D Rowley

thanks for that i thought it might be for fishing but not 100% sure i saw the sign on a picture from the canal plan web site ( very informative site ) and wondered. as its our first time on a canal boat i was not sure what it refered to david

hello every one we are due to do the four counties ring in september and i saw this notice on the bridge but i was wondering what it refers to ? no mooring ? no fishing ? i cant read the small print only the bold which reads PRIVATE WATER BRIDGE 147 TO 156 we were going to moor the night at wheelock after getting water and i thought if the main moorings were full we would moor past the bridge (154) after the buildings thanks if any one knows what it refers to David

thats what i thought the pictures from canal plan don't look too bad around the south portal we will be in the pub the next night at wheelock david

which place is grotty? salt bridge or by harecastle tunnel david

we were planning to stop at the salt bridge for the first night and have a meal at the holly bush inn then stop at harecastle tunnel south entrance ready for passage through monday morning we dont mind early starts and long days because if you have payed close to £1000 for the weeks boat hire we want to get cruising again, but thats our opinion

what would cause the lock to be like that ?

yes i was by Audlum the other week and i noticed the two water points. we are coming from nantwich direction and our water fill point is at the front of the boat so the one outside the shroppie fly might be a bit awkward to use as its at the wrong end of the boat (unless the boat is supplied with a 70ft hose ? as the boat is 67ft long) so we would probably use the one below the lock david

yes we intend to top up every day when we see a water point not busy its just on tuesday we have the following fill up point options kings lock - too close to wheelock (the last fill up point) barbridge - close to the junction and a slow tap nantwich - slowish tap and close to audlem audlem is not much further and as mentioned above some of the crew want to look around the village so i can spend time filling up with water while they are away we have got a set of 2 way radio's so i can call a member of the crew back when we are full of water (so as not to hog the water point) and proceed up the audlem flight i was by wheaton aston the other day and saw they have got 3 water points which is handy thanks David

we might fill up at auldem for water as some of the crew want to look around the village. so i can get water while they are sight seeing we are stopping at wheelock for the night (monday) so will fill up there and then stopping the night around mickley bridge area (tuesday) so the fill up will be wednesday morning thanks David

perhaps we will have ran out of rain by then but what ever the weather we will enjoy it we have got ALL the wet weather gear ie-: boots, leggings, gloves, coats so we are going well prepaired so we might get a nice week thanks again David

thanks for that we will stop at nantwich we have got a nicholson guide to the FOUR COUNTIES RING and have planned the overnight stops it was just the water points i wanted to find as i didnt want to hang about looking for the water points not knowing exactly where they are many thanks again we cant wait for our holiday really looking forward to it David

thanks for that i thought there might be one on the main shroppie drag but could not see anything on the pictures that are on canaplan canaplan says the facilities for hurleston junction are WATER RUBBISH ELSAN and according to the map at waterscape.com its showing WATER RUBBISH ELSAN at the bottom lock and WATER & TOILETS at the top lock we will prob stop at Barbridge junction if not nantwich thanks again its our first time on a narrowboat so i am trying to be prepaired David

HELLO EVERY ONE we are due to do the four counties ring in september and i am trying to locate the water points before we go so there is no messing about looking for them when we are cruising. we can just stop if no one is using them or pass it by and fill up at the next the only ones i cant see are hurleston junction (is it on the main shroppie drag or is it up the part that goes to the locks? and penkridge by what bridge is it near thanks David

thats a good point we were going to fill up with water at wheeelock so we will do that first then remoor up lower down ( if there are boats in front of us) then have a meal at the The Cheshire Cheese thanks david

on looking at the sun rise for 22nd September its 7.00am so i will not be away before then. as quoted above hired boats are not insured to cruise after dark and i would think that sun rise & sun set denotes this. so it will be a 7.00 am start from wheelock going towards middlewitch creeping past any moored boats on route thanks for your advice david

thanks for all your replys the bit i saw was the part You are not permitted to run the boat engine between 8pm and 8am it didnt say at a mooring only i thought that meant you could not start your engine ie to move off but now thats clear we will be ok for a 7-7.30 start looking forward to the holiday in september can't wait David

hello everyone we are due to do the four counties ring in september starting at great haywood going aniti clockwise i was wondering how early you can start cruising? in the stuff from the boat yard (anglo welsh) they states from dawn till dusk then in a leaftet about boating in genral it states do not start before 8am (a BW bylaw) but i have heard of people starting at 7am -7.30am we dont mind starting early as we want to get going again 8am would be ok on some days but 7.30am might be better on some of the longer days thanks David

Thanks for all your advice we will be doing the ring anti clockwise now the reason being we should get close to or near the south end of harecastle tunnel on sunday evening so we can get through the tunnel on monday morning that way its out of the way and your not tied to get there and through it later in the week thanks again David

thanks for the advice i know Harry Tuffins well as i work there i have got the nicholsons guide and i have downloaded the canal guides from the BW web site i just think on one hand do the ring 8.5 - 9 hrs per day on the friday we have not got to get the boat back till early sat morning so it could be a full day cruising on the friday then on the other hand i think do a there and back (past market drayton ) 7hrs a day then i think a few hours more a day and you could do the ring i will have to see nearer the time thanks again David

hello everybody i am new to this forum and would like to say how good the info is we are going on a canal holiday ( first time on the canals. we have had cruisers on the broads )from the anglo welsh base in great haywood next September 22-29 and would like to do the four counties ring. the crew is me 40, sister 46 and brother in law 49 having seen other threads in this forum some say its doable in a week and some say not we will not be stopping off at every pub along the way just the odd village so don't mind a good bit of cruising. we would be doing it clockwise and i would be gratefull of any info ie:- points to get to for the night. i would love to do the ring but part of me thinks its a bit ambisious for the first time and just do a there and back to past market drayton but then i think its not much farther to do the full ring any pionters would be gratefull