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Has anyone had any recent experience mooring at the any of the following marinas and/or had work done to your boat at these marinas? Also, what was the customer service, mooring, friendliness and administration like? (1). Napton Narrowboats;. (2). Wigrams Turn Waterside & Marina; (3). Ventnor Waterside & Marina; (4). Calcutt Boats?

What are the moorings generally like in August between the top of the Caen Hill flight and Bradford-upon-Avon; as we have been told the stretch of canal is very congested? We are wondering if it is worth booking visitor moorings at Caen Hill Marina (after descending the Caen Hill flight) and at marinas towards Bradford-upon-Avon.

Hello, I am currently looking at buying a 62 foot narrowboat. I am struggling to find any mooring availability with marinas too small or currently full. I have my name on a waiting list. Does anybody know of any private moorings that may be available or where I might look to find them? I have looked on the CRT website but only small boat moorings available. Many thanks! Andy

Hi All, We (the family), are moving our 60' narrow boat from Cropredy to Newbury soon. Can anyone recommend places to moor along the River Thames and whether it is advantageous to book/who with. We are planning to moor at Abingdon and Pangbourne, but appreciate this may need to change subject to moorings and availability. I note moorings are defined by the Vale of White House District Council in Abingdon. We've been given plenty of advise, e.g. turn upstream to moor, take shears to cut back the overgrown bank at a mooring, all moorings along towpaths are 24 hours unless stated otherwise. However, as we are so used to the ease of mooring on the canals, the River Thames is a bit of an unknown, i.e. ease of mooring, private land, etc. We are ideally looking to moor near pubs and shops for provisions for the evening. The https://www.thamesvisitormoorings.co.uk/ doesn't allow to book moorings at locks. Also, what are people's best guess at how long it will take from King's Lock to Kennet Mouth? I'm estimating two days. Any help, advise and recommendations would be gratefully appreciated.

Does anyone have personal experience of either/both of these marinas? Just thinking about a possible change of mooring for our narrowboat. Thanks

Hi Plan to travel down onto the Weaver Navigation via Anderton Boat Lift within the next 7 days. Does anyone have any suggestions on best places to moor or places to visit once on the Weaver? I would like to pre book a slot on the boat lift. Any suggestions on how much time we should plan on the Weaver. Thanks

Just done The South Pennine Ring...wanted to mention the very quiet and pristine moorings (rings) at Sportcity in front of the tennis centre. There is a tram stop just on the other side of the cut so easy-peasy to nip into town but not many passers by other than joggers/cyclists.

We are planning on doing the Black Country Ring from Autherley Junction (in May) in the clockwise direction. There will be 6 of us, 2 children aged 10 and 12 , my parents (in their 70's), my husband and I and we have a week to do it in. I am really interested to do the ring as it is so varied but a bit wary of moorings around Birmingham as I have heard it is not very safe. Would the following places be OK to stop overnight? night 1 (sat) Cross Keys, Penkridge night 2 (sun) Great Haywood night 3 (mon) The Dog and Doublet night 4 (tues) Gas Street Basin night 5 (weds) Black Country Museum night 6 (thurs) New Inn, Coseley night 7 (fri) near to Autherley Junction I know that some days will be long but we are prepared to get up early and be travelling most of the day. Any advice would be appreciated. This is our second trip as a family, I had boating experience about 20 years ago so we are not total beginners. Thank you

Hey, I've been looking into living on a narrowboat for around a year now after it being a life long dream! I am currently in the process of trying to secure a mooring spot in Manchester. I am struggling to find any websites or direct contacts too the marinas etc based in Manchester, in order to pop my name down on the waiting list or whatnot. Therefore, I was wondering if anyone could advise me on the process of getting hold of a mooring spot in Manchester?! Any advice would be amazing Thanks Chloé

We have managed to wangle a week off from respective jobs over 26th Aug to 3rd Sept.. last time we went south and made it to Napton, had a great time notwithstanding our domestic alternator packing up! This time we want to head north towards Rugely and beyond if poss - we brought the boat down from Gt Haywood last spring as total newbies and loved it! We've done the Ashby loads and love it but are reserving the Shackerstone festival until next year.. Ive realised that by going that way (towards Rougely) we will go through Alvecote during the festival there, but we may not arrive until the Sunday. Anyone here got experience of mooring, likely congestion etc? I quite fancy stopping for the Sunday night! We are reasonably fit and can walk back a fair bit to the Festival if needs be - or will it be totally rammo with boats? Cheers all - can't wait to slip our moorings and do some chugging! Also, will there be much school holiday business still? jane x

