Saturday, 10 March 2012

Looping the loop.

After a bit of a late start yesterday morning, the "Let's get off early" falling foul to the idiosyncrasies of the washing machine and generator combination - don't ask - we set off to wind (turn) Yarwood and get her serviced before escaping the City.    I had suggested/requested that we take the boat around the Icknield loop which has no towpath so has not been explored by myself and the mutts on our daily meanderings.  
 What once would have been a busy canal servicing the needs of industry all around its course is now a quite back water, the industry has gone for the most part, the factories and warehouses torn down or derelict.
Yarwood's bow edging around the loop with the retaining wall of the Rotton Park reservoir looming up in the background.

 At the top/bottom of the loop is the Rotten Park Reservoir, built to service the canal,he Icknield loop acting as a feeder into the Main Line.
Nansen II.  Built in 1951 by WJ Yarwood at Northwich as a tug and ice-breaker.

There is a BW work yard at the base of the Rotton Park reservoir and a collection of BW Heritage boats moored here.

 Heritage working pair Scorpio and Leo.  Built 1935 by WJ Yarwood for the GUCC


BW yard under the reservoir embankment

 A current BW boat.  

Oh what a grey day...well it started grey anyway.  In the background as we pass through the bottom of the loop is a a golden temple, you can just see it left of centre.

 More dereliction

 Approaching the other end of the loop and the Main line.

That's it, we have turned back onto the Main line and are headed back into the City
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4 comments:

  1. Anonymous10 March 2012 at 18:01

    I like the Icknield Port Loop - it has a bit of character - shame there's no towpath/landing though - it would be nice to walk round the reservoir from there.

    Glad you're enjoying your cruising - must be nice to be on the move again...

    Sue, nb Indigo Dream

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    Replies
    1. Nb Yarwood10 March 2012 at 23:59

      Hi Sue
      The UP side of the lack of towpath is that Birmingham residents don't get to throw all their crap into the canal or the towpath as they do everywhere else. You could build a fleet of airliners with the amount of discarded aluminium cans everywhere!
      It is SO good to be on the move, loving it!
      X Lesley

      Delete
  2. Rob10 March 2012 at 20:33

    Hi Lesley, I produce the web site for the Heritage Working Boat Group (www.heritageworkingboats.org.uk) that look after the Waterways Boats, Nansen II, Swift, Scorpio and Leo that you have mentioned. Would you mind if I took a copy of your photos to include on our web site...?

    Rob.

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are welcome, I love to read them and I try to respond to each but regretfully I will no longer accept comments from Anonymous.