1st narrowboat holiday in September

[bumpygirl]

After 25 years of saying we would do it, we finally are going on our first narrowboat holiday on 21st September for 2 whole, glorious weeks. We are hiring a boat from Anderson Boats in Middlewich and after much discussion we have decided we would like to do the Cheshire Ring and the Llangollen Canal (going over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct). So I have a bundle of questions:

 

Can we manage both of these in 2 weeks?

Which is the best way to go round the Cheshire Ring - clockwise or anticlockwise?

Any places along the way we should avoid?

Any places you recommend to stop and have a good look around?

Pubs and restaurants you would recommend

Which canal guide is the best one to buy? I was looking at Pearsons but I am open to suggestions.

 

If you can think of anything else we should know please feel free to say so

 

Thank you!

[Guest User]

Hi

 

I can't say I know the area, but I would say try to avoid setting yourselves a tight schedule, and doing "rings" can lead to some long days ... if you want to really relax then how about setting yourselves an itinerary, maybe an out-and-back route, that allows you to do as much or as little as you feel like doing on any given day ?

 

But I'm sure you'll get some more specific advice on the area shortly

[Tiny]

Personally, and I do know the area, I would suggest you do not bother doing the Cheshire ring on your first trip.

 

Your idea for doing the (very Busy) Llangollen is good but give yourself a bit of time to enjoy it rather than rush as a lot of hire boaters do. If you get out of step with the race for Llangollen (as it used to be called) you will find less queues at locks and can enjoy places like Wrenbury, Marbury (a gem), Whitchurch, Ellesmere and Llangollen. Reckon on a week and at least a couple of days for this part of your trip.

 

For the rest of your two weeks you could visit Chester or go up the 22 narrow locks and back to Market Drayton. Personally I would go to Chester and walk the walls etc.

 

If you do go to Chester you will get the experience of wide locks. The locks on the arm from Middlewich, up the Llangollen and down the Shroppie to Market Drayton are all narrow (as in one boat wide). All these locks- except the first couple on the arm - are pretty easy. (This would not be the case if you did the Cheshire ring where some of the locks are very deep with stiff paddles.)

 

Pearsons Welsh Waters will cover your trip if you do do the Llangollen/Shroppie/Chester.

 

One of the real things to ruin a holiday is to try to do to much in one trip. If the book says it will take 8 hours to go from A to B don't think you can do it is 7. In fact, given things like queues at places like Hurleston, Grindley Brook and slow progress from Chirk to Llangollen its best to assume that 8 hours could end up being 9, 10 or more. If you stop for lunch you have to make up the hours so running 8 hours a day means just that plus lunch.

 

I assume you have a small crew. Of course if you have 6 strapping lock workers you can go through locks quicker - once you have worked out how locks work. On the other hand if you get a slower boat in front at locks then his pace becomes yours. Having a small crew is not a problem of course - many single hand. But if, as I did you meet a lady first timer who has done a ring which in the book takes 45 hours and you have found it takes 70 or more and so she will never boat again, you see the danger of having a small crew and trying to do to much.

 

Having said that we only have the two of us and the wife works all the locks BUT she has a very special windlass and 12,000 locks of practise. That said if you are working locks for the first time a bit of tuition can save a lot of straining (or so she says).

 

The bottom liine is to enjoy your trip and not make it into an endurance event. And there is always next time for other canals.

 

[JohnEW2912]

I would think your schedule is pretty adventurous, given it's your first time and you will be going in late September / October when there will be a lot less daylight than now. The Cheshire Ring is a pretty busy week's cruising and will not provide much in the way of time of to enjoy the places you travel through. It will also make it tight for a side trip up to Bugsworth Basin at the end of the Peak Forest, which would be highly recommended. If it were me I would go for the Cheshire Ring, the Upper Peak Forest to Bugsworth and the Caldon Canal as a perfect fortnight's trip, with spare time to enjoy yourself. Whilst the Llangollen is beautiful at its western end, it is very busy as well - you will not be alone.

