The K and A Bradford on Avon and beyond..........The reality please

[Uptonlaunch]

Hello all,

 

We have had a plastic small boat on the Severn for 8 years now, keep umming and ahhing about going bigger but ours does canals as well beam wise and we rarely overnight.

 

We get our narrowboat "fix" each year by hiring (ABC), have done for the last 5 years and have done the Mon and Brec / Brum / Severn / Stratford etc.

 

Shortly we are having a week starting at Hilperton on the K and A, the missus wanted to go West to visit Bradford and beyond, and we were looking forward to a new trip, but for some reason whilst looking at spots and moorings online  (we have the Pearson) I stumbled on Trip Advisor (yes I know!) which told a fair few tales of woe about the number of full time live aboards and wide beams etc.

 

No idea if the reviewers were new to boating and expected a clear run, from the wording of some comments about the state of some boats I suspect not (again seen allsorts, and even recovered an abandoned / vandalised  drifting shed of a cruiser and re-moored ourselfs it last year whilst out).

 

We have seen the lot in our travels, not our first Rodeo etc. but just wondered just how busy / how many clear stretches it actually is in this direction please.

 

ATB, Ted

[Peugeot 106]

It’s fine. It all adds to the colour! We enjoyed it. You only get proper yobbos up North were I am. We travelled at much the same pace as on any other canal. Have a good holiday

[magpie patrick]

45 minutes ago, Uptonlaunch said:

Hello all,

 

We have had a plastic small boat on the Severn for 8 years now, keep umming and ahhing about going bigger but ours does canals as well beam wise and we rarely overnight.

 

We get our narrowboat "fix" each year by hiring (ABC), have done for the last 5 years and have done the Mon and Brec / Brum / Severn / Stratford etc.

 

Shortly we are having a week starting at Hilperton on the K and A, the missus wanted to go West to visit Bradford and beyond, and we were looking forward to a new trip, but for some reason whilst looking at spots and moorings online  (we have the Pearson) I stumbled on Trip Advisor (yes I know!) which told a fair few tales of woe about the number of full time live aboards and wide beams etc.

 

No idea if the reviewers were new to boating and expected a clear run, from the wording of some comments about the state of some boats I suspect not (again seen allsorts, and even recovered an abandoned / vandalised  drifting shed of a cruiser and re-moored ourselfs it last year whilst out).

 

We have seen the lot in our travels, not our first Rodeo etc. but just wondered just how busy / how many clear stretches it actually is in this direction please.

 

ATB, Ted

 

Yes, there are a lot of liveaboards, and nearly every hire boat starting from Bradford and Hilperton heads to Bath, so it's busy - but it is not so crammed that you will have to cruise on into the night unable to find a mooring. When I walk of an evening from Dundas to Winsley I often see boats finding a mooring after 7pm, although not at Dundas Aqueduct obviously

 

You need to go down the lock to visit Bradford, you are unlikely to be able to moor above it - there are 24 hour moorings just below the lock which often have space. For these your competition is not the liveaboards but the other hire boats.

 

If you want to visit Bath, be prepared to go down to the river and to moor at Avon Street (which is much closer to the centre anyway) - above the locks is busy, you may get in half way down the locks, Pulteney Bridge by the rugby ground is not an option. 

[Peugeot 106]

3 minutes ago, Peugeot 106 said:

It’s fine. It all adds to the colour! We enjoyed it. You only get proper yobbos up North were I am. We travelled at much the same pace as on any other canal. Have a good holiday

Sorry i’m not specifically commenting on your stretch. We travelled the whole canal. I can’t remember your stretch but equally I can’t remember any problems

[booke23]

Personally I find the stretch from Bradford to Dundas a bit unpleasant. The canal and scenery is nice enough, but it is dominated by wrecked boats and has a bit of a slum feel about it in places. You might even see the famous George Ward living in a tent on the towpath, and witness where he has been emptying his toilet down the bank. Bradford on Avon can be busy, there can be quite a queue to go up the lock if you hit it at the wrong time. 

 

On the plus side, Bradford on Avon and Bath are lovely places to visit. 

[sueb]

There is a good fish and chip shop by Bradford on avon rail station.

[Cas446]

There are a huge number of hire boats from below Caen Hill to Bath, so the issue you will have is other hire boats. You will find moorings at Bradford and Bathampton and if you arrive early afternoon at the top of Bath, so plan to go onto the river and moor at Avon Steet. Also do some of the river and return to Bath.

