Brompton - Riding the Stratford upon Avon Canal, March 2024
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 มี.ค. 2024
- Monday 18th March 2024:
With fine weather forecast, I thought this would be a good day to catch the train to Birmingham, ride down the Worcester & Birmingham Canal towpath, as far as Kings Norton Junction - and then head off down the Stratford upon Avon.
It was a mixed adventure! Initially, the Stratford's towpath was great and there was plenty to see - including a 'guillotine' lock and a 'fuel boat' at one point. Lots of ducks too of course. But soon the dreaded mud appeared (I think I complain about it once or twice during the ride), and to make matters worse, I had a problem rejoining the canal after having to go through a village because of the Brandwood Tunnel. I got as far as the Draw Bridge at Shirley, then, after picturing the muddy path back, elected instead to jump on a train for the return to Birmingham.
On seeing the muddy towpath, I somehow managed to avoid saying "Shirley, you can't be serious!"
The day was made complete when I arrived back at New Street Station, intending to get the 14:50 back to Hereford... but found it was cancelled! So that meant an hour hanging around inside one of the UK's finest architectural achievements... enough said!
Luckily, the 15:50 ran as usual, and I squeezed my way onto it, alongside what felt like a
football-stadium full of other people. Most of whom seemed to have luggage and got on board at the last minute!
The Stratford is definitely a nice canal for boaters. And I'll go back there with the bike another day - once (or IF), we ever get some dry weather again!
Hope you enjoy the video,
Jeff
By the way, if you do enjoy the video, then please consider subscribing - it really helps me to grow the channel!
You can see more of my videos, including my journeys along the canals, and of my Brompton bike at:
/ @gladysthenarrowboat - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
![15 Best Things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon [Shakespeare's Birthplace]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/FDDTfqwbpWw/mqdefault.jpg)
Jeff, thanks for the vt, and the lovely clarity of your well narrated vlog.
As you stated very muddy but great info as usual. we do enjoy your content and look forward
to viewing them each time you publish. love the Brompton, great ride and so easily dismantled.
As always take care and stay safe out there 🥰
Hi John! Thanks for the lovely comment - its very much appreciated!
I'm a bit disappointed that more people haven't watched it yet, - as I thought the combination of Brompton, canals, and Stratford, would attract more interest 😒Oh well...!
Yeah, mud once again... but some nice parts too and I think its a canal I'd definitely be interested in cruising. The Brompton is a marvel and I am very happy with it. It's not really designed for variable towpaths, but more for city riding mostly (with the original spec at least), but it has coped wonderfully with all I've asked of it so far.
Thanks once again John! 😊👍
Such a beautiful countryside that was created by alot of hard work and imagination, such a same your country is slowly decaying.
Lovely video.
Thanks Mick! yeah, incredibly, the canals were mostly dug by hand - the engineers were awesome, considering the tools they had available back then! Glad you liked it 👍
A very interesting video Jeff, but am sorry for the muddy towpath that made the ride so difficult for you!
Thanks Angela! It seems I can't escape the mud lately! But after the almost constant rain we've had this year, I shouldn't have been surprised!😊
That’s a nice looking Toll House. Probably not so nice if you had to pay the toll as you went by.
Ever considered writing a book about canals & chippies? In times gone by, when canals were still vital transport infrastructure, were there the need for fuel boats?
Got the shortcut back avoiding a bunch of mud but missed the chippy. Maybe there’s times to come.
Thanks DC 👍. Mmm, maybe not a book, but when I finally get the boat and travel around, I am thinking of reviewing local fish n chip shops in my videos as I go along (it's a tough job, but I feel someone ought to do it) 😊
I don't know if fuel boats existed prior to narrowboats having steam-powered engines, which would certainly have needed lots of coal. Then again, before that time, the horses must have eaten loads of hay. I think there are still remains of stables along the canals here and there.
Glad you didn't fall in, I'd have ended up in the canal for sure with all that mud.
