South Oxfordshire canal - motorway noise?

[armchair789]

Hi,

 

I'm planning our first ever narrowboat holiday later this year. It will be my wife and I, plus two elderly parents for one week and probably starting from Napton.

 

We like the sound of the South Oxfordshire canal, it being a "contour" canal with a reasonable number of locks for us first-timers to handle. Tranquility and countryside views are important to us, also a few convenient pubs/eating places.

 

Reading some of the articles in the forum it sounds like I should plan for a 6 hour cruising day for comfort.

 

We have purchased the Nicholson guide and my wife has noticed that the canal has motorways adjacent to it for some of its length.

 

My questions are:

 

1) If we travel south from Napton, how far can we reasonable expect to reach at 6 hours a day?

2) Will this take us into motorway territory?

3) If yes, is the noise likely to be intrusive, particularly when moored and trying to sleep?

4) If yes, how far away from the motorway do we need to moor up to avoid any traffic noise?

 

Your responses will be most helpful.

 

Thanks,

 

Andy

[Bones]

I have just come south From Napton and didn't notice motorway noise. Train noise is loud at Wolvercote and Heyford, but I don't really notice that.

 

 

Hi,

 

I'm planning our first ever narrowboat holiday later this year. It will be my wife and I, plus two elderly parents for one week and probably starting from Napton.

 

We like the sound of the South Oxfordshire canal, it being a "contour" canal with a reasonable number of locks for us first-timers to handle. Tranquility and countryside views are important to us, also a few convenient pubs/eating places.

 

Reading some of the articles in the forum it sounds like I should plan for a 6 hour cruising day for comfort.

 

We have purchased the Nicholson guide and my wife has noticed that the canal has motorways adjacent to it for some of its length.

 

My questions are:

 

1) If we travel south from Napton, how far can we reasonable expect to reach at 6 hours a day?

2) Will this take us into motorway territory?

3) If yes, is the noise likely to be intrusive, particularly when moored and trying to sleep?

4) If yes, how far away from the motorway do we need to moor up to avoid any traffic noise?

 

Your responses will be most helpful.

 

Thanks,

 

Andy

[bottle]

Hi Andy

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Have a play with canalplanac, 'plan a journey' on the left side.

 

Cross reference with the Nicholsons.

 

Remember that you need to plan carefully as Day One will only be half a day as you can usually only get the boat in the afternoon (after 2pm) and day seven does not really exist as the boat has to be returned early morning (before 10am sometimes 9) check with the boat hire compnay.

 

Have a great holiday, usual warning, the boat bug bites can you really afford your own boat.

[Keeping Up]

Depending on the weather, amount of boat traffic, your own enthusisam, etc, you should be able to get to Oxford (or nearly so) in your week. If you have to turn round before you reach Oxford (easy, just turn round after half a week's travel, ie at the end of your third full day) you will still have had a most enjoyable trip. As Bones says, you will not be worried by Motorway noise (unless you choose to moor underneath the motorway bridge of course but the railway is a bot noisy at Lower Heyford. It used to be very noisy there with jets taking off from the US airbase all day, but they're long gone now.

[Sam]

Agree, unless you moor right up next / under a motorway bridge you really will not notice it - even if it is just a distant "noise" you won't be bothered by it.

 

I personally think it is a lovely bit of the canal system and have had a couple of great trips in the area.

 

Personally i never find trains a problem either (unless moored right next to the line) as I find it rather interesting to see them hurtling past while your chugging along slowly.. not sure what it is.. but it just seems very peaceful on the cut even when your in the centre of a city such as Birmingham - so peaceful that you don't noice that you've been untied by the local chavs and that your slowly drifting down the canal...

 

 

Seriously though.. you will enjoy the Oxford.

I think the biggest annoyance of the holiday was some private boaters (we were a share boat.. but a very experienced one I should add) who had a bit of an attitude on them.. but we're used to it and it is all part of the fun :-)

Edited April 15, 2008 by Sam