Does Birmingham Have More Canals Than Venice?

Busy Birmingham is at the heart of England’s canal network. As Venice has 26 miles of canal and Birmingham has 35 miles of navigations then it does technically have more canals than Venice. However, as Birmingham is much larger than Venice you will still find that Venice has a very dense network of canals considering its size, making them a more prominent feature than in Birmingham.

Whilst it does not have more canals, some would say that Liverpool has more waterways than Birmingham because of the docks, which are accessible to both canal boats and ocean going ships. Birmingham’s canals are narrow, while the waterways of Liverpool and Venice are wide.

Prior to the advent of the railways Birmingham was a hub of industry at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and the extensive network of canals was used to transport raw materials and goods. By the mid- 18th Century there were 174 miles of canal in the Birmingham area, although only 114 miles of them are still navigable today. The city centre’s canals have since been redeveloped into an attractive place to live and socialise. Exploring Birmingham’s canals on foot or by boat allows you to enjoy beautiful scenery that is not normally seen on the more well-trodden city streets.

Several canals meet at Gas Street Basin, not far from Broad Street and this is a good place for visiting waterside bars, looking at the many moored boats and enjoying a relaxed atmosphere.

Canal Voyagers first cruise of 2012 starts in Warwick and heads gently into the centre of Birmingham on a journey that is rich in variety. If you’d like to see a medieval castle, the 21 locks of the Hatton flight, a drawbridge at Shirley, and the Cadbury factory at Bournville then you could join Taurus and Snipe on their trip this April.

After cruising through the Netherton tunnel, and the Dudley No1 Canal the hotel boats will travel the beautifully rural Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal. Travelling through red sandstone inclines, the journey then continues until we pass under the Severn Valley Steam Railway and on to Stourport.

But, to answer the question, Birmingham has more miles of canal than Venice, and Venice has more water. Venice has its Gondolas, and Birmingham has the unique rich heritage of England’s industrial canal age.

Find out more about the Warwick to Stourport cruise here.

http://www.canalvoyagers.com/cruises/war-sto.html

Further reading.

Birmingham Council have a free eBook of the History of the Canals in Birmingham.

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite/canals?packedargs=website%3D4&rendermode=live

 

Peggy Melmoth

www.peggymelmoth.wordpress.com