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North Oxford - Questions/Advice etc!


RebeccaM

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Hi all,

 

Following last year's successful holiday with Wyvern, we've booked for this year with Kate Boats.  We're going from Stockton and doing a mid-week short break, Mon-Fri, in early July.  Now that we're getting close enough that preliminary weather forecasts will be appearing over the next few days, it's time to finalise the journey plan and ask all the annoying questions that have been building up in my mind.  I have done a lot of reading back on old threads but at some point you realise you're about to leave a comment on something that was last posted on in 2009!  And things like pubs and restaurants have a lot of churn at the best of times, not helped by Covid, so half the places that are must eat at/never eat at are closed anyway.  We've got fairly up to date Pearsons and Nicholsons, plus the Waterway Routes maps and using Canal Plan etc. 

 

Plan is to do Stockton to - hopefully - Hawkesbury Junction and back.  I know it's not the most scenic or interesting route but there are things along the way we want to stop and see so, unless there is an emergency stoppage that prevents it, that is the route and although I can't stop you posting your alternative suggestions for benefits of other readers of this thread, they will fall on deaf ears in my case.  Or perhaps I should say blind eyes?

 

I'm sticking numbers on the questions so hopefully we can keep straight what people are replying to...! 

 

1) If you were going to go out to eat in one place only along this route, where would it be? 

 

2) I gather that on some or all of the new sections of the north Oxford Canal, the sides were built with a slope that can make mooring difficult - is this the case on every bit of every new section or is it more a case of knowing where it is...?  

 

3) One thing we're hoping to do is visit Brinklow "Castle"(!) - also known as The Tump.  It looks like the nearest place on the canal is bridge 34 (Easenhall Lane) - but immediately north of here is where there is a collapsed cutting narrowing navigation, plus it seems to be on a new section (see mooring concerns in question 2!) so is the safest bet to moor on the visitor moorings at All Oaks, or is it possible to moor safely just south of Bridge 34?  Has anyone visited it before?

 

4) Although I've played around in CanalPlan for the overall itinerary, I'm not exactly sure of our overnight stops yet.  I've got Braunston Visitor Moorings, Ansty Visitor Moorings and Newbold Visitor Moorings in as placeholders for now, but we'd be happiest with fairly quiet rural moorings - any suggestions for places en route that might be worth considering?  And on our last night we will need to moor between Calcutt Locks and Kate Boats at Stockton, any suggestions/advice for best places?

 

5) Do we need to use the tunnel light for Newbold Tunnel; I have a vague recollection of reading somewhere that if a tunnel is under a certain length it's not needed?

 

6) We hope to walk down to find the old tunnel portal at Newbold, which is apparently on the edge of St Boltoph's Churchyard and not too difficult to find, any advice?

 

7) Barley Mow website suggests they'll take rubbish for recycling, anyone used this?  I'll probably drop them a message anyway but interested to know if anyone has. 

 

8)We did a lot of locks on our previous visit so not too concerned about that, but I gather the paddle gear at the Calcutt Locks is a bit different to that fitted on the southern bit of the GU that we did last time (Linslade to Berko).  Any advice we need to be aware of?  (Although I expect Kate Boats will let us know anyway!)  Also, I think there are often volunteers at Hillmorton Locks, is that correct - we're likely to be going through on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.  Not too fussed about whether they will be there or not but nice to know what to expect!  

 

9) Any advice for things to look out for on the way, particularly good spots for photos or so on? 

 

10) Any recommendations for an iPhone app that can give a fairly accurate measure of the speed we're doing on the boat, mostly for curiousity's sake?  Last time our times averaged out to match CanalPlan but I think we went quicker through locks than I anticipated and cruised slower.  It would be useful to know.  

 

I will probably think of half a dozen things I meant to ask as well so I might be adding to this later! 

 

Thank you in advance for any help. 