 

If you are keen to do the aqueduct (and it is wonderful), how about the Llangollen, the Montgomery and Chester for a fortnight's trip. If you have any spare time you could go south down the Shropshire Union for a while as well.

 

As for places to visit, if you do the Cheshire Ring allow some time to visit Manchester - excellent moorings in Castlefield. Bugsworth as mentioned above. Lymm on the Bridgewater is an excellent overnight stop. The Caldon is probably my favourite canal of all, at least when you have shaken off the Stoke urban area. The best pub on the Cheshire Ring, if you like real beer and cider, is the Blue Bell at Hardings Wood Junction. Note that it's closed at lunchtimes and all day Monday. There are several very good pubs on the Caldon. The Navigation at Bugsworth is another fine pub. I'm less up to date with the Llangollen but my memory suggest some good and some not so good pubs. Ellesmere is a lovely place for an overnight stop.

 

On guides I would get the relevant Nicholsons guide if I was only having one. It's best for maps and detailed information but Pearsons is a more interesting and quirky read. My guess would be that Andersen Boats provide one of these on the boat so I would ask them and then buy the other one (or save some money).

[magpie patrick]

each route is doable in a week from Middlewich BUT it is difficult to keep going at that pace for two weeks, if you really want to combine a ring with the Llangollen then the four counties would be a better bet.

 

Assuming you are starting at a standard time then there is much to be said with "breaking step" on the Llangollen and getting a little bit behind everyone else. Several years ago I started up it Saturday lunchtime instead of leaving the boatyard at 3 ish and the only real issue we had was meeting a wave of boats coming the other way just after we turned round!

 

There is a reason why the Llangollen is so popular, as well as it's spectacular aqueducts and scenery at the top end it has a bit of everything, locks, tunnels, lift bridges, staircase locks, long pounds, lock flights, some good pubs, it's also worth a diversion down the Montgomery Canal.

 

Do the Llangollen first, the see how much time you've got and decide. If you've still got a week then the Four Counties is on, and you can always turn back if you start to flag a bit, other options are Chester (I wouldn't make this first choice myself), Up the Shroppie and back, or go past Middlewich to Anderton Lift and then to Northwich.

[mikevye]

I agree with Magpie the four counties is a much better proposition. Anderton boats are right in the middle of the locks at Middlewich and after negotiating them your onto the ring in either direction. Personally I'd go down the Stoke side first and see how you get on leaving the pleasure of the shroppie till last at which point you'll know if you can do the Llan or not. Allow 3 days up and 2 back down as a guideline working full days.

[bumpygirl]

Thank you all - I did wonder if doing both would be a tall order in just 2 weeks, you have certainly given us something to think about. We are going to look at the various suggestions to see which takes our fancy. I may be back with more questions - you have been warned

[johnmck]

Hi.

 

Just back from a two week trip starting from Acton Bridge. Did the Cheshire ring with a diversion to Chester.

 

Whilst it would be possible to do the Lllangollen as well, agree with other posts in that you would be pushing it, and the time to stop and enjoy a leisurely lunch would be limited.

 

We did the ring clockwise, and even enjoyed the trip through Manchester(but this was prior to the school holidays!!!)

 

Hope you enjoy which ever route you take.

 

P.S. Be prepared for long waits on locks on the Middlewich branch.

 

John.

[Dyad]

Hi

 

We did Llangollen in March 08 which was our second canal holiday. We had less daylight hours in March of course but it took us the two weeks to do it from Middlewich to Llangollen town and back.

One day we didn't cruise at all because of high wind and we took it quite easy all the way. An option is taking in the Mon&Brecon canal, I decided not to but I would of done if time allowed.

I would say less is more, it will give you more time to explore and you wont have to worry about have you got enough time to stop and look around.

 

Whatever you decide, I hope you have a great holiday.

 

Kev

[stewey]

Hi

 

We did Llangollen in March 08 which was our second canal holiday. We had less daylight hours in March of course but it took us the two weeks to do it from Middlewich to Llangollen town and back.

One day we didn't cruise at all because of high wind and we took it quite easy all the way. An option is taking in the Mon&Brecon canal, I decided not to but I would of done if time allowed.

