Where to next?

[ncpierce]

Hi,

 

I have been boating on and off for the past 13years with my family. To date we have done the following:-

 

1996 - Leighton Buzzard to Braunston (rtn) - Wyvern Shipping (1week)

1998 - Leicester Ring - Wyvern Shipping (2weeks)

2002 - Leighton Buzzard to Braunston (rtn) - Wyvern Shipping (1week)

2003 - Langollen - Black Prince (1week)

2004 - Devizes to Keynsham - Foxhangers Boats (1week)

2005 - Warwickshire Ring - Valley Cruisers (1week)

2006 - Cheshire Ring - Carefree Crusing (Elton Moss) (1week)

2007 - Four Counties Ring - Challenger (1week)

2008 - Warwick to Banbury - Kate Boats (1week)

2009 - Leighton Buzzard to Gayton Junction - Wyvern Shipping (4days)

2009 - Black Country Ring - Teddesley Boats (1week)

 

We have a trip booked for Easter 2010 heading south from Leighton Buzzard with my sister and nieces but we need an idea of where to go for a week in the summer.

 

Ideally we would prefer a semi-trad, or trad layout (not a huge fan of cruiser sterns) as they provide vague shelter when the weather is not too good - typical British summer. The "best" boat we have had was Spirit of Georgia - 66ft tug from Challenger with the engine room, back cabin and trad engine controls.

 

So where do we go next? and from which boatyard???

 

TIA

 

Nigel

[Athy]

Hi,

 

I have been boating on and off for the past 13years with my family. To date we have done the following:-

 

1996 - Leighton Buzzard to Braunston (rtn) - Wyvern Shipping (1week)

1998 - Leicester Ring - Wyvern Shipping (2weeks)

2002 - Leighton Buzzard to Braunston (rtn) - Wyvern Shipping (1week)

2003 - Langollen - Black Prince (1week)

2004 - Devizes to Keynsham - Foxhangers Boats (1week)

2005 - Warwickshire Ring - Valley Cruisers (1week)

2006 - Cheshire Ring - Carefree Crusing (Elton Moss) (1week)

2007 - Four Counties Ring - Challenger (1week)

2008 - Warwick to Banbury - Kate Boats (1week)

2009 - Leighton Buzzard to Gayton Junction - Wyvern Shipping (4days)

2009 - Black Country Ring - Teddesley Boats (1week)

 

We have a trip booked for Easter 2010 heading south from Leighton Buzzard with my sister and nieces but we need an idea of where to go for a week in the summer.

 

Ideally we would prefer a semi-trad, or trad layout (not a huge fan of cruiser sterns) as they provide vague shelter when the weather is not too good - typical British summer. The "best" boat we have had was Spirit of Georgia - 66ft tug from Challenger with the engine room, back cabin and trad engine controls.

 

So where do we go next? and from which boatyard???

 

TIA

 

Nigel

Bases solely on the type of boat which you like, talk to Middlewich Boats as I believe they have a trad with a classic engine in their hire fleet.

EDIT: just looked: yes they have several with engine rooms, boatman's cabins and even traditional controls, from 47 feet length upwards.

But you have already cruised the canals of that area; in fact you seem to have been just about everywhere except the Ashby Canal and the Middle Levels! So you could look at Ashby Boat Co. of Stoke Golding and Fox Narrowboats of March.

Edited December 30, 2009 by Athy

[mikevye]

I have seen the Middlewich trad boat and hunk of junk springs to mind, stick with the Ashby recommendation.

[Athy]

I have seen the Middlewich trad boat and hunk of junk springs to mind, stick with the Ashby recommendation.

Unequivocal words Mike, what's the matter with them (I think, from looking at their brochure, that they have either three or four)?

[ncpierce]

I have seen the Middlewich trad boat and hunk of junk springs to mind, stick with the Ashby recommendation.

