Watch: We went on Birmingham's Brindley Cruises boat tour and saw more than 250 years worth of history

Brindleyplace here in the centre of Birmingham has historically been the hub of the West Midlands canal system.

These waterways play a huge role in not only the history of the region but also the whole world. I stepped onto one of the many narrow boats here for a guided tour.

“When we take this boat out we are showing more than 250 years worth of the industrial heritage of the Birmingham and the Black Country region”, states Terry Morris, the tour guide for Brindley Cruises. He adds, “I don't think you can actually get more history than what we're looking at right now.”

A statement often heard by locals, possibly thousands of times over, is that 'Birmingham has more miles of canals than Venice'. The waterways of the West Midlands are more than just an emblematic icon of our region; their global historical significance transcends mere visual charm.

Morris explains, “Birmingham Canal Navigation kick-started the Industrial Revolution. There's no denying that. I'm not trying to claim that the Industrial Revolution wouldn't have happened, I'm just stating we literally kick-started it in this region. Mainly down to iron ore, coal and limestone all being available in the Black Country. You can't beat the history that we've got in Birmingham.”

Associations with industry may evoke images of stark brutalism, yet nature has proven resilient. The canal system has been reclaimed and embraced by wildlife, transforming it into a thriving habitat.

Scott O’Connell, Sales Director for Brindley Cruises, sheds light on the scene, “On this trip we tend to see a couple of herons, there's kingfishers, I know there's otters in the canal but they're quite elusive, I've not seen them yet. And at this time of year especially you've got all the chicks.”

Although the canal system might be deemed a functional relic of modernity in economic terms, the significance it holds in shaping our history and understanding of our cultural identity is beyond measure.

Morris underscores, “I think the main thing people don't realise is what we've got in Birmingham and what is available. Number one thing people ask me - what should I look at when I leave your trip? And I tell them to walk back to the train station, look up, because every town centre, every city centre in the world looks exactly the same at ground level, you've always got the history above it. You've always got the history above.”