Birmingham and return from Worcester
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Cruise this route from : Worcester
Route Type : City
Days : 8.00
Cruising Hours : 39.00
Number of Locks : 108
Cruising Notes
Day 1Once you have had your tuition, set off by turning left out of Lowesmoor Wharf up the Worcester and Birmingham canal, towards Tolladine Lock, which will take you around two hours. You can moor here for the night, but do make sure you have provisions with you as the lock is situated away from any shops.
You will have travelled two miles and been through five locks.
Day 2
Make your way towards Stoke Pound Bridge. You will pass through the pretty village of Tibberton, where you might like to moor and sample some food in one of the local pubs, maybe The Bridge Inn or perhaps Speed the Plough. A little further along is the village of Oddingley, where there is a little 15th C church, which is well worth a visit.
As you move towards Hanbury Wharf, you will travel through Dunhampstead Tunnel, which is 230 yards long. You will then be ready to stop at The Firtree Inn, where good food is served, and children are welcome. There are moorings here and there is a large beer garden.
As you approach busy Hanbury Wharf, you will see the small lighthouse rising up in front of you. On leaving the Wharf, you will be met with beautiful parkland surrounding Hanbury Hall, before approaching the six locks which make up the Astwood flight, which are situated in beautiful pastureland.
You will now be approaching Stoke Wharf, from where you can travel to Stoke Pound Bridge to moor for the night, before tackling the 30 Tardebigge Locks tomorrow.
There are pubs near Bridges 42/44/48.
This will have taken around 6.5 hours cruising
Day 3
Set off from Stoke Pound Bridge, through the 30 Tardebigge Locks. As you climb the locks, the countryside opens up, with beautiful scenery and pretty cottages overlooking the canal. Between locks 50 and 54, the Tardebigge feeder reservoir can be seen on the east bank, and is a popular place for keen fishermen. The reservoir is 50 feet below the summit level and a steam engine used to be in use to pump water up the hill. The old engine house, which stands near the canal, is now a luxury apartment block.
Above Tardebigge Top Lock you will approach Tardebigge Wharf, which is overlooked by the 18th C church of St Bartholemew, on the hill towards the east. There is a mooring site conveniently placed at the Wharf, from where you can stroll into the village, perhaps for refreshments before continuing your journey.
Leaving this pretty village, you will now pass through Tardebigge Tunnel, which is 580 yards long. From here, the canal winds through the beautiful, hilly Worcestershire countryside, and before long you will reach the 613 yard Shortwood Tunnel, cruise nto Bridge 60 where there is another ABC Marina- Alvechurch, with the Weighbridge Pub.
Alvechurch is a pleasant town with some fine half timbered houses.
Today, you will have cruised for about 6 hours.
Day 4
You will travel, today, to the Gas Street Basin & Brindley place in Birmingham, which is where you will start your return journey.
In the distance, you will see Wast Hills Tunnel, which is said to be one of the longest in the country, at 2726 yards long.
Leaving Alvechurch, you will soon reach Hopwood, where you will find Hopwood House, a canalside pub, serving good food all day. Children are welcome and there is a large beer garden with play equipment.
Once you leave here, you will approach Wast Hills Tunnel, with its grandiose bridges spanning the cuttings at either end.
On leaving the tunnel, you may like to stop at the visitor moorings at Cadbury World, although prior booking is advisable. This is one mile north of the Kings Norton Junction, and is signposted from the canal. Here, you will find an exhibition detailing the history of chocolate, audio-visual displays, Victorian Birmingham, and even a jungle to explore.
Moving on about three miles, you will reach the Gas Street Basin, which is at the heart of Birmingham's canal network. This has been redeveloped into a unique experience, where traditional narrow boats can moor up alongside cosmopolitan cafe's and bars and you can enjoy a variety of entertainment, arts and shopping opportunities, all within a short walk.
If you choose to moor up next to the Sea Life Centre, you will be spoilt for choice with the variety of cuisine on offer, with over 500 restaurants to choose from offering Caribbean to Nepalese, Thai to Italian, and many more. You will also find clubs and bars, cinema's, theatre's and comedy clubs.
Among other attractions are the National Sea Life Centre, Fine Art Galleries, and the Jewellery Quarter, which dates back over 250 years and is still home to over 400 jewellery businesses.
It is a designated conservation area, with only 200 listed buildings, and has been described by English Heritage as 'a unique historic environment in England'.
For those who like a little retail therapy, a visit to the New Building is a must. It covers an area the size of 26 football pitches, and has an enormous range of shops.
Also nearby, is the National Indoor Arena, one of the busiest large scale indoor sporting and entertainment venues in Europe.
Your will have cruised for 3-4 hours today.
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
It is 29 miles back to Worcester and Lowesmoor Wharf, so you need to cruise for about 6-7 hours each day on your return.
This route is provided courtesy of UK Canal Boating
The information above is provided in good faith to assist you with planning your canal boat holiday. Information accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
