The Birmingham Cruise From Alvechurch.php Canal Boating Cruising Route
Cruise to Birmingham's Gas street basin & Brindley place with it's waterside pubs and colourful boating community, and experience Britain's second city, a thriving cosmopolitan centre, with some of the finest shopping, culture and visitor attractions in Europe.This is a lock free cruise and is ideal for novices!
DAY 1
Once setting off from Alvechurch, you soon leave the traffic behind and cruise through lovely Worcestershire countryside to your 1st Tunnel at Wast Hills which at 2726 yards is one of the longest in the country!
For your 1st nights stop it is nice to cruise for an hour to Hopwood & then stop by Bridge 67 where there is a convenient pub- The Hopwood House, by the Canal.
DAY 2
Continuing on through the Tunnel, for those with children you might want to stop at the visitor moorings at Cadbury World, Bournville (booking is advisable), which is 1 mile north of the Kings Norton Junction. It is sign posted from the canal. There is an exhibition dedicated to the history of chocolate, audio visual displays, Victorian Birmingham & a Jungle to explore!
About 3 miles later you arrive at the Gas Street basin & Brindley place which is in the heart of Birmingham's canal network, and has been redeveloped into a unique experience where traditional narrow boats moor up next to cosmopolitan cafes and bars. The surrounding area is a vibrant arts & entertainment area and there are many shopping options within a short walk. Moor up next to the Sea Life centre. On your doorstep will be every type of cuisine you can think of, from Caribbean to Nepalese, from Thai to Italian. Also clubs and bars, Theatres, Comedy and live entertainment and Cinemas.
Amongst some of the attractions are the National Sea Life Centre & the Jewellery Quarter Discovery centre, also many fine Art galleries and over 500 restaurants offering every choice of food! The jewellery quarter dates back over 250 years, and is still home to over 400 jewellery businesses. It is a designated conservation area with only 200 listed buildings, and has been described by English heritage as a unique historic environment in England.
For shopping a visit to the new Bullring is a must, which covers an area the size of 26 football pitches and a has a huge range of shops.
Close by is the national Indoor Arena, one of the busiest large scale indoor sporting & entertainment venues in Europe.