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Southern GU cruising advice


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This year I'm thinking of exploring a new (to me) waterway.  The GU South of Braunston.  My plan is to cruise from Braunston to London and back from April to August, or thereabouts.

 

I know things get busy in London.  I've walked the Regents canal from Little Venice to Limehouse in the past and seen the wall-to-wall double moored boats, and wish to avoid that.

 

My idea is to cruise towards London, moving on about once a week.  Then when things start getting too busy to moor up easily, take a couple of weeks off work and cruise straight into London, stay on booked moorings (Paddington maybe?) for a few days and then head back to where things are quieter.

 

My question is, where do things start getting awkward for mooring?  Tring?  Berkhamstead?  Hayes?  I have no idea really.

 

And no need for the usual 'London is a shitehole' comments.  I happen to love London.  It's a truly fabulous city.

 

Thanks all, D

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18 minutes ago, matty40s said:

So long as you dont moor close to stations or road bridges, you can generally moor without issues all the way to Watford. Anywhere South of Milton Keynes is now classed as commuter boater territory.

 

Trouble is, I do quite like mooring close to road bridges :(

I don't mind walking a bit though.

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10 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

So I should be able to moor at Perivale without breasting up?  Where does the breasting up start?

18 months ago, when we were last that way, breasting up started somewhere between Perivale and Old Oak Common. Of course, YMMV. To be sure, aim to do Bulls Bridge to your booked mooring in one day.

 

MP

1 minute ago, blackrose said:

Are you planning on going all the way to Limehouse and coming back to Brentford up the Thames? 

 

You know you want to...

But you can't because of The Bridge of Doom.

 

MP

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2 minutes ago, blackrose said:

Are you planning on going all the way to Limehouse and coming back to Brentford up the Thames? 

 

You know you want to...

I really do want to but I'd have to get my VHF licence.  I'm debating going up the Thames from Brentford to Oxford with a detour to Newbury to visit friends.  We'll see.

2 minutes ago, MoominPapa said:

18 months ago, when we were last that way, breasting up started somewhere between Perivale and Old Oak Common. Of course, YMMV. To be sure, aim to do Bulls Bridge to your booked mooring in one day.

 

MP

But you can't because of The Bridge of Doom.

 

MP

What's the bridge of doom? ?

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54 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

This year I'm thinking of exploring a new (to me) waterway.  The GU South of Braunston.  My plan is to cruise from Braunston to London and back from April to August, or thereabouts.

 

I know things get busy in London.  I've walked the Regents canal from Little Venice to Limehouse in the past and seen the wall-to-wall double moored boats, and wish to avoid that.

 

My idea is to cruise towards London, moving on about once a week.  Then when things start getting too busy to moor up easily, take a couple of weeks off work and cruise straight into London, stay on booked moorings (Paddington maybe?) for a few days and then head back to where things are quieter.

 

My question is, where do things start getting awkward for mooring?  Tring?  Berkhamstead?  Hayes?  I have no idea really.

 

And no need for the usual 'London is a shitehole' comments.  I happen to love London.  It's a truly fabulous city.

 

Thanks all, D

I walk in from Northolt to Perivale most days and I see plenty of boats who appear for a few days and then move on, I can't comment about further in. There are bunches of boats on (mostly private?) offside moorings at Northolt, Greenford, Perivale and Horsenden, but other boats often moor on the towpath side.

 

Can't comment on crime and anti-social behaviour, like all rumours about "city badlands" you'd be better getting solid information from somebody who actually moors there today -- lots of places have bad reputations because somebody had a bad experience many years ago, but actually they're fine. Over the years we've been through many of the canal areas/towns/cities that people warn are "bandit country" (e.g. Stoke, Caldon, Rochdale, Ashton, Brum, Manchester...) and never had any problems -- which is not to say other people haven't, but sometimes the risks do seem to be exaggerated.

