Warwick Westbound and Hatton FLight

[Dragon Pilot]

We're picking up a hire boat at Kate Boats in Warwick...plan to head west. Canal Planner wants to overnight us just at the bottom of Hatton Lock #27, only 11 minutes from the marina. We're going to have a late'ish start, likely after 3-4 PM and don't want to do the whole Hatton Flight given the late start, but would like to get through some of it to get a good head start on the trip (7-day planned). Is it permissible and are there suitable overnight moorings between the Hattons? Looks like some long stretches between locks up to Hatton #35 or so, putting us within walking distance of the Hatton Arms for dinner. Cheers!

[reg]

Best spot is between 29 and 30

[Boater Sam]

1 hour ago, reg said:

Best spot is between 29 and 30

Agreed but do note that generally you are discouraged from mooring mid flight, especially as hirers who may not have much boating experience. There's a severe problems overnight on many flights with water levels, you could fall out of bed!

 When the ghost boat headless wanderer comes through at 2am you may regret it.

 

 

Edited February 25, 2019 by Boater Sam
Grammatical correction

[Dragon Pilot]

In that case, how is the mooring then just west of the Warwick Basin prior to Hatton #27. Upon reflection, stopped by a major flight might not be the best choice for us route-wise. We'll look for other departure points. If we had more time it wouldn't be a big issue, but we don't so....

[Captain Pegg]

6 hours ago, Dragon Pilot said:

We're picking up a hire boat at Kate Boats in Warwick...plan to head west. Canal Planner wants to overnight us just at the bottom of Hatton Lock #27, only 11 minutes from the marina. We're going to have a late'ish start, likely after 3-4 PM and don't want to do the whole Hatton Flight given the late start, but would like to get through some of it to get a good head start on the trip (7-day planned). Is it permissible and are there suitable overnight moorings between the Hattons? Looks like some long stretches between locks up to Hatton #35 or so, putting us within walking distance of the Hatton Arms for dinner. Cheers!

Where are you planning to go during the week's hire?

 

The two Cape locks are between Kate Boats' hire base and the Hatton flight. There is good mooring and a good pub above the Cape locks. From the moment you are ready to set off to being tied up above Cape locks it's quite feasible the best part of an hour will have passed; maybe more if you are first timers.

 

It's an ideal place to stop for a late start from Kate Boats. You'll be at the top of Hatton before lunchtime the next day.

 

JP

Edited February 25, 2019 by Captain Pegg

[john6767]

How much you do really depends on what you are doing in the week.  For example if you are doing the Warwickshire ring in a week then you probably need to get up Hatton on day one.

 

In terms of mooring on the Hatton flight, you can stop 2 locks or 4 locks up, after that you really need to do the flight.

[Sea Dog]

I'm with Captain Pegg - go to the Cape of Good Hope, brief the crew and prepare them for next the mornings activities with a decent dinner and a few beers whilst you celebrate being on holiday! What a great start!

 

[RLWP]

You may have to replan quickly if you turn up at Kate and find your hire boat is pointing the other way

 

Richard

[MoominPapa]

15 minutes ago, RLWP said:

You may have to replan quickly if you turn up at Kate and find your hire boat is pointing the other way

 

Richard

There's a winding hole at Tesco's which is only a mile or so, (and a mile or so back).

 

MP.

 

[RLWP]

9 minutes ago, MoominPapa said:

There's a winding hole at Tesco's which is only a mile or so, (and a mile or so back).

 

MP.

 

Which blows the 11 minutes estimate to Hatton right out

 

Richard

[MoominPapa]

16 minutes ago, RLWP said:

Which blows the 11 minutes estimate to Hatton right out

 

Richard

 

Nobody should plan canal trips using time units smaller the "days". Apart from the BCN challenge, obviously.

 

MP.

 

[Sally Grim]

When are you doing it? You're not supposed to be boating after dark on a hire boat, so if it's anytime soon sunset time will be a factor.

If it's in the summer, you can keep boating till quite late, of course. 

 

Good luck with your trip! 

[Cheese]

It depends on how efficient you are with locks, when you are going, and how busy it is.  To the top of Hatton is probably less than 4 miles - say an hours cruising.  Adding in 23 locks at 20 minute per lock increases the total to 8 hours - too much at any time of year.  But at 10 minutes per lock - easily possible if you have a good crew - it would only be 5 hours.   The latter could be comfortable if you get away at say 3pm in June, when it will be light until after 9pm.

 

 

[roland elsdon]

There are any number of long pounds to moor up in on the hatton flight before halfway bridge after that no, they are too close. Sam is quite right you shouldnt normaly moor in a flight but hatton has many pounds over 300 metres long.

we used to moor halfway up to get away first thing on empty pounds.

[Stilllearning]

2 hours ago, RLWP said:

You may have to replan quickly if you turn up at Kate and find your hire boat is pointing the other way

 

Richard

It might be useful to contact Kate boats and ask them to make sure your hire boat is pointing towards the Cape when you collect it?

[Rob-M]

When we hired from Kate Boats we went to Kingswood Junction on the first afternoon, but depending on your experience going to the top of the Cape may be the best idea. When we came down Hatton last summer the long pounds were very low and getting in to the sides was not possible. Even the long pound between Hatton and Cape was low but was being kept to a reasonable depth for mooring by letting water down Hatton which was why the pounds were so far down.

