2 weeks in May

[alan_fincher]

Bones said she got hooked up in Shipton Weir Lock, and had to be pulled off, and since we have never done this area, I just wondered what was so "special" about this lock?

It's a strange diamond shape, with normal narrow gates at each end of the diamond, but three or four times normal narrow boat width in the middle.

 

I gather it is designed that way to ensure that locking between the Cherwell and the canal part on a lock that is only a couple of feet deep takes through a much larger volume of water, similar to that used in an Oxford lock of normal depth.

 

You can take (say) a couple of non full length boats in, moving each to one side or the other, then pack a longer one down the middle, (other arrangements doubtless possible. depending on boat size!)

 

One shorter boat on it's own, left to drift, could end up seriously "diagonal" across, and I can imagine could get caught up.

 

It's a strange thing, one of two such locks on the Oxford.

 

EDITED TO ADD:

 

I agree that the Thames Ring is easily achieved in under a fortnight - we did it easily including a couple of days stopped at Thrupp, whilst OH needed some hospital checks.

 

You can make very much faster progress than some of CanalPlanAC's defaults, as a shallow draughted boat will go down most of the Oxford without wash at well over their 2.5 mph suggestion, and even our ageing BMC engine will easily hold the 5mph speed limit allowed on the Thames.

 

However if you don't do early starts, and want early finishes, then it sounds like a 3 weeker to me, even though I personally would get a bit bored at that pace.

 

The Leicester ring, on the other hand, which can be done by an enthusiastic crew in under a week, would be leisurely in two. Most of it an excellent trip, and stories of Leicester itself not being a nice place by canal are much exaggerated.

Edited March 17, 2010 by alan_fincher

[Keeping Up]

Bones said she got hooked up in Shipton Weir Lock, and had to be pulled off, and since we have never done this area, I just wondered what was so "special" about this lock?

It also has a "ridge" in the wall all around, about half a brick wide, which is IIRC a couple of feet below the water line when the lock is full so is a foot or so below the water line when the lock is empty. It is easy (but not dangerous) for the edge of the boat to get caught on it while descending - and frustrating if you have to let some water back in to free yourself because the lock is infuriatingly slow to fill.

[Graham Davis]

Well it looks like it is going to be Oxford and back, so I've just ordered our Nicholsons Guide. It looks like that will be an easy 11 days, so we have 2 spare. Was thinking of a little jaunt up the Thames, but is it really £33 a day? (54' narrow boat)

[Keeping Up]

Well it looks like it is going to be Oxford and back, so I've just ordered our Nicholsons Guide. It looks like that will be an easy 11 days, so we have 2 spare. Was thinking of a little jaunt up the Thames, but is it really £33 a day? (54' narrow boat)

Yes that is correct. But IMHO worth it for a jaunt up towards LEchlade and back.

 

If you buy a 24 hour licence, it is valid for 24 hours from the moment that you purchase it. So buy it at the first lock you come to, and they'll write the following day on it as the expiry date. You can use it until the end of the day upon which it expires, so you can get 2 days use out of it.

[Graham Davis]

Thanks for that Allan.

[Evo]

So this Thames Ring thing then..!!!!!

 

So far from this thread I have learned...its a doddle to do it in 2 weeks......I then saw the schedule

of someone who did it....hmmmmmm..start at 8:00 steam on till evening with no stops...have dinner whilst going up locks....!!!! FFS...I can see her buying that one...its not my idea of canal cruising either. I also noticed

this guy had some detours up other bits of canal.....but for only 1 hour..!!!! Eh..???? When we detour its usually so we can actually see something - not just practice our winding - and usually takes at least half a day.

 

So this Thames thing then (for normal people)......is it posible in 15 days or what....everything I've read says no....but more than 1 person in this thread has said yes. I ask because I have the first 2 weeks in August off and we quite fancy doing it. Leave Braunston very early Saturday and arrive back very late on the last Sunday..?? Is that 16 days...??

We do usually start earlyish - sometimes maybe even 7:00 - but do like to stop for nice breakfast...then stop again for couple of pints and lunch...and finally finish up at anything between 5pm and 8:30pm. Depending on appropiate location of any pub. Maybe have a day off somewhere interesting...maybe go into town somewhere for a few hours.....cruising like this, is it posible...????

