The Major

We've used Black Prince about four times now and have always been very pleased with our boat. The one we hired a couple of weeks back was their 58 foot Duchess 4.3. Excellent for a family of four - no need to put together beds and good dining and sitting areas too.

That's interesting. I can understand working boatmen in the past doing it to keep up to schedule but nowadays I thought it was mandatory not to travel after dusk? The local boatowners didn't seem to view it as a delightful romantic interlude!

Not the Leicester Ring as such but part of it! Thanks to the advice offered in these forums we completed the Four Counties anti-clockwise from Stoke in the week leading up to the Bank Holiday. Apart from the last day and a half the weather was pretty grim (two thunderstorms in the first two days!) but we did make it. Mind you we were busy and we did put in full days throughout. The first couple of days were tough going lockwise but we only had one queue for locks the whole week...I'd much rather do it that way round than have a lock-fest and potential hold-ups at the very end of the hols. I'm sure you'll easily outman us (me, the wife and our two kids) but as non-drinkers and non-smokers we didn't get distracted by pub stops and were horribly sober and bouncy at 7am! Thinking about it, the only inebriated crew we saw passed us when we were moored for the evening at Penkridge. I was sitting outside musing over the meaning of life when the silence was shattered by a narrowboat steaming past us, it's floodlight beaming into the darkness ahead, illuminating the entire canal. The Americans manning the boat certainly sounded the worse for wear...and believe me, they were't exactly whispering! The time? 10.30pm! They must have completed some locks in the pitch dark and were heading for another! Has anyone seen canalboats travelling later than that? Oh, and we did moor in Stoke overnight on the Friday - adjacent to the Festival Park Marina and next to a flyover. It's enough to drive you to drink...almost!

Ah well, ready for the off at 7am! Up on the train to Stoke then the Four Counties beckon. As for what I said about the joys of doing it in a week - well, as luck would have it, an old whiplash injury has come back to haunt me...but a few physiotherapy sessions later me, the missus and our two lads are ready for the 90 odd locks...well, at least THEY are. Cheerio chaps!

Thanks for that Roger! As I said, I had to switch to the 'Four Counties' due to a mix up over dates but I certainly wont dismiss having a go at the 'East Midlands/Leicester Ring' in the not too distant future.

Actually, considering my last effort in a winding hole, I think that should read Major Disappointment...

..I'm sorry! Did I mention I was paddling my Tardis?

We set off from Chirk on the Saturday of May Bank Holiday 2005...not the most brilliant idea! It was manic on the first day, busy on Sunday but come Monday afternoon calm descended and the traffic had either disappeared off the canal ...or sunk to the bottom!

The advice I received was to set off anticlockwise if starting from Stoke - and indeed I shall!

Although I can more than appreciate a leisurely potter around the system, I also think there's a lot to be said for completing a route within a set schedule. When we rounded the Cheshire Ring in a week, we derived considerable satisfaction from completing our goal in the 7 days we'd alloted ourselves. Although we didn't get to go on 10 mile hiking expeditions from the boat - a blessing in itself! - we didn't find ourselves racing along but simply put in the extra hours at the same leisurely pace as everyone else...and of course, we slept blissfully at the end of each day!

10 am on Friday? Disgraceful slacking! Well, back in the 80s we managed the Cheshire Ring in a week and I assume/hope this can't be much more strenuous...probably not as eventful as the evening we were forced to moor overnight in Manchester. The 20 mins spent finding a crack in the concrete big enough to take the mooring pins was an experience I will treasure forever! Anyway, as teetotallers we won't find ourselves sidetracked by quests for Real Ale once we set off...though a flagon of foaming tea is always an acceptable alternative!

Thanks chaps! I think I'll get there a touch early and try to get the 2pm start so I can head for the tunnel. I'd be intrigued to know how long it takes to chug from one end to the other...

We've just had to lose a week of our hols, fatally scuppering the East Midlands Ring so we've fallen back on doing the Four Counties in the week leading up to the May Bank Holiday weekend. We can't pick up from Stoke any earlier than 2pm on Saturday 21st May...do you think we'd do better going anti-clockwise and getting the tunnel out of the way early on in the trip? Would we be likely to reach and get through it on that Saturday? The alternative is of course to go clockwise and hit it on the Friday or Saturday morning of the Bank Holiday.

