newbie advice

[fruic]

Hi

We are planning a canal boat holiday soon..we being me my husband our eleven year old son and our spaniel and would love a few pointers.

where would be the best route to take for beginners and are there any hire boat companys that are better than others?

we are all really looking forward to it and want to get the best out of it,so any pointers would be great

[bottle]

Hi welcome to the forum

 

Have you been here Waterscape also if you 'google' ...........'narrowboat hire'.

 

Personally I always use 'Alvechurch' but I am sure many others will be recommended by members

[Paul Evans]

Welcome to the forum.

 

Try this link Waterways Directory and click Boating Holidays. You will find a list of hire companies, many with their own web sites, that will give you some idea of what is available.

 

Most canals are suitable for beginners who take it slowly and thoughtfully, so what sort of holiday do you want? How long are you going for? Are you content to wander along stopping off at pubs or do you want other attractions? Are you up for working lots of locks or would you prefer something easier? If you give us some idea of what you are looking for, I'm sure people here will come with plenty of suggestions for you.

[John Orentas]

Hi Fruic. And welcome to the forum.

 

Why don't you post just a little information about yourself in 'Personal Profile' (My Controls). Unless people have a rough idea where you are it will be difficult to give you any kind of guidance.

[Webchem]

Most hire boat companies are similar, although there tends to be a difference in the quality of the boat.

 

We have recently hired from Alvechurch and Anglo-Welsh and been very impressed with both. They give the relevant tuition and are not afraid of adapting their instruction to your own knowledge.

 

When my family started going again after a long break a few years ago, we decided on a location and the type of route, ring, there and back or one way, then selected a boat.

 

We have tended to go for rings as we like to push on and know we have to be in a certain spot by the evening. Friends of ours do their and back holidays and just take it easy. They decide on a mid-point of the week and then turn around. Sometimes they might go as far in 3 days as we go in one - but we are all happy!

 

The community is very friendly and will be more than willing to pitch in advice when you are out on the cut, warnings of shallow water, obstructions, difficult paddle gear are always welcome

 

Blakes and Hoseasons have the biggest range of boats throughout the country, although Alvechurch are hot on their heels.

 

Just go with the flow.

 

[tony collins]

Hi

We are planning a canal boat holiday soon..we being me my husband our eleven year old son and our spaniel and would love a few pointers.

where would be the best route to take for beginners and are there any hire boat companys that are better than others?

we are all really looking forward to it and want to get the best out of it,so any pointers would be great

 

 

If you are planning an "easy" route you could do worse than the Coventry Canal south of Atherstone from where there are only four locks (and one of them is only 6" rise) between there and Braunston. If you were to divert up the Ashby Canal you wouldn't meet any locks at all"

 

Hire bases at Atherstone (Valley Cruisers)

Brinklow (Rose Narrow Boats)

Rugby (Willow Wren, Clifton Cruisers, Viking Afloat,

Braunston (Union Canal Cruisers)

Stoke Golding (Ashby Narrowboat Company)

 

Hope some of this helps

 

Tony

[GRPCruiserman]

The Llangollen has something for everyone; locks (but not too many), lift bridges, aqueducts, tunnels, villages, towns (whitchurch etc), stunning scenery, and it's VERY busy which gives interest to younger members of the family, and as the majority of boats are also hirers, you can discuss experiences and places to stop, etc.

 

There are many places to eat and it gives you a good insight in to a bit of everything.

 

That would be my recomendation. Also buy a Nicholsons guide or similar before you go so you can plan where to stop etc.

 

Hope this helps.

[nbtafelberg]

Packet boat marina rent out some boats .

 

You can go into the centre of London down the paddington arm (no locks) or up towards Berkhamstead where we have just been. Except by the time we get to Cowley we'll have done 78 jolly locks.

