Jump to content

Visiting Manchester/ mooring


1Arthur

Featured Posts

13 hours ago, Señor Chris said:

I'd agree but as said, bringing jobs and investment to Salford Quays has taken priority over the provision of elsans to a few narrowboaters.

 

 

 

Well, I don't have use for an Elsan, so that made no difference to my boating experience (offered earlier). It's the apparent paucity of policing, the lack of responsibility by the pubs and businesses with frontage (or the reverse), and the abscence of visits by the council maintenance and cleansing departments that ruins the canalside area for me. Not directly their responsibility, but CRT really ought to be pressing for those things. It's clear someone made an effort to improve things at some time but, sadly, it's since been neglected. There may be much that's good about Manchester but, again sadly, the canal area doesn't have a place on the list.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Well, I don't have use for an Elsan, so that made no difference to my boating experience (offered earlier). It's the apparent paucity of policing, the lack of responsibility by the pubs and businesses with frontage (or the reverse), and the abscence of visits by the council maintenance and cleansing departments that ruins the canalside area for me. Not directly their responsibility, but CRT really ought to be pressing for those things. It's clear someone made an effort to improve things at some time but, sadly, it's since been neglected. There may be much that's good about Manchester but, again sadly, the canal area doesn't have a place on the list.

I have to agree, but that said, with the amount of development currently going on, I am sure they will get to it eventually.

 

It's changing constantly though, so if you haven't visited in a couple of years there may not be too much you recognise!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Tash and Bex said:

I have to agree, but that said, with the amount of development currently going on, I am sure they will get to it eventually.

 

It's changing constantly though, so if you haven't visited in a couple of years there may not be too much you recognise!

My last visit was last summer (2018) Bex. You're right though, there is much to like already (the industry museum was awesome) and I do hope you're right about them getting around to the canal. Trouble is, they already did that once and then neglected it, otherwise it would aleady be fine. They just need to care about the area rather than leave it to degenerate under the excesses of drugs and alcohol.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Tash and Bex said:

I've lived in Manchester, specifically Castlefield Basin for a few years now, and whilst the Rochdale 9 don't look very nice to cruise I have not heard of any issues with passage except those related to bad maintenance

 

Castlefield Basin is quiet by night (though there are currently building works between 8.30 and 5.30)  and excellently placed for a visit to the science museum, the John Ruskin and central libraries are stunning, and there are many excellent quirky boutique shops in the northern quarter near New Is or Pic basins.

 

The city itself is vibrant and very explorable, and you can spend 72 hours in the Basin to explore it!

Always assuming you can find a visitor mooring not taken by boats who have the air of being there for a lot longer...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, David Mack said:

 

 

 

I understood the reason the canal doesn't go through was the significant cost of diverting the utility pipes and cables which run under the road between the two basins.

Sounds more likely - both entrances are two locks up from the junction so there can't be that much of a difference.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Philip said:

Is the run through Manchester any worse than the first 4 miles of the Caldon canal, which seems to have a reputation as bandit country?

I've done both twice and not had any problems on either. Same with the run into Liverpool which also has a reputation.

 

4 hours ago, dmr said:

Albert dock is claimed to be the most visited attraction outside of London.

Now it's my turn to be surprised. Liverpool sea front is great though.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, IanD said:

Always assuming you can find a visitor mooring not taken by boats who have the air of being there for a lot longer...

there are permanent moorers here, we have obviously been here for longer than 72hrs, but there is at least space for 10 or 12 visiting boats around the basin, it is very rare that we are full, and even rarer to see breasted boats

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Tash and Bex said:

there are permanent moorers here, we have obviously been here for longer than 72hrs, but there is at least space for 10 or 12 visiting boats around the basin, it is very rare that we are full, and even rarer to see breasted boats

When we visited every visitor mooring was taken, mostly by boats that looked "semi-permanent". The only spaces were right down the far end of the basin where it's shallow (where we were advised not to go, but had no option), we couldn't get in to the bank on the side next to the building site and were then faced with the joy of turning a 69' boat round there -- just managed it (with about a foot to spare) by grounding the bow on the mud about ten feet from the bank in the widest section and gradually pushing the stern round.

