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Is the Warwickshire ring doable in a week


Colinclement

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2 minutes ago, Sally Grim said:

They're set to pick up the boat at 2.30, sunset is about 7 pm. That's 4,5 hours, and you might also have to deduct time for the handover.

So getting to Cape might be a bit ambitious. I would expect that would cause a a trail of "speeding hire boaters" shouts?!  ?

 

Way too ambitious for the first day.  If you want a pub then Long Itchington for the first night, otherwise if you are there on time you could carry on and go down Bascote and look for somewhere to moor.

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13 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Way too ambitious for the first day.  If you want a pub then Long Itchington for the first night, otherwise if you are there on time you could carry on and go down Bascote and look for somewhere to moor.

Long Itchington be my choice as well. According to Canalplan,  Napton Junction to Two Boats are 3 hours 47 minutes,

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1 hour ago, john6767 said:

Way too ambitious for the first day.  If you want a pub then Long Itchington for the first night, otherwise if you are there on time you could carry on and go down Bascote and look for somewhere to moor.

I agree.

Once you get to the top of Hatton, you have a choice of going up the GU through Knowle and missing the centre of Brum which will shorten the overall journey or going up Lapworth and ending up in the centre of Brum. We prefer the Lapworth route but it costs you one night. Play it by ear and see how far you get on the first day before deciding on how to do Birmingham. Both times we have tried to do the Knowle route in the past 3 years there have been problems at Garrison locks and forced us to go the Lapworth way. Worth checking the CRT web site on a regular basis - register to get emails of stoppages so you are fully up to date.

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Hi has  anyone got the Birmingham and the Heart of England (Nicholson Guide to the Waterways, Book 3) for sale ? it looks like we are between re-prints.

I live near Gatwick airport.

 

Thanks again for all the wonderful advice, it really helps our planning.

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5 minutes ago, Colinclement said:

Hi has  anyone got the Birmingham and the Heart of England (Nicholson Guide to the Waterways, Book 3) for sale ? it looks like we are between re-prints.

I live near Gatwick airport.

 

Thanks again for all the wonderful advice, it really helps our planning.

One here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Birmingham-Heart-England-Nicholson-Waterways/dp/0007136668/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Birmingham+and+the+Heart+of+England+(Nicholson+Guide+to+the+Waterways%2C+Book+3)&qid=1598354929&sr=8-1

 

or here: https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/products/nicholson-guide-no3-birmingham-h-of-e-ag-288

Edited by peter n
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5 minutes ago, Colinclement said:

Hi has  anyone got the Birmingham and the Heart of England (Nicholson Guide to the Waterways, Book 3) for sale ? it looks like we are between re-prints.

I live near Gatwick airport.

 

Thanks again for all the wonderful advice, it really helps our planning.

https://www.canalbookshop.co.uk/nicholsons.html

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10 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

An hour or so ago I chatted to a hire boat steerer as he set off up Tardebigge in heavy rain and high winds in order to stay on schedule. I expect he'll have a difficult day ahead and a wet, miserable crew at the end. Just something to factor in when planning a ring, but I've done your route in the same timescale in my hiring days and very much enjoyed it. Today though, I'll be staying put and I may even light the stove!  :)

 

Your motley crew look capable enough to me... ;)

 

We are at the bottom of Tarderbigge at the moment, arrived about 2 pm ish and didn't get wet today, its a bit windy now.

 

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16 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

We are at the bottom of Tarderbigge at the moment, arrived about 2 pm ish and didn't get wet today, its a bit windy now.

 

I was at the bottom of Tardebigge on Sunday. With the dog rather than the boat though. Observed a boat locking through Stoke and failing to shut the top gates behind them.

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7 hours ago, Colinclement said:

Hi has  anyone got the Birmingham and the Heart of England (Nicholson Guide to the Waterways, Book 3) for sale ? it looks like we are between re-prints.

I live near Gatwick airport.

 

Thanks again for all the wonderful advice, it really helps our planning.

So it is!  You could try the canal shop at Lapworth they seem to have some 

 

https://www.canalshop.co.uk/acatalog/nichs.html

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I bought a new Book 3 last month at Streethay Wharf as I thought my 2004 version was a bit too far out of date. By about the third page I used en route I'd already done a slack handful of pen amendments to the 2018 issue, most of which I'd also done in the 2004 job. Frankly, I think I mostly wasted the "upgrade" money! :rolleyes:

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21 hours ago, Colinclement said:

Hi has  anyone got the Birmingham and the Heart of England (Nicholson Guide to the Waterways, Book 3) for sale ? it looks like we are between re-prints.

