We have indicated with a red dot where we currently are and the direction we are headed. So we have skirted around the north of Birmingham and are now heading down the west.
Not too many people are aware that there are more canals in Birmingham than there are in Venice. Birmingham has 35 miles of canals, which is said to be more than Venice. They’re enjoyed by walkers, cyclists, and narrowboats and they are a reminder of a unique industrial history. During the Industrial Revolution the canals were busy waterways transporting coal, iron and other heavy goods.
First order of the day was to commute down the canal for two hours to moor up and make our way via uber to Lynne’s mums (Doreen) place in Tipton. We met Doreen when she was on a visit to Calgary over ten years ago visiting her son Ian who is Fraser’s ski buddy. We have met up with Doreen as well as Lynne and John each time we have been on the canals in the UK.
Doreen tells the story of her granddad being a lock keeper on the Birmingham canals and how she was born at Canal Street in Tipton, grew up there and has lived within a block of the canal her whole life. She celebrated her 90th Birthday last year and still lives in her own home. It was such a delight as ever to have caught up with her again.
Afterwards, Lynne drove us around to her home where we got to see their new extension in progress. The heavens had opened and had turned the inside of the new extension into an indoor swimming pool as the roof doesn’t go on until next week. Typical dramas that we all experience when doing any kind of renovations.
John, Lynne and the two of us all went for a drive out into the countryside to a lovely pub called The Shipley Inn. To say we partook in a lovely meal would have been an understatement.
Back to our subterranean world where we then realised that Di had probably left her glasses at the pub but we would need to call them tomorrow to confirm – ugh!!!
Rowkin Rovings Blog 