MumHunOnTheCanal

I did not expect to start such an interesting discussion about using one gate! But it’s been very insightful thank you x

We went through Crofton yesterday which is on restricted hours owing to the very viable low water level at the summit. That all makes sense. BUT. surely. and this is where my naivety makes me question my logical thinking. “PLEASE LEAVE THIS LOCK EMPTY” Does this not defeat the object of trying to reduce the water loss? People emptying the locks after they’ve gone up because the signage says so? Thus moving the water down and out? I’m sure I’m being stupid and there’s a counter argument somewhere….. please give it me

This has cheered me up at least!

We moored up last night against the bank of Brocas, Eton - opposite Windsor. Where the fairground is. at about 10pm things started getting noisy - Loads of kids shouting and screaming; set the dog off. Shining torches into boats. I shrugged it off and put it down to kids being kids and went back to sleep. I wish I hadn’t. I wish I had moved then. I woke up startled at about 1.30 to more shouting and commotion, followed by a loud clunk to the boat. The kids had pulled our mooring pins out and chucked them in the river. i dread to think where we would have floated off too / what would have happened had that second mooring pin not hit the boat. As we were getting ready to move a gentleman approached us - they have been threatening him, offering him up for a fight ,had stolen his plank, untied others boats and his dog had gone missing. He had called the police and said this is happening regularly. I really hope his dog is back and safe this morning. Just wanted to warn people against mooring there. It seems it’s an ongoing problem and could end so badly in a multitude of ways!

Godshill will keep you informed - may start a new thread and add pictures too!

This is exactly what we did. The boat is being “Thames prepped” as I type. Plan to go from here to reading and onto the Thames - stop at Windsor for a day - turn off at Brentford on to the union and then to Paddington Basin. Fingers crossed we don’t get red boards when we get to Teddington as we have been advised we might and be turned away - anyone offer any advice on this?

We would be joining the canal at Brentford and then up the union / regents canals - I should have made that more clear! We’re just brewing up - but talk has moved on to maybe Bath would be better 😂 who knows where we will be at dinner time!

Thanks Tigger! we went as far as Windsor last year, but I think inner city London is going to be a whole different experience!

Ahahahaha 😂😂😂 I realise what I’ve done!!! I was tired!! 😂😂😂😂 It is still raining 🥹 Morning Francis Tidal Thames is covered - if we decide we’re going that way this morning they’ll sort out the licenses etc! Thank you 🙏 and apologies for my tired mind east west 😂 I’m still so torn - but it seems the 5 year old would like to go to London! wish me luck 🍀 😂

Update……. evening!!! We are aboard our hire vessel this evening but haven’t moved off yet because we still cannot decide which way to go! we have 14 nights (13 now) starting at Aldermaston…. We either go East and visit Bath OR West to Limehouse Basin Something about visiting London on the canal speaks to me : but I’m also a fan of peace and tranquility which I know the Bath option will give me! Will one be more busy than the other? Is it easy to find overnight mooring in London? will it ever stop raining?

Hellooo 👋 I posted here late last year asking about which way to go round the Avon Ring and where we should stop and the replies were so helpful… we had a lovely holiday (ABC Boat) and LOVED every second. This was our second family canal adventure: me, him, a puppy and a toddler! We want another adventure and this community was so helpful last time I thought I would come back and ask for your advice again! So if you had 14 nights at the middle - end of July where would you go? We did the Avon Ring last time in 10 nights (with an extra day spent in the Stratford Basin due to weather) and then Windsor and return before that…. There is still loads of boat availability from most ABC locations so we’re open to ideas! Can the Grand Ring be done in 14 nights? Or the Stourport Ring? lots of love xx

Wow!!!!! That’s horrific. We’re heading up the Severn today, we were going to stop before we get back on the canal tonight… will give it some serious thought x

