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Fantasy; best locations for lockdown mooring


Dave123

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Hopefully a bit of a lighthearted thread for those of us dreaming of being able to be somewhere else with the boat right now! Have been day dreaming about which would be the best or worse places around the system to have found oneself moored during lockdown (assuming/pretending you live aboard with no car). I was thinking the best would be somewhere you'd have to do a little bit of cruising to move between services and shops (e.g. places where services are spread out like on the Thames with just an elsan at Day's lock, only water at Cleeve lock etc or places like Fosse Wharf services near Bascote where you can't moor or wind near the services), rather than being stuck somewhere not so nice but with no justification to move (e.g. Aylesbury Basin or March maybe). Or the South Oxford with limited winding holes between services. Before this descends into a rant about what you can and can't do during lockdown I'm not suggesting I am picking my boat up and taking it to any of these places! 

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My ideal lockdown mooring is exactly where my boat is, on its end of garden mooring.

 

30 foot of canal between the tow path and the boat and no restrictions on getting access to the boat (only the canal unfortunately because I am between two winding holes and in a 12 mile lock free stretch, so could, if permitted, cruise without touching any infrastructure).

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I'd be happy on our own mooring at Sileby Mill. A nice outlook, access to a good chandlery and workshop, and a nice walk into the village to get essential supplies. I would have the opportunity to do all the odd jobs on the boat.

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Vale  Royal on the Weaver.  Lovely rural spot, decent bank and good depth  as a mooring.  Enough water to cruise around when the batteries need it, food shops and services  in Winsford.  Some but not too much local walking and a wide towpath.   Locks below closed so no one to join you and even a handy salt mine for the other half if if all gets too much?.

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My criteria:. Towpath on Northside of cut with no overhanging trees or massive obstructions on the offside, 4G on Three available, decent Freesat/view reception.   A variety of shops within 2 miles walk, water and sanitary facilities in same pound or at boundary locks - with winding space.  Large hospital in reach for a last gasp, if necessary.

 

I'm currently at Mile End - towpath isn't quite in the right orientation and there are far too many joggers, but other than that I'm very happy.

 

Apart from the south Oxford, between Banbury and Aynho, I also nominate Tixall Wide.

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Where we are is not bad. Rowington embankment is a nice place to be. When the water runs out we go to Hatton or Lapworth, depending on which way we're facing. Hatton is more exciting because you have to go down one lock to wind. Supplies are available from the village shop in Rewley and petrol for the genny in Lapworth (though the new, low petrol prices don't seem to have arrived there: £1.42 for the last litres I bought). Soon we'll need to go to Knowle for a big shop.

 

MP.

 

  • Greenie 2
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I suppose this 'could' become useful information if we have periods of relaxation of the rules and periods of lockdown going on through the summer and autumn. I know some people move onto their boats for several months over the summer.

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I'd like to put my boat in my house garden until this is over.  I've had quick check while the wife wasn't about and all 60ft would fit down the side of the house.  Her garden shed would have to be moved which wouldn't be popular, and the view from the kitchen window would not be improved (in her eyes).  The height of it might bother the neigbours though, and I'm not sure how the weight would work given there is a soil pipe running down half of it, but the manhole cover might come in useful for the pumpout if I stayed aboard for a bit.  Would I need planning permission? 

  • Greenie 1
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I'd second Vale Royal and Tixall.

I was amazed how beautiful the Weaver is when I went on it for the first time last year. It deserves more use.

And Tixall/ Great Haywood has been deservedly popular with liveaboards for many years. With a decent pub and farmshop both close to the junction, as well as walks through the Shugborough estate, what's not to like ?

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7 hours ago, Richard T said:

I'd be happy on our own mooring at Sileby Mill. A nice outlook, access to a good chandlery and workshop, and a nice walk into the village to get essential supplies.......

I too would be happy on my mooring at Sileby Mill......

20180321_070538.jpg

 

However, am quite happy with our mooring at Stowe Hill...two winding holes within a mile, diesel, pumpout, gas , workshop,parking, and a view.....

20200411_114324.jpg

Edited by matty40s
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10 hours ago, system 4-50 said:

I'd like to put my boat in my house garden until this is over.  I've had quick check while the wife wasn't about and all 60ft would fit down the side of the house.  Her garden shed would have to be moved which wouldn't be popular, and the view from the kitchen window would not be improved (in her eyes).  The height of it might bother the neigbours though, and I'm not sure how the weight would work given there is a soil pipe running down half of it, but the manhole cover might come in useful for the pumpout if I stayed aboard for a bit.  Would I need planning permission? 

In hindsight we could have had our boat transported home and stuck on the drive to work on during lock down.  It would have fit quite nicely on the drive but my car would have had to sit on the road which would have been no great problem.  It wouldn't have even spoiled the view because there are no windows on the side of the house where the drive is :rolleyes:

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Now that the train numbers have decreased significantly I quite like where I happened to be when the movement restriction came in force.

I'm moored near bridge 108 in Old Linslade on the GU. Few different dog walk loops I can make, there's Rushmere Country Park a short ride away for some "mountain" biking exercise. Water tank fill up run is either a short journey and a 6 locks or longer journey and 2 locks. Either way presents some brief but enjoyable cruising.

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On 17/04/2020 at 14:27, sirweste said:

Now that the train numbers have decreased significantly I quite like where I happened to be when the movement restriction came in force.

I'm moored near bridge 108 in Old Linslade on the GU. Few different dog walk loops I can make, there's Rushmere Country Park a short ride away for some "mountain" biking exercise. Water tank fill up run is either a short journey and a 6 locks or longer journey and 2 locks. Either way presents some brief but enjoyable cruising.

I know the spot! It is lovely there, I was last there during the 2nd  'mini' beast from the east

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I would be happy to just spend a few days on the boat at my mooring.   Offside,  services nearby,  plenty of cruising between locks.  I had thought it would be possible as we can get to the boat without going near anybody else, but not to be.

post-46-0-96971600-1459979554_thumb.jpg

  • Greenie 1
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On 15/04/2020 at 15:02, MoominPapa said:

Where we are is not bad. Rowington embankment is a nice place to be. When the water runs out we go to Hatton or Lapworth, depending on which way we're facing. Hatton is more exciting because you have to go down one lock to wind. Supplies are available from the village shop in Rewley and petrol for the genny in Lapworth (though the new, low petrol prices don't seem to have arrived there: £1.42 for the last litres I bought). Soon we'll need to go to Knowle for a big shop.

 

MP.

 

His prices only ever go up! Nice fella though, there is one a short walk from the Hatton flight on the Birmingham road. Sainsburys at Dorridge is an easy hit by train from Lapworth, you get an hour to shop between trains there and back. Because they are limiting customers its fully stocked and nice and empty. 

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