TheBigBean

Sadly all the boats are sold out at Alvechurch for October half-term (perhaps because it is an excellent place to hire with kids!), so I might need to file that one away for another year. Thanks for the great idea though.

Thanks for all the tips. It sounds like I need to think about it a bit more. A quick google had revealed Rugby, Stoke-on-trent or somewhere near Birmingham as possible starting places. A week itinerary from Rugby would only involve 2 locks whilst Stoke-on-trent could involve Alton Towers and some potteries and Birmingham could involve Cadbury's factory and sea world. I suppose I was hoping for some combination of that, but I guess what you are all saying is that it doesn't really exist! We live near a canal and walk along it fairly regularly, so my 5 year old is the driving force behind the holiday as he loved the Broads and being on a boat that moves. I'm not that concerned about the 2 year old as I can always put her in my carrier to prevent her from disappearing in a lock. That's fine once or twice a day, but some of these routes have 10+ locks a day and that would really start to become a hassle. I need to go and google all the recommended canals as I'm not that familiar with the names, but thank you all for the help and dose of reality.

I was wondering if anyone would be able to recommend an itinerary and hire location for a one week holiday (Oct half-term) that is likely to entertain small children (2 and 5). We recently hired a boat in the Norfolk Broads which was a great success, but things like visiting Great Yarmouth scored more highly with the family than the nice scenery! It would also be good if it was accessible by train from London, didn't require that many locks and had easy/safe mooring available throughout. Perhaps I'm asking too much! Many thanks if anyone can help.

Surely, it is like most forums, it is just a case of trying to be polite. There is nothing wrong with disagreement just the way it is done.

A friend bought one of these http://www.xootr.com/folding-bicycle.html I think it is made in the US. For a more informed opinion you may be better off asking on the bikeradar commuting forum.

Thanks. Have you come across any ingenious methods of storing full size bikes inside? I'm boatless at the moment, but imagine that if I moved aboard the bikes would continue to be my main transport and keeping them outside simply doesn't work for me.

Out of interest, does anyone keep their bikes inside the boat?

The bit about this I don't understand is the length of time you have the mooring. It seems from the BW auction site that you sign a three year agreement, but is it always a three year agreement, and what happens at the end of three years? Do you have right to renew at similar terms, or is it an auction all over again. Also, if I look at residential moorings on VC Marine, it never mentions the length of the lease on the mooring. This seems to me to be a very pertinent piece of information. Can anyone help my understanding.