If you don't like other boats you'll hate it, and you will probably get shouted at to slow down regardless of how slow you go. However if you enjoy looking at boats that are different in many unique ways and mixing it with other boats (I.e. like the Llangollen in summer) you will enjoy it. Enjoy.

[dmr]

2 hours ago, sueb said:

There is a good fish and chip shop by Bradford on avon rail station.

 

Not been there for a while now but it used to be just about ok to buy the chips then take them into the Three Horseshoes to eat them.

[Uptonlaunch]

9 hours ago, Cas446 said:

 

If you don't like other boats you'll hate it, and you will probably get shouted at to slow down regardless of how slow you go. However if you enjoy looking at boats that are different in many unique ways and mixing it with other boats (I.e. like the Llangollen in summer) you will enjoy it. Enjoy.

We spent a while on Youtube with a "Bradford on Avon Canal" search, this brought up a guy walking from Bradford to Dundas, and another someone cycling, with a couple of others these were actually more informative than the host of boaters videos which seemed all about dogs / coffee and one even washing nappys in the sink.

 

We have done LLangowen and met the widebeams with thrusters who have no regard for "normal" boats etc.

 

We do prefer it a bit quieter to be fair, some of the mooring was atrocious in position (bends / bridges)  but I was especially struck by the dilapilated state of many of the boats I saw in the videos.

 

Up where I moor the Canal Ramblers and Towpath users org. hate that it's private water and even have tried to do "boat surveys" etc, leading to some letters being sent out to folk who never leave the marina, so don't need a licence, I get sniffy emails and letters every year as only licence for the 6 months I venture out onto the Severn / Avon / Worcs canal, have done for 8 years now.

 

I reckon some of the rougher ones I saw in those videos (a couple of which also looked to be in 24/48 slots) would get short shrift in Worcs., maybe it's a case of sheer numbers to police on the K and A?

 

Anyway, I am sure that is a seperate discussion to be had.

 

We also had the shouty type before despite being on idle with zero wake when passing , I reckon the old witch sat at her side hatch all day, and shouted at the moon when no boats were passing.

 

Have also seen an ABC 70 footer with a group of lads on, smoking and thrashing water, with six lads on the roof  (3 each side) doing an Hawaii 5-0 theme tune whilst pretending to paddle, we picked up cans for miles after that one.

 

Also had "ah...hirers" comments when mooring at the end of the LLangowen by a guy with a new boat, so made a point of turning and parking up nicely as under observation.

 

He looked to have watched "the bargee" a few times to many with all the associated clobber (folk festival get up), but ironically the next day we followed him back and he was bleedin' all over the shop, so a "buy a lifestyle" geezer than than someone who has been on the cut for years we decided.

 

ATB, Ted

Edited May 12, 2023 by Uptonlaunch

[Alan de Enfield]

32 minutes ago, Uptonlaunch said:

Also had "ah...hirers" comments when mooring at the end of the LLangowen by a guy with a new boat, so made a point of turning and parking up nicely as under observation.

 

Where is the "Llangowen" you speak of so fondly ?

 

I presume from the spelling it is in Wales, but I cannot find it on any map.

 

There is tho, an "Ellangowan" in Scotland

[Hudds Lad]

3 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Where is the "Llangowen" you speak of so fondly ?

 

I presume from the spelling it is in Wales, but I cannot find it on any map.

 

There is tho, an "Ellangowan" in Scotland

You've misspelled "though"

[Alan de Enfield]

2 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

You've misspelled "though"

 

Not according to the "Cambridge" dictionary & the "Mirriam 'spellings and meanings dictionary"

 

While never extremely common, tho and thru have a long history of occasional use as spelling variants of though and through. Their greatest popularity occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when their adoption was advocated by spelling reformers. Their current use occurs chiefly in informal writing (as in personal letters) and in some technical journals.

 

 

Tho (adverb)

alternative spelling of though

[Uptonlaunch]

To be fair it's all goobledegook once your are past Monmouth.............

[Hudds Lad]

6 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Not according to the "Cambridge" dictionary & the "Mirriam 'spellings and meanings dictionary"

 

While never extremely common, tho and thru have a long history of occasional use as spelling variants of though and through. Their greatest popularity occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when their adoption was advocated by spelling reformers. Their current use occurs chiefly in informal writing (as in personal letters) and in some technical journals.