 

 

 

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36 minutes ago, RebeccaM said:

Hi all,

 

Following last year's successful holiday with Wyvern, we've booked for this year with Kate Boats.  We're going from Stockton and doing a mid-week short break, Mon-Fri, in early July.  Now that we're getting close enough that preliminary weather forecasts will be appearing over the next few days, it's time to finalise the journey plan and ask all the annoying questions that have been building up in my mind.  I have done a lot of reading back on old threads but at some point you realise you're about to leave a comment on something that was last posted on in 2009!  And things like pubs and restaurants have a lot of churn at the best of times, not helped by Covid, so half the places that are must eat at/never eat at are closed anyway.  We've got fairly up to date Pearsons and Nicholsons, plus the Waterway Routes maps and using Canal Plan etc. 

 

Plan is to do Stockton to - hopefully - Hawkesbury Junction and back.  I know it's not the most scenic or interesting route but there are things along the way we want to stop and see so, unless there is an emergency stoppage that prevents it, that is the route and although I can't stop you posting your alternative suggestions for benefits of other readers of this thread, they will fall on deaf ears in my case.  Or perhaps I should say blind eyes?

 

I'm sticking numbers on the questions so hopefully we can keep straight what people are replying to...! 

 

1) If you were going to go out to eat in one place only along this route, where would it be? 

 

2) I gather that on some or all of the new sections of the north Oxford Canal, the sides were built with a slope that can make mooring difficult - is this the case on every bit of every new section or is it more a case of knowing where it is...?  

 

3) One thing we're hoping to do is visit Brinklow "Castle"(!) - also known as The Tump.  It looks like the nearest place on the canal is bridge 34 (Easenhall Lane) - but immediately north of here is where there is a collapsed cutting narrowing navigation, plus it seems to be on a new section (see mooring concerns in question 2!) so is the safest bet to moor on the visitor moorings at All Oaks, or is it possible to moor safely just south of Bridge 34?  Has anyone visited it before?

 

4) Although I've played around in CanalPlan for the overall itinerary, I'm not exactly sure of our overnight stops yet.  I've got Braunston Visitor Moorings, Ansty Visitor Moorings and Newbold Visitor Moorings in as placeholders for now, but we'd be happiest with fairly quiet rural moorings - any suggestions for places en route that might be worth considering?  And on our last night we will need to moor between Calcutt Locks and Kate Boats at Stockton, any suggestions/advice for best places?

 

5) Do we need to use the tunnel light for Newbold Tunnel; I have a vague recollection of reading somewhere that if a tunnel is under a certain length it's not needed?

 

6) We hope to walk down to find the old tunnel portal at Newbold, which is apparently on the edge of St Boltoph's Churchyard and not too difficult to find, any advice?

 

7) Barley Mow website suggests they'll take rubbish for recycling, anyone used this?  I'll probably drop them a message anyway but interested to know if anyone has. 

 

8)We did a lot of locks on our previous visit so not too concerned about that, but I gather the paddle gear at the Calcutt Locks is a bit different to that fitted on the southern bit of the GU that we did last time (Linslade to Berko).  Any advice we need to be aware of?  (Although I expect Kate Boats will let us know anyway!)  Also, I think there are often volunteers at Hillmorton Locks, is that correct - we're likely to be going through on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.  Not too fussed about whether they will be there or not but nice to know what to expect!  

 

9) Any advice for things to look out for on the way, particularly good spots for photos or so on? 

 

10) Any recommendations for an iPhone app that can give a fairly accurate measure of the speed we're doing on the boat, mostly for curiousity's sake?  Last time our times averaged out to match CanalPlan but I think we went quicker through locks than I anticipated and cruised slower.  It would be useful to know.  

 

I will probably think of half a dozen things I meant to ask as well so I might be adding to this later! 

 

Thank you in advance for any help. 

