FOUR of us go to a great deal of trouble to arrange a canal boat holiday together, having different employment, but have enjoyed it immensely for the past four years, writes Ellis Greaterex.
This year we managed to extend the holiday to enable us to do the journey from the Trent & Mersey Canal along the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal and into Birmingham then down the Worcester & Birmingham Canal on to the Severn, never having done a river before, then back up the Staffs & Worcs Canal, but it is not to be.
Stuck at Star City
We are stuck at Star City moorings (pictured) just off the Birmingham & Fazeley, arriving there as we were told the Canal & River Trust had closed the Aston Flight into the city, but realised we could get around it, but someone at the mooring told us we could not as the Garrison Locks were closed too.
The people in that boat told us about your site, and that we should complain, especially he said that the Canal & River Trust had shut the Aston on purpose to do summer maintenance, that he admitted was something new. He was most detrimental about Canal & River Trust telling us it had taken over from British Waterways and was not interested in keeping the canals working properly with many of them being closed all the time, showing us them on your site.
Not good enough
Personally I don't think it good enough to close the only two ways from the East into Birmingham at the same time, for it has made a mess of our holiday and must have done so to many others as there are lots of boats moored around here. As for us, there is no way we have the time to go around the canals that are suggested that is many miles, but also I am told very dirty and full of rubbish. (Pictured—some of the rubbish 'found' in the Tame Valley Canal)
I can't see us doing this again, it is causing too much hassle, and no one seems to know what canal will be closed next.