What a great video!! I've cycled the southern section many times up to Wolves, but never the northern half. The section approaching Kinver where you were diverted by the homemade sign is due to it being an area for boat moorings, though I can remember cycling through it regularly until maybe 15 or 20 years ago. The wide track you were diverted onto is the old Track bed of the Kinver to Amblecote light railway which was a very popular tourist line that brought families from the Black Country to Kinver for days out in the countryside before the War. Virtually the entire track bed survives from Stewponey bridge where the toll house is down to the site of the terminus at Kinver. The section from Stewponey to Amblecote was a tramline alongside/on the main roadway.
Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for the info on the old railway, I had no idea and as you may know from my other videos I love a disused railway! Thanks for watching!
I am very lucky my wife is very supportive of my cycling escapades, so she picked me up this time, although I try to take the train when possible. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for this. I used to ride the T&M a lot from Fradley to Trentham continuing north at Haywood, so this was interesting to see. The whole towpath route here looks pretty good compared to what I've experienced nearer Stone - a sticky, slimy quagmire lasting a mile or so. And thorns. The riverside trust may do a good job of cutting down the overgrowth but if they've done the hedgerows as well they often leave loads of thorns everywhere. The straight section of canal near Rodbaston appears to be original. The route of the M6 following the canal not vice versa. I found a map online (1805-1869: Earliest British Ordnance Survey, 1" to 1 mile, Old Map of Gailey Wharf, Staffordshire) where the route of the canal looks unchanged.
It’s a shame all towpaths are not kept to a good standard, it would provide a great cycling network. Looking at an old map was a good idea, thanks for confirming the canal hasn’t had a course change. Thanks for watching!
The section from Fradley to Burton on Trent is even worse, and so uneven that a gravel bike is painful in places (just south of Barton Marina being the worst). It's also poorly maintained, last time i went out with 4 friends, we came back with 5 punctures :( North of Burton on Trent (Clay Mills) towards Willington doesn't seem to be maintained at all. Maybe I'll do a video about it, almost gave up last time I tried it, fortunately I was on a mountain bike though. Still, having this much towpath in easy reach is a blessing, I shouldn't complain too much, and once I approach Alrewas, the towpaths are even and gravelly.
I was thinking of riding the Trent and Mersey from end to end at some point, maybe not the best idea! A real shame the towpath isn’t maintained along the whole length.
@@cyclingn8 It's been a few years since I went north of Burton to be fair, due to how bad it was last time! Maybe I should give it another go. I'm in training for a long ride so am considering Burton to Grantham on the canal when the next suitable weather gap is. I'll let you know how I get on!
Thanks you, glad you enjoyed the video. Just checked out Marcus’s channel, unfortunately my German isn’t great so couldn’t understand much of it but looks a good channel. Thanks for watching!
@cyclingn8 no problem. Our friend lives next to the south Kinver lock, but I don't think that was on the video. I'm bilingual and spend a lot of time riding the fantastic roads, cycleways and agricultural roads in Rhineland-Palatinate..
@cyclingn8 the entire Mosel cycleway has about 250 metres of elevation along its entire route... runs alongside the Mosel with a lot of unrestricted views, through the best wine country in the world.. Germany uses agricultural roads, normally adjacent to the public road and which are open to walkers and cyclists... traffic free 99% of the time on them, and no tractors on the public roads.. win / win.
Nice.. :) I've downloaded the route as this isn't far from me I'm based in Sutton Coldfield.. great vid buddy very interesting narrative, you have a lot of knowledge :) Subscribed. Pete
Glad you liked the video, I do a lot of research for all the information so happy you found it interesting. Thanks for the sub and thanks for watching!
A great video, which brings back loads of memories. I live in Hong Kong now, and am unlikely to get back to the Midlands for a while, so it's always good to see where I did a lot of cycling back in the '60s, '70s and '80s. It was technically illegal to cycle on the towpath back then, and I got reprimanded a few times for doing so. When did that change, I wonder?
From what I’ve read things began to change in the 80’s to encourage people onto the canals, and you did used to have to buy a permit to cycle on the towpaths. Fortunately now you don’t and we can all enjoy the towpaths. Glad the video bought back some memories, thanks for watching!
I can do this one using the train to Stafford and riding the route back. Might use a MTB though as i suspect the path will be messy early next year before the brambles start growing back again.
Yeah definitely best to avoid the times of year when the bramble plague is in full swing. MTB would do nicely on this route, particularly the northern end. Thanks for watching!
Great informative video,I have ridden a few tow paths around Stafford but suffer from a lot of punctures. Do you have any tips to be puncture free many thanks.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed the video. I am pretty old fashioned and still ride with inner tubes, but I always buy tyres with good puncture protection and that seems to work for me. If you are having punctures regularly look at swapping your tyres to a set with good puncture protection. Thanks for watching!