 

 

Tho (adverb)

alternative spelling of though

I still think picking on spelling is a low blow though, unless done light-hearted for comedic purposes, which yours wasn't.

 

We've all had keyboard mishaps and you knew Llangollen was implied, another nice welcome to a new member  

[MtB]

33 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

There is tho, an "Ellangowan" in Scotland

 

 

Famous for its canal, IIRC!

 

 

 

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

16 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

I still think picking on spelling is a low blow though,

 

And yet you jump on it immediately - how 'low' does that make you ?

 

Glass house / stone ....................

[ditchcrawler]

34 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

I still think picking on spelling is a low blow though, unless done light-hearted for comedic purposes, which yours wasn't.

 

We've all had keyboard mishaps and you knew Llangollen was implied, another nice welcome to a new member  

I go along with that 100%

[Hudds Lad]

21 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

And yet you jump on it immediately - how 'low' does that make you ?

 

Glass house / stone ....................

If you can't see why i did it, there's not much point continuing. You obviously didn't like it, how do you think the OP felt?

[Alan de Enfield]

24 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

If you can't see why i did it, there's not much point continuing. You obviously didn't like it, how do you think the OP felt?

 

It wasn't that I didn't like it, I was simply pointing out that you made an error by suggesting that my spelling of 'tho' was incorrect.

If you are going to be nit-picking you really should ensure that you are correct, or, it is you that ends up looking the fool.

[ditchcrawler]

4 hours ago, Uptonlaunch said:

We spent a while on Youtube with a "Bradford on Avon Canal" search, this brought up a guy walking from Bradford to Dundas, and another someone cycling, with a couple of others these were actually more informative than the host of boaters videos which seemed all about dogs / coffee and one even washing nappys in the sink.

 

 

 

 

 

That sounds a good idea as they tend to video as they bike or walk, not just in in the cabin telling you how wonderful they are 

[Dave123]

Just returned from a fortnight's cruise over to Bath and back. Was pleasantly surprised at how quiet and easy to moor it was on the whole stretch from below Caen hill to Bath. Bath itself was the only place that was very busy and we had to go down 3 of the Widcombe locks to find a mooring. There are good 2 day moorings in the pound here and plenty of room to wind if you don't fancy doing more locks onto the river. BoA was pretty quiet and moored on the visitor mooring rings on the way there and the way back. Plenty of general towpath space too all along the way from Bathampton through Claverton, Dundas and Avoncliff. In fact only Honey Street (and above the locks in Bath) were noticeably bad in terms of obvious overstaying on the short stay moorings

[adrianh]

Yesterday only a very few moorings within a mile of Bradford on Avon lock each way as everything is populated with the continuous moorer brigade again.

All visitor moorings at Dundas also filled, so if you are on a hire boat currently mooring not easy.

Also told by a passer by that the Cross Guns Avoncliff was not doing food, I have heard this a few times recently.

Heading on towards Bath soon so hopefully it is clearer there!

[Dave123]

15 hours ago, adrianh said:

Yesterday only a very few moorings within a mile of Bradford on Avon lock each way as everything is populated with the continuous moorer brigade again.

All visitor moorings at Dundas also filled, so if you are on a hire boat currently mooring not easy.

Also told by a passer by that the Cross Guns Avoncliff was not doing food, I have heard this a few times recently.

Heading on towards Bath soon so hopefully it is clearer there!

Cross guns was doing food the other week. Best moorings for Avoncliff are before/East of the aqueduct. For some stupid reason BW put the visitor mooring bollards the other side where there is a big underwater ledge. I guess if anything your observations show people do move about as Dundas and BoA had quite a lot of spaces both times we went through earlier this month. Probably Bath will be quieter then, also the Avon is opening up now so boats will head down there too.

[Uptonlaunch]

On 18/05/2023 at 22:14, adrianh said:

Yesterday only a very few moorings within a mile of Bradford on Avon lock each way as everything is populated with the continuous moorer brigade again.

All visitor moorings at Dundas also filled, so if you are on a hire boat currently mooring not easy.

Also told by a passer by that the Cross Guns Avoncliff was not doing food, I have heard this a few times recently.

Heading on towards Bath soon so hopefully it is clearer there!

Well we are back, so a basic review as sat about waiting for a parcel delivery, attached a couple of photos, may do an album and a link if I get some time another day, just my personal thoughts / observations / interactions from some of the many we had, all in all we found actual canal cruising was quieter than expected, banks were more busy!