Edited March 31, 2010 by Evo

[Keeping Up]

As I commented above, I reckon the Thames ring is a relatively easy fortnight's travel; I've done it in less time than that a couple of times with no problems (but my logbooks are all on the boat and I'm in the house so I can't tell you my schedule)

 

On my normal settings, CanalPlan (now that the bug is fixed so it works for me again) reckons it's "109 hours, 33 minutes which is 13 days, 5 hours and 33 minutes at 8 hours per day"

 

So if you travel 8 hors per day, it's easily achievable in a fortnight. Your schedule suggests 7-9 travel, 8-9 breakfast, 9-12 travel, 12-2 lunch, 2-6 travel, that's 8 hours.

[Evo]

Excellent...thanks...we'll give it a whiz then. Even if we dont make it it doesn't matter that much I guess. One of the kids can come and pick us up.

 

Looking forward to that now....superb.

 

which is the best way round..?

[Keeping Up]

Excellent...thanks...we'll give it a whiz then. Even if we dont make it it doesn't matter that much I guess. One of the kids can come and pick us up.

 

Looking forward to that now....superb.

 

which is the best way round..?

If you go anticlockwise you get the benefit of the Thames current pushing you along so you go quicker.

[Graham Davis]

Allan,

I'm on holiday, what the heck would I want to get up and be on the move by 0700 for? If we see a nice pub at lunch time then we will stop, ditto in the evening.

It must be us, but this is supposed to be a HOLIDAY!! Not a race around the UK.

[Evo]

Allan,

I'm on holiday, what the heck would I want to get up and be on the move by 0700 for? If we see a nice pub at lunch time then we will stop, ditto in the evening.

It must be us, but this is supposed to be a HOLIDAY!! Not a race around the UK.

 

 

made me smile.....We are no different really. When I'm on the boat i do get up early, but I have to stop for a fry up, and when i see a nice pub i like to stop, sometimes for a long time, and to be honest all pubs are nice to me. My guess is we wont make it. We will however have been on the Thames and will definately have a good time half heartedly trying to get back. It took us 2 weeks to do the Leicester ring last year, so I'm definately not optimistic. What I wont do is manically attempt to get all the way round, we can go back and bring the boat back the following weekend...even better.

Edited March 31, 2010 by Evo

[Keeping Up]

Allan,

I'm on holiday, what the heck would I want to get up and be on the move by 0700 for? If we see a nice pub at lunch time then we will stop, ditto in the evening.

It must be us, but this is supposed to be a HOLIDAY!! Not a race around the UK.

I have never suggested that you would want to get up at 0700.

 

You will see that my reply was to Evo, who had said in his post "We do usually start earlyish - sometimes maybe even 7:00"

[Evo]

Yes .. Sorry Graham, I did rather jump in on your thread. Didn't see any point in starting another one on the same subject. If Alan reckons we can make it on 8hrs a day - which we normally easily do - then I'm sure we will with no holdups. I dont do rain though, and there is always a hold up through traffic, loss of water, or just fancy a day doing something else. Good comforting advice though Alan, we'll be on it.

[Graham Davis]

Allan, Evo,

that's why I nearly always put a name at the top of my replies, then everyone knows who it is aimed at.

 

Allan,

don't take umbrage. Unfortunately the smillies aren't working for me at the moment so they were missing from my comment about 0700!

I have to get up at 0415 most of next week.......I hate day shifts!!!

[Keeping Up]

Allan,

don't take umbrage.

None taken

 

I hate early mornings too.

[Nic]

I only get up early if I'm way behind schedule and need to catch up or got a difficult part (like starting from the top of Hatton flight and wanting to make it into Birmingham going the GUC route in)

[Graham Davis]

Well, only 7 days to go, and oh boy do I need this holiday. SWMBO has agreed that we can go up the GU and then down the Oxford, and possibly have a plod up to Leclade.

So where's the best pub grub to be had?

Any good music sessions to be found on the route?

Where's the best place to moor for a day in Oxford?

[Graham Davis]

Off in the morning to pick up our boat around 1400ish, so look out for us as we trundle down towards Oxford.

Look out for the Draig Goch proudly waving somewhere!!

Edited May 7, 2010 by Graham Davis

[Grace and Favour]

Have a great fortnight - - we were there last year - I hope the weather stays fine for you!

[Naughty Cal]

Off in the morning to pick up our boat around 1400ish, so look out for us as we trundle down towards Oxford.

Look out for the Draig Goch proudly waving somewhere!!

 

Its your fault our BBQ looks set to be rained off is it

[Graham Davis]

Phylis,

 

P O !!

 

 

 

[Graham Davis]

Well, we arrived back home last evening after a very enjoyable 2 weeks going down to Oxford and back.

 

Nice to meet up with Bones, Maffy, Keeping Up, etc at the pub. It was nice to put a name to faces.

 

I will put some details of the log up later, but found out I was expected to come into work at 0545 this morning!! DAMN!!