I live near Gatwick airport.

 

Thanks again for all the wonderful advice, it really helps our planning.

 

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I would buy the Pearson - the timings on each page are generally about right. The style of writing is user friendly unlike the Nicholson which is just facts. We have done the ring starting at Braunston in an October half term and stopped at Bournville for Cadburys World. From memory our longest day was bottom of Calcutt to the top of Hatton which is I think 42locks but we did have a crew of willing teenagers.

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Another vote for the Pearson’s Guide, however as a rule we have both Nicholson’s and the Pearson’s on board.     We did the ring a few years ago, clockwise so got the majority of the locks done in the first half.    If you need to make time up Not having to stop for locks is a big benefit!   We did it in 2 weeks, with detour up the Ashby and into Coventry as well as a couple of lazy days, but doable in a week with a keen crew! 
 

good luck and I hope you enjoy it!     Agree what others have said about taking the first day easy whilst you get to know how the boat handles and the best way to work the locks as a team.   Happy boating. 

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Hi

 

Has anyone parked a car at  Hawkesbury Junction as the kids are planning to come up for the long weekend only so will park at Hawkesbury junction on Thursday then get a taxi to Gas Street basin where we should be on Thursday evening then we can drop them off to Hawkesbury on the Sunday afternoon.  Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Colin & Crew

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1 hour ago, Colinclement said:

Hi

 

Has anyone parked a car at  Hawkesbury Junction as the kids are planning to come up for the long weekend only so will park at Hawkesbury junction on Thursday then get a taxi to Gas Street basin where we should be on Thursday evening then we can drop them off to Hawkesbury on the Sunday afternoon.  Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Colin & Crew

There is parking on the aproach road to the Grhound, but not sure what it like for leaving a car for a few days though.

 

Harkesbury to the centre of Birmingham is a long way by taxi, if you can make the time work, Rugby would be much better, you can get a train from there to Birmingham.

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4 hours ago, john6767 said:

There is parking on the aproach road to the Grhound, but not sure what it like for leaving a car for a few days though.

Don’t park in the CaRT car park as you’re likely to get locked in (DAMHIKT). You could ask the Greyhound if they’d mind you parking in their car park for a few days. 

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1 hour ago, WotEver said:

Don’t park in the CaRT car park as you’re likely to get locked in (DAMHIKT). You could ask the Greyhound if they’d mind you parking in their car park for a few days. 

I did not mean the CRT car park, aren't  there parking bays along the access road?  I am sure we have left a car there before.

 

Edited to add the image from street view
 

 

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Edited by john6767
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1 hour ago, john6767 said:

I did not mean the CRT car park, aren't  there parking bays along the access road?  I am sure we have left a car there before.

 

Edited to add the image from street view
 

 

E12428B0-7CC3-49E6-9BF7-A893971EEC3C.png

I've left my car there for a couple of days in the past when moving the working boats.

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  • 2 weeks later...
1 hour ago, Colinclement said:

Hi all. Is anybody currently doing the Warwickshire ring as I have heard that’s its really busy out there at the moment  with some boats waiting 6 hours to get through a lock.  

 

Thank you. 

 

Colin 

I think that’s unlikely although it is currently busier than would generally be the case at this time of year. I haven’t experienced anything like that sort of delay at any time during the summer albeit I haven’t been on any part of the Warwickshire ring. Other forum members have been and they haven’t reported anything they seem to think out of the ordinary.

 

Rather than listen to hearsay if you are concerned talk to the hire base. It’s almost certain they have at least one boat doing the Warwickshire ring every week. They will know what those hirers are experiencing.

 

Even if it is very busy what can you do? The south Oxford and Grand Union main line won’t be any less busy. So head in the direction you want to go and make a decision on continuing, heading for an alternative destination, or simply turning back at key waypoints.
 

I think there’s more risk of you spoiling your own holiday by worrying about it too much than it actually being a reality. That said you will help yourself with early starts (or later finishes if that’s more your thing).

 

JP

 

Edited by Captain Pegg
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