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Anglowelsh Great Haywood Base


Hick

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I was wondering if anybody had any experience with hire boats from the Anglowelsh Great Haywood base. In particular I was wondering how possible it was to choose your own direction around the 4 counties ring from the base? I say this, because of course if the boats are moored canal side on our arrival then unless there's a winding hole nearby then our direction is pretty set, but if the boats are moored in a marina then it will be much easier.

 

Thanks for any replies :D

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I was wondering if anybody had any experience with hire boats from the Anglowelsh Great Haywood base. In particular I was wondering how possible it was to choose your own direction around the 4 counties ring from the base? I say this, because of course if the boats are moored canal side on our arrival then unless there's a winding hole nearby then our direction is pretty set, but if the boats are moored in a marina then it will be much easier.

 

Thanks for any replies  :D

 

 

As the Anglowelsh base is located on the junction at Great Haywood is a simple matter to turn the boat.

 

Tommo

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I would be very surprised if the hire company tried to tell you which direction or even which route to take.

 

As long as you return the boat at the appointed time they won't be interested where you go.

 

You can of course turn the boats without difficulty at the canal junction, or even Tixall Wide.

Edited by John Orentas
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I did the 4 counties anti-clockwise, as I read somewhere that most hire boats do it clockwise. Don't know if there is any truth in it.

 

I undrestand that Claymore (Preston Brook) hire company recommend the Cheshire ring is done a particular way, anti-clock I think. Something to do with the locks in Manchester maybe - more experienced by the time you hit them.

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I always plan my routes based on where i would spend my first and last nights.

 

If i was hiring from there i'd go anti-clockwise. There would be a choice of places to spend my first night, but for my last night i could spend it at Tixall wide

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Thanks everyone for the replies.

 

This is good news given that we are taking on the four counties ring and Chester in September to facilitate a suprise birthday in Chester half way through the trip. By going clockwise, we can do the supposedly longer half of the trip whilst we have the 3 days plus the first afternoon rather than the last three days and hour or so on the last day. I realise this is a demanding trip and so any odd couple of hours we need to take advantage of :D

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The only reason that I know for going one way or the other round the 4 counties is to be sure you don't arrive at Harecastle and have to wait 1/2 a day until you can go through - this may not be true any more, but tunnel keepers weren't there on weekends, so it was south in the morning and north in the afternoon, so you could get stuck there.

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The only reason that I know for going one way or the other round the 4 counties is to be sure you don't arrive at Harecastle and have to wait 1/2 a day until you can go through - this may not be true any more, but tunnel keepers weren't there on weekends, so it was south in the morning and north in the afternoon, so you could get stuck there.

 

 

In a similar way some people when doing the Cheshire Ring may prefer to go DOWN the Ashton flight to Castlefield starting very early in the morning to miss any possible (though rare) problems with children on the flight.

 

You can't really get an early start the other way as you must do the Rochdale 9 before the Ashton.

 

As for the Harecastle, in summer they work on a two hour cycle and I don't think it is formalised which direction goes first, if there are a lot of boats waiting at one end and none at the other, the keepers will be guided by that. In either direction get to the tunnel before 14.30 hrs to guarantee a passage.

Edited by John Orentas
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  • 2 months later...

Vague memory of a thread way back, someone (Bernie?) talked about Harecastle Tunnel extractor fans being at one (?) end of the tunnel, so direction of travel determined by avoiding going in the same direction as the fumes. Anyone know anything about this?

 

Peter

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Hick do you realise the deviation from barbridge junction to chester and back will take the thick end of 2 days even if you turned round and headed stright back after getting there. You sound as if you plan an overnight for the party as well. That is what you appear to say you want to do in a 6 and a bit day holiday. The ring alone can be long days just going round it in a week.

David

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Peter.

 

There is no great problem with fumes in the Harecastle, as Bernie no doubt said the ventilation fans draw the fumes out from the Stoke end of the tunnel which is completely vented between each passage.

 

If you or any member of your crew are particularly sensitive to diesel smoke you should try and travel at the rear of the convoy towards Stoke and at the front away from Stoke. Have a word with the tunnel keepers at either end I am sure they will be understanding.

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If you or any member of your crew are particularly sensitive to diesel smoke you should try and travel at the rear of the convoy towards Stoke and at the front away from Stoke.  Have a word with the tunnel keepers at either end I am sure they will be understanding.

Yeah, unless you very sensotive, i cant see there beeing a problem.

- We where at the back going north (ie agaisnt the air flow) and had no trouble, even with our boat

- Except when we blow off and the steam obsruced our vision a bit!)

 

Also, if you in a GRP boat, the head wind is very noticable when going north, so its worth having at least two of you (so one can fend at the front, while the other steers, cetainly in the narrowbit in the middle)

 

 

Daniel

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Last time I went through the Harecastle, I was behind two other boats going out from Stoke.

 

I thought my lungs were pretty resistant to the effects of most pollutants, but I felt quite ill by the time I came out at the other end.

 

I guess I must have been behind a praticularly smoky boat (the one at the front was towing a small butty), but even so, I wouldn't like to be at the back of a convoy of 8 which can happen.

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If you or any member of your crew are particularly sensitive to diesel smoke you should try and travel at the rear of the convoy towards Stoke and at the front away from Stoke.  Have a word with the tunnel keepers at either end I am sure they will be understanding.

27737[/snapback]

 

John

Thanks for the advice. Wife has reduced lung capability due to rib cage not being able to expand fully, so your info is most welcome. We'll do just that.

 

Peter

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John

Thanks for the advice. Wife has reduced lung capability due to rib cage not being able to expand fully, so your info is most welcome. We'll do just that.

 

Peter

27810[/snapback]

 

:) aww, Do you guys cope ok on teh canals though, working the locks and things :P

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Hick do you realise the deviation from barbridge junction to chester and back will take the thick end of 2 days even if you turned round and headed stright back after getting there. You sound as if you plan an overnight for the party as well. That is what you appear to say you want to do in a 6 and a bit day holiday. The ring alone can be long days just going round it in a week.

David

27736[/snapback]

 

Yes I do realise this :P It's going to be a whole week of long days, but with a crew of 10 18 year olds I think we can do it :)

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Remember you are not insured to travel after sunset in a hire boat. You will really have to go some to get round in a week AND spend best part of three days in total getting to Chester and back. In fact with only about 12 hours of daylight I really wonder if it can be done.

 

Anybody done it in that time?

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Remember you are not insured to travel after sunset in a hire boat. You will really have to go some to get round in a week AND spend best part of three days in total getting to Chester and back.  In fact with only about 12 hours of daylight I really wonder if it can be done.

 

Anybody done it in that time?

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ive done the four counties from burton on trent in a week several times. (well 6 and a half days)

Thats an extra 18 hours on top of the ring (9 hours each way to gt haywood)

Edited by kawaton
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But did you enjoy it?

 

Tony

28019[/snapback]

 

 

Well, i guess i must have seeing as ive done it 4 times in 2 years.

Each trip i've took people with me who are new to the canals, and every person who came with me enjoyed it so much they want to go again.

 

Not everybody wants to cruise for 3/4 hours a day!!!

If i had my own boat, i probably would though. The other people that came with me wanted to do and see more.

 

I would never discourage people from doing rings, and tell them "its not possible" just because i would rather do a bit less.

Edited by kawaton
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Guest st170dw
Hi Sam

She steers and I lock - on bad days I run it solo.

28374[/snapback]

 

Yep works well now she is confident steering. What is better is that I am blameless for scrapes in locks. Until a reason is sorted out that is :unsure:

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