Hi everyone, I have enjoyed reading through posts here in the past, but this is my first ever post! Can anyone suggest some residential moorings in the Greater Manchester region? My wife and I are relocating from Canada to Manchester next Spring, and having previously lived on the Norfolk Broads, we'd love a similar lifestyle in Manchester. It is a little difficult planning things on the other side of the world, but we are coming over at the end of the month and we would like to visit some moorings. Any help/thoughts would be much appreciated! Ben

I set off in May from Netherwich Basin with the intention of competing in the BCN Challenge then heading round something best described as a combination of the Warwickshire, Black Country and Stourport rings to arrive in Stourport to go into dry dock for blacking on 1st September. As it has turned out I have over the last three weekends I have also managed to sneak in a trip down the Grand Union main line to Marsworth Junction and return. Moorings I have used a combination of paid moorings, CRT long term sites with permission, visitor moorings and towpath. The reciprocal arrangements for use of vacant CRT long term moorings has worked well and enabled me to leave the boat for more than 14 days when I needed. I also spent three weeks at Saltisford Canal Trust in Warwick while RLWP of this parish finished off an overhaul of my engine. This is a good place with plenty of activity and good value moorings in a secure environment. Pubs Naturally many pubs have been visited and in broad order they have been;- Queens Head, Stoke Pound - average, over priced and therefore full of people with more money than taste. Unfathomably popular as my Australian guests commented upon. It is though very handily placed at the foot of the Tardebigge flight (if only there was proper pub at the top). Weighbridge, Alvechurch Marina - take out pint before setting off from the marina where I often leave Vulpes for a week or so while in transit to and from the wider network. Beer is good. Wetherspoons, Merry Hill - can't remember the name but they are all the same so what does it matter? Quick stop for evening meal with Rob-M on way to start point for BCN Challenge. Pint and meal for some very precise but obscure amount like £7.38. Tells you all you need to know about their business model. The Vine/Bull & Bladder, Brierley Hill - Pre-BCN Challenge pint or two at Batham's brewery tap. Nuff said. Bottle & Glass, Black Country Museum - Sneaked into museum for celebratory pint after legging Dudley Tunnel. Serves Banks's beers these days. Had the summer brew which was fine. Pork scratchings excellent. Manor Arms, Rushall - quick pit stop on BCN Challenge because it's one of the things to do on the Challenge. This is the pub with no bar. Marston's beers but well served. Titford Pumphouse, Oldbury - Makeshift bar at BCNS HQ at end of Challenge. Beer was good (Ma Pardoes from Netherton) but ran out waaaaay too soon. The Wharf, Hockley Heath - awful chain pub. Avoid if possible. Tom o'the Wood, Rowington - lunch time stop. Appears to sell more gin than beer. Probably the kind of place the Queens Head aspires to be when it grows up. I prefer the Navigation at Lapworth in this area. Cape of Good Hope, Warwick - good beer, original food, mixed clientele and staff. All is good here. The Boat, Birdingbury - evening meal in the company of RLWP and Mrs Tawny Owl of this parish. A bit chaotic but beer and food were fine. Admiral Nelson, Braunston - never eaten here but almost always hve a swift half of Landlord in passing. Boat, Stoke Bruerne - chose to eat at Spice of Bruerne (which was OK and about all you would expect of an Indian in a village in Northamptonshire) and had a pint at the Boat. Can't even remember what the beer was. Think it was Proper Job from St Austell. Nothing wrong with that but what about local beer? Three Locks, Soulbury - an OK pint in passing. The Globe, Linslade - looks great but is a Greene King house. Had a take out pint in passing. Nuff said (in the opposite sense to the Bull & Bladder). Red Lion, Marsworth - local free house in a beautiful village setting. Good local beers and decent enough food. Proper meals but via catering suppliers rather than home cooked. Very quiet though. Unfortunately the punters are probably at the gastropub down the road. Got rained on all day and if hadn't been so tired by the time we tied up at 2030 and just made last food orders I could have spent a lot of time in the Red Lion. Black Horse, Great Linford - eating pub. Predictably food was better than the beer. Wouldn't avoid it but wouldn't seek it out again either. Probably better for families. I was with Pegg Jr and we were in and out in less than an hour. Barley Mow, Cosgrove - moored up at nine last Friday and had a take out pint (Pegg Jr is 15). Nice to visit a local(ish) brewery pub. It's an Everards house and I am not massively familiar with their beer but I had a decent pint. Railway Inn, Droitwich - not part of my cruise but I had a pint here with Rob-M when he passed through on his boat. It's a Marston's drinking pub wth no cooked food. It's 5 minutes walk from my house but I hadn't been there for over 10 years. It will be closed before I go again. Sent first pint of Banks's Bitter back and was offered Wainwright in return. Just as bad so ended up drinking one when otherwise would have had three. It's doomed. People I have introduced my wife's half brother and his mother to canal boating (they are Australian). Rob-M crewed the BCN Challenge with me including moves from Alvechurch to BCLM to Delph and then Titford to Bournville. I also had help from my work colleague Richard and his brother on the Challenge. As it turned out I think Rob and myself could have legged Dudley Tunnel on our own. I had two days boating with Richard and Sue (RLWP and Mrs Tawny Owl) to share locks from Warwick for Braunston ahead of the Braunston historic festival. Obviously nether of us are allowed to put our new boats in the show. I have also had help from Steve of Goosander (fellow moorer at Netherwich and BCN Challenge veteran) and his friend also Steve on the trip from Fenny Stratford to Marsworth and return. My main help has been Daniel (Pegg Jr) who is a natural helmsman but doesn't do mornings which casues a little bit of conflict. Charlie dog has also 'enjoyed' the Grand Union and even Mrs P has spent one night on the boat. From CWDF I have passed Andrew Tidy (Capt Ahab) and the jam butty three times including at the Cosgrove and Linslade festivals; Sickle at Linslade and then both Sickle and Flamingo at High House where Alan Fincher stuck his head out of Flamingo's engine hole to wave. I suspect his attention was drawn by the excellent sounding but sensibly cooled and reliable PH2W in Vulpes. A few moments after that I passed Matty40s and Kath moored up on Old Friends enjoying an early Saturday evening drink. Then last Sunday I passed billybobbooth on Towy in the Braunston flight. Always good to see a wooden boat in working order. Grand Union It must be the slowest canal on the network. Loads of moored boats south of Milton Keynes and locks that never seem to want to make a level. I passed two widebeams in motion but neither was a problem but I did run a Hudson aground at Bridge 41 at Bugbrooke. It approached too quickly round the bend on approach and finding me in the bridge hole slammed it into reverse and careered into the bank and stemmed up. I was expecting a line of moored boats from Cosgrove to Fenny Stratford but although there were a lot of moored boats around MK they tend to be grouped at certain locations with plenty of good cruising in between. There seemed to more boats moored between MK and Leighton Buzzard. The channel looks to be 40'+ wide by design and the depth is marked as at least 5' 6" so it should be capable of accommodating wide beam craft if maintained for such. They may never have worked there in any great quantity but surely it was built for such? Saw some nice barges that looked lost on a canal though. I met a series of folks heading for London in newly purchased craft and even managed to share locks with a 50' widebeam from Horton to Ivinghoe crewed by an Irish guy and Australian girl. Still to look forward to I have the trip to Sutton Stop which was been one of my objectives since buying Vulpes (I grew up in Longford) and then up the rest of the Coventry, then the T&M and Staffs & Worcs. I am hoping to pay a quick visit to the Alvecote historic festival on the Sunday evening and if possible take the detour down to Coventry basin. The Greyhound will be an evening stop but the Swan at Fradley might be a fleeting visit. To finish here's a few photos.

