robtheplod

so you think DPF filters make Diesel fumes worse? interesting angle!

Hi All Interested in views on this as we have the great Diesel discussions on cars at the moment. Canal dwellers spend lots of their time stood very close to a diesel exhaust. I'm not aware of the filtering (if any?) that they have such DPF's etc, so, is there an increased risk to those on canal boats of long term health effects from Diesel above those who drive cars?

thanks for replies everyone. mystery solved!

Hi All I hope you can help me. We've come back from a great week on the Warwick Ring. Lovely scenery and one of the best parts are the bridges. One thing I noticed on many of the small, out of the way bridges was they had a small arch built into them on one side which you seemed just big enough to crawl into? I don't think it went all the way through, but many had them.... I've been trying to find out what these are for without success... anyone a: know what I'm talking about and b: have any ideas? thanks!! rob

We did! we went into the garden below it - £2.50 each for the most amazing garden and a brill view of the castle!

Hi All, thanks for the helpful replies... We've just completed the ring and had a really good time. 116 Locks from Saturday to Thursday - boy what an introduction...! Day 1 Picked boat up at 1pm at Warwick (Kate Boats) and went up the Hatton Locks. Moored the Top of Hatton Locks, thanks to a lovely chap I think was called Keith in the narrowboat Serendipity (grey boat). He taught us how to do locks and pretty much gave us the hands on training to take us both up. Day 2 To the Kingswood junctions and then onto the Stratford on Avon canal up Lapworth locks... crew now getting very efficient at locks (talk of mutiny averted by pub visits!). Moored at Shirley Draw bridge. Day 3 We made our way into Birmingham via Bournville and the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. Stopped at Gas street to eat and look around/get water then on up Farmers Bridge Locks (very interesting scenery going under buildings etc!). We were due to go up the Aston Locks, but these were closed so had to go round Digbeth branch back onto the Grand Union. Had a moment under the motorway when I though we wouldn't be able to turn right onto the Birmingham & Fazely canal - both ends with ropes pulling! it was now getting a little late and not keen on hanging around so we pushed through to Minworth where we moored up - what an oasis compared to the dodgy areas we'd passed today! Day 4 Continued through the Curdworth locks onto the Coventry Canal and moored up in Atherstone. Day 5 Continued down , turning off at Hawkesbury junction and grabbing some food - lovely area! Continued down the Oxford Canal to Clifton upon Dunsmore where we moored up. Day 6 Made our way back down the Stockton Locks (thanks Jo and Ron for helping us, sorry don't think this boat was named?? - beautiful Tug though with a perkins!). Ended up getting back to the boatyard in Warwick around 7pm. We were early so looked forward to unloading and going home the following day........ but Kate Boats Warwick don't open on Friday so we were stuck until they popped round late that day... All in all we had a great time, but it was tiring. We did it too quickly looking back, but as a novice we had no idea on realistic timings or how far we can go in a week/day. The large late charges by the hirer always in our mind. Highlights for me were the lovely scenery especially between Warwick and Birmingham. I was interested in Birmingham itself, but didn't realise how intimidating people could be along the canal side - nobody did anything actually threatening, but the area felt unsafe and gangs of people put us on our guard - people appearing out of the undergrowth freaked me out a little! The graffiti was all over the place and didn't make you want to hang around. Gas street was lovely, just a shame the nice bits in Birmingham are concentrated in that small area and the rest left to the 'wilderness'.. Rugby was a nice surprise - lots of new development to make it nicer and pictures under bridges rather than graffiti. Leamington Spa was a disappointment, with the nice town not quite reaching the canal side (received verbal abuse from several drunks under bridges there). We met some really nice people along the way, but one interesting thing my wife picked up on as she was doing the locks was lots of the people were obviously retired and living their wondering days as they wanted, but they seemed to be in a rush and impatient with us. We've never been shouted at so much on our holiday even when we weren't actually doing anything wrong. We came across a fair few serious boaters who blanked us completely - suspect the hire boat may have had something to do with this? - is this all normal experience? Don't get me wrong we loved it, but just an observation from a newbie point of view. We were impressed with the boat and Kate Boats generally. It would have improved the experience if they had spent more time on discussing our route and advising of waypoints to reach to ensure we were on schedule, this would allow us to plan it all better and spread it out to fill the time we had. Anyone using Kate Boats keep in mind their Warwick office is closed Monday and Friday so don't arrive back early unless you've arranged it (its all in the T&C's you sign as they helpfully reminded me whilst I was waiting). Not sure we'll do this again for while, but I hope we do eventually!

