Cruise to Bristol via Oxford and Birmingham

[Steve Manc]

Hi

Planning summer cruise 2024.

Would like to moor in Bristol for a few days in July.

Can anyone recommend best place to moor. We don't mind paying marina fees.

 

Anything to avoid on our way their cruise to Bristol via Oxford and Birmingham 

Thanks 

[Onewheeler]

The VMs in Bristol are fine but expensive. Pontoons right in the centre outside the Arnolfini, busy and noisy but nice, or the ones opposite the Great Britain , quiet but out of the way.

[matty40s]

I would definitely do the Great Britain moorings, if the sun comes out and it's hot, busy and noisy are an understatement!!!.

 

[Rob-M]

And they aren't really out of the way as it is only a few minutes walk between the two mooring locations but the Great Britain moorings aren't surrounded by drunks.

[MtB]

And on a point of order, I think the order of the towns would be Birmingham, Oxford, Reading, Bristol, unless the OP is planning on some Severn estuary cruising and entering Bristol via Avonmouth. 

[johnmck]

We moored opposite the SS GB once and a local scroat pulled out our landline. At least on the Arnolfini moorings you are behind a secure gate. It is noisey, but at 2300hrs the doors shut and relative peace descends.

[Steve Manc]

5 hours ago, MtB said:

And on a point of order, I think the order of the towns would be Birmingham, Oxford, Reading, Bristol, unless the OP is planning on some Severn estuary cruising and entering Bristol via Avonmouth. 

Agree on point of order, I haven't had the map out yet to confirm the route.

[MtB]

10 minutes ago, Steve Manc said:

Agree on point of order, I haven't had the map out yet to confirm the route.

 

In which case, would I be teaching granny to suck eggs if I pointed out only a narrow boat can do this trip, not a widey?

[Steve Manc]

10 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

In which case, would I be teaching granny to suck eggs if I pointed out only a narrow boat can do this trip, not a widey?

Yes we have a narrowboat.

7 hours ago, Onewheeler said:

The VMs in Bristol are fine but expensive. Pontoons right in the centre outside the Arnolfini, busy and noisy but nice, or the ones opposite the Great Britain , quiet but out of the way.

Can you pre book moorings in Bristol ?

 

I have just looked on CRT website re booking a mooring in Bristol and I cannot find anything. 

[Rob-M]

7 minutes ago, Steve Manc said:

Yes we have a narrowboat.

Can you pre book moorings in Bristol ?

 

I have just looked on CRT website re booking a mooring in Bristol and I cannot find anything. 

Bristol isn't CRT waters.

 

See https://www.bristol.gov.uk/residents/streets-travel/bristol-harbour/mooring-and-berthing-in-the-harbour

[Onewheeler]

Also see https://democracy.bristol.gov.uk/documents/s78708/Appendix A - Schedule of Fees and Charges 23-24.pdf

[Steve Manc]

All, thank you for the information 

[Grassman]

We moored opposite the SS Great Britain for 3 nights in 2022. It was a hefty £32 a night for our 62ft Nb but it's a good location, not too noisy, and it went quiet after about 9pm even on the Saturday night.

 

We weren't allowed to pre-book but there was plenty enough room even though it was the late May bank holiday weekend and a load of plastic boats had accompanied us on our way there from Portishead.

[adrianh]

The harbour festival is on the weekend around the 20 July.

You will need to prebook moorings - see sail bristol App for info.

Also moorings opposite SS Great Britain are often reserved for  event boats.

Arnofini moorings can be noisy at the weekends, opposite ss great britain are pleasant. Both have power and water.

Pump out at 3 locations - not CRT card, you can purchase at Neatham lock when you pay for your moorings/power also.

Also quite moorings along the harbour edge beyond the harbour marina but you need to use the daytime harbour ferries or taxi for the town centre etc.

Mooring between Bath and Bristol now very limited due to CCMRS occupation of all VM. Check with Neatham lock keeper for river passage times before leaving Bath, you can arrive at Hanham lock and have no place to moor!