 

Interesting to note is that Middlewich's NB Larch appears to be the ex Challenger Spirit of Georgia boat. The layout is the same and some searching on jim-shead.com confirmed:-

 

SPIRIT OF GEORGIA Built by BLUE HAVEN MARINE - Length 20.13 metres (66 feet 1 inch ) - Beam 2.09 metres (6 feet 10 inches ) Metal hull, power of 46BHP. Registered with British Waterways number 502664 as a Powered. Last registration recorded on 19/04/2008.

 

LARCH Built by BLUE HAVEN MARINE - Length 20.13 metres (66 feet 1 inch ) - Beam 2.09 metres (6 feet 10 inches ) - Draft 0.7 metres (2 feet 4 inches ) Metal hull, power of 46BHP. Registered with British Waterways number 502664 as a Powered. Last registration recorded on 19-May-09.

 

Thanks for the responses so far. What do people think of the Leeds and Liverpool??

[Lady Muck]

For us - the most beautiful canal of all. Fantastic views and lovely towns to visit. Lots of swing bridges that take a bit of figuring out and locks are interesting with different ways of operating the paddles.

[the grinch]

for me it would have to be the Huddersfield /Rochdale canals lovely pennine scenery.

[Matthew Dowson]

Shire Cruisers in Sowerby Bridge do some nice simply fitted out semi-trads. Leeds and Liverpool well worth a look, the passage through Leeds under the bridges is epic. Nice run up to Skipton as well.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Shire Cruisers in Sowerby Bridge do some nice simply fitted out semi-trads. Leeds and Liverpool well worth a look, the passage through Leeds under the bridges is epic. Nice run up to Skipton as well.

 

I agree. All your boating so far has been Darn Sarf. Come up to Yorkshire and sample the Standedge Tunnel- every boater should experience it (if the boat will go through - and Shire Cruisers' boats will)

 

Mac

[ditchcrawler]

Bases solely on the type of boat which you like, talk to Middlewich Boats as I believe they have a trad with a classic engine in their hire fleet.

EDIT: just looked: yes they have several with engine rooms, boatman's cabins and even traditional controls, from 47 feet length upwards.

But you have already cruised the canals of that area; in fact you seem to have been just about everywhere except the Ashby Canal and the Middle Levels! So you could look at Ashby Boat Co. of Stoke Golding and Fox Narrowboats of March.

I think Lime Farm Marina have trads at Newbold, that would give a relaxing run down to the end of the Ashby and back

 

I agree. All your boating so far has been Darn Sarf. Come up to Yorkshire and sample the Standedge Tunnel- every boater should experience it (if the boat will go through - and Shire Cruisers' boats will)

 

Mac

And there is a boat full of beer moored down there

[cotswoldsman]

For 1 week in summer I would recommend Lancaster Canal lovely country side, nice towns and easy reach to Lake District or the Dales. There are 2 hire companies but can't remember there names sure you can find them via google.

[Guest]

For 1 week in summer I would recommend Lancaster Canal lovely country side, nice towns and easy reach to Lake District or the Dales. There are 2 hire companies but can't remember there names sure you can find them via google.

 

Having searched for them recently myself -

 

 

http://www.arlen-hireboats.co.uk/

 

http://www.waterfarmboathire.co.uk/

 

http://www.water-babies.co.uk/

 

Were the ones I found

[Athy]

Come up to Yorkshire and sample the Standedge Tunnel- every boater should experience it (

Aarrgghhh! You might as well take a holiday in a tube train with the lights switched off.

[cotswoldsman]

Having searched for them recently myself -

 

 

http://www.arlen-hireboats.co.uk/

 

http://www.waterfarmboathire.co.uk/

 

http://www.water-babies.co.uk/

 

Were the ones I found

 

Thanks for that must say the Water Babies boats always looked very nice think they just have 2 boats.

[DHutch]

Interesting to note is that Middlewich's NB Larch appears to be the ex Challenger Spirit of Georgia boat.

Some of the middlewich boats are 'scuffier' and more 'basic' than others and certainly i dont think even they would dispute that. However this is made relatively clear on there website and the price reflects this, although all boats work as they should and are generally in a perfectly servicable state. Larch is indeed and a ex-challenger boat, and one of there smarter craft at present.

