romseyles

I would be interested in feedback, thanks.

I hope this might help but it`s not a direct answer. We did Tardebigge (upwards) in 3 hours 20 minutes with four of us about 3 weeks ago, no-one coming down and only one in front at the last few locks so appreciate that is fairly good going. Previously we`ve done them in 4 hours and 3 and a half. You would be really unlucky if it took all day. Overnight in Alvechurch would give you the Crown for dinner, visitor moorings just over the bridge. Gas street is 3 and a half/ 4 hours from here so you could push on if you are lucky with Tardebigge. If you did get to the Minworth area I would push on past the Hare and Hounds, we were broken into 10 years ago whilst in the pub and the police who attended suggested we were not quite far enough away from the "estates" to be safe, we might have been unlucky of course. The top paddles on the Worcs and Brum are pretty heavy going until you get them open a bit.

I`ve never found the flights of locks particularly daunting, bear in mind they are close together so your "crew", assuming you have one, will be able to walk between each lock getting them ready. Unless you are really unlucky and you get behind someone with no boats coming up (or down) you will be able to go straight out of one and into the next. Also bear in mind that last week the water point at the bottom of Delph was out of action. Wouldn`t advise mooring overnight or leaving the boat unattended in Kidderminster and if you get to Stourport don`t go into the basins with a view to mooring, moor up before the last lock. Have a good holiday.

I have been hiring for many years. I think the hiring companies could do more on some aspects. Slowing down when passing moored boats is something I don`t believe is stressed enough and recently I`ve noticed that shortly after leaving the marinas many hired boats are going far too quickly. Having said that it was an owned boat that managed to jam our hooks hard into the "metal" at Alvechurch "Crown" moorings last week, they were going at a fair lick southbound and I wondered how on earth they got through the bridge. Other things the hiring companies could do to improve the experience for novices and indeed all customers:- Provide a print out from "waterscape" so the hirer has reasonably up to date info. Tell hirers just how difficult some aspects of the trip might be- stiffness of paddle gear on the Worcs and Brum for example. Keep a record of things that are out of action- the water point at the bottom of Deph locks is no longer there. Of course we have to remember that the brochures paint a rosy picture because they don`t want to put the novices off and they don`t want to suggest that it can be quite tough going. We have met people over the years who simply can`t handle it and I understand that abandonment of hired boats is not uncommon, one hiring company told me it happens more often than one might imagine.

Thanks very much, apologies for not replying sooner, I got there last Sunday, and got the mooring at the end of Oozells Street (nearest Sherbourne wharf) where BW had left a note for a boat owner who has had his boat "removed". I was one of the "hordes" from Alvechurch, actually not hordes at all just the two boats came Brum way. Compared with previous years we thought it was all fairly quiet on our way round, except at Kinver of course where the new landlord at the Vine got CAMRA pub of the year for the Midlands. We only saw one other boat coming up Tardebigge yesterday (Saturday). Some interesting comments on here about us holidaymakers. Moored last night on the metal at the Crown at Alvechurch a private owner boat (didn`t get the name) tore by at such a lick he managed to jam our hooks into the joins in the metal. Took me 20 minutes of metal bending to get them free. He knows who he is, group of chaps on the back, boat predominantly blue, heading south about 6.30 pm. We did the short Stourport this time to allow fishing time, had a nice carp near Hanbury Wharf, as I did last time I was that way, cheers all, Les

Aiming for central Brum, how busy is it at the moment? Thanks for any responses.

That is what I always thought until I read this:- http://www.hireacanalboat.co.uk/faq.php#6 I`ll maybe look upon this as a back payment for all the years I have fished with just a rod licence!

I`m going to be on the Worcester and Birmingham later this month and wanted to do a bit more fishing than I normally do. So this time I decided to do things legally, contacted BW to ask who has the fishing rights, it`s the BAA all the way from Worcester up to Kings Norton tunnel. I contacted the BAA secretary and asked if I could have a flexible "day" ticket as I`m not sure exactly when I`ll be on this section and would certainly not be fishing for a full day, more like a couple of hours all told. Answer- NO. Day tickets for specific days are £6 and MUST be bought in advance, no tickets can be bought on the bank. Now I don`t mind paying and I`m sure the BAA have good reasons for this policy. I guess BW make a fair amount of money from leasing the fishing rights. It does all seem a bit harsh though for the visitor on holiday. The hire boatyards seem to be completely unaware of this, some even advising all you need is the rod licence. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Is overnight mooring on the Oozells street loop available to all?- provided there is actually room of course!

thanks folks. I`m starting and finishing at Alvechurch and have already earmarked the Weighbridge. I was looking forward to home made faggots at the "Boat and Railway", anyone been there recently?

Hi everyone, my first post. I`m doing the Stourport Ring next month, anticlockwise from Alvechurch. Does anyone know if any of the canalside pubs past Stourbridge are closed? Particularly interested in the Worcester to Alvechurch section, thanks in advance for replies