Beginner

[bigj]

Hoping someone will be able to help us..... We are looking at hiring a boat for our first small break away which we hope will be the first of many. We are looking for somewhere not too far to travel from the south of England (West Sussex) we would like a lovely canal with lots of bits and bobs to see with a few bridges and locks to navigate through also would love to do a via duct. We will be needing a couple of boats as there is a few us. Any recommendations would be great.

 

Thank you in advance 

 

Jake and Family 

[David Mack]

The highest and longest aqueduct is at Pontcysllte in North Wales, so nowhere near West Sussex. But the second longest at Edstone is on the Stratford on Avon Canal, so much closer to you. 

You could hire from ABC at Alvechurch and it would take about 3 days each way to Stratford ( i.e. a week's trip). Alternatively you could avoid the final descent to Stratford by turning short at Wilmcote and getting the train into Stratford for a day - the station is right alongside the canal. 

You will pass over three cast iron aqueducts (Edstone, Wootton Wawen and Yarningale) pass through a few locks and a couple of tunnels (Wast Hill and Brandwood).

[bizzard]

Paddington arm across the North Circular Road.

[Ray T]

"The Trunk" at Cosgrove, Grand Union Canal.

 

 

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Cosgrove_Aqueduct

 

The "Weed Boats" hire base is not too far away.
https://www.grandunionnarrowboats.co.uk/

Edited January 2, 2020 by Ray T

[doratheexplorer]

38 minutes ago, David Mack said:

The highest and longest aqueduct is at Pontcysllte in North Wales, so nowhere near West Sussex. But the second longest at Edstone is on the Stratford on Avon Canal, so much closer to you. 

You could hire from ABC at Alvechurch and it would take about 3 days each way to Stratford ( i.e. a week's trip). Alternatively you could avoid the final descent to Stratford by turning short at Wilmcote and getting the train into Stratford for a day - the station is right alongside the canal. 

You will pass over three cast iron aqueducts (Edstone, Wootton Wawen and Yarningale) pass through a few locks and a couple of tunnels (Wast Hill and Brandwood).

Google maps has Horsham to Alvechurch as 2 1/2 hours and Horsham to Wrenbury as 3 3/4 hours.  So only an hour and a quarter longer in practice.  The second option is far better if you really want to do an aqueduct.

[robtheplod]

Its easy to miss going over most aqueducts, unless its the Pontcysllte!  

[BEngo]

The Wolverton aqueduct, and the Blisworth tunnel can both be seen in a week from Wyvern Shipping at Leighton Buzzard.  You will also pass through Stoke Bruerne and the Waterways Museum, not to mention Milton Keynes?.

Wyvern have a very good reputation locally.

N

[john6767]

1 hour ago, robtheplod said:

Its easy to miss going over most aqueducts, unless its the Pontcysllte!  

You wouldn’t miss going over Edstone either!

 

Given what the OP has said they could do a lot worse the hiring from Kate Boats in Warwick and going to Stratford and back for an energetic week.

[AWETHEAYET]

On 02/01/2020 at 13:13, bigj said:

Hoping someone will be able to help us..... We are looking at hiring a boat for our first small break away which we hope will be the first of many. We are looking for somewhere not too far to travel from the south of England (West Sussex) we would like a lovely canal with lots of bits and bobs to see with a few bridges and locks to navigate through also would love to do a via duct. We will be needing a couple of boats as there is a few us. Any recommendations would be great.

 

Thank you in advance 

 

Jake and Family 

Hi Jake

How excited do you now feel, I remember our first hire experience over ten years ago, and remember with foundness how much we learnt about boating, its history, locks, swing bridges,tunnels and via ducts etc. We are still learning now coming up to something like 1500 to 2000 miles later, last year, for example, we hired from Sowerby Bridge (Yorkshire) three times and each cruise was so different even though it was on the same canals.

No two days are the same, enjoy the experience and try not to get the bug