 

Yesterday two just spaces from Bradford going towards Hilpurton  as per the comment above .....even the waiting points at the lock by the Bradford CRT cafe were occupied by an un-occupied  C.M. boat as we came through late afternoon, no-one about so missus had to walk onwards on the path to a CRT workboat where she got back on by going across this..... but we were lucky a bit  further on as a hirer was leaving to return her boat early so got the very last free spot in town (and as it turned out for the next mile plus towards Hilpurton!....... as we saw for ourselves when leaving early Friday A.M.) 

 

At Dundas the day before exactly the same,  also all 24/48 slots at both ends at Dundas were filled by the same C.M.  boats as we saw on the way towards Bath earlier in the week after looking back through our photos, but we got in maybe 400-500 yards North of the crane.

 

We ate at the Guns last weekend at least (maybe like the excellent chippy in Bradford they just have currant ongoing irregular staff shortage issues) , and got a spot about 200 yards past the barn, saw the infamous tent further as we walked to the Guns (Bongos till late and a haze of skunk, plus regular visits by punk / goth youngsters when we were there).

 

We tend to stay and explore rather than do huge cruises if there are things to see, so only did Hilpurton to Bath boats and back in 7 nights, plus went for the festival at Bradford anyway as I am also a musician, so that is why we picked last week.

 

So we did 2 days in Bradford, American Museum, Pump house (more later), long walks along the coal canal junction / marina / school area, same in Bath Holburne museum and gardens, all the wonderful canalside and bridge structures etc. etc.

 

This gave us lots of opportunities to observe / chat etc., so met some varied types with decidedly very polar opinions.

 

My own is the whole shebang needs a sort out regarding more policing the worst of the mooring , especially in regard to position, never seen the like in regard to large boats right by bridges / narrows / access to swing bridges and winding points (the "form" at windings seems to be to leave about 50 feet or less clear grudgingly at the bank)....So fine you can turn with reversing etc. but it is much harder if your boat is near the length limit and also you get the death stares for some reason.

 

 

You can take a view one way or the other depending regarding the appearance of a lot of the C.M. boats, and the lifestyle, I rode a custom motorbike and went to the Henge and all sorts of iffy rallys and festivals in the 70's and early 80's and knew folks in the convoy, plus since then have worked in some dodgy countries so am unshockable and have seen all sorts.

 

The totally open, widespread and obvious drug use (smoking) was commented on a lot, as even "normal" folks these days know the smell it seems, I had to laugh at one boat where they had joss sticks burning up front to I suppose they thought hide the smell, but the guy inside was openly toking on a Notting Hill special sized cone inside with a haze we smelt 50 yards away as we approached, saw possible signs of low level dealing /delivery too in the length before the Barn at Bradford, maybe it's like Pizza thesedays. just ring up for home delivery...we saw / smelt a lot about so it's getting there somehow!

 

We met two hire boaters who said never again, one had been coming over to English canals from Italy for 15 years and had done the canal twice before, last time was a bit pre-covid, they had a long boat (we always get a 49 footer) and was really fed up with the lack of mooring compared to years past, and the mess as he saw it, said he thought it had got far worse in every way.

 

The others were second timers who had previously done a long weekend up near Worcester before where it's quiet and open countryside and were just taken aback by the state of the canal / lack of mooring at designated spots in the book and had seen a few things / been shouted at for what they deemed no reason, a pair of ladies in their 60's who were struggling with planks and shallow ledges / overgrown areas so had been lucky with help from passers by, as indeed we needed at one spot, just kept it close until a kind chap took the centreline and I could get the plank across more safely.

 

 

I also spoke to a guy doing up a rat boat, he said "all the folks around here" (this was maybe 200 yards from the tent) "rip the arse out if it" and have the CRT "running" as he put it as there are I suppose so man es to deal with, he said they come (CRT) Tuesdays at a certain time, but a plethora of stuff / excusescan be seemingly employed to get another couple of weeks or longer, from break downs to health / covid  to all sorts and you never get the £25 fine, so just stretch it out until it's an issue, then trundle up a bit down the canal rinse and repeat.

 

He proclaimed he had been "cruising" from Bath to Bradford for 7 years now, but did say the CRT have been a bit more active of late, I had been playing "find the oldest licence" and had got to 2016, but on some of the worst looking sheds was suprised to see they were legal in regard to licence date, but Lord knows how a BSS or insurance has been obtained as saw some right old bodge ups regarding bottles / BBQ's you name it, plus loads are just bonfires waiting to go up as chock full of combustables.