 

 

 

 

1. Greyhound at Sutton Stop (Hawkesbury Junction)

 

2. It's not a big issue and a hire boat should be mostly OK and certainly will be on visitor moorings

 

3. I visited it on a geography field trip c.1986. I'd have thought either moor at Stretton Stop (where Rose narrowboats is) and walk from there or stop at the moorings just before bridge 34 (not sure if this is classified as the north end of All Oaks moorings or a separate site). You can't moor immediately north of Br 34 but there is mooring nearby.

 

4. When I hired from Stockton we moored by the winding hole on the Oxford between Napton Jn and the bottom lock so we could visit the Folly Inn. That may not be a great plan at the moment because I think food is hit and miss there due to staff shortages. But you won't need to be below Calcutt unless you really don't like early starts.

 

5. Technically yes because that's the rules but it isn't strictly necessary. Anyway your boat will have one so use it.

 

6. Yes, take a photo and post it here. You can moor by the Barley Mow where the old line went off. Double points if you find both ends.

 

7. Dunno but there are CRT rubbish facilties at Hillmorton and Hawkesbury and probably others too (not that they do recycling).

 

8. Correct. You need the large non-tapered bit of the windlass. Open the paddles on the side the boat is on first and it's also not absolutely necessary to use the paddles on both sides. 22 turns in total, first four then pause will bring the gates gently closed at the opposite end (they have a habit of floating open), the next four turns and pause will bring the boat gently alongside the wall when ascending, and then 14 more to fully open (although there is a view that the last 6 turns aren't necessary).

 

9. Take a walk through Braunston up to the shop at the bottom lock, and maybe even to the Admiral Nelson at the third lock.

 

10. No. You're best off not realising how slow you're going.

 

Just to add that I disagree about it not being an attractive stretch of canal. The countryside around Braunston is fabulous and you are at the heart of the canal system and it's history. I'm always very happy to be cruising through Braunston and up to Hawkesbury.

Edited by Captain Pegg
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We did Calcutt marina to Hawkesbury and back last week. We left the marina late afternoon on the Sunday and we back on our pontoon at 2pm on Thursday, so similar time except you will be Monday to Friday and need to be back by 9:30am on Friday.  We moored about a mile north of Braunston, All Oaks Wood, Hawkesbury junction, top of Hillmorton locks, then back to Calcutt.  I would suggest that for last night you need to at least be in the area of bridge 102/103 between Braunston and Napton, or better above Calcutt locks (plenty of time to get to Stockton), so you can’t really have a night at Hawkesbury.  Perhaps something like, a mile north of Braunston, Ansty, turn at Hawkesbury and back to bottom of Hillmorton, top of Calcutt locks.  As to eating with such a short trip it may be better to eat on 5he boat in the evenings, but the pub in Ansty may be OK (never used it personally).

 

There are other places you can moor, just look for piling, like by the prison/Dunchurch Pools Marina.

 

If you want to eat at the Greyhound, then it would need to be lunch, we ate there in the evening, and the food has gone downhill from what it used to be, but it was adequate.

 

Personally I use the tunnel light in Newbold tunnel, you will have a working one so there is no reason not to.

 

The paddle gear on Calcutt locks is different, like all the 1930’s locks on that section, not really anything specific you need to know, just use the towpath paddle (with boat on towpath side)if you are on your own, it is fast enough on one paddle.

 

The volunteers at Hillmorton never leave the bottom pair of locks, they are quick and simple to do on your own.  Just pick the side closest to you favour, although I recon the towpath side ones are quicker, so if it is even pick that side.

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1.

Eat at The Greyhound at Hawkesbury.  BOOK.

2

As you say, local knowledge about piling is best.

 

All Oaks wood moorings are very busy.

 

8.  The paddle gear at Calcutt is the GU screw lifted type.  Easy, but  21 turns to wind up.  It was designed to fall gently, so you can just knock the catch off.  It doesn't always behave  so keep an eye on it and slow it with your (gloved)  hand if it is going too fast.

The volunteers at Hillmorton are usually not more than 20ft from the bottom lock. Expect a queue at the top.

