Narrowboat Maid of the Mist Blog - March 2010

We hope you enjoy reading about our travels around the British Inland Waterways

3rd - Still in Birmingham and been to the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter today. It is the old workshop of jewellers Smith & Pepper.

Smith & Pepper ceased trading in 1981, and just closed up and left everything as it was on the last day complete with marmite jar and jam jar. In 1991 it was bought by Birmingham City Council, who turned it into the museum it is today. Many pictures were taken before everything was removed and catalogued. It was then put back in exactly the same way it had been left.

Workbench for the hand cutters and solderers It was like stepping back in time. The owners certainly didn't believe in keeping up with the times, and health and safety practices were virtually none existent.

You can find a more comprehensive article on the museum here.

4th - Today I visited family in Wrexham and Graham looked after Jack. Graham also went to visit the Pen Museum which we passed yesterday on our way to the Jewellery Quarter. This was a small museum, but I am advised that it would be very interesting to those people who liked to see things of interest - if you know what I mean. See full article here.

5th - This is turning out to be a busy week. Today we visited the BMAG (Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery). Extremely interesting building in itself. Artifacts included pieces going back to the 14th century. I particularly enjoyed the Egyptian gallery as I have been to Egypt on holiday.

Birmingham Museum - Stained Glass Exhibits Stained glass windows. Obviously photographs do not show these wonderful exhibits in their best way; you have to visit the museum to appreciate them. There were many stained glass windows, nothwithstanding those depicting the local coat of arms attached to the building.

Birmingham Museum - Birmingham Coat Of Arms Stained Glass Window

10th - A day of pleasure today. We took a trip to the IMAX theatre and watched Alice in Wonderland in 3D. It was very good.

Worcester & Birmingham Canal

12th - We have move on a little today, mooring at Cadbury. We will not be visiting the museum as we have been before - would definitely recommend it though. The moorings here are quite secure as they are opposite the towpath which is usually quite busy because of the train station traffic.

We will only be going as far as King's Norton Junction where we will join the Stratford on Avon Canal, Northern Section.

Stratford on Avon Canal

14th - What a very pleasant Mother's Day. We turned onto the Stratford on Avon Canal today and Jack and I got off the boat and walk as far as the tunnel in beautiful sunshine. We moored up fairly soon after that just before Bridge 5 and had a surprise (well surprise to me) visit from my eldest daughter Lea. She brought me a lovely plant and stayed for dinner. Sadly my other daughter Zoe has a very bad cold and wasn't up to the drive, but we had a long chat on the phone.

15th - Just a nice slow sunny cruise today as far as the locks. One little gem we came across was a lovely bakery (Wedges) at Hockley Heath, accessable from the canal at Bridge 20. Their bread pudding is to die for. All bread, cakes and pasties etc. are baked on the premises. They also sell fresh vegatables, cheese and many preserves.

Grand Union Canal

16th - Made it onto the Grand Union today - battling 20 locks to get there. Assisted Timothy West and Prunella Scales through a difficult lock on their boat Peggy Thomson. A lovely couple who have done such a lot for the inland waterways, not only in promoting them, but also in championing restoration.

17th - Did the 21 Hatton Lock Flight today plus the two Cape Locks which lead into Warwick. These were so difficult I had to have an hour long rest half way through just to give me the strength to finish. Graham was more than willing to take over, but I do not like taking the boat into a double lock when we are on our own, and when we have company, I like to talk to the lady of the boat, who is generally working the locks, as was the case this time. We were alone for the first 10 locks and then had company for the rest. By the time we had finished I could barely stand up.

We are going to relax now for a couple of days and recover.

19th - The old pins are still a bit sore today, so Graham went into town to visit the museums on his own. Unfortunately, not all of them were open for St John's Museum Warwick business. He did, however, get into the St John's museum which he tells me was quite small dealing with living at the turn of the 19th/20th century. It was a very hands on museum, allowing children to dress up and play with toys etc of that era. The top floor was totally devoted to the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and had its own reception area. Both museums were free of charge. Access to the town was via the No. 16 bus off bridge 49 (Coventry Road). This is the only bus that travels this road.