RIVER AVON FLOODING

[Jan Mels]

 Hi all - this is my first time on here - we are taking a canal boat for a  week voyage and completing the Avon ring from 22/8- 5/9. We are a family of 3. We are worried about the river flooding and the 36 locks before Alvechurch.  any advice on the river or if there is a way we can moor in between the 36 locks / 

thanks Jan

[matty40s]

I would be discounting the Avon given the recent and expected over the next few days rain. It is running quite high already, and wouldnt take more than one occluded front to push it into danger area.  

The EA gauges show when the river is likely to flood properties and land, not become a danger to navigation......you need to keep a close eye on the Avon Navigation Trust website if you are still planning this cruise.https://www.avonnavigationtrust.org/navigation-alert-sign-up/

 

[Rob-M]

Are you experienced in boating..? The Avon Ring in a week's hire can be hard work as it will involve some long days.  The ring is 109 miles and 130 locks.

 

The Tardebigge flight really needs to be completed in one day, not stopping part way.  If you are hiring from Alvechurch then day one depending on the time you leave you need to aim to get to the Queen's Head but if you don't have enough hours of daylight to do that then stopping below the top lock is the only real option and then a long day the next day to Worcester.  Day 3 would be Tewkesbury or Pershore, Day 4 Evesham or somewhere on the Upper Avon, day 5 Stratford giving time to look round and then heading off so that day 6 you can clear lapworth.  As over nighting around King's Norton isnt great you need to either be at Hopwood or have a very early morning on the last day to get back in time.

[roland elsdon]

There are really only 2 pounds long enough on tardebigge to tie up on safely, and I have only done it when pretty sure last boat moving, ie as darkness falls.

Its tie up go to bed, and be up and away stuff. 

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, Rob-M said:

Are you experienced in boating..? The Avon Ring in a week's hire can be hard work as it will involve some long days.  The ring is 109 miles and 130 locks.

.

 

From https://canalplan.uk/cgi-bin/canal.cgi

 

Summary of trip

This is a trip of 109 miles, ¾ furlongs and 130 locks from Alvechurch Marina to Alvechurch Marina.

This will take 60 hours and 19 minutes which is 8 days, 4 hours and 19 minutes at 7 hours per day.

 

You will need to average something approaching 10 hour days to complete the Avon Ring in a week, and that assumes no unexpected holdups (flooding or any other cause). Unless you are experienced and dedicated boaters I think you would be well advised to rethink your plans.

 

 

 

[Captain Pegg]

The dates given constitute two weeks. Is there a typo?
 

Talk to the hire base about your route and the river section(s) as hire companies generally won’t permit their boats to cruise on rivers in flood in any case.
 

The Avon ring is a challenge for a crew of three. Two weeks would be fine (assuming you have favourable river conditions).

 

However it’s not necessarily the Tardebigge flight that is the most challenging aspect. For starters those 36 locks are actually the two distinct flights of Stoke (the bottom six) and Tardebigge (the upper 30). Although there is only 300 or so metres between the flights that space contains visitor moorings opposite the Queens Head pub (book if you want to eat).
 

As stated by Rob above the only true moorings on the Tardebigge flight are between the top two locks which are quite remote from each other. The locks themselves are amongst the quickest and easiest on the network, there’s just an awful lot of them. That said the top end ground paddles can be a bit hard to get moving simply because they are big (which is why the locks are quick). A well drilled crew of four can complete the 30 locks in three hours. A family of three will probably need longer. I have moored on the flight on at least three occasions but always in the manner that Roland describes above and the only place I have planned to stop is between the 5th and 6th locks up.
 

In case the Avon is a problem let us know which hire base you are using and we could suggest alternatives.

 

JP

Edited August 19, 2020 by Captain Pegg

[Captain Pegg]

21 hours ago, matty40s said:

I would be discounting the Avon given the recent and expected over the next few days rain. It is running quite high already, and wouldnt take more than one occluded front to push it into danger area.  

The EA gauges show when the river is likely to flood properties and land, not become a danger to navigation......you need to keep a close eye on the Avon Navigation Trust website if you are still planning this cruise.https://www.avonnavigationtrust.org/navigation-alert-sign-up/

 

I had a look at the Avon levels and webcams today and the effect the rainfall has had lower down than Warwick is much less pronounced and now subsiding. It suggests the heavy rainfall was in the upstream catchment. I’m not sure it’s necessary to write the Avon off if it is a two week hire as there’s no major rainfall forecast and two weeks gives some leeway in terms of timing.

Edited August 20, 2020 by Captain Pegg

[ditchcrawler]

23 hours ago, Captain Pegg said:

I had a look at the Avon levels and webcams today and the effect the rainfall has had lower down than Warwick is much less pronounced and now subsiding. It suggests the heavy rainfall was in the upstream catchment. I’m not sure it’s necessary to write the Avon off if it is a two week hire as there’s no major rainfall forecast and two weeks gives some leeway in terms of timing.

And still seems to be falling in some places

[blackrose]

I used to moor just upstream from Bidford. The Avon can rise by 8ft in 48 hours on some reaches. It can be quite scary in flood - especially when you're in a small dinghy with a 5hp outboard coming home from work in the pitch black with a headtorch battling against the current to get back to your boat! ?

[TheBiscuits]

2 hours ago, blackrose said:

I used to moor just upstream from Bidford. The Avon can rise by 8ft in 48 hours on some reaches. It can be quite scary in flood - especially when you're in a small dinghy with a 5hp outboard coming home from work in the pitch black with a headtorch battling against the current to get back to your boat! ?

 

The bridge at Bidford wouldn't be great to shoot backwards in a dinghy when the water is above the arches!

[john6767]

Assuming it is two weeks that you have I would plan on going clockwise round the ring.  That means that the first day you don’t have any locks to do so can get used to the boat.  If when you get to Stratford the Avon is looking dodgy then you can backtrack.  This direction has the other big plus point in that you will be going down the locks on the Avon, which is a lot easier than going up them.  The disadvantage is that your last full day will be up Tardibigge, but you will be a dab hand by then.

[GUMPY]

When there is a bit of fresh on its always easier to go up a narrow river rather than down. So my preference would be to go down the Severn and up the Avon.