►Turn right onto the towpath and travel 100m. to pass under the black and white cast iron Bumble Hole Bridge, and another 200m. to the visitor centre on the right. Here are refreshments, toilets, leaflets, displays related to the natural history and heritage of the area, and friendly, helpful staff.
Turn right outside the visitor centre door and continue for 100m. towards Windmill End junction.
As you approach the wide flat towpath at the base of the bridges, look left to see Boshboil Arm Bridge, which crosses the Boshboil Arm, the remains of the original canal line which ran in a loop to the boatyard, and continued round to emerge at Dunn’s bridge. The original canal came across from Boshboil Arm bridge, under Windmill End Junction bridge, and continued towards Old Hill, Gosty Hill tunnel, Hawne basin at Halesowen, Lapal tunnel, and Selly Oak. The present, straight canal was built later in 1858, along with the tunnel, and cut out the loop.
8. Windmill End Junction.
This is the junction of the Netherton Tunnel approach, opened in 1858, and the Dudley No. 2 canal, opened in 1798, which linked to the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, but now terminates just past Hawne Basin, Halesowen. The canal passes the old sites of Doulton’s ceramic pipe-works, Old Hill gas works, and Stewart’s & Lloyds Tube works at Combeswood, which provided the last commercial canal traffic in 1969.
The canals were important in transporting materials and finished goods in and out of the Black Country, and here there would have been a steady stream of working boats and horses serving the local industries. Visible on the bridge abutments and handrails are grooves worn by towropes which hauled the narrow-boats along the canal, and some bridges and canal structures are listed features.
The canal is now used by narrow boats for leisure purposes, and Bumble Hole is the site for an annual September boat festival.
9. Netherton Tunnel Bridge.
Ahead, the ‘Netherton Tunnel Bridge’ over the main canal towards the Engine Bridge and tunnel is a grade II listed structure.
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