Long journey ahead..

[Ott3r]

Hi, I'm a newcomer here and have just aquired my first boat. I was hoping that someone might be able to help me with advice on a major trip that I'll be undertaking (major for me that is). My boat is currently on the Avon near Stratford, and my new moorings are on the Leeds-Liverpool (at the Leeds end), so I need to get the boat from one palce to the other.. I've used the excellent canalplan route planner, and got my itinery (14 days!) but as I will need to do the trip in 2-3 stages I was hoping for some advice on safe places where I can leave the boat (near a railway station if possible) for a few days on the journey. Before anyone asks - transporting it by road is way out of my price range.

 

Any other advice on the trip would be very much appreciated too!

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Ott3r

[Machpoint005]

We found when moving our boat last year, from Slough to Cheshire, that giving 24 hours notice to a marina (ie a day before you get there!) generally results in a (paid) temporary mooring for a week or two. The marina owners are usually quite glad to get some extra income for a mooring that has already been paid for, but isn't occupied.

 

If you end up not-too-near a railway station, there are always buses, taxis and Shanks's (and a daughter with a car, once we got nearer to home).

 

Probably not on your route (haven't looked) but we found Milton Keynes Wharf, Rugby Wharf and Kings Bromley on our way back. Rugby (half-mile arm off north Oxford Canal) is especially recommended and very reasonable cost.

 

Ian

[Ott3r]

Thanks for the info Machpoint- probably should have specified the route.. I'll be going throught the Stratford Canal, Grand Union, Birmingham Navigations, Staffordshire and Worcestershire, Shropshire Union, Trent and Mersey, Bridgewater and finally Leeds Liverpool!

 

Ott3r

[Dominic M]

Thanks for the info Machpoint- probably should have specified the route.. I'll be going throught the Stratford Canal, Grand Union, Birmingham Navigations, Staffordshire and Worcestershire, Shropshire Union, Trent and Mersey, Bridgewater and finally Leeds Liverpool!

 

Ott3r

Are you going that route for any special reason? You could avoid having to climb up and down the plateau that Birmingham sits on by going down to Tewkesbury, and then up the Severn to join the Staffs and Worcs at Stourport.

[Ott3r]

Are you going that route for any special reason? You could avoid having to climb up and down the plateau that Birmingham sits on by going down to Tewkesbury, and then up the Severn to join the Staffs and Worcs at Stourport.

 

No particular reason for the route other that it's the one that the canalplanner gave me, but I must say that your route sounds more scenic!

 

Thanks for the idea... *recalculating*

 

Ott3r

[LEO]

Hi,

I note you say transport by road is not an option, but it'is worth considering. I had to move a boat a considerable from Lincoln (where it was moored) and taking into account stoppages, vehicle fuel costs general convenience it was worth ring up Tuckeys (who did an excellent job) and paying slippage fees each end. In the end it cost about £750 for a 48 ft boat. Not sure how long the boat you are considering moving is.

It saves worry over breakdowns, vandal attacks when you leave it and payments for short term moorings.

Albi

[Dominic M]

No particular reason for the route other that it's the one that the canalplanner gave me, but I must say that your route sounds more scenic!

 

Thanks for the idea... *recalculating*

 

Ott3r

Well, the Avon is lovely - particularly IMO from Evesham to Tewkesbury where the whole journey is dominate by the mighty Bredon Hill. And you're going downstream so it will be quite quick. The Severn up to Worcester has high banks so you don't see so much, but Upton makes it all worthwhile. (Upton Marina could be one place to leave the boat). Between Worcester and Stourport the Severn is excellent and Stourport itself is a "must visit" by boat if you have the chance. Southern Staffs and Worcs is very picturesque all the way to Autherley Junction and the Shroppie is probably the favourite of many well travelled boaters.

 

That's not to say that the BCN route isn't interesting, especially if you take the Old Main Line (the new one is incredibly boring by comparison), but there's a lot more locks going that way, and the Southern Stratford to Lapworth is slow and shallow.

 

Whatever, have fun. Many people move their boats from A to B and leave them for a week or more before coming back and moving on again. You'll find places fairly easily, especially once you are on the boat and moving.