 

Then on the last night in Bradford we met a guy who had a nice narrowboat based in Devises, he remined me of Keith in "Nuts in May" and basically his solution was death squads and flame throwers for the lot of them, and the usual very British and middle class tirade about "we pay our fees" etc. and "it's just not fair" some of which as someone the CRT sends BBC like letters and emails to for the last 7 years I can sort of agree with (I am on private water / storage and only licence for 6 months / get a 30 day depending)...ie the "low hanging fruit" thing.

 

A straw poll of 6 other boats from when we were waiting to access the marina on return was similar, universal suprise at the mess and varying struggles to find mooring near anything if leaving it till afer 4pm depending on boat size (several larger groups / folk from abroad)....The German and swiss folk especially asked if it was normal, ie. all the rough stuff. I said all canals have a few, and obviously cost of living other factors drive it expecially for younger folk / near cities, but myself had not seen so many before in quite such a state.

 

So yes............very divided opinions!

 

Regarding the rat boats, it's obvious some folk are strugging / have issues......it's one thing deciding to (convoy memories came back) be a middle class "slummer" and be  bit "edgy" and buy a nice £120K widebeam and put a few plants on it and some dreamcatchers and tat........but to actually live on say a 14 foot cuddy with some ply and tarp on top is poverty line / health issue stuff, several of the smaller boats we saw were full of junk and stuff with folks existing on boad (one by bath museum especially looked awful and a health hazard inside)...if you are young you can do this stuff, Lord knows I have slept in some dives / squats after partys and even outside in my youth, but not for long term .........it's obvious even when young it's not a long term solution before health or mental stuff kicks in.

 

I suppose also the "installations" seen along the canal opposite C.M. areas are chalk and cheese too, I suppose the landowners don't mind who knows, but would last 5 mins around here if you welded up some pushbikes, painted them yellow and planted them on the margins of some farmer's field.

 

The pump house at weekends tip.......

 

We stopped there to visit the American museum on Sunday, and from the canal thought a festival was going on or something from the amplified music racket........anyway after a long climb up the hill and a visit then snack at the museum, we came back down to see a lot of cars parked on the main A36 (Claverton) road verges, which were worn, and coming down again from there towards the canal / railway all the passing places on the narrow lane below were full, at the bottom by overflowing bins the same.

 

The pump house was closed but we had look, the noise was from a large group down by the weir having a BBQ, as were a few other groups, several fires going despite the "leave no trace / no fires" huge sign as you cross the railway, so looks like a destination at weekends, may be worth bearing in mind if you don't like drum and bass...

 

All in all, actually no events apart from a widebeam full bore shaking the boat, most folk we encountered actually underway were hirers  apart from a C.M.  boat jammed sideways trying to turn at the Bradford end of Avoncliff as missed the apex, so a short wait there, and another as a doubled up C.M. boat was towing another with no engine / breakdown.

 

And the delightful hum and smell on the must have beaten up, perched somewhere on topside Honda Gennie rattling away one night till 9.15 pm next to us.

 

(The Horsehoes in Bradford seems the place to get the goss as lots of the more decorated boaters go there).

 

Most hire boats were older folk like us, did see one group of lads but nothing rowdy or speeding etc, like above Alvechurch towards Brum.

 

I would dread it peak season, so it's on the "done" list for me!

 

Oh..nearly forgot........cyclists!

 

The CRT (Cyclists / Ramblers / Towpath users) tout the the area as a good route for riders, and as a cyclist (just basic ride to work and MTB) for maybe 40 years I was interested to see the various devices employed like trailers / Dutch load luggers and the like by boaters to either commute (more noticable towards Bath) or get supplies. Most of the C.M. boats had bikes onboard or chained rusty nearby, all very genteel and well behaved with no issues at all, indeed I was impressed by the sharing of space, especially towards Bath as obviously the towpath users are all used to the variety of uses.

 

But be warned.......at weekends small numbers of the lessed spotted grim faced "elite" come out..ie. the timmy mallet specs / neon socks / clippy clop blue areodynamic clog wearing **weirdos** on their £6,000+ carbon bikes.

 

The "you shalt not impede my progress" brigade...now these guys obviously cannot have bells as these are not acceptable to their peers / weigh a few grammes on a bike where a 15g less weight mech is £200........ so just scream "on your right" as they desperately try to break their last saved Strava record.