thanks for that guys..... pity the boat hirer didn't mention it to us as they knew the route... oh well makes for an interesting trip!

Not sure if its been reported yet, but we got caught by not being permitted to go out of Birmingham via Ashton locks - lock one was padlocked and out of order. Had to detour round Digbeth Branch across to the Grand Union then head up.

thanks for the pointer ziimzim!

thanks Laurie, noted! Do Lapworth or Hatton Locks ever have any volunteers to help at the locks? Trying to look at timings.... thanks!!!

thanks for all the replies..... I'm hedging towards maybe a stop off but not an overnight stay in Birmingham.... where is the best place to stop over just prior to Birmingham if approaching from the Stratford on Avon canal then coming up past Bournville?

thanks Adam, that's encouraging. It would be ideal if we could get to the centre as I do hear how nice it is - presume you try to stay overnight in Gas Street or do you try to get through Birmingham and out the other side? rob

excellent idea, will do, thanks for the suggestion.... In doing the ring Sat to Sat from Warwick, do you think this gives us time to go into Birmingham (Gas Street etc) or will we be best skirting by (carrying on up the GU through Knowle/Garrison Locks) ? Keen not to cut ourselves short - hopefully the hire people will be able to advise also!

thanks you so much for your replies. So best to moor up and take a walk! any tips where the best place moor would be? thank you so much!!

Hi All We're hiring from Kate Boats next week to do the Warwick Ring (clockwise) and just thinking at the end when we arrive back it would be nice to see Warwick Castle from below, which I believe is the river and not canal? Is it possible to see the castle from the canal or do we need to get onto the river, and if so is this permitted/possible???

Must admit they do look nice....... especially the polished ones!!

Hi All I'm a newbie to all things narrowboat but just thinking about some boats that have engine rooms rather than the engine tucked away underneath. Are there any other benfits of this apart from it must be much easier to work on and the engine probably helps heat the boat on cold days? I'm thinking it must be very noisy when you're travelling inside the boat? rob

thanks everyone, very interesting!!!

Just discussing this with my wife ..... if we had a narrowboat and wanted to see the WHOLE canal network, what sort of timescale would you be looking at, assuming a leisurely pace..... are we talking years or months??

Thanks for all the replies... We went with Kate Boats in the end. Not much in it cost wise but their website was easy to use........

very true! its probably worth me getting a MiFi device for the week and getting someone who includes Diesel..... having looked at more since first posting, there does not seem to be much competition - all seem around the same price....

Hi All Finally about to book for a week next year on the Warwick Ring. A couple of hirers have come up - Kate Boats and Black Prince... like for like there isnt much in it cost wise, but Kate Boats includes Diesel, whereas Black Prince charge extra for this .... Black Prince do however offer WiFi which is needed for my kids (yes i know!!!!)...... any strong thoughts about the boats/service etc, or indeed anyone else come up better than these two?? thanks!!!

thanks for the helpful replies, lots to look at here. keen on the Warwick ring, but also on the suggestions by PaulG... ta!

thanks for all the replies... this is very encouraging as nobody came back with 'steer clear mate!' im pretty sure we'll get a week before the end of the year to see for ourselves... thanks for all the replies to date, they are much appreciated!

thanks for the replies, very helpful....... are there any recommended long weekend routes?