Two Month Route Ideas With Winter Closures?

[SarahSails]

Hi Everyone!

 

I'm picking up a boat in Oxford this October for two months, and would love all your suggestions for a two month trip considering the winter stoppages. Leaving Oxford and returning the the start of the Napton Locks.

 

It's a bit of a complex puzzle so would love everyones ideas! 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

How far would you like to travel each day on average in lock miles? That gives an idea what sort of radius you'll need to check out the planned stoppages in CaRT's current plans. Keep in mind that daylight hours will be dropping rapidly through your hire period. If the boat is a cruiser stern, then the number of hours you can stay at the tiller is limited by low temperatures and rain, before it becomes too miserable. Trads, especially with stoves by the stern doors have the advantage, as the design evolved for year round commercial boating. They are not usual for hire boats though. Autumn cruises can be very atmospheric, with the leaves changing and mist on the water.

[SarahSails]

I was thinking I'd like to travel for 3-5 hours per day??

[magpie patrick]

The first thing to note is that, in the draft stoppage list Heyford Common Lock and Napton Locks close on the 6th of November - so get through the southern Oxford by then (they reopen on the 24th November but as you're not coming back that's not a problem). If you are starting at the beginning of October that won't be a problem - even if starting at the end of October it's doable but don't dawdle. 

 

[Arthur Marshall]

Whatever you choose, allow at least two weeks of the trip for unplanned stoppages or diversions. Even in summer (what CRT calls the boating season ) it is now impossible to even plan a one month trip without running into problems.

[SarahSails]

6 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Whatever you choose, allow at least two weeks of the trip for unplanned stoppages or diversions. Even in summer (what CRT calls the boating season ) it is now impossible to even plan a one month trip without running into problems.

 

 

That is excellent advice! Thank you so much! 

15 minutes ago, magpie patrick said:

The first thing to note is that, in the draft stoppage list Heyford Common Lock and Napton Locks close on the 6th of November - so get through the southern Oxford by then (they reopen on the 24th November but as you're not coming back that's not a problem). If you are starting at the beginning of October that won't be a problem - even if starting at the end of October it's doable but don't dawdle. 

 

Okay Roger! Ive been trying to decode the stoppages list, but its all so meaningless to try and decipher not knowing the canals so well! 

[Tonka]

Has the boat got somewhere to laundry clothes as this is fairly important. Yes you can hand wash some items but drying those items normally involves somewhere for them to drip dry or put in front of a fire

[SarahSails]

3 minutes ago, Tonka said:

Has the boat got somewhere to laundry clothes as this is fairly important. Yes you can hand wash some items but drying those items normally involves somewhere for them to drip dry or put in front of a fire

Yes, I have a washer/dryer on board! 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

2 hours ago, SarahSails said:

I was thinking I'd like to travel for 3-5 hours per day??

Reasonable. So using lock miles, 3mph, or 6 locks per hour should give you an idea of how far you can go. 6 locks an hour, or ten minutes a lock works well for narrow locks, but broad locks are slower, perhaps 4 per hour, depending on how well maintained they are and if you arrive with them set against you. A single hander will likely be slower, perhaps taking a third to a half more time than a crew of two.

With interpreting the winter stoppage thing, get a map of the system, plot a route that seems nice, work out lock miles, for a daily plan (canalplan.org.uk is good for automating this, if you set your preferences to say 4hrs per day), then look through the canals on it in the winter stoppages and see how that affects you. There is no short cut to doing quite a bit of planning work I'm afraid. You can get a long way in to a plan, find an insurmountable problem and have to seriously revise it, or scrap it and start again. Some weird people like doing this sort of thing! Include some rest days to go visit nearby things, or if the wind and rain are sweeping across the country and you can tie up while it passes and be snug inside without wrecking your schedule.

[Rob-M]

As a rough guide to planning a trip I usually start with adding number of miles to number of locks and then divide by 3 to give number of hours.  This usually then gives a reasonable amount of spare time if doing a lot of locks.

[Arthur Marshall]

See if you can find a copy of Chris Clegg's Canal Time Map. This shows a diagrammatic version of the system showing places 2 hours apart (also 6, 8 and 10). It's remarkably accurate. It's on an A4 size card.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

15 hours ago, SarahSails said:

It's a bit of a complex puzzle so would love everyones ideas

I’d say simply head up Country and keep your options open as you go. 
 

Not having any idea of your experience or previous travels it’s difficult to know what to recommend. 
 

 

[ditchcrawler]

7 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

See if you can find a copy of Chris Clegg's Canal Time Map. This shows a diagrammatic version of the system showing places 2 hours apart (also 6, 8 and 10). It's remarkably accurate. It's on an A4 size card.

I have one, the wife is often checking what I say with it, Bought from IWA £4 Canal Time Map by Chris Clegg - Inland Waterways

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

4 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I have one, the wife is often checking what I say with it, Bought from IWA £4 Canal Time Map by Chris Clegg - Inland Waterways

I think mine has 4 hours one side and two the other. I don’t often use it. 
But yes it is pretty good. 

[Hudds Lad]

22 minutes ago, Goliath said:

I think mine has 4 hours one side and two the other. I don’t often use it. 
But yes it is pretty good. 

Mine's 2hrs on one side covering the A4, then the reverse is 6, 8 & 10 smaller and with destructions for the whole affair, v2.7 it says.

[ditchcrawler]

37 minutes ago, Goliath said:

I think mine has 4 hours one side and two the other. I don’t often use it. 
But yes it is pretty good. 

I don't, I just get told

[Rob-M]

I've just ordered one, Mrs-M will like looking at that.

[Tony1]

 

This is not so much a route issue, more a seasonal one, and my apologies if you've already covered it off- but will the boat have a solid fuel stove, or diesel CH?

I didnt have a SF stove at first, but I found the diesel CH was ok up to about mid October - although by early November, I was often running it for up to 7 or 8 hours a day to stay comfortable, and that used a lot of diesel.

But once you get into November, and especially if its a cold one, most boaters would tell you that a solid fuel stove will be much the better option. 

 

 

[SarahSails]

I have both!

[Tony1]

30 minutes ago, SarahSails said:

I have both!

 

Now you're just showing off!  😀

 

But if you want to be a twisted firestarter (even if you dont have the Prodigy hairstyle), make sure you don't forget to bring those long matches, and suitable fuel for you preferred method of starting the fire. 

Many people use wood kindling, but I find that a brace of dried voles works really well in getting the fire up and running in adverse conditions.

(Other rodents are available).

 

Edited July 13, 2023 by Tony1