I would say less is more, it will give you more time to explore and you wont have to worry about have you got enough time to stop and look around.

 

Whatever you decide, I hope you have a great holiday.

 

Kev

Kev, I assume you mean the Montgomery Canal, not the Mon & Brec as the latter is not currently connected to the canal (or river) system.

 

I agree with Magpie Patrick that you would be better off combining the Four Counties Ring with the LLangollen Canal. We did the Four Counties Ring last September in combination with the Caldon Canal, over two weeks. We had already cruised the Llangollen Canal on a week's hire. The Four Counties includes some great scenery, particularly the great cuttings and embankments on the Shropshire Union Canal. You also get to cruise through the Harecastle Tunnel as you would on the Cheshire Ring.

 

Stewey

[RichardH]

Kev, I assume you mean the Montgomery Canal, not the Mon & Brec as the latter is not currently connected to the canal (or river) system.

 

I agree with Magpie Patrick that you would be better off combining the Four Counties Ring with the LLangollen Canal. We did the Four Counties Ring last September in combination with the Caldon Canal, over two weeks. We had already cruised the Llangollen Canal on a week's hire. The Four Counties includes some great scenery, particularly the great cuttings and embankments on the Shropshire Union Canal. You also get to cruise through the Harecastle Tunnel as you would on the Cheshire Ring.

 

Stewey

 

 

That's exactly what I was going to suggest (except the Harecastle is not on the Cheshire Stewey)

 

The Caldon is a delight.

 

I prefer Nicholsons but probably because I have always used them.

 

Some pub highlights include:

 

Red Bull at Red Bull - lovely food and beer

Black Lion at Consall Forge - unique

Hartley Arms at Wheaton Aston - good value quality food.

The Bridge at Audlem - lovely food.

The fish and chips near the lock in Middlewich are also very good.

[Dyad]

Kev, I assume you mean the Montgomery Canal, not the Mon & Brec as the latter is not currently connected to the canal (or river) system.

 

I agree with Magpie Patrick that you would be better off combining the Four Counties Ring with the LLangollen Canal. We did the Four Counties Ring last September in combination with the Caldon Canal, over two weeks. We had already cruised the Llangollen Canal on a week's hire. The Four Counties includes some great scenery, particularly the great cuttings and embankments on the Shropshire Union Canal. You also get to cruise through the Harecastle Tunnel as you would on the Cheshire Ring.

 

Stewey

 

Yes {blush}, the one that's connected to the Llagollen, :-)

[stewey]

That's exactly what I was going to suggest (except the Harecastle is not on the Cheshire Stewey)

Richard, you are absolutely right!

 

We will be cruising the Cheshire Ring starting from Stone on the Trent & Mersey Canal, so to start the ring we will need to head through the Harecastle Tunnel. However this tunnel is not necessary for someone starting at Middlewich, of course!

 

Stewey

[PeterScott]

...first narrowboat holiday on 21st September for 2 ...weeks. [from] Middlewich ...decided we would like to do the Cheshire Ring and the Llangollen Canal (going over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct). So I have a bundle of questions: Can we manage both of these in 2 weeks?...

Here's a contribution from the 'Get up early and enjoy long days ' tendency. When we were students in 1972 we did the Four Counties Ring (similar distance to Cheshire Ring) AND the Llangollen in ONE week from Middlewich. Just under 200mls and 136 locks: previous experience then: 20 days' canalling. Just to prove we hadn't lost the knack, we did it again in our own boat from Stoke in July 2000. So it's all possible: lots of people say, from their experience that leisurely trips are enjoyable too, which is true: it's the £1500/wk (or whatever) which concentrates the mind on maximising the canalling aspects of a canal trip, though. I think it's better to reckon trips in HOURS rather than days or weeks, because travelling time per day is so dependent on the light and weather and individual preference. According to Nick's CanalPlanAC Clicky, the trip is 208 miles and 142 locks; 11 tunnels and 4 major aqueducts taking 99 hours, 28 minutes (which is 9 days, 9 hours and 28 minutes at 10 hours per day).

Which is the best way to go round the Cheshire Ring - clockwise or anticlockwise?