 

N

 

 

 

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2 and 3…

 

Some parts of the N Oxford are difficult to moor against, due to sloping stone sides, and there is also a busy railway immediately adjacent in some parts. But there are some parts that are moorable especially South of All Oaks. Tricky to moor between Stretton and Ansty IIRC.

 

The stretch of canal between All Oaks and the bridge you mention, is at first piled (the visitor moorings) but as said, it can get full early. However the bit of canal after that up to the bridge, is deep at the sides and you can get right in. It just means you are on stakes. We moored there (beyond the piling) last month and it was fine.

 

Oh and plus one for the Greyhound.

Edited by nicknorman
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3 minutes ago, BEngo said:

It was designed to fall gently, so you can just knock the catch off.  It doesn't always behave  so keep an eye on it and slow it with your (gloved)  hand if it is going too fast.

 

Being a woman I suspect the OP won't have any problem in reading, understanding and acting upon the simple request that all paddles should be wound down.

 

Quite why you'd want to try and catch it with your hand when you've been provided with a tool to do the job is beyond me. Personally I never wear gloves when working locks either.

 

 

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Depending on your timings, Greyhound at Sutton's, yes, Barley Mow at Newbold yes  Good moorings at Newbold, which from memory also has rubbish disposal shortly before the tunnel.

   The tunnel is, in theory .lit by numerous multi-coloured lights, but last time we went through (2019 I think) the maintenance people had failed to replace the bulbs and not a single one was in working order. So yes, use your headlight. Ansty visitor moorings are pleasant and near a family pub, but they're on bends and, being shortish, tend to fill up quickly. Moorings at Stretton Stop are scarce, but we have moored just round the corner, beyond the tall bridge (railway viaduct?) The "collapsed cutting" hadn't, last time we went through itt, but some parts are unstable and have been sausaged off.

   Like most canals, the N. Oxford has its attractive bits and its boringly functional bits!

   

   

11 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

 

Quite why you'd want to try and catch it with your hand when you've been provided with a tool to do the job is beyond me

 

 

Ouch!

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Another vote for the Hawkesbury Junction trip and fully agree with all Captain Pegg's comments in the first reply. I was based at Stocxkton for a number of years and that was always our "go to" run for a short break. A my preferred quiet, first night mooring, would be Willoughby Wharf, either side of bridge 85  and you can usually find a mooring in the late afternoon - something that can be problematical in Braunston. It's also on your route to Hawkesbury Junction.

 

Calcutt paddle gear has been described but although there are a lot of turns needed it is (was) always kept in good condition and easy to wind.

 

Have a good trip.

 

Howard

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Recently gave the Greyhound a go at Sutton Stop, have always avoided it for some reason, probably due to moorings being full.

We are now converts, lovely food. We were lucky enough to get a walk-in table for 3, recommend booking though as the next three or four parties through the door were not so lucky and this was on a Tuesday night.

Nice pint or two of Abbot had me a bit unsteady back to the boat :D 

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Just now, Nightwatch said:

 No mooring on the bank opposite the houses. 

This, so we were once told, is because the moored boats would be level with the houses' bedrooms! Perhaps curtains have not yet reached that part of the world.

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Book the Greyhound if you are planning on eating there.

 

Re Q5, I don't use the tunnel light in Newbold tunnel but on one occasion I got a lot of verbal abuse from another boater as they claimed not to be able to see me even though they had waited at the end for me to exit the tunnel.

 

Re Q8, there is usually vlockies at Hillmorton.  I have found them a bit hit or miss in the past, sometime there are only at the bottom locks, some are helpful and some not.  I have requested they don't help me and had them huff off to their tearoom.  The locks are in pairs and you can use either side, last time I arrived at the top there was a queue of boats all waiting for the lock on the towpath side so I went over and started working the lock on the other side as there was nothing wrong with it.

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4 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

We once ventured into the Club at Ansty. Good beer, good simple food and welcoming. Moor before you get to the Club though. No mooring on the bank opposite the houses. Enjoy.

