I Canali della Birmingham
Everyone boasts about Birmingham’s canals but does anybody actually use them? Beyond Brindley place and the Mailbox I mean. I used to commute to Birmingham every day from DUDLEY and it was the best Bike Riding I ever did. Ironically I never physically felt any change, except exhaustion, but you can learn a lot about Birmingham if you take a walk (you’d be better off Biking it) into Birmingham you’d save yourself a lot of time travelling. Biking was actually faster than taking a Bus, or a train (especially from Dudley) and it’s so calm and serene.
Please start using the canals! It’s essential to their survival, and the greater the demand the greater the possibilities…
I cycle to work every now and then (when it’s not pouring with rain ;)). I used to live on the east side of Erdington, and the Birmingham – Fazeley canal was perfect! Practically straight from my doorstep all the way to where I work in Brindleyplace… Now that I’ve moved I’m gonna have to find a new route though.
I did pass a couple of other “regular” cyclists on the route, too, so there are a few people out there doing their part!
If you stand at Bournville Station at 8am or 5pm the number of cyclists bombing by on the canal is quite substantial. I’ve been known to use the canals if I’m not in a hurry (you have to slow down for pedestrians and blind corners at bridges) but at dusk it’s best to wear a mask unless you like insects in your lungs. ;)
Loads people use the towpaths – for a wander or a cycling shortcut – how many people actually use the canals themselves I don’t know.
Around Gas St there’s a load of narrowboats, but how many you see tooling up and about the rest of the network I don’t know.
Radical idea I don’t actually agree with:
Why not fill them in and make them into cyclepaths? Motorways for bikes.
I actually use the canals and take my kayak out paddling.
Unfortunately I’m not sure my new job has a canal near it so I’ll have to go back to the car :(
oh my God! A Kayaker! I miss Kayaking, I really do. But I’ve never Kayaked in a canal. Are there any Kayaking clubs nearby? The one in DUDLEY closed…I think…
J
There’s the Birmingham CC which is based at Edgbaston Resovoir.
http://www.birminghamcanoeclub.co.uk/
Also check out the BCU West Mids forums
http://bcuwestmidlands.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php