The Gravy Boater Posted May 18, 2020 Report Share Posted May 18, 2020 Make my first experience of narrowboating in 35 years a good one... looking for the best route CCing from the Upper Shopshire Union to the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union... June to October (Pox allowing). Criteria in order: Scenery Interesting destinations Waterpoint/Elsan Availability Easy free parking (I'll be cycling back to collect the car) Great marina options when necessary Ease of Cruising (number and type of locks, volunteer staffing etc) Avoiding scallies Thanks in advance for your opinionations... and feel free to add criteria I have failed to address. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robtheplod Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 You've omitted bakery shops, which are pivotal to a successful cruise? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan de Enfield Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 8 hours ago, The Gravy Boater said: Thanks in advance for your opinionations... and feel free to add criteria I have failed to address. Food shops Fuel supplies Gas supplies Canal availability (Open - not under emergency maintenance) Canal availability (Sufficient water) Break down membership 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEngo Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 Go via Autherley, Great Haywood, Fradley Fazeley, Suttons, Braunston. Much the easiest route single handed because the locks are mainly in flights and there are long lock free runs. Reasonably well serviced apart from the gap from Penkridge to Grendon. Plenty of marinas for fuel etc. Ace bakers in Penkridge. Several decent pubs. Michael's Fish Bar at Armitage. Be hungry. Be very, very hungry. N 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keeping Up Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 2 hours ago, BEngo said: Go via Autherley, Great Haywood, Fradley Fazeley, Suttons, Braunston That's the same route as I'd choose. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gravy Boater Posted May 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 3 hours ago, BEngo said: Go via Autherley, Great Haywood, Fradley Fazeley, Suttons, Braunston. Much the easiest route single handed because the locks are mainly in flights and there are long lock free runs. Reasonably well serviced apart from the gap from Penkridge to Grendon. Plenty of marinas for fuel etc. Ace bakers in Penkridge. Several decent pubs. Michael's Fish Bar at Armitage. Be hungry. Be very, very hungry. N That certainly does look like the easiest route. I think we may have a winner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmelly Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 3 hours ago, BEngo said: Go via Autherley, Great Haywood, Fradley Fazeley, Suttons, Braunston. Much the easiest route single handed because the locks are mainly in flights and there are long lock free runs. Reasonably well serviced apart from the gap from Penkridge to Grendon. Plenty of marinas for fuel etc. Ace bakers in Penkridge. Several decent pubs. Michael's Fish Bar at Armitage. Be hungry. Be very, very hungry. N Whats a pub? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gravy Boater Posted May 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 3 hours ago, robtheplod said: You've omitted bakery shops, which are pivotal to a successful cruise? Having spent the last 9 weeks in lockdown with a bunch of wannabie bakers I need a break... one more brownie and it will be like Mr Creosote all over again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerbeerbeerbeerbeer Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 Don’t take the short route, you’ll miss such a lot. You have time. I recommend you explore the BCN. Get yourself a BCN waterways map. Explore the main lines, the loops, the tunnels, lock flights, and too many canals to list but include the Wyerly and Essington which takes you out in to some lovely countryside. You travel under and over canals, motorways and train lines. It’s great, the locks are a doddle. People friendly. Under normal circumstances the pubs are brilliant. There’s far too much to see and do. If you want to learn about heritage this is the place to go. I’d go up the Wolverhampton 21, have a spin around the BCN, leave by the Birmingham and Fazely, up to Great Heywood, turn off to Penkridge, down to Bratch Locks, down to Stourton Junction and back into Birmingham, all via beautiful scenery. Experience Merry Hell and Gosty Tunnel. Then have a further spin around the BCN to see the bits you missed. Leave by either Camp Hill or out passed the Bournville Factory to Kings Norton. Enjoy. (Can’t help with parking) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEngo Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 Over Birmingham is a great route. But for a first trip in 35 years, and single handed I think, 'twas my opinion that might be a bit like hard work. I would route in via Stourton Jn and Stourbridge, up the sixteen beer in The Vine, up the Delph, take in a little shopping at Merry Hell, visit Hawne basin to see the nice folk there, and buy their well priced diesel, go through Netherton and then out through Farmers Bridge and Aston thus avoiding Hatton, which is hard work on your own. Options for diversions to Walsall and Pelsall then out via the new thirteen and Minworth. Much more fun but not a delivery route! N 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-M Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 40 minutes ago, Goliath said: Don’t take the short route, you’ll miss such a lot. You have time. I recommend you explore the BCN. Get yourself a BCN waterways map. Explore the main lines, the loops, the tunnels, lock flights, and too many canals to list but include the Wyerly and Essington which takes you out in to some lovely countryside. You travel under and over canals, motorways and train lines. It’s great, the locks are a doddle. People friendly. Under normal circumstances the pubs are brilliant. There’s far too much to see and do. If you want to learn about heritage this is the place to go. I’d go up the Wolverhampton 21, have a spin around the BCN, leave by the Birmingham and Fazely, up to Great Heywood, turn off to Penkridge, down to Bratch Locks, down to Stourton Junction and back into Birmingham, all via beautiful scenery. Experience Merry Hell and Gosty Tunnel. Then have a further spin around the BCN to see the bits you missed. Leave by either Camp Hill or out passed the Bournville Factory to Kings Norton. Enjoy. (Can’t help with parking) We did a fortnight's holiday a few years back going from Great Haywood in to Birmingham and back on a figure of eight using Wolverhampton 21, Kingswood junction via the Stratford canal, back in via Knowle and Farmer's bridge then out via Stourbridge and back to Great Haywood via the Shroppie. