Cheltenham boater

Thanks everyone

We are hiring a 70' boat in summer. I've been looking on Google Earth and the planned winding point just before Foxton Top Lock (which I assume is the former cut to the inclined plane) approaching from Husbands Bosworth looks a bit tight for a 70' boat ? Advice welcomed.

It's always seemed to me that it would be more sensible to leave the gates open. As stated above there's a 50% chance that it will be in favour of the next arrival at the lock and closing the gates on the other 50% occasion doesn't take all that long.

Is Waters Meeting a safe area to moor overnight ?

Has anyone done the "Great Ring" as a continuous cruise ? The ring being :- (for example [starting point could be anywhere]) Gloucester -> River Severn; Staffs & Worcester; Shropshire Union; Middlewich branch; Trent & Mersey; Bridgewater; Leeds and Liverpool; Aire and Calder; River Ouse; River Trent; River Soar; Grand Union (Leicester and Main Line) to London ; River Thames; Kennet and Avon; River Avon; River Severn; Gloucester and Sharpness; Gloucester. How long would this journey take given a reasonably sustained effort.

Coventry Canal, Atherstone, Red Lion Hotel Excellent restaurant - not pub food. (they also do bar snacks)

How did you get on ?

It seems the idea has some support. I think the key to this working will be how clearly people post their entries and how good the search engine is. Having sub-groups for each canal sounds like a good idea. I think listing the pubs in geographical sequence may prove difficult to achieve but if the pub name and a nearby town or village as well as a lock or bridge number are put in the post title I'm assuming the search engine could pick up appropriate entries.

I would find a specific forum about pubs and restaurants on the canal immensely useful Does anyone else agree ? I would suggest that the title for any entry should be the pub or restaurant name, the location and the canal its on e.g. "Rising Sun, Shackerstone, Ashby". Useful info would be whether they do food, maybe categorised : bar snacks, pub food, separate restaurant, specialisations e.g Indian, Thai, the range of beers for the real ale fans and a price range e.g "typical price Steak : £8.75" walking distance from the canal and finally a comment as to whether you would return to that pub.

Can any members recommend good pubs / restaurants on the route from Fradley Junction down the Coventry and then the Ashby Canal to Snarestone ? Info on shops along the route would also be useful.

mid April. Having looked at an old Nicholson, Fradley to Gas Street in a day doesn't look feasible and thanks for the tip about Minworth (later post). What's the section through B'ham and Wolverhampton like ? (Telford line)? Is it safe to moor overnight at the top of the Wolverhampton 21 flight ? Any tips about where to stop overnight having left Gas Street ? What's it like at the top of the Wolverhampton 21 flight ?

We too are hiring a boat from Barton Turns, coincidentally with four American friends from Maryland. I'm looking at a circular route, down the Coventry to Fazeley Junction, down the B'ham and Fazeley to Gas Street, through the Birmingham canals to head back up the Staffs and Worcester to Great Haywood, then back along the Trent and Mersey to Barton Turns. 1. Is this a practical proposition for a 1 week cruise. 2. Is Fradley to Gas Street possible in a single days crusing (how may hours do people think ?)