I am looking for anyone who has used the mooring on the River Irwell that sits next to the Mark Addy Pub, known as Ralli Quay, shown in the picture and here http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/manchester/m71.htm This is the only area in the city centre that boaters can moor up and has been used as such since the site was developed in the 90's but there is now an intention by the building tenants to block public access to this area. As this has been freely available to use for the past 20+ years it can be considered a public right of way, but evidence is needed of its use. So I am looking for anyone who has any photos etc of the quayside being used to moor boats or any use in general, the older the better and people who are willing to sign a statement saying they have used the landing over x number of years would also be great. The closure isn't certain at the moment but if it is I would like to be able to push for a right of way claim to keep it open to the public. thanks

Hello, Some years ago I was looking at the possibility of getting a mooring on the mill arm feeder at Maesbury Marsh, then owned by Maesbury Marine. I gather that they went bust, or moved on, so does anyone know if moorings can still be had along the feeder since I would like to eventually move my boat closer to Wales, where I live. Cheers, Sal

Have been trying to contact above moorings by email, using the address on their website, but am getting no response. I am after a mooring, if available, so it is strange that they seem to be ignoring an opportunity business wise. I know Phil of this parish moors there so if you are reading this Phil can you throw any light on this silence (I have messaged you)? Or does anyone else know the answer? Thanks

