Plan A was to do the south Oxford. Nope, bin that idea. Plan B was the Ashby. Nope, cancel that. Plan C was to potter along the Avon and back up the Stratford. Yeah right, maybe not. 

So here we are with a plan to head towards Shardlow, where we tried to go last year but failed. 

Left Droitwich at 0730, 45 locks later we lucked in massively and managed to get in a space at Alvechurch behind some boat called Goliath 😁. Now sat in the Weighbridge, bizarrely  in a rain shower...

Hoping our luck holds for the next few weeks.

Thought I would give an update on this very under used waterway and try to encourage people to make the effort to get all the way to Sheffield. Here is a brief résumé of the steps on our journey.

We started from our temporary winter mooring at Long Sandall. There are good visitor moorings here too and a little further North good CRT services at Barnby Dunn.

 
All locks from Long Sandall to Eastwood are large and automated  to accommodate the 60m long oil barge 'Exol Pride' that runs roughly twice a week between Goole and Rotherham. The locks are operated using your CRT key unless lock keepers are present.

Doncaster. Well worth a visit and exploring for a few days. Good, safe 3 day visitor moorings right  in the centre of town.

From Doncaster you quickly go through some lovely countryside on the river Don 

Sprotbrough. Two day visitor mooring just after Sprotbrough lock. Some wonderful walking around the area including Sprotbrough Flash nature reserve, Conisbrough Castle, Conisbrough viaduct and Cusworth Hall.

Next stop was Pastures, just after Mexborough Low Lock. Mexborough itself is a depressing town, however, where the canal passes through it is delightful and known locally as the 'Meccy Riviera'. Special mention to the Gorilla Brewery Tap room just after Station Rd Bridge. Space for two 57' NB's to moor up outside and sample the goods  Apparently you can also moor overnight here if you seek permission of the owner. 

After Mexborough there is a CRT mooring available just before Waddington lock at Swinton. We didn't stop here, but it looks safe, gated and secure with what appears to be services that are not shown on the latest Nicholson's guide. Perhaps someone could confirm?

Kilnhurst. Mooring available. No facilities. Probably ok for an overnighter.

Eastwood (Rotherham). Safe gated visitor mooring here with CRT services (shower/toilets/elsan etc) and a huge retail park nearby. However, mooring space was  limited due to some 'permanent' residents and an apparently abandoned craft with 'notice for removal' sticker on it.
From here we booked our passage on the Tinsley flight via CRT. (24hrs notice required)

Rotherham town centre (30 min walk from Eastwood) is well worth visiting. They're really making an effort to improve the town and I would encourage you to go there and see for yourselves. 

Leaving Eastwood, we stopped overnight on the lock landing before Holmes Bridge lock.(no problem with this as in the evening nobody will be descending the flight) It is from here the CRT assisted passage starts for the Tinsley flight and the lock keeper met us at 9am the following morning.

It takes around 4hrs to do the Tinsley flight. We had four excellent and friendly CRT members in attendance and they know their stuff. It's a lovely flight.

The final hour into Sheffield is very interesting and ends at Victoria Quays. A lovely terminus a short walk from the city centre. CRT seem to have handed over responsibility to CV Marine, but we never saw a single person from the company. The office was permanently closed. The showers are permanently closed. Cost is officially £50 a week to moor. Only two days visitor mooring allowed. We stayed nearly three weeks.

We loved Sheffield. First impressions are bad though as the Castlegate area near to the Quays is rough. It is a fascinating city, easy to walk, full of history and culture. The beer pub and music scene is outstanding and access to the magnificent Peak District is easy via public transport. We highly recommend it.

In the three weeks we were there only three boats arrived. One stayed overnight and left the following day having been put off by the Castlegate area. Such a shame as they missed a  lovely city.

In summary I would say this section of the system is a hidden gem and extremely under utilised. Sections of the river Don are an oasis of tree lined tranquility and most travelling days we were blissfully alone. I would encourage people to put aside any preconceived thoughts of the areas industrial reputation. Sections of the navigation are absolutely stunning. 
One caveat, just keep an eye out for the weather as the Don can flood  rapidly. 

I hope this brief synopsis is helpful. Enjoy.

For photos see my wife's Instagram page 'Lock and Quay'

I'm thinking of a trip down there next week but wonder what the current state of weeds is this year. Last year I ended up doing about 1mph pushing an island of Floating Pennywort and Blanket Weed along.

We worth the effort with good mooring at bridge 102 south Oxford canal added to me list of top pubs this trip.

