Birmingham - Cambrian Wharf

We left our overnight mooring 5 minutes early at 06:55.   Our expectations of a slow difficult journey through the Solihull cuttings fighting through rubbishh were unrealised.   No problems at all, so there have obviously been some work done there since our last visit.   Consequently we were a little earlier than expected reaching Camp Hill at 9:20.   We moored up by the modern service block and began taking on water.   While the tank was filling we had a look at the facilities which are very clean and tidy with lots of helpful tourist information leaflets.   We didn't look in the laundry room.   Apparently, we were informed later, had we done so we would have found that the washing machine is not there, possibly stolen.  We missed our anticipated rendezvous with Aidan, a local historian, so carried on regardless.   It took us 3-1/2 hours to get to Cambrian Wharf where he was waiting.   One of the crew of a following boat helped us get started at Camp Hill by closing bottom gates as I was ostensibly single handed, Pat having gone ahead setting the next lock.   A bunch of locals on a bike tour, following a demonstration of how the lock works helped at the third and then we were so far ahead of the following boat that we closed our own gates.      At the bottom of Farmers Bridge flight the expected gaggle of nearby homeless hostel residents greeted us with a cheerful "Welcome to Birmingham" and one offered to help Pat through the first lock for the price of a cup of tea.   This lass, sleeping rough, has just lost her boyfriend 3 days before.  He had fallen in the canal, high on drugs, and drowned.  All the locks on the flight, bar one leaky, were in our favour.   We were guided to an available pontoon where Aidan was waiting.  A welcome visit and a few pints at the Prince of Wales nearby.  A real pub where we received a warm welcome.