If you do it clockwise, then you can decide whether you can fit in the Llangollen to your preferred schedule, or not. And there are no locks (other than Dutton Stop) for the first day. Then it's the Rochdale Nine - the ONLY wide locks on the trip - which can be tricky with lots of water coming down. So the Second night (22/23Sept) at Piccadilly Basin would probably work OK.

Regards from Copperkins the Bridgewater at Sale - it's a bit late to say to join us in practising the Nine this afternoon, I suppose :-)

PeterScott

[JohnEW2912]

If you do it clockwise, then you can decide whether you can fit in the Llangollen to your preferred schedule, or not. And there are no locks (other than Dutton Stop) for the first day. Then it's the Rochdale Nine - the ONLY wide locks on the trip - which can be tricky with lots of water coming down. So the Second night (22/23Sept) at Piccadilly Basin would probably work OK.

Regards from Copperkins the Bridgewater at Sale - it's a bit late to say to join us in practising the Nine this afternoon, I suppose :-)

PeterScott

Good points but I'm not sure it's a good idea for a first timer to have the Rochdale 9 as their first real locks - could put them off for life!

[bumpygirl]

Thank you all - we are having a serious think about everyone's advice and we definitely won't be doing both! We just have to decide which we will be doing - but we are going to look att he canal plan site as suggested.

 

You are all really helpful -

[mikevye]

Thank you all - we are having a serious think about everyone's advice and we definitely won't be doing both! We just have to decide which we will be doing - but we are going to look att he canal plan site as suggested.

 

You are all really helpful -

 

Purely as a guidline with a crew of 4 we did the four counties from preston brook (black prince) in six days but they were long days and lots of graft but really enjoyable so the Llan is definately go in two weeks as PB is further from the ring than Middlewich.

[bumpygirl]

Thanks everyone, your advice did help us (along with a Pearsons guide) to make our mind up. We spent the first week cruising the Llangollen which was not as busy as we expected, and a great introduction to narrowboat holidays.

 

The secfond week we went up through Chester and walked the walls as suggested, and continued all the way to Ellesmere Port where we spent a night in the musuem and had a day trip to Liverpool as well (on the train in case your wondering ). Then we went down to Nantwich for a look around, got a bus to Crewe to see the train museum, which had actually closed for the winter the day before and back to Middlewich the night before we were due to hand our NB back.

 

We had a wonderful time and we are going to be booking next years holiday before the end of October to make sure we get some great discounts from the holiday company. We feel ready to have a go at the Cheshire Ring next year, now we know what we are doing with the boat and the locks.

 

Vee

[denboy]

Thanks everyone, your advice did help us (along with a Pearsons guide) to make our mind up. We spent the first week cruising the Llangollen which was not as busy as we expected, and a great introduction to narrowboat holidays.

 

The secfond week we went up through Chester and walked the walls as suggested, and continued all the way to Ellesmere Port where we spent a night in the musuem and had a day trip to Liverpool as well (on the train in case your wondering ). Then we went down to Nantwich for a look around, got a bus to Crewe to see the train museum, which had actually closed for the winter the day before and back to Middlewich the night before we were due to hand our NB back.

 

We had a wonderful time and we are going to be booking next years holiday before the end of October to make sure we get some great discounts from the holiday company. We feel ready to have a go at the Cheshire Ring next year, now we know what we are doing with the boat and the locks.

 

Vee

Dont do it>>>>>>>>>>>the year after you will want your own boat

[bumpygirl]

Dont do it>>>>>>>>>>>the year after you will want your own boat

 

 

Too late! Next years holiday is booked and half way through this years holiday we decided that we want our own boat. Sadly we can't afford it for a few years yet but we will. Unless of course we win the lottery

[Naughty Cal]

Another one has the bug

[Athy]

Bumpy, that's great to hear that you had such fun, and equally great that you bothered to come back and say "ta"!

How to save up for your own boat: don't go hiring other people's, stick the money in a deposit account instead! Seriously though, you can get afloat for remarkably little money if you don't mind an older craft.