I think we must have had the easiest crossing this year, obviously the tide and weather play the largest part but by listening to the experts it is possible to plan a safe and very enjoyable crossing.The Wash is as far as we are concerned the best of the small adventures one can have in a narrow boat and one we will remember for ever.

If you fancy the trip our pilot was Daryl Hill

Tel. 07909 880071

Email. washguide@gmail.com

Ken

rob

Left Droitwich last Thursday with a plan to go up onto the Macclesfield and Peak Forest by way of the Shroppie then down to the Caldon before heading back.

Nice run up to the Weighbridge Inn on the first night, into Brum for Friday then decided to push down to the BCLM on Saturday. Just left Brum and we got a notification about the Wolverhampton flight being shut due to a car in the canal. 

So we spent a day in the BCLM as an update was promised by CRT on Sunday, and we could make a decision whether to wait or cut back down Delph and Stourbridge then up the S&W instead...Nope, no update. So Monday whilst Mrs G was trying to get an answer from CRT, I jumped on the Brompton and cycled down to the flight. No car, just a damp spot where it had been pulled out of the canal. Back on the bike, well over 20km round trip, arse hurting and legs aching to tell the Mrs that the flight was clear. Oh no she says, CRT have just told me it isn't and their contractor isn't due to clear it until Wednesday. Back on the phone eventually getting through to someone and sending them photos of the damp spot and totally clear canal. They said they'd send someone to have a look. In the meantime we take a decision to go and sit at the top of the flight. Get there just as CRT email Mrs G back to say the flight was indeed clear and someone was on the way to unlock the top lock for us. Fantastic ! Except I now get a notification that Autherley stop lock balance beam has broken. Ok, let's at least get off the Birmingham level, they're usually pretty good at mending beams. Cue another day spent mooching about to Coven (no point cutting across the S&W to great Haywood and doing it the other way around as Penkridge is shut) and then back to Autherley where we find the guys bracing the beam up. Half 5 on Tuesday (brilliant effort from the West Mids CRT team on the ground) and we're through ! Yay !

As it's so late the original plan to push on to Brewood is shelved and we moor up near bridge 8 as a horrendous black cloud and suddenly gale force gusts are hitting us. Not the best place to stop as it's quite open there and there were some really solid gusts coming through. 

This morning we decide to push on despite a really windy day and showers forecast. I needed to get to the elsan point at Wheaton Aston, fill up with diesel at Turners and then try and make up some of the time we'd lost, having originally planned to just push it up the Shroppie as we'd done it so often. We made really good time, despite the wind, solid hail, snow which actually did turn into a blizzard at one point and some sunny spells in between. 

Get to 4 o'clock and start thinking where to stop for the night, probably Goldstone Wharf, it's a nice sheltered mooring. Just as we get to the end of Shebdon embankment, right by the Knighton boat spray booth someone starts waving us down. Tree down by the bridge he shouts. Yep sure enough we're stopped again. Probably another couple of days stuck in the middle of nowhere before CRT can do anything about it, I got the feeling from the guy who reported it they almost didn't believe him that the tree wasn't passable. Alternatively I can reverse the mile back down the embankment to the winding hole and go back to Norbury.

Tomorrow's plan is to see if I can pull up close to the tree and have a go off the bow with the battery chainsaw. Not planning on waiting here any longer than I have to !

Anyway, moral of this story is whatever you do, don't follow us as we appear to be jinxed. At least I have beer and whisky on board 🍺 and some 4g.

Our first non Tixall wide cruise this year!   Looks like a good one for a week and a bit... I have a mooring query since my wife get nervous mooring in new places and I like to be sure we're ok and appear to be calm and in control! On our trip out Canalplan recommends our first night mooring be 'The nearest known good moorings are Sideaway Bridge No 108 (1 mile, 7¼ furlongs and 1 lock earlier) and Etruria Junction (4¾ furlongs and 4 locks further on)' - does anyone have any comments/recommendations on these as they seem close to Stoke?

thanks!!!!

https://scholargypsy.org.uk/2025/06/30/st-pancras-cruising-club-annual-tideway-cruise/

Just conducting a spot of research - no sources will be revealed. 

Cheers

SFMMH

https://ianhelencanals.blogspot.com/2019/07/scary-tidal-ouse-from-goole-to-barmby.html

Over of the gems was "The Narrowboat Podcast", but after 8 or 9 really interesting episodes it just ceases.

So my question is: "why did Lydia Brown stop producing her narrowboat podcast?"

Did she move to a different format? Different platform?

Cheers

Geoff and Dee

Denham is a particularly deep lock, a fall of something like 12ft.

As they were crew of a working boat who are (hopefully...) formally qualified with a Boatmasters and all that, we trusted them to not be idiots. They were a little abrupt, verging on rude but we thought they may have just been in a rush.

