Warwickshire Ring questions

[adam1uk]

Hello

 

We're planning to do the Warwickshire Ring in September, hiring from Kate Boats in Warwick. They say they usually send people off anti-clockwise, because then people can get their steering skills together before they hit a lock. But we've done a few narrowboat holidays before (including the Stourport Ring last time), and fancied going clockwise.

 

However, this has raised a couple of questions. We can't pick up the boat until 1430, and by the time we've loaded etc it's likely to be a bit later than that. Will this give us time to get up the Hatton Locks? I've heard conflicting reports about how long it might take.

 

Next, assuming we spend the first night at the top of Hatton, the most sensible place to moor the following night would be somewhere in Birmingham (Knowle or Catherine de Barnes isn't really far enough, but I doun't think we'd have time to get through Brum and out the other side). But I'm worried about security. Are there safe overnight moorings near Camp Hill Locks? Or what about at Warwick Bar?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Adam

[Geoff]

Adam

Have been up and down Hatton a few times. With the wind behind you, a willing crew and the majority of the locks set the right way (!) you can do them in just over 2 1/2 hours. (Our experience).

Don't forget there are another couple of locks at The Cape

Personally would not go past Catherine de Barnes, set off early (before the little angels get up) and you should have a clear run.

Sorry can't remember definitely if there are safe moorings at Camp Hill but I don't think so

 

Geoff

[awatsonbcp]

Adam

Have been up and down Hatton a few times. With the wind behind you, a willing crew and the majority of the locks set the right way (!) you can do them in just over 2 1/2 hours. (Our experience).

Don't forget there are another couple of locks at The Cape

Personally would not go past Catherine de Barnes, set off early (before the little angels get up) and you should have a clear run.

Sorry can't remember definitely if there are safe moorings at Camp Hill but I don't think so

 

Geoff

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you can get through hatton in 2.5 hours but its another 4.5 hrs to catherine de barnes and another 2 after that to camp hill.that takes you to after midnight by which time camp hill is usually clear of nutters!

[Webchem]

Did Hatton Locks in 1hour 50 last year with a crew of 6.

 

Nice moorings at top near big pub - NICE!

 

You could always head up the North Stratford, much nicer than Grand Union...

 

[Geoff]

Pub at the top of Hatton is The Waterman.

 

I agree the North Stratford is the more scenic route, but would put at least another 25 locks and a few miles into the journey. 15 locks or so to Salford Jc via Grand Union about 40 via Kings Norton

 

Geoff

[Webchem]

Yeah, but its nicer!

 

N Stratford very pretty, even Kings Norton quite nice. Bit shallow at the mo' though (Birmingham & Worcester bit, though after storm...).

 

[tony collins]

I would also recommend Nth Stratford, although mooring overnight at Kings Norton Junction, I would avoid. I would moor before leaving the Stratford. The beauty of this route is that it drops you nicely into Gas Street/ Broad street area good for mooring, pubs and a night out! Leaving Brum I would head for Wiggins Hill Bridge (By a pub) before mooring again it takes about 4 1/2 hours from top of Farmers Bridge Locks. I always take the Ashted Locks and down Garrison flight, but you can always take the Aston flight to Salford Junction. The M6 Toll road now makes it's present felt at Curdworth locks, but otherwise it's pretty rural. Don't miss the services Fazeley Junction, they are at Peels Wharf turn LEFT for 100 yards, (you can wind).

It all depends on how long you have for the trip. It CAN be done in a week but it's hard work, 10 days is OK two weeks is better.

Enjoy your trip.

 

Tony.

[adam1uk]

Thanks for your advice so far. We've only got a week, so I don't think the N Stratford route is a goer. Also, we did that route to Gas Street Basin during the Stourport Ring.

 

The problem is that if we moor the first night at the top of the Hatton Locks, it's difficult to decide what to do the next day. Only going as far as Catherin de Barnes would put us behind schedule; trying to get to the other side of Birmingham would be an extremely long day cruising. That's why I'm so keen to find out if there's safe mooring near the Camp Hill Locks.