 

Probably not a one-off occurrence, we had exactly the same problem mooring last time we were there about five years ago. My strong suspicion is that boats are moored for far longer than allowed on the visitor moorings but CART is doing little to enforce the time limits -- during both visits no other boat arrived or left while we were there.

Edited by IanD
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, IanD said:

When we visited every visitor mooring was taken, mostly by boats that looked "semi-permanent". The only spaces were right down the far end of the basin where it's shallow (where we were advised not to go, but had no option), we couldn't get in to the bank on the side next to the building site and were then faced with the joy of turning a 69' boat round there -- just managed it (with about a foot to spare) by grounding the bow on the mud about ten feet from the bank in the widest section and gradually pushing the stern round.

 

Probably not a one-off occurrence, we had exactly the same problem mooring last time we were there about five years ago. My strong suspicion is that boats are moored for far longer than allowed on the visitor moorings but CART is doing little to enforce the time limits -- during both visits no other boat arrived or left while we were there.

Lol, CaRT does nothing to enforce it, it belongs to bridgewater. I can assure you that it is well enforced though.

 

There are no "visitor" specific moorings, just find a gap amongst the people who pay to moor here!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, Tash and Bex said:

Lol, CaRT does nothing to enforce it, it belongs to bridgewater. I can assure you that it is well enforced though.

 

There are no "visitor" specific moorings, just find a gap amongst the people who pay to moor here!

That's interesting, I thought the maps showed visitor moorings...

 

If there aren't any short-term visitor moorings (48h or 72h) then visitors should be made aware of this. No objection to people who pay to moor (in fact quite the opposite!) but unless there's some space reserved for non-residents it makes planning to stop at Castlefields difficult, especially because the next near safe moorings are several hours away in each direction. Many (especially hirer) visitors are reluctant to breast up, and many residents don't really want them to do so. It was suggested to me that we moor up in the spot which was clearly marked for the "apartments afloat" boat, which would have been very unhappy when it arrived about an hour later and found us there...

 

Finding a gap is precisely the problem ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Tash and Bex said:

 

 

Castlefield Basin is quiet by night (though there are currently building works between 8.30 and 5.30)  and excellently placed for a visit to the science museum, the John Ruskin and central libraries are stunning, and there are many excellent quirky boutique shops in the northern quarter near New Is or Pic basins.

 

I was very surprised how quiet it was.

1 hour ago, IanD said:

That's interesting, I thought the maps showed visitor moorings...

 

If there aren't any short-term visitor moorings (48h or 72h) then visitors should be made aware of this. No objection to people who pay to moor (in fact quite the opposite!) but unless there's some space reserved for non-residents it makes planning to stop at Castlefields difficult, especially because the next near safe moorings are several hours away in each direction. Many (especially hirer) visitors are reluctant to breast up, and many residents don't really want them to do so. It was suggested to me that we moor up in the spot which was clearly marked for the "apartments afloat" boat, which would have been very unhappy when it arrived about an hour later and found us there...

 

Finding a gap is precisely the problem ?

The first time I stopped a boat came along and said you are in my mooring. After that a quick word with a long term moorer soon pointed out what spaces were free. I did note on my last visit that some of the long term moorers had put up nameboards on their mooring and from what I could glean the car park side was the best for visitors. It would help if Peel put notices up and the long term moorers have asked for that, but their view Peel get just as much money by doing nothing

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

I was very surprised how quiet it was.

The first time I stopped a boat came along and said you are in my mooring. After that a quick word with a long term moorer soon pointed out what spaces were free. I did note on my last visit that some of the long term moorers had put up nameboards on their mooring and from what I could glean the car park side was the best for visitors. It would help if Peel put notices up and the long term moorers have asked for that, but their view Peel get just as much money by doing nothing

It was quiet by night -- certainly not while the building site was active! -- but there's a big spotlight on the car park side which shines right through non-blackout curtains on a boat, if you happen to be moored opposite it. Which we were because that was the only space deep enough to get in to the bank, down at the far end near the Grocer's Warehouse.

 

Castlefield is still a good place to stop, if you can find a space -- I've been there three times now and had difficulty every time, maybe I'm just unlucky ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Señor Chris said:

I've done both twice and not had any problems on either. Same with the run into Liverpool which also has a reputation.