Never seen a spot to moor there yet, or at the Barley Mow, which seems a favourite spot for van lifers now due to the water point i guess.

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Ansty - we had a pretty decent and inexpensive meal in Ansty Club about 3 had or 4 years ago after Nightwatch recommended it to us. You have to moor on the curved bit between between the pub garden and the bridge, i.e. before you reach the waterpoint. Depending what time you arrive it may be full.

 https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186403-d7624162-Reviews-The_Ansty-Coventry_West_Midlands_England.html

 

 

Newbold - a good alternative to food in the Barley Mow is the Fishsmiths chippie about 5 minutes walk from the pub, turn left out of the car park and you'll see it a few hundred yards ahead of you on the right.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g4053377-d13151435-Reviews-Fishsmiths-Newbold_Rugby_Warwickshire_England.html

 

Recycling - for years we have been taking our recycling home with us (on trips of no more than 2 weeks). However, I recently read some advice from CRT that said recycling can go into their red Biffa bins as these are sorted to pull out the recycling. I would think it needs to go in loose as bagged stuff would probably be assumed as containing rubbish. There are dedicated recycling bins at Hawksbury Junction. See note below *

 

For the last night, unless you are happy with an early start the following morning, I would suggest coming down the 3 Calcutt locks and then mooring on stakes (pins) anywhere you fancy on the straight stretch after the 1st (or 2nd) entrance to Ventnor Marina. Alternatively continue on as far as the Willow Wren centre at Nelson Wharf, with its two large wooden buildings and 3(?) holiday pods. You can moor just before it (but not opposite) or between their arm entrance and the next bridge. This gives you a very short trip back to base the next morning and also the opportunity to walk ahead to The Boat Inn for good beer and food on your last evening. So I'm told!  I haven't been in for several years but I believe it's still good. I'm sure others will correct me if it's gone downhill.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g504202-d6873603-Reviews-The_Boat_Inn-Rugby_Warwickshire_England.html

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/specialist-teams/maintaining-our-waterways/maintaining-our-facilities/bins-and-recycling/faqs-about-bins-and-recycling

 "Our general waste bins are also sorted after collection, with more than 90% of waste from our customer sites and from Canal & River Trust offices and worksites diverted from landfill and recycled."

Edited by Lily Rose
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1) Not really eating out but I'd recommend fish and chips from the chippy at the far end of Brinklow high street. 

 

Only a very few F&C shops in Englandshire do REALLY GOOD cod and chips. The Brinklow shop one of them.

 

Flippin' long walk from the canal though IIRC, but you're most of the way there by the time you get to the castle!

 

 

 

 

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34 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

Ansty - we had a pretty decent and inexpensive meal in Ansty Club about 3 had or 4 years ago after Nightwatch recommended it to us. You have to moor on the curved bit between between the pub garden and the bridge, i.e. before you reach the waterpoint. Depending what time you arrive it may be full.

 https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186403-d7624162-Reviews-The_Ansty-Coventry_West_Midlands_England.html

 

 

Newbold - a good alternative to food in the Barley Mow is the Fishsmiths chippie about 5 minutes walk from the pub, turn left out of the car park and you'll see it a few hundred yards ahead of you on the right.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g4053377-d13151435-Reviews-Fishsmiths-Newbold_Rugby_Warwickshire_England.html

 

Recycling - for years we have been taking our recycling home with us (on trips of no more than 2 weeks). However, I recently read some advice from CRT that said recycling can go into their red Biffa bins as these are sorted to pull out the recycling. I would think it needs to go in loose as bagged stuff would probably be assumed as containing rubbish. There are dedicated recycling bins at Hawksbury Junction. See note below *

 