Thanks Annie! Yeah, the path is very close to the canal bank sometimes, and the Brompton's tyres aren't made for mud, so a slide into the water is a real possibility - hopefully I'd be quick enough to save myself from disaster, but it wouldn't do the bike any good if it ended up in the drink! ☹️
Hi Jeff, I'm glad our trains served you well again apart from the cancelled service taking you home and good to see the Brompton in use again. I've worked many a shift at Bournville Station and I've eaten plenty of the famous local product too, Cream Eggs being my favourite. This video brought back a few memories again as this was also a cycle route I rode along quite a few times many years ago now. I never got as far as Stratford upon Avon though. I'm off for a weeks holiday with the family but will be building my Voodoo Marasa when I return and then returning to the canal paths again and I can't wait. I was trying to tell you where to go when you got to the Brandwood Tunnel by the way, but I don't think you could hear me. I was sad to see so much more graffiti since I last rode along there but it's just a way of life now I suppose. I have to agree with you Jeff, those gates are a bit of a nuisance. It may be worth you purchasing a Radar Key. You can buy good quality ones on Ebay or Amazon. The cheap ones, usually with a red plastic grip don't last very long though due to being made with poor steel. Also a small can of WD40 is a must as some of the lock mechanisms are tight. We need a few weeks of dry weather now to dry up those muddy patches and it will be a pleasurable ride. Hopefully a good summer is on the way. You missed out on a good chippy by the way. That shot of New Street Station near the end of the video reminded me of the Lunar Lander back in the day. It has that same sort of cheap tin foil look to it 😂. Great Video as always Jeff 👍👍
Hi Dave! Glad you liked the video! Yes, this is the first time West Midlands Railways has let me down! Consequently the 15:50 was rammed full of passengers as you will imagine. But never mind - yeah, interesting to see the purple paint-work at Bournville station. My weakness is a bar of fruit & nut but cream eggs are a close second. Yummy.
Have a great week off Dave and I look forward to hearing of your first ride on the Marasa! Fingers crossed the weather starts behaving now 🤞
Crossing the Brandwood tunnel looked straightforward on my Nicholson Guide, but never mind, I got there in the end. If I had retraced my path back on the towpath, as I'd planned, the chip shop would definitely have featured on the video - thanks for the recommendation anyway!
Thanks for suggesting a Radar key, I'll definitely look into that. Good old Amazon eh - there's almost nothing that they don't sell!
Hah - yeah, I know how you feel about New Street's exterior. By contrast, the interior is really good - lots of light and space. I feel I know that station quite well after my various trips!
Once again Dave, thanks as always and have a great holiday!😊
Another good video Jeff. Iam sure will will get some dry weather soon and the mud will dry. I also was disappointed to see the rubbish. Hopefully when you go back with Gladys or bike you will have a great experience.
Thank you Gerald! I hope you're right about the weather - it seems to be going on forever at the moment! Yeah, the floating rubbish was not a pretty sight 😒
Great video Jeff thanks. A wee bit muddy but you managed through it with your Brompton 👍 I like your grips on the Brompton, are they new ones ?
Thanks Iain! Yes, I honestly thought the towpath would be good this time (but really, I ought to know by now!). Even with its mudguards, the bike got splattered around the gears and there's little clearance between the tyres and mudguards, so you get mud clogging up in there too. I gave it a good wash down couple of days ago and all good again now 👍
Yes, I got those grips last year to replace the standard Brompton ones, which I found quite uncomfy. These new ones are Ergon GP2 s and a lot of viewers on my Brompton review video had recommended them. They are sooooo much better than the original grips! 😊
Hi Jeff, I feel the standard grips a bit uncomfortable too, may look at the Ergon GP 2, thanks 👍
I definitely recommend them Iain! You can get them on Amazon - and there's also a version without the bar-extensions. I bought mine online from Brilliant Bikes. Very easy to fit! 👍