On leaving Park Head Junction with its restored pumphouse right on the junction we are on the Dudley No 2 Canal. At first the canal skirts factories but we soon move into a rural setting dominated by a church on the top of Netherton Hill. The canal continues this rural path never seeming to be able to break away from the church, we then come to Blackbrook Junction the other end of the disappeared Two Lock Line. The junction is only recognised by its wideth and bridges that still exist.

Ahead the canal enters a deep cutting, houses start to appear as we skirt Lodge Farm reservoir. A high bridge spans the cutting the area was once a tunnel "Brewins Tunnel" it only lasted for about twenty years in 1838.

We pass the end of gardens to houses that back onto the canal. Many have terraces from which the occupants fish. After Stoney Lane bridge the canal widens, the area to the left being know full of reeds. Once in this area stood the Lloyds testing centre where all the chains and anchors made in the area were tested. Steel companies still operate at the wharf on the tight bend that takes us to Primrose bridge.

After Primrose Bridge the canal weaves its way thro a housing estate before arriving at Bishtons Bridge. After the Bridge an Arm on our left heralds Withymoor Island, know full of boats, but was once an interchange basin. A tight left hand bend takes us past the rest of the moorings at Withymoor before we pass under Griffin Bridge with a small boat house on our left.

After Griffin Bridge we begin to see the view of the Rowley hills that are the back drop to Windmill End Junction. The junction being much photographed and shown in many a canal publication. Its very safe to moor anywhere around the junction, the Safe Harbour pub below the bank of the canal being popular with boaters.

The Bumblehole Branch goes off to the left with Cobbs Engine House in front of us on the hill side. A new visitors centre is just before the junction with the pub below it, all around us is open land the site annually of the Black Country Boating Festival, and has hosted a number of National Rallies. At the junction Windmill End we met a cross roads, to the left is the Boshboil Arm that once was connected to Bumble hole, but is know just a very pleasant mooring area. To the right is the rest of the canal that terminates at Hawne Basin.

Straight ahead is a short run before we enter see the portal of the Netherton Tunnel. Twin towpaths that are know almost dry, line the tunnel that is wide enough for two boats to pass. Turn right at Windmill Junction and the Dudley No 2 canal continues on its way to its terminus at Hawne Basin.

Having turned right at the junction this section of the Dudley No 2 Canal know a dead end, terminates at Hawne Basin the home of the Coombeswood Canal Trust. On leaving the junction we immediately met a toll island and shortly afterwards a colliery basin on the left , usually full of fishermen. This canal was once a mass of colliery wharfs and tramways from collieries, all have know gone and little remains to show this fact.

The canal winds its way thro factories and housing estates and open land grassed as public areas. An old timber yard that once stood near to Waterfall Lane has know been replaced by houses and apartments. The canal can be shallow in parts was once badly affected by weed but on both counts is much improved. Regular work parties from Hawne Basin keep the rubbish to a minimum, and the canal has been the subject of a National IWA/BCNS/Coombeswood Clean-ups.

As we approach Gosty Hill Tunnel a road runs right next to the canal as a railway bridge still in use crosses the canal. We pass under another bridge that carries a road just giving access to the now dis used Wharf Public house. In front know is Gosty Tunnel in old money its 577 yards long, at its entrance is a lay bye that once was a boat shed for a tunnel tug.

Gosty tunnel is very low and narrow but do not be put of. Remove anything tall on the roof and start in to the tunnel slowly, extras revs will get you no where. The tunnel is slightly odd in that both ends have very low sections but the middle section is almost cathedral like in comparison, the single vent shaft is towards the windmill end. Around the vent the canal is very shallow, so don't be surprised if your boat momentarily seems to stop, its normal just take your time. Any walkers when reaching the tunnel will have to follow the signs as there is no towpath in the tunnel. In following the route you will pass a house with the ventilation shaft top cowling in its front garden, you wonder why they just did'nt leave a gap in the houses.
NOTE
The route walkers should take is up Station road (past vent), the road that runs alongside the canal. Up the hill to the junction at the top with Coombs road at Gosty Hill road. Turn right, cross the road and almost opposite the Lighthouse Pub you will see some steps, these lead you down to the canal and the other end of the tunnel.

