Mooring choice between Wolverhampton and Crewe

[max campbell]

We're considering 4 potential mooring places for the next few years. Any boaters with experience of Norbury Wharf; Great Haywood Marina; King's Bromley or Hatherton Marina. I haven't heard from Norbury yet about availability, but we're only 31' and all the others have space for later this year. Comments other than direct experience also welcome.

[Rob-M]

We have been in Great Haywood for the last 5 years, we like it as a location as there are 3 directions to travel.  There are good weekend trips if you are occasional boaters.  We also made use of the option to use other Lakeland marinas, leaving the boat in Saul Junction and Tatenhall when we have gone off for longer trips.

[MPR]

We were at Great Haywood for many years and found it an ideal centre for cruising routes.  All necessary services together with engineering.  Also a fairly decent farm shop and cafe.  Hopefully the threat of HS2 has disappeared (for now?)

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Another thumbs up for Great Haywood, I’ve used them several times over the last 12 months on a temporary arrangement.

I’d say it’s an ideal spot, especially if on occasion you only have a weekend to go boating.

Lots of options from there and it’s very pretty with lovely easy locks.

 

and yes there’s the farm shop, I usually treat myself to something nice from the meat counter in there, 

certainly not cheap but proper good quality.

there’s a small Spar in the village for some more general shopping, and the Clifford Arms is a very good pub. 

 

 

[Mike Todd]

1 hour ago, MPR said:

We were at Great Haywood for many years and found it an ideal centre for cruising routes.  All necessary services together with engineering.  Also a fairly decent farm shop and cafe.  Hopefully the threat of HS2 has disappeared (for now?)

I thought that this was the first phase - which is continuing ?

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

29 minutes ago, Mike Todd said:

I thought that this was the first phase - which is continuing ?

Still going on, yep,

folk from Brum will be able to get home from London a half hour quicker,

 

the route will cross a viaduct at Great Haywood,

right by the marina I think ?

 

[john6767]

39 minutes ago, Mike Todd said:

I thought that this was the first phase - which is continuing ?

I thought Phase 1 (the only phase) goes to Handsacre , where it joins the west coast main line.

 

5 minutes ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

Still going on, yep,

folk from Brum will be able to get home from London a half hour quicker,

 

the route will cross a viaduct at Great Haywood,

right by the marina I think ?

 

It should benefit others point further north as well, as the hs2 trains will I think carry on just on the existing west cost main line tracks at existing max speeds until Handsacre when they switch I the high speed tracks.  Perhaps I am reading too much into what are probably not fully formed plans at this point.

[Rob-M]

1 hour ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

Still going on, yep,

folk from Brum will be able to get home from London a half hour quicker,

 

the route will cross a viaduct at Great Haywood,

right by the marina I think ?

 

No longer building through Great Haywood, that has all stopped.

[IanD]

Plenty of positive comments about Great Haywood Marina -- any negative points?

 

Thinking of moving there in April when my mooring at Uplands gets to the renewal date -- easier to get to, more routes to choose from, and not impressed by conditions at Uplands... 😞

Edited January 9 by IanD

[Hudds Lad]

9 minutes ago, IanD said:

Plenty of positive comments about Great Haywood Marina -- any negative points?

Yes, don't turn up for diesel and a pumpout just as they go on lunch break. Left us sat on the services for an hour whilst they ate their snap  

This was admittedly at least five years ago so things may now be different.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

17 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

Yes, don't turn up for diesel and a pumpout just as they go on lunch break. Left us sat on the services for an hour whilst they ate their snap  

This was admittedly at least five years ago so things may now be different.

Yes, I think they’re quite strict over their lunch break, can’t blame them mind.

There’s always the services at the junction as an option, I don’t think they shut for lunch.

[IanD]

1 hour ago, Hudds Lad said:

Yes, don't turn up for diesel and a pumpout just as they go on lunch break. Left us sat on the services for an hour whilst they ate their snap  

This was admittedly at least five years ago so things may now be different.

