Alison007

On the K&A it was partly the number of permanent boats,a number of whom seemed to have very grumpy people on board - we got a abused over going too fast past moored boats but we were below ticker speed and had no wake at all. Maybe cause we were a widebeam? Other was the condition of the canal. I don't recommend sitting on nettles. It hurts, a lot!

Just out of curiosity what would be your top canals? Having done the K&A and not been hugely impressed I can see why that would be near the bottom but what's the reasoning for the Llangollen?

We did actually consider the Stourport Ring, but my Mum would never survive the locks. We scraped through the K&A and Caen Hill (twice) a few years ago and that was enough. There are still locks on the Shropshire and Llangollen but not as many, hence making that choice

I didn't know that was a possibility. Everything I read here (in Australia) said that you couldn't do a private hire boat on the Caledonian. I shall keep that in mind!

Reading my way through this makes me feel a bit better about changing our plans for next year. We were going to spend 2 weeks cruising between Glasgow and Edinburgh, but then I started to read about the closures, maintenance etc. After the K&A in 2016 (that was hard to find a mooring that wasn't overgrown and heaving with nettles) we didn't want to experience that again. So we have changed the plans to go on the Llangollen from Autherley instead, but I'm still sad about not seeing Scotland by boat. Might have to just come back in a few years and have another crack!

Thanks for all the help everyone! We have been thinking a lot, and we have changed our plans. It seemed that trying to do the Ring from the Autherley base would just be too stressful. We are now going to do the Llangollen and putter for 2 weeks. Stop and visit some of the villages/towns, moor up in Llangollen for a couple of nights etc. It will be busy (traffic wise), cause we are picking the boat up on August 3rd 2019 for 2 weeks, but we don't mind. Nothing can compare to the Kennet and Avon 2 years ago! Now to convince my Dad I should learn how to drive this time :)

Will keep both eyes on the stoppages, but all said and done we aren't opposed to trying another canal either, just so long we can get to it from our base!

Thanks everyone,, this trip isn't until 2019, so next year. Hopefully everything will be reopened by then! Sounds like it will take a good few days to make it up to the Trent and Mersey, and then onto the ring

Thanks Nick. It is a bit of an odd place, we just went with the canal company we has used and the Rings they said you could do in 2 weeks. Upon further inspection of the maps, it had me thinking that it looked a long way from Autherley. We have done the Four Counties Ring but loved it so it won't be any hardship to view all that scenery again.

Hi All We are coming over from Australia in August next year and spending 2 weeks cruising the Cheshire Ring. Our hire boat leaves from Autherley (Napton Narrowboats, whom we have used before) and I just was wondering the rough time to get from Autherley up to the turn onto the Trent and Mersey canal for the Ring? It will be my third canal trip and my parents fourth and we have down the Four Counties Ring in 2012, so the first part of the trip up to the ring will be done quickly (as you can actually go in a Canal Boat) as possible as we won't need to stop and explore :) Many thanks!