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Should we cruise the K&A next season


Archie's mate

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Due to family commitments we've not boated this last 2 seasons and coming down from Burscough we thought of sailing from Reading to Bristol next year is it practical or just not worth considering? 

Edited by Archie's mate
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Ignore MtB and Night watch, they just want the K&A to themselves. One trip will be worth it with some interesting places on the way , but it can be a bit slow going and will probably take longer than many other canals. One bit of advice, the bank sides tend to be barrel shaped so you will need an 8ft plank to reach the bank in some places out in the sticks.

 

 

Edited by David Schweizer
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That's difficult to answer. As you may have gathered some boaters dislike the K&A, some love it! It depends on what you like/expect from a canal? It is more challenging finding a mooring than on midland narrow canals due to poor banks and shallow sides. If you enjoy looking at a variety of interesting boats with a friendly vibrant community and aren't expecting to cover a huge mileage each day then go for it. The scenery is stunning along most of it and it goes through some charming villages, towns and cities! Main advice would be don't be too optimistic about how far you will travel each day. The locks are slow, its often shallow and bits do have a lot of linear moorings.

Most of the complaints are variations of not being able to rock up at 7pm and find a perfect mooring by a pub like people can do on the Llangollen for example. Whether because they had to slow down for moored boats and stiff locks, the visitor moorings were full/too short etc etc

I'm heading there this winter and looking forward to it!?

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It has changed much over the last thirty years and is crowded at the western side. However its still nice in parts and interesting, not the best about but worth doing. On a nice day the river from Bath to Bristol is in my opinion the best bit of the inland system, simply superb. We did a week in Bristol harbour last summer which was fab. Best done with another boat if possible then there are two women to do the locks :D

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We moored on the K&A at Bewbury with our first boat until 2005. We then bought another boat and located elsewhere. 2017 saw us return to this canal. We eventually spent 10 months on it including Christmas. All in all enjoyed it, but have to add that it can be hard at times. Moorings are/can be difficult. What we like about the canal is the passage through towns and villages. Hungerford being a favourite. 

 

If you have the desire to 'do it' then 'do it'.

 

The trip on the Thames is also a good experience at either end of your visit.

 

Enjoy. Martyn

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7 hours ago, David Schweizer said:

Ignore MtB and Night watch, they just want the K&A to themselves. One trip will be worth it with some interesting places on the way , but it can be a bit slow going and will probably take longer than many other canals. One bit of advice, the bank sides tend to be barrel shaped so you will need an 8ft plank to reach the bank in some MOST places out in the sticks.

 

 

Corrected that for you.

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I spent 8 days going from Reading to Bristol in spring of 2013. I really enjoyed it and I'd like to have stayed in certain areas for a bit longer to explore but I was on a bit of a tight schedule as I was moving to a new mooring and had to get back to work. It was hard work on my own with all those locks and bridges and that bit between Reading and Newbury? was still running fast after a recent flood so that got the adrenaline going a few times. I don't think I'd fancy doing that bit in the opposite direction if it was running that fast. Great experience though.

 

 

Edited by blackrose
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Thanks very much for your opinions.The canal doesn't seem too inviting from your comments and at the western end it appears to have big city issues with no moorings available just like London. The only real problem I can see is with the poor state of crt maintenance whilst boating down the K&A your boating into a cul de sac (better half doesn't fancy the Channel) if a major canal repair is required. I made a bad call 2 seasons ago we went down the Rochdale?? so I need a good trip to recover brownie points. Thanks for your help. Will enjoy the Thames. 

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19 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

Best done with another boat if possible then there are two women to do the locks :D

 

Have you considered some gender equality/diversity awareness training? ?

4 minutes ago, Archie's mate said:

Thanks very much for your opinions.The canal doesn't seem too inviting from your comments and at the western end it appears to have big city issues with no moorings available just like London. The only real problem I can see is with the poor state of crt maintenance whilst boating down the K&A your boating into a cul de sac (better half doesn't fancy the Channel) if a major canal repair is required. I made a bad call 2 seasons ago we went down the Rochdale?? so I need a good trip to recover brownie points. Thanks for your help. Will enjoy the Thames. 

Oh yes if it's a choice between the two it's no contest. Thames every time.

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15 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

Have you considered some gender equality/diversity awareness training? ?

Oh yes if it's a choice between the two it's no contest. Thames every time.


