daveyboi2050
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Posts posted by daveyboi2050
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Hi Yes its new for this season.
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Larch was a lovely boat - I had my first holiday on it over 35years ago - 8 berth in 50ft, Hancock and Lane wooden top LIster SR3. Then they sold her and after some time reused the name on the current boat which is a Steve Hudson tug
Was going to say didnt realise it was so old haha!
was the current Larch an ex share boat?
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So far the boat has been quite unimportant, it could have been a fibreglass cruiser or even an old wooden tar boat it wouldn't have made any difference to the program.
I was also a little concerned about he route planning. And i dont really think it has much to do with canal boats yet maybe the next episode might get it moving!
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Am not sure wot training there give u with regards to the VHF radio licence but it prove expensive with around £800 boat hire then D.W. Then around £80 fuel. Plus £96 for the course.
The man from black prince head office just said you would need to be at the base around 9 to 10am to do the course.
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This is the suggested route from there website..
Suggested Routes From London
1. THE LONDON RING
44 Miles, 25 Locks, 4 Day or 1 Week Cruise, 4 hours per day (ROUTE A)
The ring is followed clockwise into the heart of London. It goes through Little Venice to the Paddington Basin which enables you to visit Portobello Road Market, London Zoo, Regent’s Park and Lord’s Cricket Ground. You can then follow the ring onto the Limehouse Basin which offers great restaurants and pubs as well as the Docklands museum. From there you will go onto the Thames and head upstream. For this you will require a valid VHF radio licence and tide tables to tell you when the Thames lock will be open. Once travelling up the Thames, you have the opportunity to take in the famous bridges, the Tower of London, the Millenium Wheel, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Further upstream, you will reach Brentford. Within walking distance of Brentford there is the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and the Kew Bridge Steam museum which are well worth a visit. From Brentford you will enter the Grand Union Canal, up the Hanwell flight and return to base.
2. LEIGHTON BUZZARD AND RETURN
42 Miles, 63 Locks, 1 Week Cruise, 8 hours per day (ROUTE
Travel anti-clockwise from base and join the Grand Union Canal main line at Bull’s Bridge. This picturesque route takes you on via Uxbridge, a bustling outer suburb of London, following the course of the River Colne and on through to Harefield. From there you travel through the Chilterns where the you can enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the scenery. Continue to follow the route over the summit until you reach Leighton Buzzard. Leighton Buzzard is an historic market town which is located in the south west corner of Bedfordshire. It has some great waterside pubs and plenty of shops from where you can stock up on provisions.
3. HERTFORD AND RETURN
50 Miles, 32 Locks, 1 Week Cruise, 8.5 hours per day (ROUTE C)
Travel clockwise from base to Little Venice and Camden Town and on to the Hertford Union Canal. From there it’s a short distance to the River Lee Navigation. This surprisingly open waterway runs past well known parts of East London such as Bow, Hackney Marsh and Tottenham and on through the whole length of the beautiful Lee Valley Park. At Waltham Abbey you can visit the Royal Gunpowder Mills. At Rye Park you can turn East if you have time and travel up the River Stort Navigation towards Bishop Stortford or you can choose to continue towards Hertford. Hertford is a country town, despite being less than 20 miles from London. Perhaps you might like to explore the markets which take place in the town twice a week, or soak up the historical atmosphere. You will find some great places to eat and explore along the way.
4. READING AND RETURN
133 Miles, 33 Locks, 1 Week Cruise, 12.5 hours per day (ROUTE D)
VHF radio is not required for this route. Travel anti-clockwise from base and join the Grand Union Canal main line at Bull’s Bridge and then on to Brentford where you join the River Thames. At Brentford you are within walking distance of Kew Gardens which are always well worth a visit for the unusual flora. There is really so much to be said about this superb and historical stretch of the Thames. Continue at a steady pace past Richmond and on towards Hampton Court, a stately home dating back to the times of Henry VIII. From there, continue up the river at a gentle pace towards Windsor Castle, one of the current Queen’s residences and open to the public. The route takes you on through Henley, where the Regatta takes place during July, to Reading, where the Thames and the River Kennet meet. Reading is a large town with its own abbey, theatres and museums.
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Hi thanks for your replies. I dont Have the vhf licence but have spoke to the base regards this & you need it but they provide it for an extra £96 you have to turn up early at the base and have a few hours training. But as i said iam not really bothered about actually going up the Thames just up to the lock then head back up the G.U
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Hi all. Here is another question for you.
