Birmingham canals

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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ChrisF
Posts: 665
Joined: 22 Mar 2014, 7:34pm

Birmingham canals

Post by ChrisF »

I'm planning to spend a few days in April at a campsite near Stourbridge. I'd like to explore Birmingham's canals by bike. I have done a provisonal route here https://cycle.travel/map/journey/209445 - just wondering if any local cyclists could advise on any improvements? (The last section goes on a towpath that isn't marked as a cycle route - I may be bored with towpaths by then anyway so could skip that bit!
Chris F, Cornwall
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RickH
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Joined: 5 Mar 2012, 6:39pm
Location: Horwich, Lancs.

Re: Birmingham canals

Post by RickH »

ChrisF wrote:I'm planning to spend a few days in April at a campsite near Stourbridge. I'd like to explore Birmingham's canals by bike. I have done a provisonal route here https://cycle.travel/map/journey/209445 - just wondering if any local cyclists could advise on any improvements? (The last section goes on a towpath that isn't marked as a cycle route - I may be bored with towpaths by then anyway so could skip that bit!


When you turn off the New Main Line just before mile 30 turn onto the left (east) towpath & keep straight on through the Netherton tunnel! :D there is a wide, fenced towpath (there is one on both sides but only the east side is open). The tunnel is nearly 2.8km/1.75 miles long & It took me about 45 minutes to ride through. Good lights are essential & a warm extra layer, even in hot weather outside, is recommended.

You could then keep heading south, follow the Dudley No2 Canal towpath to join your current route south of Dudley (34.5 miles on your current route) but I don't know that bit of towpath. (When I went through the tunnel I rode the other way, coming from the east & going north through the tunnel as I was on a clockwise loop starting & finishing at the University.)
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
Martyn B
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Joined: 17 Apr 2013, 10:08pm

Re: Birmingham canals

Post by Martyn B »

Chris - my wife and I did a Birmingham / Black Country circular day 'tour's last year, slightly longer than the one you're planning (71miles in total), clockwise in direction, generally avoiding the worst of what the area has on offer! We live in Kidderminster, so we know the local area well, and the Birmingham area reasonably well. We went north up the Staffs /Worcs canal as far as Bratch locks, from where there is a good disused railway line up to Wolverhampton, which joins up with the canal again eventually. Just after Wolverhampton racecourse, at Aldersley Junction, we took the mainline canal which ultimately leads into Brindley Place and on to Gas Street basin,which, if you've not been before, is worth a visit. From there, we headed south on the Birm / Worcs canal to Alvechurch marina, where we left the canal, taking the lanes to the south of Bromsgrove back to Kidderminster, avoiding the horrible and (in my view) dangerous A448.

The condition of the towpaths is generally very good and although there are reports that the local reprobates can sometimes be a problem, we've never had any experience of intimidating behaviour. My recommendation would be to take a longer but quieter route towards Birmingham, your route into the city is also quite hilly, and the more rural areas are well worth riding through. Also, I would recommend sticking to the canal tow path when you join the Staffs / Worcs canal, it's scenic, and a much better alternative to the adjacent A449.

If you have any questions about your proposed trip, then please feel free to either post here, or send a message
ChrisF
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Joined: 22 Mar 2014, 7:34pm

Re: Birmingham canals

Post by ChrisF »

Rick and Martin, many thanks. Rick, the tunnel sounds interesting - is that unlit all the way? I don't think I've done a cycling tunnel that long before. Martin - did you by any chance save a GPS route of your trip? 71 miles is fine if the route is flat or nearly flat (I did 58 miles today, but including 8000 ft of climbing - Brum canals will be a change from Cornish hills!) although I think I planned this Birmingham ride as a shortish one for a day when the weather isn't brill. (hmmm - :idea: - maybe the tunnel will help with that :) )
Chris F, Cornwall
Martyn B
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Joined: 17 Apr 2013, 10:08pm

Re: Birmingham canals

Post by Martyn B »

Chris - no, unfortunately I rarely use my gps, I tend to have a vague plan when I'm out riding which can be adapted to suit how I'm feeling when I'm out. As I said in my previous post though, I can send you a blow by blow account of the route as we did it - canal towpaths can be hard work in my view, because there's so much stop / start, and it's rarely possible to build up any degree of speed, so although the route was pretty flat, it was also quite slow. For info, we did it on our Thorn Ravens, which although bought for touring, are more akin to a mountain bike than a road bike, and ideal for the job.

