Rainboat

The day after Vicky's return from the North East we cast off the mooring ropes and began making our way towards Birmingham once again. From there the plan is to travel to Coventry for Christmas. We couldn't have stayed longer had we wanted to because the Peaky Blinder film crew were returning to Bumble Hole. Signposts and benches were being removed as we left and access was restricted for boats and visitors.

Our first obstacle was Netherton Tunnel. Will had cruised through it solo before, but this time Vicky was able to carry Tiger and Leo in their bags on foot so it was less stressful for Tiger. She doesn't get travel sick but she does have a lot of anxiety when she's on anything moving. We've considered asking a vet to prescribe a sedative but having researched it, Vicky bought some calming chews containing L-tryptophan, L- Theanine and Thiamine, which aid the body's production of serotonin, GABA and dopamine. We gave Tiger half a chew alongside a herbal oil with her breakfast and a spray as we set off. She seemed to be calmer so we'll keep up this routine alongside behavioural support and see how she does.

Netherton Tunnel is wide enough for two boats to pass each other and has a towpath on either side, though one is currently fenced off. Vicky had forgotten how wet it was and regretted not wearing her wellies as she sploshed through deep puddles as wide as the path. The head torch provided enough light to see the puddles were but not how deep they were. It was a little unnerving not knowing where your foot would land. Alongside the daylight at the end of the tunnel we could see the headlight of another boat when we entered. It seemed to take ages to reach it but passing it in Rainboat went without a hitch.

Emerging at the north portal we passed under Tividale Aqueduct which carries the Birmingham Canal Navigation Old Mainline. We then took a right at the Dudley Port T Junction, leaving Dudley Canal and entering the BCN New Mainline. After a short distance we took another right at Albion Junction on to the BCN Gower Branch, where we found ourselves facing the hill we'd just journeyed underneath.

It seemed a bit rough around here, with men on motorbikes with numberplates painted over riding on the towpath and a 3 year old wandering past the locks by himself. Vicky kept a close eye on him and tried to ask him if there was a grownup nearby until eventually a man that looked like a relative came in to view and followed him 😒

At the Brades Hall T Junction we entered the BCN Old Mainline, which we'd passed under when we first exited Netherton Tunnel. Vicky was so glad Will was in charge of navigating; there were far too many junctions involved today!

We attempted to moor several times but the banks were either silted up or too overgrown with lilacs and birch saplings. Thankfully the official mooring bollards adjacent to Arnold Clarke were accessible, though the radio blasting out over the car lot was a near constant accompaniment to our stay.

Whiskers hopped off as soon as we arrived and it began to rain. His tracker came in handy when close to bedtime it helped Vicky find him trying to keep dry under a Holly bush near Arnold Clarke's car wash. We treated ourselves to fish, a salad wrap and chips from Mr Vinegar's, though Will is rather more fond of the Black Country red chips than Vicky is.

The following morning we opened the blinds to discover our surroundings covered in snow! What a treat! We took a toddle around Oldbury town centre but it seemed rather tired and run down. We did like the knife angel outside Sandwell Council buildings though. It is made of over 100,000 siezed blades and has been touring the UK for several years to highlight the dangers of knife crime while acting as a memorial to those that have lost their lives to knife violence. In December it will move on to Perth for a month.

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