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Bank holiday traffic


Momac

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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).

 

 

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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.

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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.

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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 by Naughty Cal
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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

 

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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.

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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.

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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 :) 

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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.

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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.

 

 

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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!

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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

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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 ? 

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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. 🤣🤣

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