So much has been written about the cost of moorings and the idyllic lifestyle of living on a boat. Only what happens when it all goes wrong? It's mighty sad when a close community of liveaboards breaks up and scatters, but that's what is happening in Tewkesbury, River Avon. Some have been at that Marina for over 20 years but are now having to look for new moorings. Why? An introduction of a 'residential rate' was announced on 6th March to take effect from 1st April from the usual £214 a metre for narrow boats and £266 for wide-beams to £328 a metre for all residential berth holders and that has caused 'problems' for both narrow-boats and wide-beams owners alike. After some 'mild mannered discussion', on the 21st March the tariff was dropped to £276 for narrow-boats and £296 for wide-beams. That's still one heck of a rise percentage wise. Thus a 60 foot (18.3 m) narrow-boat is looking at £5050 at the revised rate and the same length wide-beam £5416. Add the ANT license of £522 plus their residential license fee of £20. And the Council Tax at Band A £1053.45 For a 60 footer that totals narrow boats £6645 and the same length wide-beam £7011 (Not including the compulsory boat insurance). It's suddenly got really expensive and damage has been done, big time. Most can't afford this price hike (especially the OAPS and those on fixed incomes) and they are shipping out. A sad state of affairs is the breaking up of long term communities.

From Narrow Boat World. http://www.narrowboatworld.com/index.php/news-flash/9766-illegally-moored-boaters-will-be-evicted Illegally moored boaters will be evicted Wednesday, 22 March 2017 13:50 RESIDENT boaters on the Cam in Cambridge are to be evicted from the waterway if they do not have a legal mooring on the river and no licence. Last year there was jubilation, particularly by members of the National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA) when they were assured, after taking to the streets and protesting, that the result of a consultation by Cambridge City Council assured boaters that they would be allowed to stay. ('Bargees' take on Cambridge City Council.) Acted as a magnet But then the outcome was obvious—it acted as a magnet to more and more boats who proceeded to moor all along the river banks causing problems, all without any mooring rights and some even without licences. At a recent council meeting it was heard that there was a long list for mooring on the river, and some new ones will be provided, but fees are set to be increased and that it was important to regulate the ever increasing number of boats with licences, and none with licences will be made homeless but no such guarantee could be given for those without. Charged on their length A further method of regulating moorings is that in future the single occupancy would be removed and boats will now be charged on their length. But it was stated at the meeting that new spaces have been found for other moorings that are safe and a good compromise with more services in the future, but is has to be paid for, and it is not fair that the local tax payer picks it up. Needless to say there has been another demonstration by the those who desire to moor their boats on the Cam in Cambridge, but without paying.

Hi. I am looking for some permanent moorings near Leeds where I can live on my 57' narrowboat. I'm not too fussy about the facilities (i.e. hook-ups, water points..etc) but somewhere reasonably secure would be great. Thanks

Tamworth Cruising Club www.tamworthcruisingclub.org.uk email:- tamworthcruisingclub@gmail.com TCC is one of the oldest inland waterways cruising clubs, located at Bridge 74, Coventry Canal, Kettlebrook, Tamworth, Staffs. B77 1BS We have typical club facilities incl clubhouse, licensed bar, emergency slipway, elsan point, non-res. moorings (incl temp. and winter moorings when space available) and a busy social calendar.

Hi all, So it's coming up to winter and we've decided we want a mooring after cruising for a year and a half (And the CRT breathing down out necks). Does anyone know of any vacancies around Manchester? Anywhere close to Manchester, Ashton, Hyde, Marple, New Mills, Whaley Bridge, furthest away Macclesfield. Any information appreciated!

We are on Countdown to our 4th Canal Boat Holiday, 2nd with kids and a pooch! ​ Can you give me suggestions as to overnight moorings along the Llangollen and Shropshire Union Canal, plus ideal places to stop for Food and where we can stop for Supermarkets/Shopping. The plan is to stop at Chester for night and day so we can visit the City. Any mooring recommendations and advice on windingholes would be appreciated. Thanks

Hi Chaps... Boat buying going well.. looking for moorings round Rugby now, preferably with transport links! Someone mentioned Brinklow but did i hear of some thievery going on round there? Any advice on good places; pref with power - and advice on where to avoid?! Many thanks in advance as always, also bribes of cake too....

Hi all ,, Yet another newbie . Currently having sailway built , i have found two residential sites for the boat , but in there small print they do not allow for works to be carried out on the boat , in there terms and conditions .. since ill be needing to fit out kitchen and bathroom /various i can undertsand this .. so will need workable moorings in or near to manchester for 57ft 10ft widebeam any ideas where i could start to look . many thanks for any advice

Hi all A few years ago i hired a narrowboat on the Thames around the Lechlade /Oxford area.The boat yard told me on rivers its best to allways moor facing upstream. I followed their advise but didnt really understand the reason for this. Could the more expericanced boaters amonst you please explain this to me.. Thanks in advance Carl