The BCN around Brindley Place in central Birmingham is a favourite place to moor for a few days and take in the city’s shopping, bars and restaurants. As well as cruisers stopping en route it also attracts boat owners from local towns.

Two such people I met recently. Kevin and Jill from Stourbridge with their nb Labour of Love – why I don’t know. They normally moor on the Town Arm of the Stourbridge Canal and also have a house there.

Kevin tells me he’s a keen cyclist and rides extraordinary distances at high velocity in complete contrast to 4mph on Labour of Love.

Looking as  though he just returned from the Australian Outback Kevin wore a dilapidated straw hat and a deep suntan, and obviously found the towpath a relaxing place to sit out the heatwave, very wise.

Jill joined us after her shopping spree in the city centre, declaring that she had not bought anything! But who ever heard of a healthy woman returning from city shopping without numerous bags from numerous designer shops?

I hope to meet these nice people again at the Stourbridge Canal Trust Open Weekend in October.
Perhaps they could let me know when they will be there?

If you’ve not been to this event I can recommend it – try this a slideshow of photos I took in 2011. I won’t tell you what song local character Graham Fisher was conducting in slide 13, but I expect Kevin might have some idea.

Kevin and Jill are pictured below with their two dogs who wore smart curly brown suits.

Click here to find out how to get the most out of the photos below.