Day 19 Thursday 9 October
Brewood to Tipton
This morning we woke up to the sound of rain on the roof...so we rolled over & dozed for a while! After a blueberry pancake breakfast to use up the last of our frozen blueberries we set off.
Our journey today took us along the last 4 miles of the Shropshire Union Canal
When the SUC was constructed some of the wealthy & powerful landowners insisted that more ornate bridges were built on their land, bridge 10 in the picture below is an example of this. Bridge 10 allows passage to Chillington Hall in grounds landscaped by Capability Brown.
After another mile you quickly realise that you are leaving the tranquillity of the countryside behind you as the scenery is changing; this canal takes you right to the edge of Wolverhampton.
When the SUC was originally constructed back in 1835 when each canal was run by a different company & none of them wanted to lose their water into another company's canal. To avoid this loss of water a "stop lock" was constructed at the end of the canal. The "stop lock" at the end of the SUC is just 6" deep but still requires you to open gates & paddles as you would with a regular lock
Immediately after the Stop Lock we were turning right at Autherley Junction for about a half mile stretch of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal
Almost as soon as we were on the Staffs & Worcs Canal it was time to leave again as we reached Aldersley Junction where we turn right onto the BCN (Birmingham Canal Navigations)
From Aldersley Junction we are straight into a flight of locks known as the Wolverhampton 21. The 21 locks are initially in pleasant countryside alongside Wolverhampton racecourse but by the time you get about a third of the way up you know you are in the city as you can no longer hear the birds singing as their songs are drowned by the sounds of vehicles or sirens.
We managed to get from the bottom to the top of the "21" in under 3 hours - luckily all 21 locks were in our favour & we even got help on a couple of them too!
We debated whether to overnight in Wolverhampton but as it was very noisy & as the weather was sunny we decided to continue for a couple of hours to Tipton. This route is continuing along Brindley's canal built in 1772 towards Birmingham. Have I already mentioned that Birmingham has more canals than Venice? Although many of them have now been filled in, travelling from Wolverhampton to Tipton you go through a couple of junctions where there are still navigable canals that you could venture along
Shortly after these 2 junctions we reach a section of Brindley's canal which has been re-engineered by Telford & we enter the 360 yard Coseley Tunnel
After a mile we were at Factory Junction where we have gone to the right on the Brindley route - I'll tell you more about that tomorrow! We have moored at Tipton for the night
Today we have travelled for just over 7 hours on 3 canals, up 22 locks & through 2 tunnels.
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| Last nights mooring - south of bridge 14 SUC at Brewood |
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| Bridge 10 SUC |
After another mile you quickly realise that you are leaving the tranquillity of the countryside behind you as the scenery is changing; this canal takes you right to the edge of Wolverhampton.
When the SUC was originally constructed back in 1835 when each canal was run by a different company & none of them wanted to lose their water into another company's canal. To avoid this loss of water a "stop lock" was constructed at the end of the canal. The "stop lock" at the end of the SUC is just 6" deep but still requires you to open gates & paddles as you would with a regular lock
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| Eos in the SUC Stop Lock |
Immediately after the Stop Lock we were turning right at Autherley Junction for about a half mile stretch of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal
 |
| Looking back at Autherley Junction, under the bridge is the beginning of the Shropshire Union Canal |
Almost as soon as we were on the Staffs & Worcs Canal it was time to leave again as we reached Aldersley Junction where we turn right onto the BCN (Birmingham Canal Navigations)
 |
| Looking back at Aldersley Junction, we came from the right |
From Aldersley Junction we are straight into a flight of locks known as the Wolverhampton 21. The 21 locks are initially in pleasant countryside alongside Wolverhampton racecourse but by the time you get about a third of the way up you know you are in the city as you can no longer hear the birds singing as their songs are drowned by the sounds of vehicles or sirens.
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| Wolverhampton 21 |
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| We made it! |
We debated whether to overnight in Wolverhampton but as it was very noisy & as the weather was sunny we decided to continue for a couple of hours to Tipton. This route is continuing along Brindley's canal built in 1772 towards Birmingham. Have I already mentioned that Birmingham has more canals than Venice? Although many of them have now been filled in, travelling from Wolverhampton to Tipton you go through a couple of junctions where there are still navigable canals that you could venture along
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| Horseley Fields Junction - Wyrley & Essington |
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| Deepfields Junction |
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| Coseley Tunnel BCN |
After a mile we were at Factory Junction where we have gone to the right on the Brindley route - I'll tell you more about that tomorrow! We have moored at Tipton for the night
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| Factory Junction BCN |
Today we have travelled for just over 7 hours on 3 canals, up 22 locks & through 2 tunnels.
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