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Going north to south - Coventry canal vs GU Leicester branch?


jetzi

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We have just done Redhill Marina to Stafford Boat Club, so the top end of the route you are thinking of. The T&M between Great Haywood and Burton on Trent was very pleasant. Between Burton and Derwent Mouth was scenic but the broad locks were heavy going - gates are worn so stiff and leaky. We were up against it on time (Shardlow to Stafford was the weekend just gone, including travel to/from to boat) and it wasn't all going well, so that probably detracted from it a bit. The Trent was an experience, but not somewhere I would look to go on a regular basis. If you are not in a hurry, that route would give you the option of heading down to Shardlow, then picking your timing and nipping down to the Erewash for a side trip, waiting there for suitable water on the Soar and heading on.

 

Personally I would choose the Coventry but that's nothing more than personal preference.

 

Alec

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19 minutes ago, agg221 said:

We have just done Redhill Marina to Stafford Boat Club, so the top end of the route you are thinking of. The T&M between Great Haywood and Burton on Trent was very pleasant. Between Burton and Derwent Mouth was scenic but the broad locks were heavy going - gates are worn so stiff and leaky. We were up against it on time (Shardlow to Stafford was the weekend just gone, including travel to/from to boat) and it wasn't all going well, so that probably detracted from it a bit. The Trent was an experience, but not somewhere I would look to go on a regular basis. If you are not in a hurry, that route would give you the option of heading down to Shardlow, then picking your timing and nipping down to the Erewash for a side trip, waiting there for suitable water on the Soar and heading on.

 

Personally I would choose the Coventry but that's nothing more than personal preference.

 

Alec

 

Alrewas and Shardlow are nice but large parts of that stretch of the T&M are not that pleasant, partly because of the noise from the ever-present A38 -- and Burton is disappointing given its history. As mentioned, some of the broad locks -- like those on the Soar and the Leicester Section -- are not easy, not just heavy and leaky but some (mainly Soar/Leicester?) insist on swinging open, the combination of the two is difficult if there are only two of you on the boat (like we were) and I imagine much more so if you're single-handing.

 

Both Trent and Soar can be difficult in poor weather if there's a lot of rain, not exactly unknown in England especially at this time of year, so be prepared to have to wait until conditions improve -- we had to do that even last August.

 

I'd also go via the Coventry...

Edited by IanD
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The Coventry is more pleasant than its name suggests, largely rural, though with a bit of a blemish in Nuneaton which may be the Floating Plastic Bottle Capital of the waterways. The Ashby Canal is a delight, very pastoral, but do stock up with food at Hinckley if you want to avoid lengthy treks to shops.

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1 hour ago, IanD said:

 

Alrewas and Shardlow are nice but large parts of that stretch of the T&M are not that pleasant, partly because of the noise from the ever-present A38 -- and Burton is disappointing given its history. As mentioned, some of the broad locks -- like those on the Soar and the Leicester Section -- are not easy, not just heavy and leaky but some (mainly Soar/Leicester?) insist on swinging open, the combination of the two is difficult if there are only two of you on the boat (like we were) and I imagine much more so if you're single-handing.

 

Both Trent and Soar can be difficult in poor weather if there's a lot of rain, not exactly unknown in England especially at this time of year, so be prepared to have to wait until conditions improve -- we had to do that even last August.

 

I'd also go via the Coventry...

Funnily enough, the A38 didn't bother us, but that could be something to do with the noise of the engine! The stretch from Shardlow to Willington was very pretty in the autumn sunshine with the leaves just turning. Midland Chandlers at Mercia Marina were very helpful and well stocked and we missed most of Burton on Trent in the dwindling light (not much to miss though). Barton Turn is a decent mooring on that stretch, just far enough from the A38 and down a bit to block out the noise. Had a very pleasant meal at the Thai restaurant at Barton Marina - a bit more upmarket than we would usually go but the pubs around there weren't serving food and the restaurant was happy to accommodate us at 9pm with two children (10 and 12). The food was really good.