I did mean from the POV of mooring there... 😉

 

For one thing, I doubt that their pontoons can be as lethally slippery (and long!) as the ones at Uplands were last week -- carrying stuff to the boat I nearly slipped over and fell in more than once. And don't get me started about the muddy swamp around the car park and access areas, where my wife *did* actually fall over at night and end up bruised and covered in mud... 😞

Edited January 9 by IanD

[cuthound]

2 hours ago, Hudds Lad said:

Yes, don't turn up for diesel and a pumpout just as they go on lunch break. Left us sat on the services for an hour whilst they ate their snap  

This was admittedly at least five years ago so things may now be different.

 

I'm amazed that you're still waiting patiently after 5 years .. 😂😅🤣

[haggis]

1 hour ago, IanD said:

I did mean from the POV of mooring there... 😉

 

For one thing, I doubt that their pontoons can be as lethally slippery (and long!) as the ones at Uplands were last week -- carrying stuff to the boat I nearly slipped over and fell in more than once. And don't get me started about the muddy swamp around the car park and access areas, where my wife *did* actually fall over at night and end up bruised and covered in mud... 😞

That sounds awful and I would have expected it to be better as it is one of the ABC mooring sites. 

[IanD]

4 minutes ago, haggis said:

That sounds awful and I would have expected it to be better as it is one of the ABC mooring sites. 

So did I... 😞

[Hudds Lad]

52 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

I'm amazed that you're still waiting patiently after 5 years .. 😂😅🤣

As a Yorkshireman, i'm hoping for a discount  

[ditchcrawler]

50 minutes ago, haggis said:

That sounds awful and I would have expected it to be better as it is one of the ABC mooring sites. 

Is it, when I looked it was owned by Nantwich Boat Centre. 

[haggis]

13 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Is it, when I looked it was owned by Nantwich Boat Centre. 

According to Mr Google, Uplands is owned by ABC. I think Orchard marina and Park Farm are owned by someone who is also involved with Nantwich. Orchard looks like it just needs power bollards before it opens but on past performance that could take a while 🙂 

[ditchcrawler]

2 minutes ago, haggis said:

According to Mr Google, Uplands is owned by ABC. I think Orchard marina and Park Farm are owned by someone who is also involved with Nantwich. Orchard looks like it just needs power bollards before it opens but on past performance that could take a while 🙂 

Its changed since I enquired then.

[haggis]

Just now, ditchcrawler said:

Its changed since I enquired then.

I thought it was surprising that ABC own two marinas across the canal from one another but they seem to.

[Rob-M]

4 hours ago, IanD said:

I did mean from the POV of mooring there... 😉

 

For one thing, I doubt that their pontoons can be as lethally slippery (and long!) as the ones at Uplands were last week -- carrying stuff to the boat I nearly slipped over and fell in more than once. And don't get me started about the muddy swamp around the car park and access areas, where my wife *did* actually fall over at night and end up bruised and covered in mud... 😞

The pontoons have all been upgraded in the last few years with good non slip surfaces and each finger jetty is the length of the boat and a reasonable width.

[IanD]

1 hour ago, haggis said:

I thought it was surprising that ABC own two marinas across the canal from one another but they seem to.

It's definitely ABC now (since last year?), Sharon at Uplands was complaining about Big Brother restricting what she was allowed to do... 😉

1 minute ago, Rob-M said:

The pontoons have all been upgraded in the last few years with good non slip surfaces and each finger jetty is the length of the boat and a reasonable width.

Assuming you mean at Great Heywood -- that's good news, thanks 🙂

[Rob-M]

1 minute ago, IanD said:

Assuming you mean at Great Heywood

Yes I did.

[max campbell]

Anyone with experience of Hatherton Marina? A short cruise to Haywood.

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, max campbell said:

Anyone with experience of Hatherton Marina? A short cruise to Haywood.

15 miles and 12 locks, so a full day's boating.