For the last night, unless you are happy with an early start the following morning, I would suggest coming down the 3 Calcutt locks and then mooring on stakes (pins) anywhere you fancy on the straight stretch after the 1st (or 2nd) entrance to Ventnor Marina. Alternatively continue on as far as the Willow Wren centre at Nelson Wharf, with its two large wooden buildings and 3(?) holiday pods. You can moor just before it (but not opposite) or between their arm entrance and the next bridge. This gives you a very short trip back to base the next morning and also the opportunity to walk ahead to The Boat Inn for good beer and food on your last evening. So I'm told!  I haven't been in for several years but I believe it's still good. I'm sure others will correct me if it's gone downhill.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g504202-d6873603-Reviews-The_Boat_Inn-Rugby_Warwickshire_England.html

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/specialist-teams/maintaining-our-waterways/maintaining-our-facilities/bins-and-recycling/faqs-about-bins-and-recycling

 "Our general waste bins are also sorted after collection, with more than 90% of waste from our customer sites and from Canal & River Trust offices and worksites diverted from landfill and recycled."

The boat Inn is very good for food, not cheap though and if the weather is not good, ie you don't want to be outside then you need to book.

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26 minutes ago, john6767 said:

The boat Inn is very good for food, not cheap though and if the weather is not good, ie you don't want to be outside then you need to book.

 

That's good, sounds like it has improved since we last visited in 2019. 

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1 hour ago, alias said:

 

That's good, sounds like it has improved since we last visited in 2019. 

Yes it has for sure.  After seeming to struggle with multiple owners/tenants in resent years it seems to be stable now

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13 hours ago, MtB said:

1) Not really eating out but I'd recommend fish and chips from the chippy at the far end of Brinklow high street. 

 

Only a very few F&C shops in Englandshire do REALLY GOOD cod and chips. The Brinklow shop one of them.

 

Flippin' long walk from the canal though IIRC, but you're most of the way there by the time you get to the castle!

 

 

 

 

Another vote for the Brinklow chippy. Found the Hillmorton one pretty respectable, too.

 

Where I moored was only a fairly short walk on a footpath through to the main street in Brinklow. It was just north of the Brinklow Aqueduct, but you'll need something to keep you off the side here ( I have a couple of tyres, handy accessories on the N Oxford). Last winter when I was there the towpath was a muddy trial, but that's by no means the only place you'd encounter mud on the North Oxford at that time of year.

 

Rugby golf course (do they play Rugby golf with egg-shaped balls?) provides a couple of excellent mooring options, Armco too. Slight noise from the road, but mostly peaceful. Just east of Bridge 68. With a bicycle you can take advantage of a bike path on the road back to Rugby and the large shopping centre, including Tesco. Or a short pleasant walk into Hillmorton village for more local shops.

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The moorings at Brownsover are quieter than you’d imagine, and an easy walk to the retail park or down “the black path” to the big Tesco. You will take your life in your hands crossing the A426 to get to the Bell & Barge where you should book if you don’t want a wasted trip (DAMHIK).

 

The moorings by Rugby Golf course have the added bonus of the occasional free ball, seen several go in the cut whilst moored there and the boat in front of us got hit, so something to look out for.

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15 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

The moorings at Brownsover are quieter than you’d imagine, and an easy walk to the retail park or down “the black path” to the big Tesco. You will take your life in your hands crossing the A426 to get to the Bell & Barge where you should book if you don’t want a wasted trip (DAMHIK).

 

The moorings by Rugby Golf course have the added bonus of the occasional free ball, seen several go in the cut whilst moored there and the boat in front of us got hit, so something to look out for.

 

True about the Bell & Barge but I'd recommend a meal of gruel and water on the boat in preference to a Harvester.

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1 minute ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

True about the Bell & Barge but I'd recommend a meal of gruel and water on the boat in preference to a Harvester.

Years ago, about six years, I ventured into the Bell &Barge for a beer. Whilst waiting I heard a commotion from the kitchen direction. After waiting for a while who I took as being the Manager(ess) came out and said the ‘so and so’ thinks he’s a bloody cook for some reason. It have never eaten in there. Many do, I don’t.

Theres a Hungry Horse (Peckish Donkey I call it) down beyond Tesco for standard fayre.

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