This is for my second trip in May. Am thinking about heading south & hiring from this new base on the Paddington Arm of the G.U canal. But wots it like in the area would prob crusie to Limehouse lock then back upto Towards Reading for a week? Not 100% sure if we will be doing this trip yet but its top of list. Any advice would be greatly recived!
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Hi cheers for your reply.
Yes thats another thing i have been thinking about the view out. As you can have 1 other person on the stern.
Myself personally would book it right away but i have to please her in doors haha!
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We hired Larch with our children and parents a couple of years ago
It is a lovely boat which turns heads.
The berths are small. I did not sleep properly for the week in the cross bed at the front as I am 6'1"
My parents did not sleep well in the boatmans as it is small and very very warm from the engine room.
The fit out is quality as you would expect from a GT.
Trad controls do take some getting used to and ensure you take the chimney off if you set off down the T&M from Middlewich as there is a very low bridge
Thanks for your reply Richard. yes thats the problem iam, worried about the boatsmans cabin pull out i bet its very warm in there with the heat of the engine so prob no need for the back stove.
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I've tried to locate some via. Google but drawn a blank I'm afraid, other than the ones on their own site.-
I'm somewhat surprised that the yard don't have more and better pictures of that boat (and their others) up on their web site TBH - it looks like a nice boat and I'm not sure they are marketing it as best they could be.
Thanks for help looking and i agree that they do need better pics of all the fleet on the website. As it does look a fine boat.
Ive just found some better pics on waterways holidays website of Larch.
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thanks for all your replies. yes Larch looks a nice boat.
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Hi All. hope your all well, And planning your next Canal getaway.
Iam looking at hiring Larch but was wondering if anyone had any pics of it pref inside?
This is one of the few Mwich boats i have not been onboard when hiring from them as its always been out.
Iam mainly looking to see wot the back cabin is like? and if it could actually sleep 2 people on the pull down bed.
Also i have never hired a boat with Trad controls how hard are they to use?
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We were booked on 'Almond', but ended up on 'Beech'. Nice boat, if it was a little longer than expected.
Yes Beech looks a nice boat from Middlewich. was you moored up at Anderton last Wednesday around 11ish?
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glad you had a great trip. which boat did you end up with then?
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We just want somewhere tranquill for a a few days have seen this site?
http://www.maestermyn.co.uk/llangollen.htm
and are thinking about a Cadi class boat
Just asking for advice
Tony
Hi Tony not sure if you have booked your boat holiday yet but if you havent i would try
www.narrow-boat-hire.net
they have 45ft boats that are similar boats to the one you are looking at but prob a lot cheaper and more modern.
hope this helps the Llangollen is a great canal.
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But it wasn't stolen, was it. Bought in good faith by a hapless person who didn't realise the vendor was not the owner, I believe.
Holly was the 47ft trad hire boat from Middlewich narrowboats in cheshire. A single handed boater hired her for 2 weeks paid by credit card and left his new car at the yard, but failed to return the boat when he should. The boat was later found a few weeks later down in Oxford somewere with the man still onboard but painted blue and without a cratch at the front. i was only reading about this story on here on saturday. I however do remember when it happened!
Talking about this we never ever did find out wot happened to the man who took the boat as the topic on here was locked as it was getting a bit stupid!
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Hi all does anyone of you fellow boaters know what the Ice is is like on the Trent & Mersey canal around Anderton Middlewich branch and Shroppie around Barbridge Junc
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I would not recommend the Llangollen for first timers, think you need a little experience for this canal IMHO
i would say the Llangollen is great for people starting out. thats why i suggested to start at Ellemere as its only 2 locks up to Llangollen basin
was the first canal i ever done. was great fun and the aquaducts are just stunning!
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take it your hiring from vikings afloat.....depending on wot you are looking for really there isnt much to do between Whitchurch and Ellesmere most moorings are remote. there used to be a great pub half way the waggons arms but sadly burnt down! just before you get to Ellesmere you come to the mini lakes "meres" which are truely beautiful! Ellsemere its self is a great little town with lots of shops and a big tesco. After Ellesmere you dont have any villages untill chirk but you have the narrowboat inn or the jack myton inn at Hindford which i would really recomend!
you would make Chirk bank which is a good mooring spot and have a little stroll down into Chirk!
heading towards Chirk would only take you through 3 or 4 lift bridges a tunnel and 2 locks each way.
if you head towards Chester you could tackle Grindley brook staircase locks followed by 3 more locks the another 3 all pretty close together and visit Wrenbury, Swanley ,the narrow Hurleston locks, and maybe turn by Barbridge junction or the town or Nathwich.
personally if its your first trip i would head towards Chirk and Llangollen the views an scenery are just breathtaking.
i have done the full lenth of the Llangollen twice in the last 3 months its my favorite waterway!