 

Now it's my turn to be surprised. Liverpool sea front is great though.

 

Liverpool HAD a reputation but is now relatively safe, with the new open booking system some boats even moor on the urban sections of the Liverpool approach.

Manchester is still crap.

I am not anti-Manchester, I am heading that way now, I just really wish it would get better. Most places are getting better but Manchester is going backwards in some ways.

 

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, dmr said:

Liverpool HAD a reputation but is now relatively safe, with the new open booking system some boats even moor on the urban sections of the Liverpool approach.

Manchester is still crap.

I am not anti-Manchester, I am heading that way now, I just really wish it would get better. Most places are getting better but Manchester is going backwards in some ways.

 

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

We were advised not to stop on the way in or out of Liverpool and didn't see any moored boats. Manchester could do a lot more for boaters but the cities themselves are very similar in most respects - both are well worth a visit.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, dmr said:

Liverpool HAD a reputation but is now relatively safe, with the new open booking system some boats even moor on the urban sections of the Liverpool approach.

Manchester is still crap.

I am not anti-Manchester, I am heading that way now, I just really wish it would get better. Most places are getting better but Manchester is going backwards in some ways.

 

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

I found lots of new (to me) pubs you’d like. 

I’m not anti-Manchester either but....it’s not a place I like. I lived there for a year in 1990. Never took to it. And I don’t feel it’s improved since. 

 

Liverpool’s ok if you stick to the centre. I was very impressed with it when you introduced me. Lots to do, and of course it’s got the River Mersey! 

 

But you obviously can’t beat Brum because it has the canal system second to none. ?

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Goliath said:

I found lots of new (to me) pubs you’d like. 

I’m not anti-Manchester either but....it’s not a place I like. I lived there for a year in 1990. Never took to it. And I don’t feel it’s improved since. 

 

Liverpool’s ok if you stick to the centre. I was very impressed with it when you introduced me. Lots to do, and of course it’s got the River Mersey! 

 

But you obviously can’t beat Brum because it has the canal system second to none. ?

 

 

 

Interesting how opinions are formed, I had to come through Brum on my way up here from London, it was terrifying!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It seems like quite an aggressive culture has formed there, but the canal was full of industrial waste, and there were some worrying "hoodie" gangs about, we had a couple of bits taken from the roof, and I just didn't feel safe. I was very glad to leave!

 

I did spend a couple of nights on the moorings at star city,  or rather the boat did, if it wasn't for a security guard coincidently looking after some plant who said he would look after her I certainly wouldn't have left her there, I was very glad to see her when we got back!

55 minutes ago, Goliath said:

?In what way?

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, 1Arthur said:

I’m sorry to hear of your experience in Birmingham was it during school holidays 

No, I don't think so, we came through in mid november a couple of years ago.

 

I should add, despite others experience, I have never seen castlefield basin full, there are usually moorings up by the grocers warehouse, but it is a huge area and there is usually something available somewhere.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Goliath said:

I found lots of new (to me) pubs you’d like. 

I’m not anti-Manchester either but....it’s not a place I like. I lived there for a year in 1990. Never took to it. And I don’t feel it’s improved since. 

 

Liverpool’s ok if you stick to the centre. I was very impressed with it when you introduced me. Lots to do, and of course it’s got the River Mersey! 

 

But you obviously can’t beat Brum because it has the canal system second to none. ?

 

 

 

But they are trying to close the Flapper again, if they do I might go round the Coventry way in future,  and they are wrecking the magical Ikneild Port loop.

 

I like Bristol......and Todmorden.

 

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Tash and Bex said:

 

 

I should add, despite others experience, I have never seen castlefield basin full, there are usually moorings up by the grocers warehouse, but it is a huge area and there is usually something available somewhere.

But Peel Holdings are gradually increasing the number of permanent berth holders. It used to be about half the opposite side from the car park. Then it was all the offside.  Now it is also half the car park side leaving only  room for three or four visitors. We were there about a fortnight ago. We arrived late morning just as a boat was leaving, so grabbed their vacant berth. There were no other spaces. At least five boats came up during the day to find no room at the inn. They turned and headed off to we know not where.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.