[Dragon Pilot]

13 hours ago, Captain Pegg said:

Where are you planning to go during the week's hire?

 

Stratford on Avon.

 

Cape sounds inviting.

 

11 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

I'm with Captain Pegg - go to the Cape of Good Hope, brief the crew and prepare them for next the mornings activities with a decent dinner and a few beers whilst you celebrate being on holiday! What a great start!

 

Brief the crew...my 70 year old lovely wife. Can we hire a couple of teens for the flight?

 

11 hours ago, RLWP said:

You may have to replan quickly if you turn up at Kate and find your hire boat is pointing the other way

10 hours ago, Cheese said:

But at 10 minutes per lock - easily possible if you have a good crew - it would only be 5 hours.   The latter could be comfortable if you get away at say 3pm in June, when it will be light until after 9pm.

 

 

Richard

We've got until 2020 to sort things out. Thanks, but no way we're gonna be motoring up until 9 PM. We're experienced narrowboaters, but mid-70s, so...

 

 

[Captain Pegg]

So about 35 hours at CST*. Probably wise not to apply a warp factor to CST for a crew of two. No need to rush up Hatton as you will be able to travel fairly leisurely and still have time to see Stratford. Kate Boats to Hatton bottom lock is actually 54 minutes on Canal Plan. That means it will be 45 minutes or so to the Cape visitor moorings.

 

If you stop at the Cape on the way out I hope you like the pub because it's the obvious place to stop on the last night too.

 

* - Canal Standard Time. The default settings of CanalPlan.

Edited February 25, 2019 by Captain Pegg

[Sea Dog]

1 hour ago, Dragon Pilot said:

Brief the crew...my 70 year old lovely wife. 

My own experience suggests she'll not mind pretending to listen to you briefing her if there's a decent dinner in it!

 

Have a great holiday

 

 

[dmr]

The Cape fluctuates a bit, but is always ok and sometimes very good. It always has good beer but its a bit expensive. Have only eaten there once and that was very good. Mooring on the longer pound a few locks up Hatton is fine but its then quite a walk up to the Hatton Arms. Hatton Arms is a good eating pub and also has decent beer but the Cape is still a "proper" canalside pub.

 

The Hatton flight is no big deal (but is hard work), those big GU locks work well and its quite possible to do Hatton and Lapworth in a long day, but you will need a few beers afterwards.

 

.............Dave

[Dr Bob]

2 minutes ago, dmr said:

The Cape fluctuates a bit, but is always ok and sometimes very good. It always has good beer but its a bit expensive. Have only eaten there once and that was very good. Mooring on the longer pound a few locks up Hatton is fine but its then quite a walk up to the Hatton Arms. Hatton Arms is a good eating pub and also has decent beer but the Cape is still a "proper" canalside pub.

 

The Hatton flight is no big deal (but is hard work), those big GU locks work well and its quite possible to do Hatton and Lapworth in a long day, but you will need a few beers afterwards.

 

.............Dave

Agree with Dave. We like the Cape. Always stop there.  You can park on the Hatton up to half way up - lock 33? but its still a fair walk up to the Hatton Arms. If you do aim to get to the Hatton, advise to book a table ahead. It can get very busy. We stopped there (at the top of the flight) at the end of Jan on a Saturday night and only just got in for an early evening meal.

We've done the hatton 8 times in the last 2 years. Fastest with a crew of 3/4 was 2.5hrs and slowest with crew of 2 just over 3.5hrs (lots of locks against us). Last time up (last October) was the most enjoyable. We breasted up with another boat going up and had one steering the two boats and the other 3 crew doing the locks.

Just stop at the cape and go up the hatton the next day....then have a night in the country and park on the rowington stretch ......really nice.....or if you need another pub night then the Tom o' the wood is a nice quiet pub with good food.

[Dragon Pilot]

All excellent suggestions! Thinking a night near the Cape is an excellent idea, ply my sweetie with a nice dinner to get 'er stoked up for the Hattons next day! We may even have another couple joining us by then...but it's not easy finding folks on the same wavelength. We'll prolly be cruising in June, so perhaps we'll be breasted up with another boat. Even if we run out of time and can't make it all the way to Stratford (we don't want to cruise more than 5 hours a day) it'll still be a lovely trip. Love the camaraderie on this forum...reminds us of our last cruise chatting it up at the lock queues...convo soon turns to the best beer ahead!

[Captain Pegg]

In theory it requires 5.5 hours a day to make Stratford assuming first and last nights at Cape. In reality you may do it in 5 hour days but I really would recommend pacing yourself to get there as it won't need long days. Your fourth night would be spent there and give your holiday a proper destination, maybe even take in a play.

 

JP

[Dragon Pilot]

3 hours ago, Captain Pegg said:

In theory it requires 5.5 hours a day to make Stratford assuming first and last nights at Cape. In reality you may do it in 5 hour days but I really would recommend pacing yourself to get there as it won't need long days. Your fourth night would be spent there and give your holiday a proper destination, maybe even take in a play.

 

JP

Love this plan! Thanks!

[Rob-M]

There is always the option to stop at Wilmcote and get the train in to Stratford. There is a winding hole so you can turn and the train station is alongside the canal by the bridge.  This saves some of the locks and would allow you a day in Stratford if you decide you don't want to boat to the end.