Edited by IanD
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You will find Milton Keynes is on the busy side but space is usually available, the next place that is problematic is Bulborne so better to plan a stop before or after. Berkhamsted is difficult through the town but ok at either end, it starts getting congested on the approach to Cassiobury park but there is usually space either side of Iron bridge lock. You should find space in Rickmansworth below Batchworth and from here to Denham there should be a decent choice of stop. After Denham things will become difficult and often lots of available space means best avoided. I wouldn't personally stop anywhere from West Drayton until Bulls bridge Tesco. From here i doubt there will be too much congestion before Greenford - i can't comment on the last three years but there is a lot more crime and anti-social behaviour from here on and this got worse through Perivale (you wouldn't catch me there!), After there is what you would expect from the London canals.

12 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

I really do want to but I'd have to get my VHF licence.  I'm debating going up the Thames from Brentford to Oxford with a detour to Newbury to visit friends.  We'll see.

What's the bridge of doom? ?

I don't think you need Vhf now, and believe mobile phone is sufficient - it certainly was exiting Brentford some years ago. 

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19 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

I really do want to but I'd have to get my VHF licence. 

afaik the requirement is to have a vhf for which you need a (free) licence you don't need a licence to operate it if you don't use it or only use it in an emergency.

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VHF not required between Brentford and Teddington - and most handheld sets are pretty useless there anyway.  Further downriver VHF is required for boats above 45' (and just as useful for shorter boats), and you need to know how to use it. Having been involved in several incidents on the tideway I personally regard VHF as essential on what can be a very busy waterway.

There is a possibility of an organised trip from Limehouse to Brentford this year, watch this space.  

3 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

Crikey.  I didn't know that.  So no trip boats to Richmond/Kew either?


Nope. Occasional transits on Sundays:  http://www.pla.co.uk/assets/u19of2020-barnelmsreach-hammersmithbridge-closedtonavigationexclusionzonecontrolledtransits.pdf

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4 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

VHF not required between Brentford and Teddington - and most handheld sets are pretty useless there anyway.  Further downriver VHF is required for boats above 45' (and just as useful for shorter boats), and you need to know how to use it. Having been involved in several incidents on the tideway I personally regard VHF as essential on what can be a very busy waterway.

There is a possibility of an organised trip from Limehouse to Brentford this year, watch this space.  


Nope. Occasional transits on Sundays:  http://www.pla.co.uk/assets/u19of2020-barnelmsreach-hammersmithbridge-closedtonavigationexclusionzonecontrolledtransits.pdf

This is my understanding.  I have no intention of bending the rules to suit my agenda.  I do actually have a handheld marine radio which I can monitor.  But I would get my licence before attempting to broadcast on it.

 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-54523663

 

"Repairing the bridge is estimated to cost £141m and its owner, Hammersmith and Fulham Council, says it can't afford it.

It is easy to see why as the council's total annual budget for the whole of 2020/21 is £140.20m."

 

So likely to be closed for some time then.

Edited by doratheexplorer
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4 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

This is my understanding.  I have no intention of bending the rules to suit my agenda.  I do actually have a handheld marine radio which I can monitor.  But I would get my licence before attempting to broadcast on it.

 

If using a handheld then the boat DOESN'T need a radio licence.

If using a fixed set, then the boat DOES need a licence

 

(That is in addition to the operators licence)

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2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

If using a handheld then the boat DOESN'T need a radio licence.

If using a fixed set, then the boat DOES need a licence

 

(That is in addition to the operators licence)

 

I think that depends on whether the handheld is registered to the boat which is a possibility and then it's basically treated the same as a fixed set.

 

I've jumped onto someone's narrowboat before with my handheld vhf and operator's licence to take a boat to Southwark as they didn't have a radio or licence, so that's also a possibility for anyone without VHF if you can find someone who wants to do the trip with you. 

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I hope you enjoy your visit to the southern Grand Union and London.I usually spend the "off season"( Nov-March) on the southern Grand Union mooching about and spent December 19 -Feb 20 in central London,where I also volunteer for CRT.

 

Never had any problem finding moorings on the southern GU. The busy part of the Paddington Arm starts at Kensal Green,and if you want a towpath mooring from there you may have to take what's available ,as opposed to where you might like to target.The bookable moorings at Little Venice,Paddington Basin and the London Canal Museum are popular because they give visiting boaters certainty.

