Locks away!

We headed out of Birmingham on Wednesday. This time we thought we would take a different route back to Windmill End! Previously we have used the New Main Line, very straight and

Galton Pumping Station

 flat. However this time we thought we would go on the Old Main Line! As you may guess from the names this one was built first! It is windy and has 6 locks, 3 up and 3 down, to get us to Windmill End.  We usually make a stop at Galton, either for coffee or lunch. This time it was lunch and as we were on the Old Line this time we were moored on the

The old and the new!
Above is the M5

higher level.

Moving onwards we traveled on under the M5, not the most picturesque! We spent Thursday night at Oldbury where on Thursday morning we shopped in a nearby Sainsburys. However we were surprised to see a garden centre with cafe and mooring where we had visited only a year ago was closed down. Leaving there we negotiated the 3 locks at Brades Hall Junction. The first 2 are a staircase. Just about an hour and half later we moored for the night at Tividale. For a change we are heading now for Merry Hill!