Hockley Heath and Hopwood

We somehow let the stove go out overnight and as we turn off the central heating when the stove is lit we woke to a very cold boat, after a good breakfast we set of from Earlswood heading the last few lockless miles to Hockley Heath, there was some very weak sunshine which brought a bit of warmth.

Sun at last.

GIll working hard at the lift bridge at Hockley Heath.

We winded at Hockley and re-traced our steps, calling at the bakery at Illshaw Heath for fresh bread and an excellent pie for lunch. We where passed while having lunch by a butty towed by a another boat.

LMS Butty "Olive"

We soon caught them up and followed them all the way to Shirley where Gill walked ahead to operate the lift bridge for them.

Last bit of rural near Majors Green. Next more suburbs until
Wast Hill Tunnel.

Shirley Lift Bridge.

We let the butty get ahead when we stopped for water at Warstock and caught them again as they turned off the Stratford heading for Birmingham. We headed left to Wast Hill tunnel before mooring for the night at Hopwood. It got very windy and cold as the day ended.

Kings Norton Junction.