[Athy]

Is that the one, or one of the ones, which has a Rigas Dizelis engine? I know they installed a couple of them in midships engine rooms in the Challenger fleet. As an ex- Rigas owner, I would comment:

1) they're lovely

2) do not expect to be able to hold a conversation with anyone at the pointy end of the boat, or even on the towpath, when they're running. Whispergen they are not!

[alan_fincher]

We saw some Middlewich boats that had a "traditional" layout, with engine room forward of some kind of back cabin.

 

Can't remember the name(s), but the ones we saw had a 3 cylinder air-cooled Lister, (SR2 or ST3 ?), with speed wheel and a very cumbersome push/pull lever for the gears, with a very long throw.

 

This was causing great difficulty for at least two novice crews we saw, who were often going from forward to reverse, (or vice versa) with the revs hard on on the speed wheel, and as a result lock gates and cills were getting all kinds of s**t beaten out of them.

 

Such a boat is probably quite controllable by a steerer with some familiarity with such an arrangement, but in my view quite unsuitable, (well irresponsible, actually), on a boat let out to people with no previous skills.

 

They were also particularly noisy, and throwing a lot of smoke, which was probably not too pleasant if you spent a long while behind the roof mounted exhausts.

 

A "proper slow revving marine engine" though! ( ).

[the grinch]

Aarrgghhh! You might as well take a holiday in a tube train with the lights switched off.

 

no the tunnel is far more interesting than a tube one!

[tillergirl]

Agree about the LL but try from Skipton westwards over the tops to Foulridge Tunnel and back. Believe Snaygill do trads and semi trads although we have only hired from Pennine Cruisers on that canal.

[Ange]

Agree about the LL but try from Skipton westwards over the tops to Foulridge Tunnel and back. Believe Snaygill do trads and semi trads although we have only hired from Pennine Cruisers on that canal.

I'd second this suggestion - easily the loveliest and most rewarding canal section we've visited so far. A small family run company that also has hire boats on this stretch that I'd definitely recommend are:-

 

www.canalboatescapes.co.uk based at Barnoldswick

 

(not quite sure why that didn't produce a linky - humph.)

[Guest]

Believe Snaygill do trads and semi trads.

 

I'm afraid they don't - cruiser sterns all the way...

 

http://www.snaygillboats.co.uk/narrowboats.htm#Basil

 

Good choice of route though.

 

I'd second this suggestion - easily the loveliest and most rewarding canal section we've visited so far. A small family run company that also has hire boats on this stretch that I'd definitely recommend are:-

 

www.canalboatescapes.co.uk based at Barnoldswick

 

(not quite sure why that didn't produce a linky - humph.)

 

You mean like this....

 

http://www.canalboatescapes.co.uk

 

you missed the http:// bit

Edited January 3, 2010 by MJG

[Athy]

You could book their "Strumble", which looks a seriously cute little boat, but you would have to leave the family at home!

[Guest]

You could book their "Strumble", which looks a seriously cute little boat, but you would have to leave the family at home!

 

It is a very nice little boat - it was moored next to us at Gargrave in August.

[stewey]

I'd second this suggestion - easily the loveliest and most rewarding canal section we've visited so far. A small family run company that also has hire boats on this stretch that I'd definitely recommend are:-

 

www.canalboatescapes.co.uk based at Barnoldswick

 

(not quite sure why that didn't produce a linky - humph.

 

Herewith:

 

http://www.canalboatescapes.co.uk/

 

Stewey

[John Orentas]

As you only have one week, I agree with Cotswoldman, the Lancaster is very nice, and very different, being lock free you will have saved a lot of energy so for 2011 take 2 weeks and do the Pennine Ring.

 

Didn't notice any rivers on your 'done' list, not easy with hire boats but try to fit one in. The Severn is good, the Trent or even the Ribble Link.. As you are quite experienced try to find a way of doing the tidal Thames to Limehouse, that's one you will really remember.

Edited January 3, 2010 by John Orentas