What's the best canal as a 'taster' for a new boater?

[Tony Brooks]

50 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

I've just been that way.  It's like the M25 at rush hour.  I won't be returning that way any time soon.

Well, it would be at this time of year because it is so popular, but outside school holidays. At least the infrastructure works most of the time, unlike we found on the L&L.

[Ronaldo47]

Don't forget to take a basic toolkit for dealing with the stuff your prop can pick up anywhere, but especially in built-up areas: Stanley knife or sharp pen-knife with hole or ring for attaching to a lanyard or piece of string, wire cutters, pliers, and junior hacksaw as a minimum. In all honesty, I haven't needed any of these to cope with prop rubbish for some years, possibly due to avoiding built-up areas, but all have been used in the past in the outskirts of Birmingham and Coventry.

 

 

 

Edited September 3, 2021 by Ronaldo47

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Opener said:

Step 1: take a trip to Skipton on a nice day. Take a skippered trip with Pennine (short) or Skipton ((longer/further) - sit and watch the scenery/ducks go by. Even have a meal  on board if you fancy.

Step 2: try and book a day boat. Pennine, Skipton and Snaygill all have well equipped day boats. Great for a half-day, day or evening out. You can see a fair bit in a day + no luggage required (take food/refreshments).

Step 3: short break on a full sized boat from any of the above +Silsden. You'll work out whether you can live on/steer a biggun.

Don't worry about L&L locks and bridges. If you get stuck there'll be another boat along soon - could be an experienced skipper or total amateur. You'll work it out between you - that's half the fun of narras.

Go for it!

 

Not sure why you quoted me?

[Tracy D'arth]

2 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

Well, it would be at this time of year because it is so popular, but outside school holidays. At least the infrastructure works most of the time, unlike we found on the L&L.

South and north Oxford are manic.  Braunston this morning was stupid, coal boats messing about, just too many boats.

No moorings below Hillmorton locks for miles,  Above there are some and the trains, oh the trains.

Rugby moorings full even on the park.

[Neil2]

52 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

South and north Oxford are manic.  Braunston this morning was stupid, coal boats messing about, just too many boats.

No moorings below Hillmorton locks for miles,  Above there are some and the trains, oh the trains.

Rugby moorings full even on the park.

 

This is why I reckon they need to go somewhere quiet - the worst thing for a novice would be trying to squeeze through Braunston on a busy day  ie anytime.  

 

The Shropshire Union is usually pretty quiet and if you hired from Chas Hardern or Anglo Welsh you could get to experience wide and narrow locks - and a staircase - within a few days.  

[Opener]

2 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

Not sure why you quoted me?

Me neither - I clicked on the first OP post 🤔

[Guest]

Just now, Opener said:

Me neither - I clicked on the first OP post 🤔

 

Ah, yes, now I recall, for some reason the forum does this occasionally.

[jandnrowe]

Thanks all for the advice, looks like a trip to Skipton beckons.

[StephenA]

7 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

South and north Oxford are manic.  Braunston this morning was stupid, coal boats messing about, just too many boats.

No moorings below Hillmorton locks for miles,  Above there are some and the trains, oh the trains.

Rugby moorings full even on the park.

 

That's why we moved away.  The Shroppiie is quiet by comparison.

[MtB]

16 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

South and north Oxford are manic.  Braunston this morning was stupid, coal boats messing about, just too many boats.

No moorings below Hillmorton locks for miles,  Above there are some and the trains, oh the trains.

Rugby moorings full even on the park.

 

Yes it was like a scene from a comedy show when I came through Braunston two or three weeks ago, in particular by the services and at Braunston Turn. Made worse I suspect by the (apparently long term) chaining up of the other Elsan, up towards the Stop House. 

 

P.S. I like the trains.....

[matty40s]

17 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

.... Braunston this morning was stupid, coal boats messing about.......

Its September, Ryan has picked up a full load at Radford Semile and is probably dropping some on Bletchley and butty

[captain birdseye]

Nip over the hills and try the Macclesfield and upper peak Forest. Heritage Narrow Boats are on the lower section, so you have the twelve locks at Bosley a few swing bridges and you are at Bugsworth in three days so an easy week there and back. Beautiful canal and lots of decent overnight and lunchtime stops with good pubs. 

[IanD]

15 hours ago, jandnrowe said:

Thanks all for the advice, looks like a trip to Skipton beckons.