 

The Regents Canal is generally nose to tail ,but gaps will appear.The same applies to the Hertford Union .Breasting up is common and the liveaboard community is much younger and more idealistic than you experience elsewhere on the canal system.I've never had a polite request to breast up being turned down,but if you can ask first.

 

South of Mile End on the Regents Canal there are far fewer towpath moorers,but this may give you pause for thought about stopping there.Strength in numbers does seem to apply ,and never forget that you are in Inner London.

 

Limehouse Basin has excellent 24 hr moorings,while most of the Limehouse Cut is uncrowded but maybe for a reason .The towpath around the Olympic Park and up to Hackney Wick is very popular and crowded but generally gaps will appear from Hackney Marsh ,with a noticeable thinning out after Stonebridge Lock.

 

As part of the on going discussions about the London Mooring Strategy,CRT said they will produce a mooring "heat map" for the London canal system so hopefully this will back up my comments.

 

Try not to be put off by negative comments,especially from people who never visit the London Canals.

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And just to confuse the situation, I have a portable fixed set which I take (in a suitcase!) when I am crewing for other people, and attach to a battery using crocodile clips. You can see it in this shot.  Let us say the licencing situation is a bit murky but I am confident the PLA and Ofcom won't mind.   By the way did anyone else get an incomprehensible email from Ofcom yesterday?!

dscf7620.jpg

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1 minute ago, blackrose said:

think that depends on whether the handheld is registered to the boat which is a possibility and then it's basically treated the same as a fixed set.

 

Maybe it is an option but I have not seen it. I always thought that a 'mobile' was registered to the person and could be used on any boat.

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Don't miss out on the Arms as you do the Southern GU.  Sluff, Wendover, Aylesbury, Northampton.  All worth a visit, though the Slough won't win any prizes for prettiness.  The others are nicely rural and ACS will make you welcome at Circus Field.

 

N

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1 minute ago, BEngo said:

Don't miss out on the Arms as you do the Southern GU.  Sluff, Wendover, Aylesbury, Northampton.  All worth a visit, though the Slough won't win any prizes for prettiness.  The others are nicely rural and ACS will make you welcome at Circus Field.

 

N

And the Buckingham is worth an explore on foot - recently restored bridge.  It's a lovely walk to Wendover, and I think there is a decent bus service back to Tring.

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12 minutes ago, Quaffer said:

...Never had any problem finding moorings on the southern GU. The busy part of the Paddington Arm starts at Kensal Green,and if you want a towpath mooring from there you may have to take what's available ,as opposed to where you might like to target....The Regents Canal is generally nose to tail ,but gaps will appear.The same applies to the Hertford Union ... South of Mile End on the Regents Canal there are far fewer towpath moorers,but this may give you pause for thought about stopping there....Limehouse Basin has excellent 24 hr moorings,while most of the Limehouse Cut is uncrowded but maybe for a reason .The towpath around the Olympic Park and up to Hackney Wick is very popular and crowded but generally gaps will appear from Hackney Marsh ,with a noticeable thinning out after Stonebridge Lock.Try not to be put off by negative comments, especially from people who never visit the London Canals.

That all chimes with our experience of taking Fulbourne from Aylesbury to Cavalcade at Little Venice for the last dozen years, (2019 pics here for the flavour of the trip) and occasionally adding an extra trip around the Olympic Park or north up the Lee. Stories that London-is-full re-tell more readily than the message of being-crowded and with-the-occasional-space. We have travelled along for about five-hours without passing any (seventyfoot) spaces and on one occasion a bit of innovative mooring worked: one end to a ring and t'other to an otherwise innocent green-plant emerging from cracks in the concrete edging.

 

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I last boated in London a couple of years ago. 70ft spaces were few and far between on the Lee between Old Ford and the northern fringes of London, but there were a few to be found - easier if your boat is shorter. Plenty of space further south - above Bow Locks and Limehouse make fine overnight moorings. The Regents is pretty full, but I have managed to breast up on the visitor moorings at Little Venice. West of Kensal Green shouldn't be a problem for space.

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