From Mike.Casswell@troy.blacksheep.org Fri Apr 16 08:53:45 1999
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 12:57:56 +0000
From: Mike.Casswell@troy.blacksheep.org
Reply-To: canals@blacksheep.org
To: canals@blacksheep.org
Subject: Trip Report, Day 6, Round the Hawne

Last night went well, some enjoying Pizza Hut and the cinema, others 
taking a walk up Delph Road calling at several of the pubs and 
finishing at the Vine, marvellous Batham's pub.

A late start today, half the party (ie female) off to central 
Birmingham for shopping. The remainder to take the boats to 
Birmingham, with perhaps a bit of exploring on the way.

Windmill End reached in good time, so a quick right turn on to new 
waters - the Dudley No2 to Hawne Basin. Gosty Hill has to be the 
strangest tunnel ever, the roof height leaping up and down in a most 
peculiar way. Presumably due to subsidence, actual and predicted. The 
section directly after the tunnel is impressive in its scale and must 
have been even more so before the steel and tube works were 
demolished.

Hawne Basin is an island of tranquility. Some of the signs would 
benefit from a rethink - they do not give a friendly impression at 
all. Turned the boat and returned, with a stop at the Wharf for a 
pint or two. Plenty of facilities and OK for a quick stop, but I 
wouldn't have fancied an evening there.

The rest of the day taken up by the now familiar trip to Birmingham 
via Netherton Tunnel and the New Main Line.

Large sections of the towpath have recently been resurfaced using 
Millenium money. This served to highlight an increasing problem, 
Canada Geese. In many sections there is a pair every 20 yards or so, 
and the droppings are appalling. Is anything being done to eliminate 
or at least reduce the numbers of these wretched birds?

An excellent Chinese meal and a few pints to end the day.
-- 
Mike  Casswell

On the move - posted using Nokia 9000i