[fruic]

Thanks everyone

this is great..you are a friendly bunch!

after much chat i think we would prefere to do a ring...and lots of locks ...they are quite exited about that ...me i am a bit more nervous!

having a 11 year old i think a busier more active mix would be better

anyway i am away to have a look at some of the sites you have recomended

anymore posts would be great

and i will keep you posted what i book

[Janet S]

Thanks everyone

this is great..you are a friendly bunch!

after much chat i think we would prefere to do a ring...and lots of locks ...they are quite exited about that ...me i am a bit more nervous!

having a 11 year old i think a busier more active mix would be better

anyway i am away to have a look at some of the sites you have recomended

anymore posts would be great

and i will keep you posted what i book

We hired last season from Shire Cruisers in Sowerby Bridge. Couldn't find a better company to deal with! The service was excellent, and the boat was great. We'd booked to go again this year, but had to cancel our plans to do the South Pennine Ring due to the breach, but we're looking forward to going with them again next year.

 

For this summer we've hired from the Canal Cruising Co in Stone, and plan to do a couple of rings. Anybody got any advice or hints on this?

[John Orentas]

Hi Janet.

 

The Rochdale will reopen in time for summer, early June is the latest estimate.

[Janet S]

Hi Janet.

 

The Rochdale will reopen in time for summer, early June is the latest estimate.

Thanks for that John. We're going in May, and Susan at Shire very kindly informed us early that it wasn't going to be fixed in time, so we've provisionally booked for next year instead. We've been planning to do the SPR for four years now! Once we had to cancel through illness, and twic now through problems on the canal. I think we're jinxed! Undaunted though...

[Philip]

Hi, first, enjoy your first trip wherever you travel!

 

If you want to do a ring, then I suggest the Four Counties Ring as a good route to take. It basically has a bit of everything, which provides interest, relaxation at times, some good scenery and activity. There are 94 locks on the ring itself, but some hire companies are located close to, but a few locks off the ring. You have the Harecastle tunnel, the pottery of Stoke (including the Wedgewood Factory a few miles south), the Cheshire Locks which certainly do provide activity (26 in about 6/7 miles). Of course you also have the very peaceful and attractive Trent Valley, where the locks are more spaced out and you also have the proud canal town of Stone, where there is another flight of 4 locks.

 

You have the northern Staffs and Worcester, with the attractive Sow Valley, the beautiful Tixall Wide and you have a lock every so often on this section.

 

The other two canals are the peaceful, remote Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union, which has 4, deep locks and the 'spectacular Shroppie', which is the mainline of the Shropshire Union canal. This is my favourite waterway, it has some exciting scenery with deep cuttings and high, long embankments, it has some delightful towns and villages, like Audlem, Brewood, Gnosall and Nantwich, a good set of pubs and easy to work flights of locks (although when I went though at the weekend, some of the paddles on the Adderley flight were stiff).

 

Regarding the locks, most as I said are easy enough to work, although a few of the Trent and Mersey locks are stiff and some are very leaky, meaning they could take longer to fill usually. Most of them however, have a top gate paddle, which you need to be careful with - especially when they're on the deep locks, but they will speed up locking if you're going up (the hire company will probably mention the top gate paddles when you have the instruction).

 

I think most hire companies don't mind which way round you go, it depends where you start off as to which is the best way round. I think generally you head for whichever end of the tunnel portal is closest - ie. if it is south, then you'll go anti-clockwise and vice versa. A lot of people like to get the Cheshire locks done first, but I think that's just personal preference. We tend to do it anti-clockwise though

 

I have almost described a journey here, but it has so much to write about, I could go on for much longer.

 

Enjoy your trip though.

Edited February 22, 2006 by Philip

[GRPCruiserman]

I must agree re the Shroppie, I loved it, but may not be so much for an 11 year old.

 

I've not done the Trent & Mersey south of Middlewich, so can't comment, but The Middlewich arm and the top of the Trent & Mersey I've done a number of times and always enjoyed it. Must go straight on one day!!!