The Black Country Ring
The Black Country Ring does an interesting and often pictureque circuit around the Black Country, taking in or passing near places like places like Fradley, Great Hayward, Penkridge, Aldersley , Autherley, Wolverhampton, Tipton, Smethwick and almost Farmers Bridge ( near Birmingham City Center).
The route takes about 38 hrs, but add maybe another 12hrs to get to and from Fradley Junction when starting from Mercia Marina so allow for 50 to 55hrs travelling time, which is reasonable enough for a week’s cruising in summer with the longer days, but perhaps not so easy in winter.
As a family we would usually moor for one night at Gas Street Basin / The Worcester Bar for one night to let the wife … who is a Black Country lass get a chance at the Rag market and other markets around St Michael’s. It is probably a 20 minute walk from the moorings but well worth it as you can actually buy ripe fruit and decent cheese on the stalls and just about anything that ever lived in the fish and meat market.
If you have time and have not been there before, a diversion to the Black Country Museum , which is virtually a working village set at the turn of the century, may also be worthwhile.
Having stocked up with food and let the wife loose on the markets we would then head back to the Black Country Ring proper heading west towards Smethwick where the choice of New or Old main lines is yours as you pass through an industrial landscape. The old main line built by Brinley is less used Tindley’s more business like canal which foregoes sightseeing to take a straighter route to heart of the City.
Which ever your choice the canals merge again before approaching Wolverhampton where the industrial landscape continues as you encounter a flight of locks “the Wolverhampton 21”. Escaping Wolverhampton on the other side puts you back into more rural and picturesque surroundings as you pass places like Penkridge on the Staffordshire and Worcester canal, following the way back to Fradley Junction via Rudgely , which is a fair sized and interesting market town if you find yourselves in need of supplies.
You will find canal guides on the boats with detailed information on places of local interest and necessary services such as water points etc. Do try and keep a track of progress as you wander along the canals, it is all to easy to get lulled into false security by the gentle pace which may leave you working longer hours than intended to get back to the Marina on time.
As you travel from Mercia Marina to Fradley Junction you will cross the river Trent just north of Alreswas, if the river is high things can get a bit lively here and at times the canal may even be closed, so in wet weather do take advice from BW staff, marina staff and other boater before proceeding.