 

It's a bit flat from there to Fradley but the short stretch of Trent, followed by Alrewas itself, were nice.

 

Gates re-opening was an issue for us too - mainly the bottom gates. The use of a mop handle solved that one.

 

Alec

Edited by agg221
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1 hour ago, agg221 said:

Funnily enough, the A38 didn't bother us, but that could be something to do with the noise of the engine! The stretch from Shardlow to Willington was very pretty in the autumn sunshine with the leaves just turning. Midland Chandlers at Mercia Marina were very helpful and well stocked and we missed most of Burton on Trent in the dwindling light (not much to miss though). Barton Turn is a decent mooring on that stretch, just far enough from the A38 and down a bit to block out the noise. Had a very pleasant meal at the Thai restaurant at Barton Marina - a bit more upmarket than we would usually go but the pubs around there weren't serving food and the restaurant was happy to accommodate us at 9pm with two children (10 and 12). The food was really good.

 

It's a bit flat from there to Fradley but the short stretch of Trent, followed by Alrewas itself, were nice.

 

Gates re-opening was an issue for us too - mainly the bottom gates. The use of a mop handle solved that one.

 

Alec

 

I used to love pootling along with the traffic hurtling past alongside at breakneck speed it sort of reinforces what a relaxed time it is on the canals. We did try to not moor on the sections closest though (we were based at Mercia at one time)

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7 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

I used to love pootling along with the traffic hurtling past alongside at breakneck speed it sort of reinforces what a relaxed time it is on the canals. 

Funny you should say that. Quite often when we've been going under the M40 I have waved cheerfully to drivers thundering along the M-way, the while saying word to the effect of "Bloody fools, hurtling along nose-to-tail". It was O.K., they couldn't hear me.

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2 hours ago, Mike Tee said:

I once came out of the bottom lock at Buckby and the M1 heading south was as a standstill - thoroughly enjoyed waving at the traffic (mostly trucks) as I overtook them.

I'm sure that the drivers gestured warmly back at you.

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5 hours ago, Mike Tee said:

I once came out of the bottom lock at Buckby and the M1 heading south was as a standstill - thoroughly enjoyed waving at the traffic (mostly trucks) as I overtook them.

I've done that coming put of Brum, M6 rammed solid and at a standstill, quite an odd experience 

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On 11/10/2021 at 19:47, tree monkey said:

I've done that coming put of Brum, M6 rammed solid and at a standstill, quite an odd experience 

I remember locking down Perry Barr in my first boat, on what must have been the hottest day in 1973. Looking down on the M6 that was completely stationary for the whole of the time it was in view!

Edited by David Mack
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I'm on the Soar at the moment and am at Mountsorrel heading South.  Came up the Coventry a few months ago and loving the river, first time on it and if it does flood in the next couple of days there are plenty of safe places to wait it out as we aren't in a hurry.

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9 minutes ago, roland elsdon said:

How up is the river please we have to make the decision in the next 36 hrs of home via cov ( yawn) or sawley  soar , and leicester.

we have a small window but have to be at braunston by 28th.

Trent here at gt haywood is benign but ive been caught on the soar a few times.

It's low at the moment but rain forecast for the coming days.  I have no idea what effect it will have though but can post on here if it starts rising.  You have a day or two before you get to Fradley.

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We love to Soar, likewise the run through Leicester, although challenging at times, mostly weather related.

Having done the north Oxford and Coventry to death, for us, coming down the Leicester line beats it hands down. Do visit Market Harborough and Welford.

But take care of river levels,  stoppages and restrictions. Most of all, which ever way, enjoy.

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54 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

If someone has a shower, the river goes into flood 10 minutes later.

 

It changes very very quickly.

Indeed -- when we did the Leicester Ring everything looked fine when we set off and all the way up to the day a week later just before the Soar was closed... 😞

Edited by IanD
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The flow has increased a bit and the river has come up about six inches in the last couple of days but from very low levels.  I have checked and it's not expected to go into flood and the level should peak in the next 12 hours but it should be in the normal range.  The flow is about one knot at Mountsorrel.

 

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