UK Canal Boating

At Hinksford there is a small aqueduct, and a pub 2 mins NE of bridge 38.

Turning south the canal makes a remote journey through the Rocky & Gothersley locks, at Rocky lock rooms have been carved into the sandstone. At the next aqueduct is Devil's Den a curious narrowboat house cut into the rock.

At Stourton Junction the Stourbridge canal turns off to the left and this is the way you should go towards Birmingham.

Within this small area there is a fantastically peaceful aqueduct over the River Stour to the North, the stunning tollhouse and circular weir at the Stewpony and not least the picturesque series of locks leading off the Stourton Junction towards Stourbridge and Birmingham. This being a quieter area with less boating traffic it is certainly a section to relish and take your time.
Just across the river from Stewponey Wharf is the impressive bulk of Stourton castle, it is the birthplace of Cardinal Pole born in 1500 who was a friend of Mary Tudor & is now privately owned. Also near the Wharf the long abandoned Kinver Light valley railway used to run from Stourbridge to Kinver.
Turn left at the Stourbridge Canal and you immediately encounter 4 locks .

The Stourbridge and Dudley Canals link Birmingham to the River Severn and you pass through a mixture of fine countryside old industrial surroundings and new developments.

You pass pretty wooded countryside which surrounds the canal until 2 miles later you pass the Stourbridge Town arm to your right which you can ignore, keep straight on through the flight of 16 Stourbridge Locks which raise the canal 145 feet.
Beyond lock 13 the canal passes Redhouse Glassworks which houses Stuart Crystal . Moorings are provided for those who are visiting the Museum in a restored bottle kiln.

You can moor by lock 5 as there is a fine old canal pub here called the Samson & Lion where boatmans horses were once stabled where you can get a burger and pint!

Ignore the Fens branch and take the right turn through Brierley Hill and Dudley. There is a handy Fish & chip shop and takeaway next to Farmers Bridge. A more open landscape flanks the canal now and the start of the Delph locks is in view and here the Stourbridge canal ends and the Dudley canal starts.The flight has been designated a conservation area .

Leaving the flight you pass the vast Merryhill shopping centre in Dudley with its 250 shops, and modern waterfront area with many restaurants and bars, so if you would like to stop for a bit of retail therapy or a meal in one of the lovely Restaurants now is your chance.

The Blowers Green Lock is the deepest on the Birmingham Canal navigation, and the pumphouse here has been restored. There are good views towards Netherton hill, at the top of the hill is St Andrews Church where cholera victims were buried in mass graves.

After the lock a sharp right turn is required as straight on the Dudley Tunnel which is impassible for boats with engines.

Netherton was once the centre for chains and anchors but the old wharves no longer house these activiites.

Beyond Fox & Goose Bridge the houses retreat and a fine green open space by a lake lies beside the Windmill End Junction , with cast iron bridges and the remains of an Engine house with its tall chimney still standing, built to pump water from the local mines to keep them from flooding.

The Bumblehole Branch is off to the west, but you will continue straight on to the grand entrance of the Netherton tunnel , the canal is high on an embankment in a nature reserve.
Netherton Tunnel has a long history of haunting. At least 2 ghosts have been reported here. The first is an old time policeman who was saidto have been mudered in the tunnel and the 2nd is a lady in a dirty white dress known as the Grey lady. People have also heard footsteps behind them which stop when they turn around, and also wet footsteps disappearing into the tunnel but which suddenly disappear!

Netherton tunnel is 3027 yards long and emerges to go under the Tididale aqueduct which carries the Wolverhampton level, and at Dudley Port Junction you turn right along the Birmingham Level main line.

At Bromford Junction do not turn off but keep straight on under the Stewart Aqueduct which takes the Wolverhampton level overhead, through Galton Tunnel (122 yards), ignoring the Soho Loop and Icknield Port Loop and you can moor by Sheepcote Street moorings or further on at Gas Street Basin.
You are in the heart of Birmingham's canal network, which has been redeveloped into a unique experience where traditional narrow boats moor up next to cosmopolitan cafes and bars.

The surrounding area is a vibrant arts & entertainment area and there are many shopping options 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 BullRing 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.

 

NB: This route has been provided as a guide only. Information may become inaccurate or out of date. You should always check with the marina that the route is possible within your time frame, current weather conditions and canal stoppages etc.