Essendee Narrow Boat: Leaving the city

When we got up I went into the town to buy a pair of daps or as people call them in this area pumps or to anyone else trainers, we also topped up with a few essentials from the handy Tesco extra which is situated in the Basin. We then set off down the Worcester and Birmingham Canal through the 105 yds Edgbaston Tunnel and then passing the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on the right and The University of Birmingham on the left.

Edgbaston tunnel

We then passed the chocolate producing factory Cadburys or Kraft which is it proper name here they produce every ones favourites treats.

We then came to a watering point and decided to get some water and as we were mooring up ai heard a woman shouting , which I ignored only to find it was my sister Kathryn , what a nice surprise, she stayed for a cup of coffe and a chat and we arranged to meet up later.

We then carried on and then we entered Wast hill tunnel this is one of the longest tunnels in Britain at 2726 yards long, once canal workers use to leg the barges through using their feet on the sides to power them through, this then was replaced by steam tugs and later diesel tugs. The old iron brackets and insulators can still been seen , these were used to carry the telegraph wires. And as Denise and I found out a lot of drips fall from the tunnel ceiling .

A sign explains Wast Hill Tunnel

The beginning of the tunnel

Inside

Looking back to the start of the tunnel

We then carried on and moored up just by the A441 road and a pub cal the hopwood house where. We are going to have a meal with Kath my sister and her grandson Josh tonight.

Only Kath turned up as Josh was in his kickboxing club so we had dinner in the pub and then went to our nieces house where we saw Matt and Victoria and then Josh turned up,and we went back to the boat where Victoria and Matt picked up Ben our other great nephew from his football practise joined us. They all loved the boat and it was great to catch up with them

Kathryn in the boat