We emerge from the tunnel into a much changed area. The area in front of us was once a scene of complete activity, Coombeswood steel works stretched along both sides of the canal. As in this photograph the canal was full of day boats full of steel pipes, bridges and works pipes criss crossed the canal.

Cranes painted blue once lined the bank, with further on a boat dock with ramps into the water, so boats could be launched and hauled out sideways. All know mostly gone, the walls to some of the structures canal side still remain along with the steel bases of cranes painted blue, all now covered by trees and bushes as nature takes the area back. Modern factory units know line the canal but nothing crosses the track.

All along the walls can be seen rings on chains that once secured boats, and as the canal leaves the wide section launching ramps at the waters edge can still be seen marking the spot of a boat dock.

The boat dock in its heyday would have been a busy place servicing most of the boats based in the area. The following ink drawing of the dock is by the late Edward Paget-Tomlinson and like all his drawings captures the spirit of the place.

A transport company with many parked lorries and coaches are to our right with open land to the left rising up to a hill crescent with houses at its top. We pass under a foot bridge into a modern industrial estate, ahead of us on a hill ridge is a large DIY store that over looks Hawne Basin the home of the Coombeswood Canal Trust.

The canal terminates at Burton Bridge where a winding hole is the last chance to turn a boat, the canal continues for about another 400yards but is moorings only, with no winding hole at its terminus. The canal is dominated on the left by a large bank with a DIY store and car park on the top. The full size of the basin can be seen from the car park.
Note:- The towpath changes sides at the steel foot bridge at the narrows prior to the road and factory units. The towpath then follows the canal to Burton Bridge were it leaves the canal and joins the road Mucklow Hill. No towpath access though Hawne Basin, but interested parties can always enter by invitation.
The canal continues through Leasowes Park, access is gained by crossing Mucklow Hill by the B&Q island the entrance to the park is well sign posted.

Go thro the bridge, a tight turn, the bridge being very low and narrow and you enter Hawne basin, where all facilities are available, gas fuel, coal, pump out, shower block, automatic washing machine plus at the weekends a very active social club. All visitors are welcome at the Coombeswood Canal Trust,the trust is a member of AWAC, allowing members of other clubs safe moorings subject to the rules of the organisation, but overnight casual moorers are most welcome. Temporary moorings are sometimes available in the summer months for short stays, but please ring for details first: 0121 550 1355 or write too Coombeswood Canal Trust. Hawne Basin, Hereward Rise, Halesowen, West Midlands. B62 8AW. Like many other places long term moorings and residentail are full with a considerable waiting list being in existance.
Every year the Trust has a weekend Open to the public event usually in May
Website giving details and E mail address www.hawnebasin.org.uk

The basin used to be an interchange basin, the area know occupied by the club house, car park was once railway sidings with a large shed over both the lines and the edge to the basin. The canal continues within the Trust moorings from Burton Bridge for about another 400 yards, terminating in a concrete dam and fence(No winding possible). Just above the end of the canal is an old second world war pill box with its machine gun slots still open, probably the last remaining one on the BCN.

The line of the canal on the other side of the fence at the end of Hawne Basin is still visible. It is over grown, and has a factory across the bed of the canal, just prior to Mucklow Hill. Head room at Mucklow is probaly still OK and on the other side of the road a section of canal beyond the factory starts in Leasowes Park has been restored with water, creating a reason why the canal should terminate there.

Much work has been done to stablise the embankment that the canal runs on through the park. It has not been easy as the first effort was not stable. Some impression of the hieght of the embankment can be judge by the view of the lake below, but it does not give credit to the fact that on the other side of canal another equally steep drop is present with very thin walls to factories below. A minature railway track runs along the towpath with a steam group frequently running trains for the public to ride on

Beyond the boundary of the park the canal bed is over grown and the towpath continues as a walkway until the Halesowen By pass the Manor Way is reached. Head room for the passage of the canal beneath the road has been lost, but the line of the canal can still be traced. The whole line of the canal all the way to Selly Qak Junction including the Lapel Tunnel in this section is looked after by the Lapel Canal Society who are looking at restoring the line. At present focusing their efforts at the Selly Qak Junction end of the line. That end is being developed by a large store chain, being both under threat and open to restoration in the development.