New Year taken by my son by Lambeth Bridge, London
It is amazing how many places are shut on Mondays (usually one of my free days for exploring), and just now the weather has been dreadful (lots of wind and rain). At this time of year, houses owned by National Trust of English Heritage are closed, operating between October and March. Around Easter time, things pick up again. Some do open at Christmas as light shows have become the next big thing here. It used to be ice rinks, but I think light shows have taken over.
All the heady Christmas festivities have finished and now we are in January, the month when most people struggle with low mood. Getting outside is a great help, but you need some decent weather.
I went in search of new ideas at the library last week and headed for the travel section. There are often books on London with walking guides. Yes, I have plenty of my own, but I’m always on the look out for walks I’d not come across before that pass interesting places and gardens. I ended up with a book about a woman who kyaks through the Birmingham Canal system, and before you ask, I won’t be doing that even for this blog!
I’ve been to Birmingham twice, once for a day and another for a weekend. On the weekend trip I found the canal and what a busy thriving place it is (well in the City). I walked part of it, but without a map I had no idea where I was going, so didn’t venture too far.
I remember a particular low, dark tunnel which made me rather nervous. There were a couple of guys in there. I’m not sure if they were rough sleepers or just friends chatting. I hesitated. I was on my own. This might not be a good idea, but I strode out purposefully and reached the other side in one piece.
I get the feeling from the book I am reading that there are lots of tunnels like this, and also a lot where you can’t walk. In those days, narrow boats went through while the horse pulling them went over the bridge. The book also talks about the lowness of some bridges where the men had to push through by lying on top of their boats and guide it through using their legs!
Because I know the canal a little, I recognised names like Gas Street and Mailbox (where tour boats take you out on the water) in the book. It’s proving to be an interesting little book. In case you are interested, the book is called Hidden Nature: A Voyage of Discovery by Alys Fowler. In this book, Alys finds herself too.
It was the canals I fell in love with in Birmingham. I admit I got lost in the big shopping centre. I couldn’t find my way out and had to have help from one of the security guards! No sense of direction, that’s me. Not good in a walker.
The other place I loved was Birmingham City Library. Oh, this was paradise for me, being an avid reader. The size, design of the building and all those books, I was just swooning.
Of course there are other things to see in Birmingham, different ‘quarters’, the museum and the cathedral, but the library and canal was my wow factor.
See you next week for a new adventure.
My London+ 