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Favourite Waterway?


Philip

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Much slated as being boring, by many, but Severn never disappoints.  I always wonder at the majesty of cruising this powerful volume of water, particularly coming downstream, through Worcester bridge, past Glovers Needle and then the cathedral.  The only shame of it, is that the city council seem blind to the possibilities of their waterfront, both on the river and the W&B, and should have taken a lesson from Gloucester!

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19 minutes ago, The Dreamer said:

Much slated as being boring, by many, but Severn never disappoints.  I always wonder at the majesty of cruising this powerful volume of water, particularly coming downstream, through Worcester bridge, past Glovers Needle and then the cathedral.  The only shame of it, is that the city council seem blind to the possibilities of their waterfront, both on the river and the W&B, and should have taken a lesson from Gloucester!

Plus the chance to explore the racecourse and cricket ground by boat when it is in flood.

 

10 minutes ago, Boater Sam said:

The Wardle Canal, its too short for anyone to go too fast.

And the most heavily locked canal in the UK, which slows people down. 1 lock and 154' long, so 34 locks per mile. The Huddersfield Narrow is easy in comparison at only  3.7 locks per mile. ?

 

My favourite is the Caldon.

Jen

Edited by Jen-in-Wellies
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41 minutes ago, Pluto said:

In my mind, I always compare canal views with this one at Bank Newton. This photo was taken in 1990, and it is surprising to see today how much the view has been obscured by vegetation growth.

Bank Newton 1990.jpg

One of my favourites too, although I am biased, being born in Thornton in Craven.  I was working  at Bank Newton in 1990, just above lock 37, and this stretch of the L&L vies with my other top favourite - the Macclesfield and Upper Peak Forest.

 

Howard

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The Thames - with an army of flunkies to work the locks for you

You get a free Blessing at one lock.

Plenty of moorings as the liveaboards can't be bothered to walk for to the bus

 

T' Oxford canal is No:2 for us, but gettinbg full of strange folks

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34 minutes ago, howardang said:

One of my favourites too, although I am biased, being born in Thornton in Craven.  I was working  at Bank Newton in 1990, just above lock 37, and this stretch of the L&L vies with my other top favourite - the Macclesfield and Upper Peak Forest.

 

Howard

Do you recall the hire company that used to be based there whose name I can't remember?

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3 minutes ago, pearley said:

Do you recall the hire company that used to be based there whose name I can't remember?

Yes, it was IML (Inland Marine Leisure). They had a base at Bank Newton, and also had marinas at Anderton and Hillmorton and Rugby Boatbuilders also at Hillmorton. I worked for a sister Company of IML, Hebridean Island Cruises, who were also based in the same office for a while. IML eventually sold the canal based company to Alvechurch, now called ABC.

 

Howard

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13 minutes ago, howardang said:

Yes, it was IML (Inland Marine Leisure). They had a base at Bank Newton, and also had marinas at Anderton and Hillmorton and Rugby Boatbuilders also at Hillmorton. I worked for a sister Company of IML, Hebridean Island Cruises, who were also based in the same office for a while. IML eventually sold the canal based company to Alvechurch, now called ABC.

 

Howard

 

When I first introduced Mrs Hound to the delights of the canals it was with IML from Anderson.

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18 minutes ago, howardang said:

Yes, it was IML (Inland Marine Leisure). They had a base at Bank Newton, and also had marinas at Anderton and Hillmorton and Rugby Boatbuilders also at Hillmorton. I worked for a sister Company of IML, Hebridean Island Cruises, who were also based in the same office for a while. IML eventually sold the canal based company to Alvechurch, now called ABC.

 

Howard

Our first hire was 1979 from Anderton, the base now occupied by ABC. Think it was run by a company called Canal Craft then. All the boats were named after painters, including the pumpout boat. Two Loos Lautrec.

It was 1981 we hired from Coles Morton at Wigan and first came through Bank Newton.

Next time we came through was 1994 on a hire boat from Selby. Don't think IML was there then but my memory not always correct.

 

Anyway, going back to the original post I always liked the Calder & Hebble because of the variety but found it hard work this year. Hardly a lock with a full complement of working paddle gear.

Edited by pearley
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8 hours ago, Philip said:

I realise there have probably been a thousand topics of the same theme over the decades, but to ask again in the present; which is your favourite canal and why?

I have not come across one that has made me say "I never want to do that again".

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6 hours ago, luggsy said:

Love the river witham ( clad we are not on it right now though ) you see plenty of wild life quite nice easy cruising and no locks

There are three locks on the navigable River Witham.

Stamp End Lock , Bardney Lock , Boston Grand Sluice 

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4 hours ago, MartynG said:

There are three locks on the navigable River Witham.

Stamp End Lock , Bardney Lock , Boston Grand Sluice 

Stamp end lock lets you on to the river don't have to go trough boston grand sluice so only 1 lock really , also you are forgetting torksay if you want to count that as well , for the length of river what's 1 lock 

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13 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

How does that work then? 

 

Is there nowhere for them to be craned in??

 

 

The numerous swing and lift bridges create pinch points...

I really like the Trent & Mersey for its sheer variety. Cities, towns, villages, rural isolation. Wide locks, narrow locks, tunnels, long lock free stretches...the list goes on! Also easy to moor almost anywhere on it compared to the K&A or Shroppie for example.

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10 hours ago, luggsy said:

Stamp end lock lets you on to the river don't have to go trough boston grand sluice so only 1 lock really , also you are forgetting torksay if you want to count that as well , for the length of river what's 1 lock 

Torksey lock is not on the River Witham . It connects  the Fossdyke Navigation to the  River Trent .

 

The River Witham rises near Grantham and  flows towards Lincoln and  into and out of Brayford Pool . The Witham above Brayford pool is not navigable except perhaps for a short distance  in a dinghy or a canoe .  The watercourse exiting Brayford Pool and travelling downstream under The Glory Hole is The River Witham.   Therefore Stamp End Lock is on the River Witham and not at the beginning of the river. The River Witham continues after Boston Grand Sluice  and is navigable even in in narrowboat. Therefore if including Bardney Lock that's three locks  on the River Witham.

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20 hours ago, howardang said:

Yes, it was IML (Inland Marine Leisure). They had a base at Bank Newton, and also had marinas at Anderton and Hillmorton and Rugby Boatbuilders also at Hillmorton. I worked for a sister Company of IML, Hebridean Island Cruises, who were also based in the same office for a while. IML eventually sold the canal based company to Alvechurch, now called ABC.

 

Howard

This was the base in 1979; the off side above is now full of trees.

1979 Bank Newton 692.jpg

1979 Bank Newton 689.jpg

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The Rochdale is as stunning as any, apart from Newton Heath and parts of Rochdale, certainly from Littleborough to Sowerby. I am biased, with a mooring one lock down from Summit pound. As for the state of the locks and paddles, I agree, summat wrong with almost every lock. But we mustn't grumble, with the new towpath upgrade now between Hebden and Tod, life is better BY water, even if not ON it. And those nice new shiny blue signs. 

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