For guaranteed brownie points i’d suggest do the Thames and swerve off for a diversion down the Wey navigation to guildford. Lovely trip. AND you get to always leave the gates open!!

 

 

 

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Guildford? If you're going to do the Wey, and it is nice, visit the Deep South: Godalming.

The Thames is great, and Oxford to Reading is as good as any of it, but do give the K&A a go if you can cope with certain things:

 

I've never been west of Foxhangers, but yes that end has the reputation of being very overcrowded like London.

On much of the K&A, the bank is irregular and covered in wild undergrowth. But you can usually find a mooring if you have a gangplank and know how to use it.

It has a variety of swing and lift bridges, and some heavy lock gates. You will be using your CRT key quite a lot, and need someone fit on the crew.

In various places at the eastern end the Kennet wants to shove you into things, so be careful when going downstream. Never done that with much of a flow on, but I'm sure it wouldn't be easy.

The worst obstacle is bridge 44, a swing bridge a few miles east of Newbury. It's very heavy and stiff. So much that even though I'm quite strong I need another person helping me to operate it (then it's easy).

 

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Dis the K & A all the way to Bristol this year and can confirm that it is a great trip with but with lots of locks. Despite all the neighsayers we did not have real problems mooring anywhere we wanted to but do not expect to moor right outside popular pubs.  Moorings on the River Avon are next to non existent but then Bath to Bristol is an easy day's boating. Mooring in Bristol is expensive but worth the trip.

 

If you are making the effort to boat south  please also do the River Wey and the Basingstoke Canal. Did both this year and they really are the nicest waterways. Make time to do the whole of the Thames as well, 

 

Tim

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5 hours ago, Archie's mate said:

Thanks very much for your opinions.The canal doesn't seem too inviting from your comments and at the western end it appears to have big city issues with no moorings available just like London. The only real problem I can see is with the poor state of crt maintenance whilst boating down the K&A your boating into a cul de sac (better half doesn't fancy the Channel) if a major canal repair is required. I made a bad call 2 seasons ago we went down the Rochdale?? so I need a good trip to recover brownie points. Thanks for your help. Will enjoy the Thames. 

We enjoyed it with I think 3 days in Bristol a couple in Bath both going and coming back. As a place I prefered Bath to Bristol 

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Yes if you don't like crowded canals cannot recommend the Basingstoke highly enough! You get a ranger to help with the locks and can gaurantee every mooring will be empty!!

The K&A is much easier than the Rochdale though to be fair...it has none of the urban grittiness and much more longer lock free stretches by comparison.

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On 05/10/2019 at 13:32, Tim Lewis said:

Dis the K & A all the way to Bristol this year and can confirm that it is a great trip with but with lots of locks. Despite all the neighsayers we did not have real problems mooring anywhere we wanted to but do not expect to moor right outside popular pubs.  Moorings on the River Avon are next to non existent but then Bath to Bristol is an easy day's boating. Mooring in Bristol is expensive but worth the trip.

 

If you are making the effort to boat south  please also do the River Wey and the Basingstoke Canal. Did both this year and they really are the nicest waterways. Make time to do the whole of the Thames as well, 

 

Tim

 

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On 08/10/2019 at 12:26, Archie's mate said:

Thanks for all your comments on the K&A also the river Wey and Godalming. Although I've been boating 9 years I've only just joined this forum so still a newbie. Great response thanks again. Ps. It will be the Thames and Wey. ??

Welcome to the Forum! 
 

I started out my inland boating career on the K&A with hiring twice from Hilperton before having Honeystreet based on there for 2 tears as well.  It IS hard work locks, shallow sides and busy in places, but also it is very pretty and enjoyable.   
 

we love the Thames, never tried the Basingstoke ( it runs only 1 mile from the house so have walked it with the dog many times).   Caan Hill should be done at least once in your boating life, hard work but enjoyable! 
 

 

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You didn't ask, but -

You'll need separate licences for the Thames and the Wey. Indeed if you intend to spend a lot of time on the Thames, a combined CRT and EA licence (a Gold licence) might be a better option (it doesn't cover the Wey).

The locks above King's are all manual and a delight to use. Below King's they are all electric and moderately boater proof if you read the instructions....

There  should / may be a lock keeper / volunteer in attendance to work the locks for you.

Mooring can be problematic for canal users  as the banks are often shallow and the riparian owners might object... However, there are sufficient spots where you can moor - if you plan ahead.

 

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