[Guest]

Bumpy, that's great to hear that you had such fun, and equally great that you bothered to come back and say "ta"!

How to save up for your own boat: don't go hiring other people's, stick the money in a deposit account instead! Seriously though, you can get afloat for remarkably little money if you don't mind an older craft.

 

Just a word of caution on this point.

 

We have spent money on hiring canal boats and see it as money well spent - Jan and I need to be sure we can manage a 50-55ft boat on our own including locking, mooring turning and setting away. etc etc.

 

We've spent about £2.5k so far on canal hols. but this was taking all our families away both times at our cost, There was 2 benefits of this-

 

Our families got a cheap holiday when they couldn't afford one other wise and we cemented our provisional interested in spending time on the canals and owning a boat, we could have done it at much less cost if it had been just the two of us or they had contributed to the hire costs, so I don't really count this.

 

Our next spend of around £400 will be next month assessing how we get on on our own with no crew with a 50ft boat, no but possibly 1 or 2 locks depending where we venture.

 

Next April we have a 48ft boat for 2 weeks again with just the two of us but from Napton and the potential for man many more locks and depending on where we venture tidal waters in a narrow boat too. This will result in an additional £1,500 - bringing our total experimental expenditure to around £2k. In fact I don't consider this expenditure but rather an investment, an investment in ensuring we are as sure as we can be that we want to further invest around £50K in an occasional home on the cut.

 

This August we shared Bingley Five rise with a couple who had sold all and bought what was a fantastic boat that must of cost in the region of £100K, all this and they freely admitted they had never been on a canal holiday in their lives, that for me is one hell of a risk......

 

If after all my hires I still don't end up deciding to buy then I wouldn't see the money wasted, we will have had a great time, it will have been it has just confirmed for me it's not where I want to invest further.

 

Cheers,

[Theo]

Just a word of caution on this point.

 

We have spent money on hiring canal boats and see it as money well spent - Jan and I need to be sure we can manage a 50-55ft boat on our own including locking, mooring turning and setting away. etc etc.

 

We've spent about £2.5k so far on canal hols. but this was taking all our families away both times at our cost, There was 2 benefits of this-

 

Our families got a cheap holiday when they couldn't afford one other wise and we cemented our provisional interested in spending time on the canals and owning a boat, we could have done it at much less cost if it had been just the two of us or they had contributed to the hire costs, so I don't really count this.

 

Our next spend of around £400 will be next month assessing how we get on on our own with no crew with a 50ft boat, no but possibly 1 or 2 locks depending where we venture.

 

Next April we have a 48ft boat for 2 weeks again with just the two of us but from Napton and the potential for man many more locks and depending on where we venture tidal waters in a narrow boat too. This will result in an additional £1,500 - bringing our total experimental expenditure to around £2k. In fact I don't consider this expenditure but rather an investment, an investment in ensuring we are as sure as we can be that we want to further invest around £50K in an occasional home on the cut.

 

This August we shared Bingley Five rise with a couple who had sold all and bought what was a fantastic boat that must of cost in the region of £100K, all this and they freely admitted they had never been on a canal holiday in their lives, that for me is one hell of a risk......

 

If after all my hires I still don't end up deciding to buy then I wouldn't see the money wasted, we will have had a great time, it will have been it has just confirmed for me it's not where I want to invest further.

 

Cheers,

What a very sensible post!

 

I would add that one of the matters that needs to be addressed is whether the nitty gritty of domestic chores on a boat is something that you are going to be happy with. Emptying the PortaPotti or Pump out being the main thing that is different from life on the bank.

 

N

[Athy]

MJG, alas I was being a little flippant, a tendency to which I can be prone.

My serious point was that buying a serviceable boat which you can enjoy need not involve the kind of money more often associated with premier league footballers' weekly wages. For example, a few weeks ago Mrs. Athy and I looked at a clean, well-maintained 36-footer which would sleep 4, which sold for £10,000. If you want more space than that, one make which tends to offer a good space-per-£ ratio is Harborough Marine, often ex-hire boats. Have a look on the Apollo Duck web site: you'll find some VERY SILLY prices but also some bargains.