I promised a part two of Barry’s photos last week, then got a little caught up with travelling and sorting for our first, full-on working weekend from Areandare.
As you read this pre-scheduled post, I’ll be safely ensconced in Malpas with my daughter and two gorgeous giggling grandsons. Barry will be on the boat, having travelled back up the Farmer’s Bridge Locks. I’m hopeful someone will be there to assist him. I put the word out to my nephew, and Jim Shead, waterways photographer extraordinaire. He’s an ex-boater, now lovely lock helper living in Birmingham, who we had the good fortune to meet last year when Barry’s sister Jenny, from Australia, was with us. If neither of those options work out, and for a reason I’m unable to fathom (mainly because I can’t imagine doing it myself), he’s perfectly happy and capable of locking alone.
Below are some superb shots from a professional photographer’s perspective, of the 13 Farmer’s Bridge Locks descending from Birmingham (aka the REAL Middle Earth, it wasn’t originally in New Zealand, in case you weren’t aware – it’s a city sitting on a plateau don’t you know) …
Cambrian Wharf as we leave the soul of this vibrant and thriving city centre
The first of a series of 13 locks
Sandra keeps up the social media marketing from the locks – focus woman, focus! Watched by a couple of gongoozlers and the BT Tower
The majority of people visiting, living and/or working in Birmingham city centre, would have no idea they have a canal running underneath buildings
The BT Tower (formerly the Post Office Tower) easily achieves the title ‘tallest building in the city’ at 150 metres high
Looking spookily as you’d imagine Venice may in places …
The red wooden doors are where the fire hoses used to reach into the canals to source water, but we wonder why they needed four doors per bridge?
Graffiti is prolific around the Birmingham canals – rather than viewing it as unsightly, our perspective is it’s a comfortable and often colourful part of the urbanisation
This could be a scene from times past …
About half way down the thirteen locks – we think!
The brickwork of bridges always amazes us. This one sits majestically under the railway lines to Snow Hill Station
The brickwork’s also a little eclectic and claustrophobic at times
The ancient and modern nestle harmoniously together at Aston Junction
Looks like another Toll Island by Typhoo Basin
One lot of locks completed, arriving at the Junction of the Tame Valley and Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, and on the left our mooring for the Spring Market (I know, we were out of order but time restricted and left with little choice)
Barry will try a spot of towpath trading in Birmingham over the weekend while I’m away, so if you’re around do pay him a visit.
On Monday we’ll continue the journey to Droitwich for our next three days trading over the May Day Bank Holiday Weekend. We’re very excited to be doing so alongside our dear friends Andy and Helen from Wild Side Handmade Preserves – the hedgerow’s finest don’t you know!