 

**All MTB riders / ride to work riders / normal weekend recreational riders think the same by the way!.......sorry!**

 

So closest near miss all week award goes to the muppet last Sunday who nearly had a lady struggling with her centreline into the canal....I was just coming out to help her and saw him coming but he must have been doing 25-30, no bell silent approach and when almost on her and he yelled the lady just (as any normal person would) turned and looked, he brushed past without a sideways glance head down.

 

He got some abuse from me, so I am guilty of shouting as well....40 years ago and if me on that rope, well he would be fishing for his bike........

 

Finally...I found a huge set of keys at Dundas on the wharf, including car and safe keys on a cork floater.....asked nearby..... nothing, then tried the key in a nearby van with the same brand and it fitted, so asked everyone about who's the van was.......nothing.

 

Loathe to leave them as you never know who is coming along next so walked down the coal canal to see a guy employed there doing some groundwork / strimming (sorry mate forgotten your name if you are reading this).

 

After calling another mate across from the opposite side who had something to sharpen a pencil,  I ended up with a note with his moble number and name written which I was taking back to the van, and left the keys safe with him.

 

Got back to the wharf and saw a woman stressing so asked if they were hers, she said yes and then rang her daughter to say she had found them.

 

Gave her the note and directions and off she went to the Marina, so thought no more on it as assumed she would use the note to ring / I.D. herself etc.

 

Next day we decided to spend a few hours locally before leaving to explore the two Viaducts /acuaducts / church / coal canal and marina.

 

Blow me first guy I met was the bloke from the evening before and he asked me if I had taken the keys back as when they finished work they were gone, so they spent an hour flapping checking eveywhere.

 

It seemed the lady had just come up and taken them, without leaving the note / ringing him or anything to tell him what was going on...

 

When I first gave her the keys I was not expecting a hug or reward, but her muted reaction was such I put it down to stress or something, as it was a someone's life sized bunch so can imagine the flapping as have been their myself....but hey ho, nowt so strange etc.

 

So if you are reading this, and still have the note........at least  ring in and say say thank you at least to the folks who spend a good bit of time helping you, and also worrying they had re-lost your keys this week please.

 

ATB, Ted

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 20, 2023 by Uptonlaunch

[booke23]

2 hours ago, Uptonlaunch said:

Well we are back, so a basic review as sat about waiting for a parcel delivery, attached a couple of photos, may do an album and a link if I get some time another day, just my personal thoughts / observations / interactions from some of the many we had, all in all we found actual canal cruising was quieter than expected, banks were more busy!

 

Yesterday two just spaces from Bradford going towards Hilpurton  as per the comment above .....even the waiting points at the lock by the Bradford CRT cafe were occupied by an un-occupied  C.M. boat as we came through late afternoon, no-one about so missus had to walk to a CRT workboat where she got back on. but we were lucky a bit  further on as a hirer was leaving to return her boat early so got the very last free spot in town (and as it turned out for the next mile plus towards Hilpurton!....... as we saw for ourselves when leaving early Friday A.M.) 

 

At Dundas the day before exactly the same,  also all 24/48 slots at both ends at Dundas were filled by the same C.M.  boats as we saw on the way towards Bath earlier in the week after looking back through our photos, but we got in maybe 400-500 yards North of the crane.

 

We eat at the Guns last weekend at least (maybe like the excellent chippy in Bradford they just have currant ongoing irregular staff shortage issues) , and got a spot about 200 yards past the barn, saw the infamous tent further as we walked to the Guns (Bongos till late and a haze of skunk, plus regular visits by punk / goth youngsters when we were there).

 

We tend to stay and explore rather than do huge cruises if there are things to see, so only did Hilpurton to Bath boats and back in 7 nights, plus went for the festival at Bradford anyway as I am also a musician, so that is why we picked last week.

 

So we did 2 days in Bradford, American Museum, Pump house (more later), long walks along the coal canal junction / marina / school area, same in Bath museum and gardens, all the wonderful canalside and bridge structures etc. etc.

 

This gave us lots of opportunities to observe / chat etc., so met some varied types with decidedly very polar opinions.

 

My own is the whole shebang needs a sort out regarding more policing the worst of the mooring , especially in regard to position, never seen the like in regard to large boats right by bridges / narrows / access to swing bridges and winding points (the "form" at windings seems to be to leave about 50 feet or less clear grudgingly at the bank)....So fine you can turn with reversing etc. but much harder if your boat is near the length limit and also you get the death stares for some reason.

