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Three month winter cruise - suggestions please


Bristolfashion

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This is the stoppages map for December:

image.png.e3595e535dbecd069902b4e0977090d0.png

It appears that there's a nice route north available, as long as you're starting north of the 2 stoppages above Oxford.  Banbury--> Napton-->Braunston-->Rugby-->Tamworth-->Fradley-->Great Haywood-->Autherley Junction-->Shroppie to Middlewich Branch-->MIddlewich to Preston Brook-->Bridgewater-->L&L-->Blackburn Locks. 

 

That will likely take you more than a month anyway.  But the Blackburn stoppage is due to a canal breach, not planned winter works.  So who knows when it will reopen? 

 

But this is what you should be doing, while keeping a few back up options in your pocket.

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It is probably worth saying for the OP that the map we are talking about, shown above, is for CRT waterways.  It does not show waterways of other navigation authorities.  Most of those are rivers, which at the time of year in question would probably be best avoided, but there is, as mentioned above, the Bridgewater canal, which provides a link between CRT canals.

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5 hours ago, jonesthenuke said:

As well as having a route, consider the heating required on a boat in winter for 3 months, especially as you could get iced in (though probably less likely with global warming). A solid fuel stove and plenty of smokeless coal would be good. If no solid fuel stove you may use a lot of gas, so consider where you will be able to buy refills. A trolley to collect fuel/gas would be useful.

 

Also check routes of fuel boats for diesel, gas coal etc.

 

Apologies if this is all obvious to you.

Good points, the boat has both multifuel & diesel heating - but we'll keep stocks high!

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Not read though thread, so dunno what’s been said. 
 

I’d have a long relaxed cruise around the Midlands. 
Coventry Canal, Ashby Canal, go into Birmingham, do a bit of Staffordshire. The BCN
Take time. Winter is ace for moving about. You’ll have bits to yourself. 
 

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5 hours ago, Bristolfashion said:

Thanks, I just wondered if people favoured post-it notes, coloured pens or even digital overlays to make a visual planning tool?

No, I just look at the stoppages and work out whether or not I can move a boat, and by which route, and when.

I then work out in my brain which shops and pubs are on the route for essentials.

I then work out how to get to the boat, and how to get home afterwards, or how to go and pick up car if I have used it.

Colouring pens and crayons are for kids, post it notes for offices, and digital overlays for CRT presentations, along with PowerPoint.

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2 minutes ago, matty40s said:

No, I just look at the stoppages and work out whether or not I can move a boat, and by which route, and when.

I then work out in my brain which shops and pubs are on the route for essentials.

I then work out how to get to the boat, and how to get home afterwards, or how to go and pick up car if I have used it.

Colouring pens and crayons are for kids, post it notes for offices, and digital overlays for CRT presentations, along with PowerPoint.

Crumbs, I'm just on 60 and I still have fun with coloured pens! 

 

Over a 3 month cruise, it seems that the timing of a stoppage is pretty important and some way of seeing, at a glance, within which period the stoppage occurs could be useful. I will get in my playpen and experiment! 😀

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Just now, Goliath said:

It all sounds very serious. 

 

Don’t forget to leave a little bit of adventure and chance 👍

 

 

I take your point entirely. After the last 5 months sailing our little yacht, it seems that, even with thorough planning, stuff ups, weather, people, opportunities to party,  fate and mechanical, er, issues, will give us quite enough chance and adventure. I also know that we just cannot resist the ooooooh, that looks interesting!

 

Here's to immaculately planned fun. 🎉

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1 minute ago, Bristolfashion said:

I take your point entirely. After the last 5 months sailing our little yacht, it seems that, even with thorough planning, stuff ups, weather, people, opportunities to party,  fate and mechanical, er, issues, will give us quite enough chance and adventure. I also know that we just cannot resist the ooooooh, that looks interesting!

 

Here's to immaculately planned fun. 🎉

Where you been sailing? I’m very jealous of them that go out into the deep waters. 
 

 

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1 hour ago, Goliath said:

Where you been sailing? I’m very jealous of them that go out into the deep waters. 
 

 

We are doing a slow, 3 year circumnavigation of the UK - year 1, Southampton to Newcastle. Next year is Scotland, including the Caledonian (probably). Prior to that we did 3 1/2 years yacht cruising in Australia.

7 minutes ago, MrsM said:

Deep water is too scary for me, with all the krackens, sea serpents and man-eating giant squid!

We did get lightly tapped by a whale in Australia - quite scary enough!

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3 minutes ago, Bristolfashion said:

We are doing a slow, 3 year circumnavigation of the UK - year 1, Southampton to Newcastle. Next year is Scotland, including the Caledonian (probably). Prior to that we did 3 1/2 years yacht cruising in Australia.

We did get lightly tapped by a whale in Australia - quite scary enough!


great stuff !

that’s proper sailing 👍

 

just take care on the canals, you might get ‘tapped’ by shopping trollies. 
 

 

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  • 2 months later...

Just in case anyone was interested in how we are going;

 

Starting at Fenny Compton

 

Oxford Canal north 

Coventry North 

Trent & Mersey North to Harecastle tunnel

Macclesfield North 

Peak Forest S. to Whaley Bridge 

Peak Forest North 

Ashton & Rochdale 9 into Manchester 

Bridgewater & L&L North to Wigan 

L&L & Bridgewater S & W to Runcorn 

Bridgewater & T&M S to Middlewich 

Middlewich branch of Shroppie SW

From Barbridge Junction, N on Shroppie to Chester & Ellesmere Port 

S on Shroppie to Nantwich 

Middlewich branch E to Church Minshull & the Badger pub - tonight!

 

It's going well so far!

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  • 1 month later...
56 minutes ago, adam1uk said:

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything from Nuneaton named as a highlight before.

The fact that a Pork and Stuffing batch could be the highlight of a visit to Nuneaton kind of sums up Nuneaton. 
In other words don’t expect too much from Nuneaton. 😃
 

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1 hour ago, Goliath said:

The fact that a Pork and Stuffing batch could be the highlight of a visit to Nuneaton kind of sums up Nuneaton. 
In other words don’t expect too much from Nuneaton. 😃
 

It was a legendary pork & stuffing batch, I have to say. We didn't have time to explore much of the rest of the town.

 

2 hours ago, adam1uk said:

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything from Nuneaton named as a highlight before.

Everywhere has its little gems, sometimes you just have to look a little harder. The sausage rolls were also in a class of their own!

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