, the way lies to the right.

Passing through the stop lock, with guillotine gates at both ends, now permanently raised.

After a short burst of heavy rain we reach the electric lift bridge by The Draw Bridge pub. Merry goes to help.

Lucy and Mary close the bridge behind the boat.

We stopped for the night at Hockley Heath. The Italian restaurant mentioned in Pearson's had turned into an Indian; after some dithering we went to the Harvester, where the waitress service was very friendly but the food fairly poor - almost cold and overcooked.

Total today on the Avon Ring: 19½ miles, 2 locks (including the open stop lock).