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Hi.
my personal favorite is the Llangollen canal. if you use www.narrow-boat-hire.net
from Black water meadow marina Ellsmere they always have great deals on with fuel included. in 4 days you could get to
Llangollen and return going through just 2 locks and 2 tunnels and 2 aquaducts. 1 being the world famous one!
If you picked there 55ft 6 berth boat thats plenty of room with an extra large double bed at the bow and a twin
cabin midship for the little ones!
they also offer great training for beginers
hope this helps and dont forget to let us all no how you get on.
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Hi all is anyone attending or planning on attending the Liverpool boat festival?
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It is a good marina. Very friendly people. If we couldn't go anywhere then there must be worse places to be stuck.
We know people who are stuck at Hebdon Bridge on the Rochdale and it seems that is a pretty good place to be stuck too.
If you buy a share I think most co-owners would want to move base once all the routes within striking distance have been explored.
Hi having just looked at the webcam at aquaduct isnt the marina/canal now ice free?
yes carefree say that Jenny Wren is most prob to be moved next year down south.
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Hi all thank you so much for your comments. I have today recived the pack from carefree cruisng and having a quick look
through see that there is a few cheap shares going. but one thing i didnt realise is that the boat moves around the country the location is desided by the members, but i would prefer to have a share on a boat that stays around elton moss etc as i dont drive etc.
We too have a Yellow 1/12 th share of the Carefree boat Winding Down. We are on it at the moment but can't get anywhere because of an iced up marina. So we are spending the week in our own floating self catering accommodation and are making day trips by car out and about. We normally are based at Elton Moss but due to stoppages we are currently at the Aqueduct Marina on the Middlewich branch. We are moored next to Jenny Wren.
We enjoy having a share of our own boat. It's cheaper than hiring and MUCH cheaper than buying and running your own boat. We could only manage about 4 weeks a year anyway due to having to go to work.
In the beginning Carefree's communications were a bit lacking but they have improved lots this year and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.
Thats a pitty that your iced in....when i was on the middlewich branch back end of november i wondered why i saw jenny
wren moored in Aquaduct marina.
great marina thou
Hi Dave
We actually have one of those cheap 2nd hand shares for sale!! 2 weeks in Jenny Wren.
We have found it a very good and value for money compared to hiring and have made some life long friends for within our group of owners.
The boats are of very hire spec and well looked after, i would recomend it to any one who love to take regular holidays on the canal and cannot afford or has the time to own their own boat.
We have been lucky enough to buy our own boat earlier this year, otherwise we would not be selling
Nigel
oh right. i have just been looking at the cheap second hand shares on Jenny Wren. i was on Jenny Wren in October it was moored behind us in Ellsmere and got talking to the people on board and the showed us around really nice boat. i was thinking of a 2 week share as well.
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Hi all. I have hired for many years and am now looking into shared ownership.
I have been intouch with carefree cruising who operate from Elton Moss on the T&M
and they have some cheap pre owned shares.
Is anyone on here involed in shared ownership?
what are your thoughs?
Were is your shared boat based?
i was looking at a 1/12 share which is around 4 weeks each year.
i will look forward to your comments
regards
Dave
Anglo welsh.
in Holidays Afloat
Posted
Hi all....havent had much luck on the holiday front. I was looking at hiring Larch from Middlewich N.B as i have a week off starting next Sat.
But it wasnt free for a full week just the odd few days. So i have been ringing round and wanting to stay in the Cheshire area
most places were to too expensive. But today on the off chance i rang Anglo welsh`s head office and they have some great
deals on which are not advertised on the website. Most of the boats are less that half price for a week. It isnt just from there Trevor or Bunbury bases its all off them.
Ive booked a 6 berth boat with fuel stove onboard from trevor should of been £715 +£50DW and got it for £400.
just thought id let you no incase anyone was looking for a good last min deal.