Autherley Junction unsafe for mooring?

[doratheexplorer]

Saw this on the Boater's Guides (Waterscape website)

 

 

Bridge 6 is past Bilbrook Visitor Mooring.  It would also rule out the mooring rings down near the Napton Hire Base. 

 

I was planning on leaving my boat somewhere round there (maybe Bilbrook) unattended for a couple of nights, but now I'm really put off.  Does anyone have any experience of problems round there? 

[haggis]

We are on the Billbrook moorings now but I don't think we would have stopped if there hadn't been another couple of boats here. It seems rural but remembering the problems caused by local inhabitants when the IWA festival was here, we would hesitate to moor in this general area. It is interesting that all 3 boats have more than the usual 2 mooring ropes out. 

 

Haggis

[Richard Fairhurst]

The information in those guides is really old. I wouldn't necessarily trust it.

 

There's a good piled section north of the M54 bridge, on the eastern bank, where we've safely left our boat for a week or so.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Richard Fairhurst

[Mike Todd]

We have not had any problems on the stretch referenced but we did have a break in and theft (overnight whilst we were asleep) just south of the junction opposite Oxley Marine. At the time there were those who were keen to blame the adjacent housing estates, which might also apply to the first mile of the Shroppie from Autherley but we were more convinced that it was another boater. I doubt whether there is any greater risk here than most other places, especially urban ones. If you are happy leaving the boat for a couple of nights generally then carry on.

[Ex Brummie]

You could always ask Orph at Oxley Marine if he has any space for a short while.

[Detling]

Most of the boats moored by the boating club have boards over their windows I guess the local youth like throwing stones.

 

[frangar]

When we came through Autherly in the late summer it was totally devoid of boats both on the shroppie & staffs & worcs.....never seen it totally empty.....didnt feel like being the only boat there so pushed on to compton....We have moored there in the past but for me its definitely one of those places where safety in numbers wins.

[David Mack]

There were a load of Napton Narrowboats hire boats tied to the towpath just beyond the stop lock when we came through a couple of weeks ago. I would have thought you would be fairly safe if you tried up immediately beyond them.

[frangar]

2 minutes ago, David Mack said:

There were a load of Napton Narrowboats hire boats tied to the towpath just beyond the stop lock when we came through a couple of weeks ago. I would have thought you would be fairly safe if you tried up immediately beyond them.

There wasn't even a single hireboat in the summer.....not sure Id ever seen it like that.

[StephenA]

Seems odd when there are official moorings at Pendleford by Bridge 4

[doratheexplorer]

15 hours ago, Richard Fairhurst said:

The information in those guides is really old. I wouldn't necessarily trust it.

 

There's a good piled section north of the M54 bridge, on the eastern bank, where we've safely left our boat for a week or so.

Thanks.  I know you were involved in making those guides!  I know the mooring spot you mention but it's a long way to walk from there to a car...

 

Thanks for the responses everyone.  I remain unconvinced, so I may have a re-think...

[StephenA]

2 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

Thanks.  I know you were involved in making those guides!  I know the mooring spot you mention but it's a long way to walk from there to a car...

Or push on for a bit and moor at Brewood

[doratheexplorer]

16 minutes ago, StephenA said:

Or push on for a bit and moor at Brewood

I'm currently at Brewood!  Brewood (like much of the Shroppie) is problematic anyway.  The visitor moorings are 48 hours (and deeply shaded).  The alternative is to use mooring pins.  Which is what I do.  But this time of year it gets harder.  The ground is very moist and soft, which isn't good for pins.  Autumn can be unexpectedly windy/stormy too.  In summer, the ground is drier and firmer.  In winter the ground is often frozen a bit.  Add to all that, the Shroppie is still heaving with boats moving (which I like), but so many of them are passing moored boats FAR to fast, as I've posted previously about. 

 

I don't mind pins in soft ground if I'm on the boat.  I'm less keen when I'm leaving it unattended.

Edited October 21, 2020 by doratheexplorer

[Mike Todd]

13 hours ago, frangar said:

When we came through Autherly in the late summer it was totally devoid of boats both on the shroppie & staffs & worcs.....never seen it totally empty.....didnt feel like being the only boat there so pushed on to compton....We have moored there in the past but for me its definitely one of those places where safety in numbers wins.

Did not help us!

[Martin Nicholas]

Wolverhampton Boat Club accept visitors for a small fee (or they did).

[haggis]

17 minutes ago, Martin Nicholas said:

Wolverhampton Boat Club accept visitors for a small fee (or they did).

Their moorings seemed pretty full when we came through this morning

 

Haggis

[jam]

3 hours ago, StephenA said:

Or push on for a bit and moor at Brewood

Or better still moor between bridges 7 and 8, plenty of rings and not shaded, 25 minute brisk walk into Brewood

[Ex Brummie]

4 hours ago, Martin Nicholas said:

Wolverhampton Boat Club accept visitors for a small fee (or they did).

At the moment, the club is shut, and we no longer have a resident caretaker, so access or exit to/from the moorings is not an option.