Enjoyed the video, have done a few of your loops now. How do you get home when doing these one ways? I always end up doing loops to save this problem but it limits my riding
Another very informative video - many thanks! I've not ridden the towpath north of Penkridge so I will have to give it a go, during a dry spell as you suggest. May I dare to suggest that you have misattributed a section of footage, however? The very picturesque stretch you describe at 26.50 is between Stewponey and Kinver, not after Kinver.
I may well have, when editing such a long ride it’s hard to remember which bits fit where so I would trust your knowledge on that if you are familiar with the stretch. A really lovely section of the canal though! Thanks for watching!
I think that section of the Staffs and Worcs, along with the stretch from Stewponey to Stourbridge, is the prettiest in the West Midlands. @@cyclingn8
It’s got to be top of the list! Although I did very much enjoy the Stratford upon Avon canal from Kingswood Junction to the M42, also a very pretty bit of canal I rode on my Brummie loop video.
Yes, that section is lovely too. The towpath might not be quite as good, though. I rode your Brummie Loop route a few weeks ago, courtesy of your gpx file. @@cyclingn8
Sorry but another pronunciation note for you. The River Sow is pronounced the same as the female pig, or ouch. Great video, though, and will definitely investigate a few towpath journeys myself. But as I ride a Brompton, that will have to wait for rather better weather, especially as I’m still a pretty nervous cyclist and would be likely as not to fall in!
Thanks for the pronunciation correction, always happy to hear the right way to say place names. Some towpaths could be tricky on a Brompton but still plenty with a good surface you can explore, so happy cycling and thanks for watching!
Just to correct your pronunciation, it is not Coookley but it's pronounced, Cookley as in cooking. Locals would not be pleased if you said Coookley. 😂😂😂😂
What a great video!! I've cycled the southern section many times up to Wolves, but never the northern half.
The section approaching Kinver where you were diverted by the homemade sign is due to it being an area for boat moorings, though I can remember cycling through it regularly until maybe 15 or 20 years ago. The wide track you were diverted onto is the old Track bed of the Kinver to Amblecote light railway which was a very popular tourist line that brought families from the Black Country to Kinver for days out in the countryside before the War. Virtually the entire track bed survives from Stewponey bridge where the toll house is down to the site of the terminus at Kinver. The section from Stewponey to Amblecote was a tramline alongside/on the main roadway.
Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for the info on the old railway, I had no idea and as you may know from my other videos I love a disused railway! Thanks for watching!
I've run and walked from Kidderminster to Stourport and back but never cycled it's lovely there. I also wondered how you got back!
I am very lucky my wife is very supportive of my cycling escapades, so she picked me up this time, although I try to take the train when possible. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for this. I used to ride the T&M a lot from Fradley to Trentham continuing north at Haywood, so this was interesting to see. The whole towpath route here looks pretty good compared to what I've experienced nearer Stone - a sticky, slimy quagmire lasting a mile or so. And thorns. The riverside trust may do a good job of cutting down the overgrowth but if they've done the hedgerows as well they often leave loads of thorns everywhere.
The straight section of canal near Rodbaston appears to be original. The route of the M6 following the canal not vice versa. I found a map online (1805-1869: Earliest British Ordnance Survey, 1" to 1 mile, Old Map of Gailey Wharf, Staffordshire) where the route of the canal looks unchanged.
It’s a shame all towpaths are not kept to a good standard, it would provide a great cycling network.
Looking at an old map was a good idea, thanks for confirming the canal hasn’t had a course change.
Thanks for watching!
The section from Fradley to Burton on Trent is even worse, and so uneven that a gravel bike is painful in places (just south of Barton Marina being the worst). It's also poorly maintained, last time i went out with 4 friends, we came back with 5 punctures :(
North of Burton on Trent (Clay Mills) towards Willington doesn't seem to be maintained at all. Maybe I'll do a video about it, almost gave up last time I tried it, fortunately I was on a mountain bike though.
Still, having this much towpath in easy reach is a blessing, I shouldn't complain too much, and once I approach Alrewas, the towpaths are even and gravelly.
I was thinking of riding the Trent and Mersey from end to end at some point, maybe not the best idea! A real shame the towpath isn’t maintained along the whole length.
@@cyclingn8 It's been a few years since I went north of Burton to be fair, due to how bad it was last time! Maybe I should give it another go. I'm in training for a long ride so am considering Burton to Grantham on the canal when the next suitable weather gap is. I'll let you know how I get on!
Cheers, wouldn’t definitely be interested to know how it is.
I did part of this on a B'ham to Stoke canal ride. The towpath was hard going between Penkridge and Stafford and it was summer.
I can imagine. Shame it’s not a better surface, it would be great to ride from Brum to Stoke decent towpaths. Thanks for watching!
Great video. The format reminds me of the videos I watch by Marcus Bersheim too.