Going down, about half way, the uxter plate jammed on something sticking out of the lock wall, tipping the boat over alarmingly and wedging it against the other boat. We shouted up at the Hillingdon crew, but they all had their backs turned and were paying zero attention. Hooted the horn and finally got their attention, but by the time they had bimbled over to take a look, whatever was sticking out the lock broke off and the boat dropped into the water.

As there was a trail of brick dust and a hole left in the side of the lock, it must have been a loose brick sticking out sideways which eventually sheared off.. Reported it to the CRT as the bricks next to it looked pretty loose too!

First lock and I made a cock up of getting moored inside. I tried manoeuvring back and forth but only succeeded in smashing the rather stupidly placed solar panel on the stern. At that point I decided to make for home instead, but then there was a toot from behind from someone waiting to get in. The pilot of that boat took pity on me and helped me to get lined up. Unfortunately he wasn't aware that you need to give the helm plenty of notice of a direction change and sadly we crashed forward into the wall and tore off my new lifebuoy!  Still, we then got going and he was good enough to help me all the way into Stratford.  I was able to return the compliment when he broke down and I was able to provide him some fuel.

Finally making it into Stratford, I moored by the playing field and put the kettle on. It was at that point I ran out of gas and had to change the bottle, but never mind. Half an hour there and I was off back to Welford. I had a very nice chap who did the first lock for me, help from a similar greenhorn at the second and I did the last one solo.

Once back, I took off the damaged panel and made good. A little pottering about before bed (which turned out to be clammy) and then today was another day which I spent applying EVA to the helm.

I remember the owner was a great guy called Peter. On the day we picked up the boat I mentioned that I was considering cruising up the tidal Thames from Limehouse to Brentford. I also told him that according to magazine articles I'd read this was something for experienced boaters only. His reply to me was: "It'll take you two days to get to Limehouse by which time you will be experienced enough!" Little did I know what I was letting myself in for: the terrifying white knuckle ride through central London was one great boating adventure that I will never forget!

Sadly the hire base in Adelaide Marina is long gone and there are no hire bases in London now. And hire boats are no longer allowed to cruise through central London.

Does anyone know what happened to Peter?

Water levels on the river were good (I'm not really a local so I can't say if they are normal or not) but there was a good flow in most places, with water in the weirs and weiring over some of the locks. We encountered one or two areas of shoals or gravel banks I suppose. She's a deep drafted boat so these things are probably not a problem for most, but with a bit of careful navigation we got through. As I said, in most places there was lots of lovely (mostly clear) water. We experienced some weed, but it wasn't anything terrible, the one major trip down the weed hatch was to retrieve an item of black lacy ladies clothing that we picked up in the lock near a caravan park. We were lucky with the weather, managing to dodge the showers and even seeing the sun for a fair bit of the time.

Mooring at White Mills was easy and the marina was super friendly and helpful. All in all recommended.

It's a lovely stretch of River and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it as soon as I can. If you're thinking about venturing onto the Nene, I can say that this bit of it is very nice indeed. I guess that the stoppage on the Arm meant that it was quieter than usual, but it was really very quiet and I hope more people make use of this lovely waterway.

As a post-script: I took a bike ride up the Arm and there seemed to be a lot of water in all the pounds including the Rothersthorpe flight, flowing strongly in the bywashes in many places, I guess that may be a temporary thing due to recent rain, or maybe CRT are just keeping it topped up to protect the lock gates.

He’s new to the canals and I would really appreciate it if any one has any advice/ warnings.. it’s ambitious! Will he make it? Thankyou, in advance, for any support.

The Erewash is very underrated, in my opinion. Although I've been boating for 50 years, this was my first trip up the Erewash. I was expecting it to be interesting, but I wasn't expecting it to be so attractive. It is genuinely a beautiful canal, very green with lots of wildlife. As it's wide and the locks are stone built , it feels more like a northern canal than a typical Midlands one. I would say that it has similarities to the Kennet & Avon too. The towpaths are well surfaced and brilliantly maintained. There is no rubbish and hardly any graffiti. The towpaths are very well used by walkers and cyclists, and almost all people we met were extremely friendly. 

It is a slower canal than you might expect though. Add 50% to Canalplan average timings for going uphill from the Trent. Locks take an age to fill, and if you encounter a low pound as we did at one point, you may have to stop a few times to clear weeds from the prop. The gates and paddles are sometimes heavy to operate. Some people will struggle to open gates. But coming back down, the locks were much quicker to empty and as all the pounds were on weir we had no problems with weed.