Skipton is lovely, suggest you sepnd at least a day there, preferably on one of the market days. Stanforth's butchers has (probably) the best pies in the world, warm pork pie highly recommended, wear an old shirt. The Beer Engine is a great little pub if you value good beer and company, see attached photo.

 

If you're hiring from one of the bases to the east of Skipton and time permits, you could do a lot worse than spending three hours or so to get to Gargrave, go up the locks and turn and moor there overnight, and have an excellent curry at the Bollywood Cottage (booking needed).

 

All the above assumes you like pies, beer, and curry, after all you did say "taster". If you don't, I have no advice for you... 😉

 

Edited September 4, 2021 by IanD

[Neil2]

1 hour ago, captain birdseye said:

Nip over the hills and try the Macclesfield and upper peak Forest. Heritage Narrow Boats are on the lower section, so you have the twelve locks at Bosley a few swing bridges and you are at Bugsworth in three days so an easy week there and back. Beautiful canal and lots of decent overnight and lunchtime stops with good pubs. 

 

Another great suggestion.  The only reservation I have is that Bosley seems to have become a bit "stressful" these days.  With all the extra moving boats there seems to be at the moment the flight has become a bit of a bottleneck, and this year we found tempers were getting a bit frayed.  On the plus side there is more often than not a vlockie or two. 

[IanD]

27 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

 

Another great suggestion.  The only reservation I have is that Bosley seems to have become a bit "stressful" these days.  With all the extra moving boats there seems to be at the moment the flight has become a bit of a bottleneck, and this year we found tempers were getting a bit frayed.  On the plus side there is more often than not a vlockie or two. 

A very nice trip for an easy week (about 4hrs/day cruising), which also doesn't suffer from the L&L swing bridge plague 😉

 

One thing to bear in mind is that it might be more difficult to find a boat available when the OP wants it, there's only the one hire base there (Heritage) and boats everywhere are heavily booked for next summer due to staycations...

Edited September 4, 2021 by IanD

[Albion]

18 hours ago, IanD said:

Skipton is lovely, suggest you spend at least a day there, preferably on one of the market days. Stanforth's butchers has (probably) the best pies in the world, warm pork pie highly recommended, wear an old shirt. The Beer Engine is a great little pub if you value good beer and company, see attached photo.

 

Stanforth's is the tourist attraction pork pie shop but, in reality, the locals recommend Farmhouse Fare (roughly opposite the Church and The Castle Pub at the top of the High Street).

The Beer Engine micropub is indeed excellent and the new owners (Steve and Adam) have made it even better than it was before (and that was a difficult ask because it was always excellent under its previous owners). The tape on the floor around each table to enforce social distancing (in your picture) has now gone, but it is still table service only......no standing at the bar.

Roger (local Beer Engine regular)

[tree monkey]

19 hours ago, IanD said:

Skipton is lovely, suggest you sepnd at least a day there, preferably on one of the market days. Stanforth's butchers has (probably) the best pies in the world, warm pork pie highly recommended, wear an old shirt. The Beer Engine is a great little pub if you value good beer and company, see attached photo.

 

If you're hiring from one of the bases to the east of Skipton and time permits, you could do a lot worse than spending three hours or so to get to Gargrave, go up the locks and turn and moor there overnight, and have an excellent curry at the Bollywood Cottage (booking needed).

 

All the above assumes you like pies, beer, and curry, after all you did say "taster". If you don't, I have no advice for you... 😉

 

Warm pork pies! What's the point of that all the jelly runs out

[MtB]

1 minute ago, tree monkey said:

Warm pork pies! What's the point of that all the jelly runs out

 

You like jelly in your pork pies?

 

My favourite flavour jelly is raspberry, with ice cream.....

[IanD]

4 hours ago, tree monkey said:

Warm pork pies! What's the point of that all the jelly runs out

Hence the suggestion to wear an old shirt. Yummy though... 😉

[system 4-50]

On 04/09/2021 at 14:37, captain birdseye said:

Nip over the hills and try the Macclesfield and upper peak Forest. Heritage Narrow Boats are on the lower section, so you have the twelve locks at Bosley a few swing bridges and you are at Bugsworth in three days so an easy week there and back. Beautiful canal and lots of decent overnight and lunchtime stops with good pubs. 

Nice people around there.  One gentleman, David?, saw that I was single handed above the Bosely locks and then worked ALL 12 for me, and helped one or two oncomers as well!  There is no way to express my gratitude sufficiently.