Short Walk: North Birmingham Canal Loop

Walk leader: Paul Hatton. This canal walk takes us along the little-known North Birmingham canal loop from Typhoo Basin (near Moor Street Station) via Aston Junction and Farmers Locks, finishing in Brindley Place. The walk is about 3 miles on well-surfaced towpaths throughout. Due to the HS2 works closing Fazeley Street we have a short dog-leg walk from Moor Street Station to the site of Typhoo Basin, which formerly served the Typhoo Tea factory. Here we join the start of the canal towpath, which shortly joins the Digbeth Branch Canal. Should we turn right at the Digbeth Branch Canal junction we would be heading towards Bordesley Junction where the Digbeth Branch Canal joins the Grand Union Canal heading to Warwick and London. We continue straight on here with the canal bearing left, so we are soon heading North West (more North than West) skirting the City Centre. After about 1.1 miles the canal turns left and we reach Aston Junction where we join the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal with the Birmingham and Fazeley heading towards Salford Junction, under Spaghetti Junction, on our right. There is some seating at the junction so we can take our coffee break there. At this stage we are roughly due North of the City Centre. From Aston Junction we continue along the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, heading south-west for 1.3 miles, still skirting the City Centre. After passing Aston University we pass under the Snow Hill bridge, a truly impressive brick-built arch carrying the train and tram lines away from Snow Hill, then we ascend through the 13 Farmers Bridge locks, passing the Post Office tower on our left, rising 81 feet (25 m) to reach Farmers Bridge Junction and Gas Street Basin. The Farmer's Bridge Locks Flight is one of the outstanding sights on Birmingham's canal network where the canal rises through dramatically floodlit archways, office undercrofts, and tunnels. It is a truly atmospheric link to the past in the middle of a modern city. After the walk ends at Brindley Place the walk leader will be heading for well-earned refreshment at The Prince of Wales, a beautifully refurbished traditional Black Country Ales pub tucked away behind the new developments along the canalside. All will be welcome to join him.