Cruising the Severn/Avon

[The Maestro]

I'm thinking of going Stratford to Tewkesbury and then to Worcester. Does one need a separate licence as on the upper Thames, of is it covered by the BW licence?

 

Is it manageable if I have to go single-handed?

[Bagpuss]

You need a license for the Avon, check the avon navigation trusts websites for details, cost us 41 quid last year.

[magpie patrick]

I'm thinking of going Stratford to Tewkesbury and then to Worcester. Does one need a separate licence as on the upper Thames, of is it covered by the BW licence?

 

Is it manageable if I have to go single-handed?

 

Sad to say that as the Cotswold Canals have not yet reopened, the Upper Thames isn't an option!

 

Our Avon Licence cost us £55 earlier this year. I'm sure you can do it single handed but some of the locks are swines and the landing stages are very short at most of them. That said, in summer you won't wait long to share a lock

 

There are no reciprocal arrangements with BW, thus to go through the Lock out of Bancroft Basin you must hold both licences

[Amduck]

Is it manageable if I have to go single-handed?

 

 

Avon Nav Tr. stipulate that boats use both bow and stern lines for locking which may give you some problems. They do have volunteer lock-keepers at some locks in summer (as well as the permanent lockies at Tewkesbury and Evesham).

 

There are usually a lot of plasticraft about of a summer weekend, so you'd probably have company for the locks then.

[The Maestro]

You need a license for the Avon, check the avon navigation trusts websites for details, cost us 41 quid last year.

I tried twice to check the websites, but the links to "licences" took me to an ad for hotels [and so did all the links]. Can anyone give any more details - my boat is a 57ft narrowboat?

[bottle]

Try this link: http://www.avonnavigationtrust.org/index.php?id=2

[NB Alnwick]

I am sure that there are experienced boaters who have navigated the Avon single-handed but I wouldn't try it. The locks are all different shapes and sizes with steelwork in all the wrong places for a narrow boat.

Moorings are also difficult to find at busy times and unlike the canals, there isn't a convenient towpath where you can easily stop to make a cuppa or attend to the call of nature. This makes it very hard work without at least one extra hand. In my opinion it is easier and a lot cheaper to descend Tardebigge Locks going down to Worcester via the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.