Birmingham; Sunday, 09 June, 2013

Having checked out of the hotel I walked over to Brindley place and picked up one of the narrow-boat tours that leave from there to cover part of the Birmingham canal network. My tour headed North out of the city towards Wolverhampton, taking in the Oozells loop which has been redeveloped into one of the smartest parts of the city and the almost abandoned Icknield Port Loop that is now only accessible by boat as the towpaths have become so overgrown and the buildings so derelict that it’s closed to all other access.

The tour finishes by returning to the city centre going through the Broad Street tunnel and the link between the BCN and the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, doing an impressive three point turn at the MailBox and then coming back through the Broad Street tunnel to its mooring point.

I had a bit more of a wander around the canal area, before stopping for a late lunch, and then heading back over to Victoria Square to pick up the open-top sightseeing bus.

The tour took in most of the centre of Birmingham, as well as the Jewellery quarter and the very picturesque suburb of Edgbaston.

By the time the bus made it back to Victoria Square it was time to wander back over to the hotel, collect my luggage and head for home.