The southern section of this canal was managed by the National Trust from 1960 until 1988. The whole canal runs from the River Avon at Stratford to Birmingham (Kings Norton on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal) some 25 miles in all.
Lapworth to Stratford upon Avon – 18 September 2019 (13 miles)
I started from Lapworth Station (Chiltern Railways from Marylebone) and walked half a mile to Kingswood Junction where this canal is connected to the Grand Union. Many of the footbridges are cantilevered from each side with a gap in the middle to allow the towing rope to drop through.
Many of the lock keepers cottages on this canal have barrel roofs. This one is near lock 22. Shortly afterwards the canal goes under the M40 motorway.
After Lapworth Bottom Lock is another lock keepers cottage then the remains of a former railway bridge.
The next lock keepers cottage belongs to the Landmark Trust for holiday use. A milepost just before lock 32 tells us we are 15 miles from Kings Norton.
The first of a number of aqueducts is at Yarningdale just before lock 34. Lock 35 has Bucket Lock cottage.
Lock 37 at Preston Bagot has another barrel roofed cottage. After this the towpath switches sides.
After a long section with no locks there is bridge 51 where the long distance Monarch’s Way crosses the canal. Soon after this I turned off the towpath for Yew Tree Farm which has a small shopping area and a café for lunch.
Before continuing along the towpath I went to see Wootton Wawen aqueduct from the road, then went back up the lane to the canal. There’s a small marina just before the aqueduct.
The aqueduct (like the previous one) is made from a cast iron trough with sections bolted together then sealed. The towpath is in a separate trough.
Another long section follows with just one lock and Hill Farm Marina before the magnificent Edstone Aqueduct. This crosses a deep valley with road and railway tracks and is supported on brick pillars.
Bridge 57 features the rope slot again. We are now 21 miles from Kings Norton.
At Wilmcote I wandered off the towpath into the village to look at Mary Arden’s Farm. A timber-framed house wrongly identified as Mary Arden’s was bought by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in 1930 and refurnished in the Tudor style. In 2000, it was discovered that the building preserved as Mary Arden’s house had belonged to a friend and neighbour Adam Palmer and the house was renamed Palmer’s Farm. The house that had belonged to the Arden family is Glebe Farm, next to Palmer’s Farm. A more modest building, it had been acquired by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in 1968 for preservation as part of a farmyard without knowing its true provenance.
Wilmcote locks are a series of 11 locks leading to the outskirts of Stratford. 24 miles from Kings Norton.
Industrial Stratford is first to be seen then the railway bridges.
Locks 65 and 53 are a tight squeeze with road bridges immediately after them. Then there’s a wide bend leading to …
Bancroft Basin, the end of the canal and junction with the River Avon. Across the river is Tramway Bridge for pedestrians and cycles.
There’s plenty to see here with wildfowl on the river, the peace memorial and the Royal Shakespeare Company Theatre.
A short walk through the town is the railway station where I caught the direct train back to Marylebone.
Photos copyright John Myerson 2019
Lapworth to Kings Norton – 12 November 2022 (14.4 miles)
Quite a gap from the previous walk but the same starting point; Lapworth Station. A short walk down Station Lane is the Kingswood Junction with The Grand Union Canal. This time I turned north at lock 18 on the Lapworth flight of 27 locks.
The towpath starts on the south side and then switches north at bridge 33 and back again at bridge 32 (with the rope gap).
At the building called the Bear House, the path is back north to stay.
Soon is Lapworth Top Lock (numbered 2 because number 1 is the unused guillotine lock at Kings Norton). After this the canal mainly follows the contours but there are some deep cuttings and some embankments where the canal is higher than the road alongside. The next bridge (28) is a lift bridge operated by a winch.
Swallow Cruisers are at Hockley Heath, followed by another lift bridge (26).
After a picturesque country section is the M42 motorway bridge.
I left the towpath at bridge 20 to visit Wedges Bakery for a short refreshment break. The bakery is also a café and delicatessen with amazing stocks of different types of bread. The sign told me I had another 8 miles to go.
Underneath a Crab Apple tree was a natural receptacle! Early warning was given for Lady Lane Wharf which was after a cottage which had obviously suffered a fire.
Soon there was a built up area known as Dickens Heath with blocks of flats with access to the canal.
I had another 5 miles to go and met a group of riders at Shirley Draw Bridge (number 8). Soon after I stopped for lunch sitting on an aqueduct over (wait for it!) Aqueduct Road.
The canal winds between houses and playing fields here, passing Canal Cottage and Lyons Boatyard.
After the 2 mile marker is a small dock branch.
Then comes Brandwood Tunnel (352 yards – 322 metres on the label) with no towpath so a walk over the top next to a busy road.
I then passed the second moving boat in the 14 mile walk before arriving at the unused guillotine locks before Kings Norton junction with the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.
A cycle path through Kings Norton Park took me to the main road to Kings Norton Station for my journey home via Birmingham.
Photos copyright 2022 John Myerson
Walking Midlands Waterways 