Thanks you, glad you enjoyed the video. Just checked out Marcus’s channel, unfortunately my German isn’t great so couldn’t understand much of it but looks a good channel. Thanks for watching!
@cyclingn8 no problem. Our friend lives next to the south Kinver lock, but I don't think that was on the video.
I'm bilingual and spend a lot of time riding the fantastic roads, cycleways and agricultural roads in Rhineland-Palatinate..
I think they have it better than us for cycling on the continent with cycleways, hope to do some cycling myself there sometime.
@cyclingn8 the entire Mosel cycleway has about 250 metres of elevation along its entire route... runs alongside the Mosel with a lot of unrestricted views, through the best wine country in the world..
Germany uses agricultural roads, normally adjacent to the public road and which are open to walkers and cyclists... traffic free 99% of the time on them, and no tractors on the public roads.. win / win.
Sounds amazing, infrastructure we could only dream of in the UK unfortunately.
Nice.. :) I've downloaded the route as this isn't far from me I'm based in Sutton Coldfield.. great vid buddy very interesting narrative, you have a lot of knowledge :) Subscribed. Pete
Glad you liked the video, I do a lot of research for all the information so happy you found it interesting. Thanks for the sub and thanks for watching!
A great video, which brings back loads of memories. I live in Hong Kong now, and am unlikely to get back to the Midlands for a while, so it's always good to see where I did a lot of cycling back in the '60s, '70s and '80s. It was technically illegal to cycle on the towpath back then, and I got reprimanded a few times for doing so. When did that change, I wonder?
From what I’ve read things began to change in the 80’s to encourage people onto the canals, and you did used to have to buy a permit to cycle on the towpaths. Fortunately now you don’t and we can all enjoy the towpaths. Glad the video bought back some memories, thanks for watching!
I can do this one using the train to Stafford and riding the route back. Might use a MTB though as i suspect the path will be messy early next year before the brambles start growing back again.
Yeah definitely best to avoid the times of year when the bramble plague is in full swing. MTB would do nicely on this route, particularly the northern end. Thanks for watching!
Great informative video,I have ridden a few tow paths around Stafford but suffer from a lot of punctures. Do you have any tips to be puncture free many thanks.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed the video. I am pretty old fashioned and still ride with inner tubes, but I always buy tyres with good puncture protection and that seems to work for me. If you are having punctures regularly look at swapping your tyres to a set with good puncture protection. Thanks for watching!
@cyclingn8 super thank you for the reply. I will get some more puncture proof tyres and a few more spare tubes . Cheers safe riding 👍
Your welcome, happy cycling!
Enjoyed the video, have done a few of your loops now. How do you get home when doing these one ways? I always end up doing loops to save this problem but it limits my riding
I use the train where I can, but Mrs Cyclingn8 is also very supportive and often picks me up after a one way ride. Thanks for watching!
Another very informative video - many thanks! I've not ridden the towpath north of Penkridge so I will have to give it a go, during a dry spell as you suggest. May I dare to suggest that you have misattributed a section of footage, however? The very picturesque stretch you describe at 26.50 is between Stewponey and Kinver, not after Kinver.
I may well have, when editing such a long ride it’s hard to remember which bits fit where so I would trust your knowledge on that if you are familiar with the stretch. A really lovely section of the canal though! Thanks for watching!
I think that section of the Staffs and Worcs, along with the stretch from Stewponey to Stourbridge, is the prettiest in the West Midlands. @@cyclingn8
It’s got to be top of the list! Although I did very much enjoy the Stratford upon Avon canal from Kingswood Junction to the M42, also a very pretty bit of canal I rode on my Brummie loop video.
Yes, that section is lovely too. The towpath might not be quite as good, though. I rode your Brummie Loop route a few weeks ago, courtesy of your gpx file. @@cyclingn8
Yes definitely a little bumpier! Glad you got to do the ride before the weather turned!
Sorry but another pronunciation note for you. The River Sow is pronounced the same as the female pig, or ouch. Great video, though, and will definitely investigate a few towpath journeys myself. But as I ride a Brompton, that will have to wait for rather better weather, especially as I’m still a pretty nervous cyclist and would be likely as not to fall in!
Thanks for the pronunciation correction, always happy to hear the right way to say place names. Some towpaths could be tricky on a Brompton but still plenty with a good surface you can explore, so happy cycling and thanks for watching!
@@cyclingn8 By the way, I briefly lived in Great Haywood in the building next to the Tolkien cottage.
Cool! I knew he stayed on Cannock chase but didn’t know he stayed on the actual village until I was doing some research for this video.
Just to correct your pronunciation, it is not Coookley but it's pronounced, Cookley as in cooking. Locals would not be pleased if you said Coookley. 😂😂😂😂
Thanks for the correction, always happy to know the correct way to pronounce place names! Thanks for watching!