 

 

You can take a view one way or the other depending regarding the appearance of a lot of the C.M. boats, and the lifestyle, I rode a custom motorbike and went to the Henge and all sorts of iffy rallys and festivals in the 70's and early 80's and knew folks in the convoy, plus since then have worked in some dodgy countries so am unshockable and have seen all sorts.

 

The totally open and obvious drug (smoking) use was commented on a lot, as even "normal" folks these days know the smell it seems, I had to laugh at one boat where they had joss sticks burning up front to I suppose they thought hide the smell, but the guy inside was openly toking on a Notting Hill special sized cone inside with a haze we smelt 50 yards away as we approached, saw possible signs of low level dealing /delivery too in the length before the Barn at Bradford, maybe it's like Pizza thesedays. just ring up for home delivery...we saw / smelt a lot about so it's getting there somehow!

 

We met two hire boaters who said never again, one had been coming over to English canals from Italy for 15 years and had done the canal twice before, last time was a bit pre-covid, they had a long boat (we always get a 49 footer) and was really fed up with the lack of mooring compared to years past, and the mess as he saw it, said he thought it had got far worse in every way.

 

The others were second timers who had previously done a long weekend up near Worcester before where it's quiet and open countryside and were just taken aback by the state of the canal / lack of mooring at designated spots in the book and had seen a few things / been shouted at for what they deemed no reason, a pair of ladies in their 60's who were struggling with planks and shallow ledges / overgrown areas so had been lucky with help from passers by, as indeed we needed at one spot, just kept it close until a kind chap took the centreline and I could get the plank across.

 

 

I also spoke to a guy doing up a rat boat, he said "all the folks around here" (this was maybe 200 yards from the tent) "rip the arse out if it" and have the CRT "running" as it put it as there are so many cases to deal with, he said they come (CRT) Tuesdays at a certain time, but a plethora of stuff can be employed to get another couple of weeks or longer, from break downs to health / covid  to all sorts and you never get the £25 fine, so just stretch it out until it's an issue, then trundle up a bit down the canal rinse and repeat.

 

He proclaimed he had been "cruising" from Bath to Bradford for 7 years now, but did say the CRT have been a bit more active of late, I had been playing "find the oldest licence" and had got to 2016, but on some of the worst looking sheds was suprised to see they were legal in regard to licence date, but Lord knows how a BSS or insurance has been obtained as saw some right old bodge ups regarding bottles / BBQ's you name it, plus loads are just bonfires waiting to go up as chock full of combustables.

 

Then on the last night we met a guy who had a nice narrowboat based in Devises, he remined me of Keith in "Nuts in May" and basically his solution was death squads and flame throwers for the lot of them, and the usual very British and middle class tirade about "we pay our fees" etc. and "it's just not fair" some of which as someone the CRT sends BBC like letters and emails to for the last 7 years I can sort of agree with (I am on private water / storage and only licence for 6 months / get a 30 day depending)...ie the "low hanging fruit" thing.

 

A straw poll of 6 other boats from when we were waiting to access the marina on return was similar, universal suprise at the mess and varying struggles to find mooring near anything if leaving it till afer 4pm depending on boat size (several larger groups / folk from abroad)....The German and swiss folk especially asked if it was normal, ie. all the rough stuff. I said all canals have a few, and obviously cost of living other factors drive it expecially for younger folk / near cities, but myself had not seen so many before in quite such a state.

 

So yes............very divided opinions!

 

Regarding the rat boats, it's obvious some folk are strugging / have issues......it's one thing deciding to (convoy memories came back) be a middle class "slummer" and be  bit "edgy" and buy a nice £120K widebeam and put a few plants on it and some dreamcatchers and tat........but to actually live on say a 14 foot cuddy with some ply and tarp on top is poverty line / health issue stuff, several of the smaller boats we saw were full of junk and stuff with folks existing on boad (one by bath museum especially looked awful and a health hazard inside)...if you are young you can do this stuff, Lord knows I have slept in some dives / squats after partys and even outside in my youth, but not for long term .........it's obvious even when young it's not a long term solution before health or mental stuff kicks in.

 

I suppose also the "installations" seen along the canal opposite C.M. areas are chalk and cheese too, I suppose the landowners don't mind who knows, but would last 5 mins around here if you welded up some pushbikes, painted them yellow and planted them on the margins of some farmer's field.

 

The pump house at weekends tip.......