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Vectis Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 1 hour ago, The Gravy Boater said: Having spent the last 9 weeks in lockdown with a bunch of wannabie bakers I need a break... one more brownie and it will be like Mr Creosote all over again. Oh go on. Just one wafer thin mint, perhaps? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gravy Boater Posted May 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 Thanks for all the great suggestions. While I would love to amble my way down I think it would probably be prudent to take the shortest/easiest route this summer. I want to get down to Northamptonshire to be nearer my family. My brother-in-law is a retired joiner and is going to help me modify the fit-out a bit There is also the spectre of a second lockdown if the virus decides it wants to play again so I think I'd rather be down south ASAP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerbeerbeerbeerbeer Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 47 minutes ago, The Gravy Boater said: Thanks for all the great suggestions. While I would love to amble my way down I think it would probably be prudent to take the shortest/easiest route this summer. I want to get down to Northamptonshire to be nearer my family. My brother-in-law is a retired joiner and is going to help me modify the fit-out a bit There is also the spectre of a second lockdown if the virus decides it wants to play again so I think I'd rather be down south ASAP. ? I never miss the chance to persuade someone to explore the BCN. Going around Brum is a lovely route and will possibly be the easiest. But I reckon going through Brum is the more interesting and indeed the quickest by perhaps a day or two. ? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gravy Boater Posted May 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 30 minutes ago, Goliath said: ? I never miss the chance to persuade someone to explore the BCN. Going around Brum is a lovely route and will possibly be the easiest. But I reckon going through Brum is the more interesting and indeed the quickest by perhaps a day or two. ? I'll definitely get around to it. I'm continuous cruising for the foreseeable and hope to do the entire network. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerbeerbeerbeerbeer Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 Let’s hope the boozers open up in some manner or form before too long. Otherwise there’s nowt or little to reward oneself with after a long day. Good luck. Let us know how it goes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gravy Boater Posted August 6, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 On 19/05/2020 at 20:16, Goliath said: Let’s hope the boozers open up in some manner or form before too long. Otherwise there’s nowt or little to reward oneself with after a long day. Good luck. Let us know how it goes. I've got as far as the Coventry. Got to do the Clifford Arms at Gt. Haywood at least to meet an old friend, my first pub since lockdown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan de Enfield Posted August 6, 2020 Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 1 minute ago, The Gravy Boater said: ................ my first pub since lockdown. Make the best of it - it looks like they will be closing the pubs again early September as a 'balance' to opening the schools. It has been decided that kids education is more important than having a pint. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gravy Boater Posted August 6, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 14 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said: Make the best of it - it looks like they will be closing the pubs again early September as a 'balance' to opening the schools. It has been decided that kids education is more important than having a pint. Yes I'd heard. Maybe if they spent the tax revenue from alcohol sales on virtual learning... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roland elsdon Posted August 6, 2020 Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 Ok so thats the first week sorted, he is going from june to october though. Llangollen, then shroppie, staffs worcester, seven, worcester and birmingham, through brum, farmers bridge , b and f. coventry, braunston, south oxford. lunun. Grand union . Northampton. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gravy Boater Posted August 6, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 1 minute ago, roland elsdon said: Ok so thats the first week sorted, he is going from june to october though. Llangollen, then shroppie, staffs worcester, seven, worcester and birmingham, through brum, farmers bridge , b and f. coventry, braunston, south oxford. lunun. Grand union . Northampton. The Llangollen was locked down when I was there... because Welsh people. Chose not to go through Brum this time as I wasn't in that mad a rush and I'm a relatively new solo boater... I can always do that in happier times. I wanted to be on the Grand Union come October to overwinter near my family but now I'm almost there I may do the Oxford first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gravy Boater Posted August 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2020 Okay so far I have done... Middlewich Arm to Shropshire Union to Staff & Worcestershire to Trent and Mersey to The Coventry to* The Oxford Next stop Oxford itself, then back up to Braunston and on to the Grand Union. Thanks for all the tips and signposting. *after blubbing about not having time to do the Ashby, this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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