 

Apart from that, could people please refrain from posting topics about great canal journeys they are planning. For those of us who don't have the time it is just rubbing salt in the wound. More stuff on horrible weather, hooligans and vandalism please. Makes me feel good to be in the office.

 

Dominic

Edited March 27, 2008 by Dominic M

[Derri]

Good luck with it - we're about to do something similarly mad, but as our boat is too fat to get down most canals, we have to go around - via the sea!

 

I wonder with that canal planner if it can realistically be done in the number of days it says - it's given us 11 days for our journey. Gulp.

 

I also thought the transport was too much. At the end of the day, boats ARE transport, so might as well use them!

[Dominic M]

Hi,

I note you say transport by road is not an option, but it'is worth considering. I had to move a boat a considerable from Lincoln (where it was moored) and taking into account stoppages, vehicle fuel costs general convenience it was worth ring up Tuckeys (who did an excellent job) and paying slippage fees each end. In the end it cost about £750 for a 48 ft boat. Not sure how long the boat you are considering moving is.

It saves worry over breakdowns, vandal attacks when you leave it and payments for short term moorings.

Albi

I don't know when that was, but you'd be looking at quite a bit more than £750 today. And surely half the fun will be the journey by water anyway.

[RichardH]

I have used White Bear Marina a couple of times and they are not overly expensive

 

If you left it opposite my house on the towpath near Greenberfield Locks, whilst I can't guarantee it won't come to any harm, we will certainly keep our eyes on it for you.

[LEO]

Hi,

 

It would been nice to do the move by boat, but it was November 2005 and there was a long stoppage at Milton Keynes and the R Trent was running very high. I was surprised at how reasonable the cost was and by the time I had worked out all the other costs, overland was the best option. The actual journey was Newark to Bletchley. Hope that helps.

Albi

[WJM]

I did a similar move with my boat when I bought it, just that I went north to south.

 

I left my boat in a private marina for each stop. It cost a little each time but I felt much less worried about it than if it were on a towpath somewhere - money well spent in my opinion.

 

It would have made more financial sense for me to have it moved by truck while I stayed at work, but I bought my boat to go boating and the journey was one of the most enjoyable I have ever made. What a way to start off your life of boat ownership, with a total feast of boating - go for it.

[Liam]

If one of your stops is calculated to be half way along the main line of the Bridgewater then let me know, I will be able to help.

[Machpoint005]

I did a similar move with my boat when I bought it, just that I went north to south.

 

I left my boat in a private marina for each stop. It cost a little each time but I felt much less worried about it than if it were on a towpath somewhere - money well spent in my opinion.

 

It would have made more financial sense for me to have it moved by truck while I stayed at work, but I bought my boat to go boating and the journey was one of the most enjoyable I have ever made. What a way to start off your life of boat ownership, with a total feast of boating - go for it.

 

Hear him, hear him! Exactly why we ran the boat home in springtime, instead of trucking it in winter.

The four long weekends gave us:

(1) the chance to see parts of the network we wouldn't otherwise see

(2) a really good excuse to go boating

(3) an insight into how the boat worked, where stuff was, and what we wanted to change

(4) a saving over the cost of trucking - all things considered, probably about half the cost (Boat diesel, car diesel, train fares, extra mooring fees...)

(5) lots of fun! After all, what do you have a boat for anyway?

 

Best of luck, whatever route you take

 

Ian

[sueb]

We have lived on our boat for nearly 20 years and always leave it on the towpath for up to 14 days at a time whilst we go elsewhere. It is safe in England.

Sue

[Ott3r]

Thanks for the advice and good wishes! Unfortunately there's now a spanner in the works - a new job means that I won't be able to take any time off for some time, so it looks like someone else will have the pleasure of the journey . If there's anyone who can recomend a delivery service - please send me a PM..

 

Thamks in advance,

 

Ott3r

[Greybeard]

As long as this doesn't happen.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/leicester/content/ima...1_gallery.shtml

[bottle]

Hi Ott3r

 

We have a member that moves boat, Nigel Carton link to his site.

 

Not used his services but have met him, as they say a very nice man.