Cleaning up the side ponds at Knowle

From Kingswood Junction we took the alternative route into Birmingham, on the Grand Union Canal. This starts off pleasantly enough, but above Knowle Locks the canal is in a cutting for many miles.

The side ponds seem to be getting some attention at Knowle Locks; this one has scrubbed up well.

The long summit pound above the locks was 6" - 9" low. A better photo to illustrate this would have been an overspill weir, but I neglected to take one.

Nearing Camp Hill - and out of the cutting - this warehouse dominates the scene.

It's still in use for something, despite many of the windows being broken. A steel mesh covers both broken and unbroken windows now.

We stopped for the night at Camp Hill Top Lock, on the secure mooring by the water point. The only boat to have come past while we've been here hasn't wanted to stop, so we haven't been in anyone's way. We hope the same will hold for tomorrow morning, when we have to go to a funeral in Birmingham. In the morning I shall investigate whether it might be possible to moor in the arm behind the boat already there.

To retrieve the car from Lapworth I cycled back along the towpath. This started well, with a good surface, but it began to get dark at the same time as the surface got rougher and rougher. In the end it took me more than an hour and a half to cycle the 15 miles, so my average speed was less than 10mph. I've managed to park very close to the basin here. There should be some car news in a day or two.