 

Adam

[awatsonbcp]

ive certainly seen people moor at the top of camphill locks safely but its probably more risky during school holidays

[fender]

Speaking of Hatton, my own experience is that it usually takes around 3 hours, so that is the minimum amount of time one should at least plan for the flight, though I have heard of it being done in two hours.

 

This is probably off the point, however I found a newspaper item from the early 1990's during a clear out yesterday, its probably from the Birmingham Evening Mail. There is some correspondence about Tardebigge and Tony Condor, the Gloucester Waterways Musuem Curator, mentioned that the locks were once numbered 1 to 30 (excluding the 6 Stoke locks) then gave his view that Tardebigge took an average of three hours to navigate.

 

However, another letter in the same column, from D J Griffiths of Weston Super Mare claims a record:

 

"I went down Tardebigge in November 1990 in a hire craft with six experienced adults crewing, two for the lock ahead, two for the lock behind, and two on the boat. We met no other craft and completed the flight in 1 hour 50 minutes, arriving at the Queens Head at 19.50 where they didnt believe us either."

 

As for the Warwickshire Ring in my opinion the North Stratford route is more peaceful and picturesque but of course there are more locks that way. The Olton Summit route I've done a few times but its not my cup of tea and always a relief to get through Camp Hill, Nechells shallow and waaay down the Birmingham & Fazeley.

[Jon]

 

As for the Warwickshire Ring in my opinion the North Stratford route is more peaceful and picturesque but of course there are more locks that way. The Olton Summit route I've done a few times but its not my cup of tea and always a relief to get through Camp Hill, Nechells shallow and waaay down the Birmingham & Fazeley.

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I can't remember how many locks there are in the Lapworth flight on the North Stratford, but having done both routes, I found both routes to take a similar amount of time.

 

The route via Katherine-de-Barnes is certainly less scenic, but very interesting from a historical/industrial point of view. We weren't to keen to moor in the immediate outskirts of Birmingham, but I've never heard of any problems. We had problems coming up Farmers Bridge Locks in Birmingham as we encountered a very large group of youths who although friendly were quite intimidating and a little too keen to help out.

 

The pub at the top of Hatton (The Waterman) has just been refurbished and is very nice, but very busy at the moment. Also recommend the Black Boy pub in Knowle, which is canal side.

 

Jon

[adam1uk]

I can't remember how many locks there are in the Lapworth flight on the North Stratford, but  having done both routes, I found both routes to take a similar amount of time.

 

The route via Katherine-de-Barnes is certainly less scenic, but very interesting from a historical/industrial point of view.  We weren't to keen to moor in the immediate outskirts of Birmingham, but I've never heard of any problems. We had problems coming up Farmers Bridge Locks in Birmingham as we encountered a very large group of youths who although friendly were quite intimidating and a little too keen to help out.

 

The pub at the top of Hatton  (The Waterman) has just been refurbished and is very nice, but very busy at the moment. Also recommend the Black Boy pub in Knowle, which is canal side.

 

Jon

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Hi Jon

 

There are 19 locks between Kingswood Jct and the summit.

 

Having taken into account that most people think the Stratford Canal route is more scenic, and looked at the timings, I think we may well go that way. It seems to give far more mooring options, and (never having been there) it looks like fun going through Kingswood Jct and up the Lapworth Locks.

 

Adam

[fender]

Hi Jon

 

There are 19 locks between Kingswood Jct and the summit.

 

Having taken into account that most people think the Stratford Canal route is more scenic, and looked at the timings, I think we may well go that way.  It seems to give far more mooring options, and (never having been there) it looks like fun going through Kingswood Jct and up the Lapworth Locks.