I've actually cycled through the Netherton tunnel, a few years ago admittedly, but I was at the southern entrance (on foot) a couple of weeks ago and it's not changed! As far as I'm aware, there's absolutely no lighting in the tunnel, apart from what you have on the bike, and there are several ventilation shafts which admit the faintest amounts of light, of no assistance whatsoever! I also have a memory of the surface being heavily pot-holed, with lots of water lying about - bear in mind the tunnel is more than 200 years old and water ingress over that period of time has made its mark. I really enjoyed the experience, my wife hated it! I would thoroughly recommend working your way back to the campsite at Wolverley via the canal network, there's so much industrial archaeology to see, as well as really nice countryside, we did it last a couple of years ago (on our Bromptons).

On a slightly different tangent, Chris, the area to the west and north-west of Kidderminster is well worthy of exploration, either by bike or on foot. If you've never been up on the Long Mynd, Church Stretton, then that's well worth a day out. From Wolverley, you can also walk up on to Kinver Edge, another local beauty spot - like everywhere else in Britain, the possibilities are endless......
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nikkip
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Joined: 22 Apr 2021, 7:14pm
Location: Lancaster

Re: Birmingham canals

Post by nikkip »

Hi Chris, not sure if this is too late to be useful of not, but the Birmingham section of your route (Frankley through to where you leave the canal in Dudley) is familiar to me from various commutes and day rides.

A few notes:

At the 2m marker, make sure you come off the cycle path and onto the road before the dotted line - if you go straight ahead as shown here you'll be met with some steps.

Just after the 5m mark, your route leaves the canal for a short distance. Is this something you've chosen, or the routing algorithm? If you decide to stay on the canal, the bridge at Lifford Lane is fine - a bit of a blind corner, so take it easy and maybe ring your bell. The up and over at Pershore road might not be everyone's cup of tea: you can ride the up bit if you give it some beans, there are steps with a rolling ramp on the down side, followed by quite a tight left hand U-turn to get onto the towpath, but it's not so bad. I kind of get why you or the algorithm might opt for the road instead though.

All fine until the 10m marker. Between 10 and 11.5m is the picture postcard bit, which is fine if you're happy to go at tourist pace and negotiate the bar and restaurant seating (and its users) that encroach onto the towpath. If it's likely to be a busy time, or that's past your corona comfort level, then come off the canal just after the 10m marker and use Gas Street, Broad Street and then the second right on your map onto the cobbled area (Oozells St). When you get to the square at the end with the steps, use the ramp to the left to drop down a level then head to the far right corner, past the Sea Life Centre to use the bridge to rejoin the canal.

Seconding the recommendation for extra layers if you do the Netherton Tunnel! It's been a few years since I last did it, but yes: potholes, puddles and maybe the handrail broken in places. If you're particularly tall, widebarred or carrying luggage then you might find clearances an issue. Give it a try though and make your decision before you get too far in, because there won't be space to turn around!

There are videos of the tunnel online, so you'll be able to get a feel for whether it's worth doing twice or re-routing for (I think it probably is, all being equal - certainly it will be an experience!

Enjoy your day!
ChrisF
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Joined: 22 Mar 2014, 7:34pm

Re: Birmingham canals

Post by ChrisF »

Thanks for that, Nikkip - although I rode the canals last week - in the end I largely followed Martyn B's suggestion and did a longer route (and avoided the tunnel, after finding more info about it on the web!). It was a glorious day of weather, and very enjoyable - the only problem really was that I planned to use one of the many canalside cafes in central Birmingham for lunch, but they were all fully booked, even on a Thursday ! Everyone making most of the sunshine now that they are allowed to go to a pub, I guess.
Thanks again, and sorry that you were a bit late .
Chris
Chris F, Cornwall
pga
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Joined: 6 Feb 2007, 9:40pm

Re: Birmingham canals

Post by pga »

It is many years ago since I walked through the Netherton tunnel. If my memory is correct it was well lit in those days.
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nikkip
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Joined: 22 Apr 2021, 7:14pm
Location: Lancaster

Re: Birmingham canals

Post by nikkip »

ChrisF wrote: 23 Apr 2021, 9:07pm Thanks for that, Nikkip - although I rode the canals last week - in the end I largely followed Martyn B's suggestion and did a longer route (and avoided the tunnel, after finding more info about it on the web!). It was a glorious day of weather, and very enjoyable - the only problem really was that I planned to use one of the many canalside cafes in central Birmingham for lunch, but they were all fully booked, even on a Thursday ! Everyone making most of the sunshine now that they are allowed to go to a pub, I guess.
Thanks again, and sorry that you were a bit late .
Chris
Well done on the weather: sounds like it would have been a bit of a shame to have spent a chunk of it underground! Glad you had a good day.

There's usually a lot of overspill from the eateries anyway, so I dread to think how busy (whilst hopefully also being spread out!) it must be at the moment. FWIW, Cherry Reds on John Bright Street is my usual recommendation for food - there's a bit more space for bike propping outside, some Sheffield stands a short way away if needed, and they do good grub. Next time...
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