Blast! We've had to give up a week of our hols and are now focussing on the Four Counties Ring in the week leading up to the May Bank Holiday. Hopefully we can get to Crick via hire car from Stoke on the Saturday...

Thanks all! I've just made the booking...

Well, I've just booked the boat so the East Midlands Ring is definately on! The only word of warning I was offered about the trip was to be wary of Leicester...is that fair? That being said, I remember braving the Cheshire Ring in a hectic week back in the Eighties and I can't believe it could match the Rochdale Nine for intimidating grimness!

Actually John, from what people have said about the show I think it would be silly not to spend a day there if I have the chance. I'll aim to get there the day before it opens, have a look around on Saturday and head off towards the Soar on the Sunday. I hope the weirs aren't as threatening as they sound!

After dashing down to the bookshop I now have the current Nicholson's ' Birmingham and the Heart of England ' guide in front of me...slightly worrying about the River Soar and the effects of heavy rainfall! Once I've worked out the canals involved in the Stoke/East Midlands Ring jaunt, i'll purchase the Pearson's equivalent too so I can set off fully primed!

I'm pretty sure I've got an old Nicholsons covering the area, though I must say that when we were on the Llangollen I preferred the clear graphic presentation of the Pearson's guide.

Thanks for that Paul and Khaffra...really useful advice! Assuming the boat is still available, it looks like a push anti-clockwise and mooring where possible...a little past Crick if I've got time! From your own experience of these events, will those coming in their own narrowboats be likely to stay the full 3 days leading to a resultant mass exodus at the end of the show? I reckon an overnight and a full day at Crick - hopefully Saturday - will suit us fine as I don't want to have to rush our return leg to Stoke. One further query...before I stop pushing my luck! When I last spoke to Black Prince and asked them which of the Pearson's guides I'd need to cover the trip they had no idea (somewhat worrying as they offer the East Midlands Ring in their brochure!). I know there isn't a single guide but I've found the all current guides on this page and have been trying to work it out. http://www.iwashop.com/ecommerce/products.asp?cat=8 I think I might need as many as four of them but would welcome a more experienced opinion regarding of the ones to order...any ideas?

Thanks thus far chaps! Now if I've understood correctly...if I decide to go ahead the best plan is to overshoot and moor on the circular route somewhere south of the show. If I leave Stoke on the Saturday afternoon beforehand and follow the ring clockwise how far round do you reckon I might get by Thursday afternoon? Far enough past Crick to get a mooring and get back to see the first day of the show on foot/by public transport?

Further to the helpful comments I've received about the East Midlands ring, I'd like to sneak in an additional query if I may. Looking at the forums I've suddenly noticed that the Crick Boat Show will be taking place on the 28th-30 May smack in the middle of the two weeks we hope to be travelling the ring. I've never been to an event like this so I don't know how it's likely to effect canal traffic, moorings etc and whether it would be best to ensure we're well past/or well short before it all starts. Is it a must see? If all goes well we should be leaving Stoke on the 21st May. With all this in mind, does it matter which way round we travel the ring before we return to Stoke? Thanks again!

Actually John, we're almost as near France as dear old Staffordshire and the Midlands. For though I was born in Stoke my parents decamped - no pun intended - to Brighton when I was but a babe. That being said I used to spend most of my hols billeted on my gran in Longton - the delights of an outside privvy and invading daddy longlegs did prepare me in part for my first experience with a canal boat loo!

Our family of four are hoping to take a two week trip on the canals around the May Bank Holiday. Having had a splendid couple of holidays with two friends some years back - the Cheshire Ring in a week was one of 'em - we'd been waiting for our two lads (13 and 11) to get to an age where they'd get the most out of a canal holiday. We ventured out with them onto the Llangollen last year and they had a such grand time helping out, sketching, playing games etc that they want to go again! This year our eyes alighted upon a Black Prince route called the 'East Midlands Ring'. Although it appears to skirt places like Stoke, Leicester and Coventry they say "Most of this route is very rural and quiet". As we have suffered the occasional bout of stone throwing in really built up areas etc I'd be grateful on your opinions as to the general character of the route and any places you think we'd be silly to miss. All tips gratefully received as we hope to book very shortly. One shorter alternative might be the "Four Counties' in a week? Many thanks!