Dr Bradley

I'm booked on the Lancaster for much of April, returning south on the 28th. You'd be welcome to cruise south with me but I don't think you'd like my route.

Glad to hear it's improved. Was pretty dismal when there in October, look forward ro improvements when I expect to be there again in March.

More than likely that I will.

Me too and it's right for me. There is nothing traditional about my boat so why try and make it look so. Usually when moored up I have the blinds down on the towpath side. This seems common.

Good reads about the Humber/River Hull trips and useful info. I agree with Myaskin that by the time I get there it will be late in the year and not easy to find a weather window. This bit of the trip is probably the least likely to happen so perhaps next year if I haven't sold the boat. As for traavelling the Humber at night I think that's a no no. Although I have sailed quite a bit at night and am confient of my navigation, solo on a narrowboat would be pushing adventure a bit far. If your in the Birmingham area in June keep watch for the Lapworth banter if it occurs this year. Are you heading down the BristolChannel? I've passed your boat before but you didn't appear to be around.

What a good idea. If it starts I'm in. If it needs help to syart I'll see what I can do to help.

Yes wasn't much of an answer, but I have a friend who is going to set a website and then I do intend to write a book. Question is has anybody done a trip encompassing north. west, south and east of the canal system and including all the estuary and sea passages possible in a narrowboat in one year. I know that individually they have all been done, but in one trip? August Yes That could be a problem I did not know about. However it will still give me time to get to Tarleton, but I'd prefer to go L&L as I'm pretty fed up of the Rochdale So what is the furthest east I can get in a 57ft boat.

Well why not do it together?

Yes

My plans now sorted and I intend to be crossing the Mersey early May, just what date will depend on tides as I do not inten to cross on Springs. You're welcome to join up with me if it suits.

Having finally achieved a booking for the Ribble Link, I am now finalising plans for this year. Here is a rough itinary. Leaving the Calder Valley early March. If the canal at Sowerby bridge is open I'll be going the Leeds and Liverpool route, otherwise the shorter but harder Rochdale, to arrive at Tarleton in time for the Link on the 7th April. Three weeks on the Lancaster before heading to Liverpool and across the Mersey first or second week of May. By the end of May I'll have been to Llangollen and a few days on the Montgomery Canal. Then its off to the midlands, calling at the Anchor of course and joining in the Lapworth banter if that occurs this year. On to Statford and then the Severn ready for a trip down the estuary to Bristol. July will see me along the K&A and the Thames to London, with a trip down the Wey to Godalming. I quite fancy heading down the estuary to the Medway, but that may prove a bit too adventurous. Next it will be back up the Thames to Lechdale and back to Oxford then north up the South Oxford, the GU and the Northampton arm before heading to Cambridge before finding somwhere called East Brandon or something. By this time it will be September. Late September or early October I will cross the Wash to Boston then head for the Trent. I intend to go round Trent Falls and depending on time and weather may have a trip down to the Beverley Canal before returning home to Sowerby Bridge and putting the boat up for sale. Besides travelling the length and breadth of the system, covering all the main canals I have not yet covered I'd like to meet as many forum members as possible so let me know if I'm passing near you and you'd like to spend an evening trying out the local beer.

When I moved from Sowerby Bridge to Hebden Bridge I got several complaints about moving through ice. There had been no ice i Sowerby and only started a mile from Hebden and was patchy until the short tunnel, then where all the boats are moored it was a steady half inch. But the complainants were people whose boat never moves further than the sanitary station, so they don't count. Now moved up to Todmorden in anticipation of a freeze so that I am within reach of the sani station there.

I'll be coming to the Navvy this year, unfortunately I'll be 2 months late. Can the banter be extended a little longer than usual?