 

[Steve Manc]

Thank you for the information. It is very helpful. 

[MtB]

11 hours ago, adrianh said:

Mooring between Bath and Bristol now very limited due to CCMRS occupation of all VM.

 

Oh and I was thinking CCMRS must be a new moorings enforcement agency!

 

But I think it is probably CMers. It was the same when I went to Bristol for a week with DMR. Absolutely nowhere to moor on the Bristol Avon and all VMs taken. This must have been in about 2017 IIRC. 

 

[Grassman]

Assuming you aren't going when the festival is on, if there is nobody at Neatham Lock just carry on to your mooring and in time they will visit you in their little launch to collect your fees and issue a pump out or electric card. They do this 3 or 4 times a day so if you're away from your boat you'll be able to pay them later.

[Ex Brummie]

On 01/06/2024 at 08:40, Grassman said:

We moored opposite the SS Great Britain for 3 nights in 2022. It was a hefty £32 a night for our 62ft Nb but it's a good location, not too noisy, and it went quiet after about 9pm even on the Saturday night.

 

We weren't allowed to pre-book but there was plenty enough room even though it was the late May bank holiday weekend and a load of plastic boats had accompanied us on our way there from Portishead.

Why am I not surprised there was plenty of space at £32 per night, when you see the pure vitriol poured about moorings on the Thames by people who never wish to contribute to the facilities they want to enjoy.

[dmr]

16 hours ago, MtB said:

 

Oh and I was thinking CCMRS must be a new moorings enforcement agency!

 

But I think it is probably CMers. It was the same when I went to Bristol for a week with DMR. Absolutely nowhere to moor on the Bristol Avon and all VMs taken. This must have been in about 2017 IIRC. 

 

 

Bath to Bristol can be easily done in a day, including doing the Bath flight of locks, though a reasonably early start is a good idea. If you find a mooring on the way for a lunch stop then thats a bonus, but don't depend on it.

Its not a busy waterway so its often possible to have a quick stop in a lock for lunch 😀.

[Steve Manc]

On 01/06/2024 at 21:47, MtB said:

 

Oh and I was thinking CCMRS must be a new moorings enforcement agency!

 

But I think it is probably CMers. It was the same when I went to Bristol for a week with DMR. Absolutely nowhere to moor on the Bristol Avon and all VMs taken. This must have been in about 2017 IIRC. 

 

Re Mooring between Bath and Bristol now very limited due to CCMRS occupation of all VM.

 

What are CCMRS ?

 

 

[Tim Lewis]

On 01/06/2024 at 08:40, Grassman said:

We moored opposite the SS Great Britain for 3 nights in 2022. It was a hefty £32 a night for our 62ft Nb but it's a good location, not too noisy, and it went quiet after about 9pm even on the Saturday night.

 

We weren't allowed to pre-book but there was plenty enough room even though it was the late May bank holiday weekend and a load of plastic boats had accompanied us on our way there from Portishead.

 

Moored opposite the SS Great Britain in 2019 🙂

[David Mack]

7 hours ago, Tim Lewis said:

 

Moored opposite the SS Great Britain in 2019 🙂

I was thinking of that occasion too, but I don't remember paying anything at all. Did we?

[MtB]

12 hours ago, Steve Manc said:

Re Mooring between Bath and Bristol now very limited due to CCMRS occupation of all VM.

 

What are CCMRS ?

 

 

You'd need to ask @adrianh. He introduced the term but hasn't responded to my question asking the same as you. 

 

 

[Grassman]

I guess it has something to do with the Continuous Cruisers who never (or rarely) move and are often referred to as Continuous Moorers.

[Tim Lewis]

14 hours ago, David Mack said:

I was thinking of that occasion too, but I don't remember paying anything at all. Did we?

It is a visitor mooring that is included in the 'fee' to enter the harbour as shown on this map:  file (bristol.gov.uk) and this aerial photo  file (bristol.gov.uk)

 

The previous week we stayed overnight at Baltic Wharf which is shown as an unexplained green line on the map.

Edited June 4 by Tim Lewis