Highlight of the Walk

I caught a train for the first time in five months today, to take me from Smethwick, down to Stourbridge to start a walk along sections of the Birmingham Canal Navigation that I haven't had the chance to visit before.  The trains were very quiet, in fact the small shuttle from Stourbridge Junction into the town was busier.

The walk back took me along the Stourbridge Canal, before joining the Dudley No 1 Canal which ends at the Dudley Tunnel.  This is a 2887 metre single width tunnel with no footpath, which required the original users of the canal in the 19th Century to 'leg' along its length.  I believe it exits into the Black Country Museum.  As I couldn't walk along this tunnel I headed along the Dudley No 2 Canal until it reached the Bumble Hole and the start of the Netherton Tunnel.  This is a double width tunnel, with footpaths on both sides.  At 2776 metres it is only slightly shorter than the Dudley Tunnel.  It took me just over half an hour to walk its length, with a canal boat following me all of the way.  I still needed a torch to check my footing, especially as there were frequent section where water puddled the path surface.  Even as I entered the tunnel I could see the exit in the far distance, another remarkable achievement for the engineers and 'navvies' of the 19th Century.  It was the last tunnel to be built in this canal age and opened in 1858.  In contrast the Dudley Tunnel was finished in 1791.

I finished at Dudley Port, catching the train back to the car for a well earned rest.

Day Miles:  16.1 miles. Total Miles: 937.2 miles