Sunday Morning Update! I’ll try to be brief 🤣 Good Morning! Well we’ve had a pretty full on few days and I am starting to feel it. But also feeling awesome and still loving every second! We’ve made it on to the Avon and along to Evesham which seems pretty lovely, although like all little towns, the Saturday night teenagers were a little loud and screechy last night! After we left hockley heath - which by the way taught me a valuable lesson…. Don’t stop under acorn laden oak trees in autumn!!!! I did not get a lot of sleep that night!… we headed for our first flight at lapworth in all that rain. It was awesome, even in torrential rain. I got to the point where I was so wet I didn’t care if I was standing in a puddle anymore. I switched through all my shoes and ended the day on the locks in my slippers! But it was soooo fun!!!!! We passed under the M40 bridge which was a weird contrast of lovely countryside and loud road, and stopped between two narrows further along, it was a very quiet night… with not TV or phone reception, but I didn’t mind that either. The Edstone aqueduct is an engineering marvel isn’t it! It was a tad windy up there so we were pushed all the way to one side, but it was amazing all the same!! We arrived in the Basin at Stratford upon Avon on Friday morning, and stopped for lunch and supplies, with the intention of heading off just after lunch and getting stopped again before the rain, but we loved it there so much we didn’t leave and stayed overnight, putting us a little behind again but we’ll make it up I’m sure. Saturday morning the CRT lady came knocking and advised us that someone had left a gate open on the way down over night so nobody was going back up the canal for a while as the level had dropped. There was much suspicion on the basin and an air of a who dunnit mystery. I started to feel guilty and worried, had I maybe left a gate open? I didn’t think I did. But I was still feeling it. I was suspicious of myself. I then remembered we passed a boat going up / leaving as we entered the basin and actually, we had arrived in the basin before lunchtime and others had arrived after us. Yesterday we joined the Avon, wow. It’s stunning. The water is crystal clear and there are so many fish! I’ve read that there are otters, so I’m hopeful of spying some out! I spent a lot of the day on the tiller yesterday, which I find really quite therapeutic. I drank coffee, ate chocolate and enjoyed the scenery. Perfect. We’re hoping to make up some lost time today, but not stop too late either. The small human fancies a Sunday pub roast. So we’ll see how we go! Quick question. Is wild mooring a thing on the Avon? Have a lovely Sunday everyone MH x

Day Two We didn’t get off as early as we would have liked, but we didn’t stop all day - taking it in turns on the tiller, hopping off to walk the dog and feeding the small child…. As we left Alvechurch they were busy lifting boats in and out of the boat yard which we found quite mesmerising. For something so big, they seem to do it quite elegantly and with ease. Although the crane was itself quite aggressive! So we started at Alvechurch and we’ve stopped near Hockney Heath. Meaning we’ve covered approx 15 miles. Wast Hill Tunnel. Wow. Our first tunnel! We hung back and let someone else go ahead of us as although the relevant literature said the tunnel is wide enough to pass oncoming boats, of which there was one, my other half wasn’t convinced. The crew on the boat which passed ahead of us were really reassuring and when we saw that they had passed the oncoming boat we headed in. It was quite something. I’m not sure what I was expecting, maybe the opportunity to do the washing up and make a brew, but instead I found myself studying the tunnel walls / roof with their glittering stalactites! It was actually quite beautiful in places, something I never thought I would say about a tunnel! The second tunnel was really underwhelming in comparison! My small human was fascinated by the guillotine lock! Totally cool. I was pretty taken aback by the abundance of quite neat and almost “good” graffiti. Although I was pleased to see the old paper mill and the lock itself remain untouched. It didn’t quite match up to that of Bristol but some quite neat pieces. We also saw some local youths loitering on an underpass next to a suspiciously clean and perhaps newly placed submerged trolley art installation. Shirley Drawbridge was entertaining. An over excitable lad in his car decided he would stop at the control signal then must’ve thought “ahh I’m going for it” only to have the barrier come crashing down on his bonnet. Although I know I wasn’t at fault, I still feel really guilty. I was half expecting him to get out and start shouting abuse at me, but I think he was embarrassed and realised his mistake. We had planned to stop at the draw bridge inn at Shirley, but the small child didn’t like the vibe, he said it looked scary and dark so we carried on. The canal was quite narrow and twisty in places, not helped by the overhanging greenery, and there were long swathes of parked boats at both Lyon’s and Warings Green which inevitably slowed us down, although we still got verbal from someone at Lyon’s… despite the fact we were only on tick over. We had also planned to stop at the bakery at bridge 20 - but as we passed it was just gone four and my guide book suggested it closed at half past, we decided between us that from past bakery experiences (we love baked goods) it would be unlikely to have much produce left at this time of the day . We have stopped off in Hockley Heath for the night, which seems like a lovely place. We had dinner in The Wharf Tavern which was actually really good - our local greeneking has left us disappointed more than once! We took a stroll over the road and peered in through the window at macalren and rolls Royce. My small human setting his heights on the latter. “I’m going to have one of those when I’m bigger”…. We also noted the little bakery there opens at 7am tomorrow, so I’m hoping to pop back up for some fresh pastries to accompany my morning caffeine instalment. Tomorrow we’re hoping to get down lapworth and then as far as clavedon bottom lock, which will take us to where we “should be” for our timings - although I’m not sure how realistic this will be, especially as the weather is looking awful! We will keep you posted! Love MH x

Thanks captain! saw the sign for the bakery but didn’t stop as we wanted to make tracks and get as far as possible tonight! We’re heading for hockley Heath as per your suggestion though! Early start tomorrow and tackle the lapworth flight in the blooming rain! thank you x