 

We stopped there to visit the American museum on Sunday, and from the canal thought a festival was going on or something from the amplified music racket........anyway after a long climb up the hill and a visit then snack at the museum, we came back down to see a lot of cars parked on the main A36 (Claverton) road verges, which were worn, and coming down again from there towards the canal / railway all the passing places on the narrow lane below were full, at the bottom by overflowing bins the same.

 

The pump house was closed but we had look, the noise was from a large group down by the weir having a BBQ, as were a few other groups, several fires going despite the "leave no trace / no fires" huge sign as you cross the railway, so looks like a destination at weekends, may be worth bearing in mind if you don't like drum and bass...

 

All in all, actually no events apart from a widebeam full bore shaking the boat, most folk we encountered actually underway were hirers  apart from a C.M.  boat jammed sideways trying to turn at the Bradford end of Avoncliff as missed the apex, so a short wait there, and another as a doubled up C.M. boat was towing another with no engine / breakdown.

 

(The Horsehoes in Bradford seems the place to get the goss as lots of the more decorated boaters go there).

 

Most hire boats were older folk like us, did see one group of lads but nothing rowdy or speeding etc, like above Alvechurch towards Brum.

 

I would dread it peak season, so it's on the "done" list for me!

 

Oh..nearly forgot........cyclists!

 

The CRT (Cyclists / Ramblers / Towpath users) tout the the area as a good route for riders, and as a cyclist (just basic ride to work and MTB) for maybe 40 years I was interested to see the various devices employed like trailers / Dutch load luggers and the like by boaters to either commute (more noticable towards Bath) or get supplies. Most of the C.M. boats had bikes onboard or chained rusty nearby, all very genteel and well behaved with no issues at all, indeed I was impressed by the sharing of space, especially towards Bath as obviously the towpath users are all used to the variety of uses.

 

But be warned.......at weekends small numbers of the lessed spotted grim faced "elite" come out..ie. the timmy mallet specs / neon socks / clippy clop blue areodynamic clog wearing **weirdos** on their £6,000+ carbon bikes.

 

The "you shalt not impede my progress" brigade...now these guys obviously cannot have bells as these are not acceptable to their peers, so just scream "on your right" as they desperately try to break their last saved Strava record.

 

**All MTB riders / ride to work riders / normal weekend recreational riders think the same by the way!.......sorry!**

 

So closest near miss all week award goes to the muppet last Sunday who nearly had a lady struggling with her centreline into the canal....I was just coming out to help her and saw him coming but he must have been doing 25-30, no bell silent approach and when almost on her and he yelled the lady just (as any normal person would) turned and looked, he brushed past without a sideways glance head down.

 

He got some abuse from me, so I am guilty of shouting as well....40 years ago and if me on that rope, well he would be fishing for his bike........

 

Finally...I found a huge set of keys at Dundas on the wharf, including car and safe keys on a cork floater.asked nearby nothing, then tried the key in a nearby van with the same brand and it fitted, so asked everyone about who's the van was.......nothing.

 

Loathe to leave them as you never know who is coming ext so walked down the coal canal to see a guy doing some groundwork / strimming (sorry mate forgotten your name if you are reading this).

 

After calling a mate across from the opposite side I ended up with a note with his moble which I was taking back to the van, and left the keys safe with him.

 

Got back to the wharf and saw a woman stressing so asked if they were hers, she said yes and then rang her daughter to say she had found them.

 

Gave her the note and directions and off she went to the Marina, so thought no more on it as assumed she would use the note to ring / I.D. herself etc.

 

Next day we decided to spend a few hours locally before leaving to explore the two Viaducts /acuaducts / church / coal canal and marina.

 

Blow me first guy I met was the bloke from the evening before and he asked me if I had taken the keys back as when they finished work they were gone, so they spent an hour flapping checking eveywhere.

 

It seemed the lady had just come up andf taken them, without leaving the note / ringing him or anything to tell him what was going on...

 

When I first gave her the keys I was not expecting a hug or reward, but her muted reaction was such I put it down to stress or something, as it was a someone's life sized bunch so can imagine the flapping as have been their myself....but hey ho, nowt so strange etc.

 

So if you are reading this, and still have the note........at least  ring in and say say thank you at least to the folks who spend a good bit of time helping you this week please.

 

ATB, Ted

 

 

 

Thank you for that very comprehensive write up!

 

Yep, a very accurate account of the situation down there and exactly how I find it every time I'm there.