A ring in a week - advice please?

[GC Mike]

Thanks to everybody for the advice - I've thoroughly enjoyed reading what everyone's got to say.

 

The trip is starting to crystalise a little now. Looks like we shall be doing the trip in the school easter holidays next year - so mid-april, which is the same time of year we did the K&A. Another member of the party fancies the Warwickshire Ring - and some of you above have said it's got a bit of everything. I've seen Gas Street Basin in Birmingham - I was on a work-related training course for a week very close by a couple of years back and walked along the canal on several evenings. Also enjoyed a beer outside a pub down there but can't remember what it was called. Small and full of character I seem to remember.

 

So the next question is - what advice for doing the Warwickshire Ring? Somewhere like Napton would be closest for us all to get to to hire the boat; and instinct tells me to try and get the hardest work out of the way earlier rather than leaving it until later in the cruise. So which way round would be better?

 

Again - any advice gratefully received.

 

Mike

[RichardH]

You could always do a one-way trip.

 

As it happens we offer one

[Keeping Up]

Thanks to everybody for the advice - I've thoroughly enjoyed reading what everyone's got to say.

 

The trip is starting to crystalise a little now. Looks like we shall be doing the trip in the school easter holidays next year - so mid-april, which is the same time of year we did the K&A. Another member of the party fancies the Warwickshire Ring - and some of you above have said it's got a bit of everything. I've seen Gas Street Basin in Birmingham - I was on a work-related training course for a week very close by a couple of years back and walked along the canal on several evenings. Also enjoyed a beer outside a pub down there but can't remember what it was called. Small and full of character I seem to remember.

 

So the next question is - what advice for doing the Warwickshire Ring? Somewhere like Napton would be closest for us all to get to to hire the boat; and instinct tells me to try and get the hardest work out of the way earlier rather than leaving it until later in the cruise. So which way round would be better?

 

Again - any advice gratefully received.

 

Mike

 

The hardest work is undoubtedly the Hatton flight. It's a lot easier to do downwards rather than upwards so personally I'd leave it until the end of the week. Go anticlockwise.

 

Also you have a choice, the shorter ring via Knowle which misses the centre of Birmingham, or the slightly longer ring which includes the centre of Birmingham (and two extra flights of locks). It's worth taking the longer route, but by going anticlockwise you don't have to commit to it until nearly the end of the week.

[alan_fincher]

The hardest work is undoubtedly the Hatton flight. It's a lot easier to do downwards rather than upwards so personally I'd leave it until the end of the week. Go anticlockwise.

 

Just curious, but why ?

[Tiny]

I prefer two weeks to one on most rings. It gives you more time to get off the boat and look around. It also allows you to take side trips. For example the 4 counties and the Caldon. The Warwick ring plus the Ashby and so on. You can often get a cheap second week - or a free third one when hiring.

Edited October 3, 2010 by Tiny

[Bimbly1]

I quite fancied a ring so we had new scenery every day - but I've seen people here saying it adds stress if you get behind with the schedule. In some ways the Four Counties appeals because I've got a son at Stafford Uni and a father near Stone, both of whom could be invited to join us all for a day.

 

 

When I hired, we used to push on, (Four Counties in six days, whatever the weather), and can say from experience that getting to a pub just after they finished serving dinner is not the best way to end a long day. It is better done in a couple of weeks and if you find yourself ahead of time, there are several areas to explore, e.g. the Caldon Canal. Other good ones include the Black Country Ring; the East Midlands Ring and Avon Ring I won't go on but there are several. I never get worked up about the schedule. If I ain't half way round by halfway through the week/fortnight/whatever, then I turn the tub around and rock"n roll back. Whatever you do, enjoy your trip!

[muddywaters]

I was going to suggest the Stourport Ring as well.

2 of us easily managed it in a week clockwise from Stoke Prior in October 2006