 

Adam

 

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There are a couple of mooring options within the Lapworth flight, so it can be navigated to suit your schedules. The main spot is the Boot pound above lock 15 which gives access to the nearby shops and the pub. There is another option above Lock 6 that offers a quiet mooring spot.

 

Yes of course the Straford route offers more mooring choice, and as I said earlier, its attractive. That plus the five miles of the Worcs & B'ham to Gas St is surprisngly rural and its difficult to realise one is actually in Birmingham. Try avoid mooring by Holiday St Aqueduct whilst in the city centre ok.

[Jon]

Glad you've made your decison. The North Stratford is a really nice route. One word of caution is that the 3rd lock (I think!) from the top of the Lapworth flight (the one which the pound immediately below goes around a corner) can be very tight, particularly if your boat is over 60ft (I tried taking a 66ft and hit the site rather hard!).

 

Remember to take a big breath of Cadbury's Choclate when you pass the back of the factory

 

 

Jon

[Alan Saunders]

However, this has raised a couple of questions.  We can't pick up the boat until 1430, and by the time we've loaded etc it's likely to be a bit later than that.  Will this give us time to get up the Hatton Locks?  I've heard conflicting reports about how long it might take.

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ISTR that hire companies do not allow navigation before sunrise or after sunset. Sunset is 18:55 on 1st September 2005 and 17:47 on 30th September 2005. So, Hatton is possible at the beginning of the month but critical at the end of the month. Having said that we have often pushed on until dusk in hire boats!

 

Google for sunrise sunset time.

 

Alan

Edited August 2, 2005 by Alan Saunders

[Paul Evans]

It is true that hire companies say you must not cruise before dawn or after sunset. Their insurance companies insist on this. If you cruise after dark in a hire boat and have an accident you will find that the hire company's insurance does not cover you. But through most of September, if you get up with the lark and can stand the pace, you could cruise for 12 hours each day - 36 lock/miles is very good going. Don't forget to dip the fuel tank though - it would be very embarrassing to run out of diesel!

[awatsonbcp]

apart from hire companies are there other rules about travelling after dusk or is it just common sense ?

[DHutch]

apart from hire companies are there other rules about travelling after dusk or is it just common sense ?

I dont think there are really.

- Although i think you have to have working port/s.board/stern/forad lights (certainly on rivers you do)

[tony collins]

I dont think there are really.

- Although i think you have to have working port/s.board/stern/forad lights (certainly on rivers you do)

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Full navigation lights are not required on canals but good forward light is required and will help you, (tunnel light is OK). Usual common sense and courtesy rules apply. You CAN travel all night if you wish, (not in hired boat) but bear in mind that people in moored boats will be sleeping/relaxing and not expecting boat traffic. Keep an eye out for fishermen and their rods, they may not be expecting traffic either, although they will probably see/hear you coming. They may also let you know what they think of night boating! If igt is a moonlit night there is nothing finer than smoothing along a canal lit by natural means. Just be careful.

 

Tony

[Jon]

If you do cruise at night, please be very careful when using locks as there are obviously far more risks due to lack of visibility.

 

We once pushed our luck through the Hatton flight and ended up getting stuck because unbeknown to us, the bottom gates of a lock were jammed apart, and our boat was then stuck in the middle of the pound in mud! We obviously refloated the boat and moored up there for the night, but BW were not all that impressed!

 

Jon

[AlanWright]

I hired from Kate Boats last September - excellent in all respects. For our own reasons we did the Ring anticlockwise, but found no difficulty descending the Hatton flight in well under three hours. With an experienced crew, and especially if doubling-up with another boat, it should be very straightforward. I walk the towpath quite frequently (we live only 4 miles away) and can make a few observations:

 

The paddle gear is in good condition and is easily worked (watch for a couple that need to be wound down carefully or they stick open).

 

Traffic is not heavy so you should have a pretty clear run.

 

If your start is delayed at all, why not call at the Cape of Good Hope for an excellent evening, and save the hard work for morning?

 

Have a good trip.