Momac Posted April 15, 2022 Report Share Posted April 15, 2022 We took a day trip out on the boat today from Farndon. A few boats on the move. Moored on the pontoon at the Kiln in Newark where there was plenty of space. Then the return after lunch in town. No delays to our travels. Meanwhile the roads where we could see them were very busy with slow moving traffic. Travelling by boat certainly the way to go today (Good Friday). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-M Posted April 15, 2022 Report Share Posted April 15, 2022 We came along the Staffs and Worcs alongside a near stationary M6 today. No hold ups for us on the canal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momac Posted April 15, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2022 Perhaps a lot of boaters are not moving because of the assumption that the waterways will be busy on a bank holiday weekend? I think we saw a dozen or so boats on the move. Some on the reverse day trip to ourselves. But that's hardly a traffic jam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gatekrash Posted April 15, 2022 Report Share Posted April 15, 2022 We were going north on the SU and it was a steady procession of boats going south all day. Turned around at Nantwich where there isn't a mooring spare in sight (music festival) so we will see what the trip is like for the next few days back south towards the S&W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naughty Cal Posted April 16, 2022 Report Share Posted April 16, 2022 (edited) 9 hours ago, MartynG said: Perhaps a lot of boaters are not moving because of the assumption that the waterways will be busy on a bank holiday weekend? I think we saw a dozen or so boats on the move. Some on the reverse day trip to ourselves. But that's hardly a traffic jam. There are plenty of Lincoln boats working their way up the Trent. They probably stopped at Cromwell last night. And apparently the Witham is pretty busy as well. We hit no traffic on the roads at all and were parked in Wells next the Sea by 9.30am. Edited April 16, 2022 by Naughty Cal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stroudwater1 Posted April 16, 2022 Report Share Posted April 16, 2022 Busy round Braunston during the afternoon, perhaps not unexpectedly. The locks seemed to have their usual Summer queues early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted April 16, 2022 Report Share Posted April 16, 2022 15 hours ago, gatekrash said: We were going north on the SU and it was a steady procession of boats going south all day. Turned around at Nantwich where there isn't a mooring spare in sight (music festival) so we will see what the trip is like for the next few days back south towards the S&W. We stopped in front of you for lunch today after following you up Audlem where we mat a boat at most locks after the pub Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gatekrash Posted April 16, 2022 Report Share Posted April 16, 2022 4 hours ago, ditchcrawler said: We stopped in front of you for lunch today after following you up Audlem where we mat a boat at most locks after the pub I knew I'd recognised the name of the boat from somewhere ! We're now stopped at Market Drayton on the way back to Droitwich, probably Gnosall tomorrow and then onto the S&W down to the Severn over the next few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-M Posted April 16, 2022 Report Share Posted April 16, 2022 1 hour ago, gatekrash said: I knew I'd recognised the name of the boat from somewhere ! We're now stopped at Market Drayton on the way back to Droitwich, probably Gnosall tomorrow and then onto the S&W down to the Severn over the next few days. So far it has been very quiet going down the S&W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted April 16, 2022 Report Share Posted April 16, 2022 Busier than usual here on the eastern K&A. Two boats have gone past me today so far.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted April 16, 2022 Report Share Posted April 16, 2022 I met 28 boats on the Middlewich branch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudds Lad Posted April 16, 2022 Report Share Posted April 16, 2022 Was ok coming up the Oxford today, set off mid morning as we had to settle up with the marina first so avoided all those getting an early start. One boat waiting at Lock 24, they stopped for breakfast in the next pound, then we did the next two and the five Claydon locks with no delays. Usually someone coming in as we were going out or just leaving as we were approaching. Expected it to be waaaaay busier, but cracking weather and a spot outside the pub had us call it a day after 4 hours. Must all be doing the Four Counties or the Golly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momac Posted April 17, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2022 We are at Gunthorpe today ,which is a popular spot. Arrived yesterday about 11:30. We are on the visitor pontoon ,which is full since the last space was occupied late in the afternoon. Debris from a fallen tree and its partial clearance is taking up part of the mooring space. I have not kept a tally but numbers of boats passing by have been modest. Most boats seem to have stayed in the marina. Perhaps it will be busier today. Or perhaps it going to be a quiet year due to the price of fuel . There were no anglers of course ,which is a bonus until mid June. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quattrodave Posted April 17, 2022 Report Share Posted April 17, 2022 (edited) We took the boat out Friday morning expecting locks and moorings to be busy... In 3 days we've seen 6 boats moving... weirdly quiet.... Edited April 17, 2022 by Quattrodave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momac Posted April 17, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2022 Also relatively quiet here at Gunthorpe today. Some boats departed from the pontoon this morning and one new arrival so there is now space on the visitor pontoon. I suspect for some people the price of fuel has put the brakes on boat movements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naughty Cal Posted April 17, 2022 Report Share Posted April 17, 2022 2 minutes ago, MartynG said: Also relatively quiet here at Gunthorpe today. Some boats departed from the pontoon this morning and one new arrival so there is now space on the visitor pontoon. I suspect for some people the price of fuel has put the brakes on boat movements. I'm not so sure about that. We reckon that if prices stay similar to today then it will cost an extra £60 in fuel to do our planned Isle of Wight trip in July. That's hardly going to make someone think twice about having a holiday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fender151 Posted April 17, 2022 Report Share Posted April 17, 2022 We are day 3out on the four Counties ring, Grt Haywood had a canal side market, which meant Tixal was rammed, but we got a mooring space with the help of a boat that offered to shuffle up. The Staffs has been easy, not lock jams, and we have had a very easy journey up the SU. With the weather we are having, what's not to love! Have fun all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted April 17, 2022 Report Share Posted April 17, 2022 This morning we had a steady stream of boat go past from about 9 until 10-3 heading north from Market Drayton, then we set off south and have seen very little for the rest of the day, now at The Anchor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momac Posted April 17, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2022 3 hours ago, Naughty Cal said: I'm not so sure about that. We reckon that if prices stay similar to today then it will cost an extra £60 in fuel to do our planned Isle of Wight trip in July. That's hardly going to make someone think twice about having a holiday! You said yourself the roads were traffic free on Friday. Has it been quiet where you are this weekend ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Davis Posted April 18, 2022 Report Share Posted April 18, 2022 I've been surprised how quiet it has been here in Mid Wales, although I have been told that parking on the A470 at the bottom of Pen y Fan was crazy, as usual. Biggest surprise has been the lack of screaming motorbikes along the by-pass. That has made it even more peaceful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naughty Cal Posted April 18, 2022 Report Share Posted April 18, 2022 21 hours ago, MartynG said: You said yourself the roads were traffic free on Friday. Has it been quiet where you are this weekend ? No. The site was fully booked and turning people away. Plenty of vehicles on the road today on the way back. We had a couple of hold ups as traffic backed up around Sleaford and Newark. Probably added 20 minutes or so onto the journey. Certainly no signs that fuel prices were affecting the number of vehicles travelling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George and Dragon Posted April 18, 2022 Report Share Posted April 18, 2022 52 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said: Certainly no signs that fuel prices were affecting the number of vehicles travelling. Those who still have to do the miles will do the miles. Personally I've reduced my maximum speed on motorways and dual carriageways to 60. This is making very little difference to travelling time but I'm getting an extra 40 miles (about 7%) out of a tank of fuel. The main downside is that at 60 motorways are even more boring and it becomes a real effort to stay awake. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naughty Cal Posted April 18, 2022 Report Share Posted April 18, 2022 27 minutes ago, George and Dragon said: Those who still have to do the miles will do the miles. Personally I've reduced my maximum speed on motorways and dual carriageways to 60. This is making very little difference to travelling time but I'm getting an extra 40 miles (about 7%) out of a tank of fuel. The main downside is that at 60 motorways are even more boring and it becomes a real effort to stay awake. We keep the speed down to 60mph in the van anyway. The fuel consumption takes a proper dive if you sit closer to 70mph. The van just feels more comfortable at 60mph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 18, 2022 Report Share Posted April 18, 2022 47 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said: We keep the speed down to 60mph in the van anyway. The fuel consumption takes a proper dive if you sit closer to 70mph. The van just feels more comfortable at 60mph. We of course have to stick to 60 anyway when towing. When I drove to Norfolk last month it was the longest motorway journey we have done for ages with no caravan on the back. I kept forgetting I could use the outside lane. 🤣🤣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naughty Cal Posted April 18, 2022 Report Share Posted April 18, 2022 Just checked and the van has managed a very respectable 28.2mpg this weekend. It must have been in a good mood. 🤣 Was expecting much worse with the bits of traffic we hit today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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