14 Days Ring

[Mybust]

Last summer (2011) my wife, my two sons (10 & 12 this year) and I tried a narrowboat vacation for the first time and we loved it.

We spent one week on the Kennet & Avon Canal in a boat from Foxhangers. Cruising (very) slowly from (near) Devizes to Bath and back.

This year we are planning our summer vacation on dry land in Denmark but we have started to look for the 2013 vacation and narrowboat is on the top of the list.

We are looking for a ring, pretty much anywhere in the UK, for two weeks on the canals.

I could go 10 hrs. a day, but the boss (wife) wants a slower pace.

We both care more for old villages and nice scenery than cities.

 

I'm thankful for any suggestion that you may have.

 

Svein

Bergen

Norway

[DeanS]

Last summer (2011) my wife, my two sons (10 & 12 this year) and I tried a narrowboat vacation for the first time and we loved it.

We spent one week on the Kennet & Avon Canal in a boat from Foxhangers. Cruising (very) slowly from (near) Devizes to Bath and back.

This year we are planning our summer vacation on dry land in Denmark but we have started to look for the 2013 vacation and narrowboat is on the top of the list.

We are looking for a ring, pretty much anywhere in the UK, for two weeks on the canals.

I could go 10 hrs. a day, but the boss (wife) wants a slower pace.

We both care more for old villages and nice scenery than cities.

 

I'm thankful for any suggestion that you may have.

 

Svein

Bergen

Norway

 

Hi Svein.

I enjoyed the trip from Castlefield in Manchester...on to the Bridgewater canal...all the way to the Trent and Mersey canal...then on to the Mecclesfield canal, ...into the Peak District canal..and back to Manchester on the Ashton canal...and for a very difficult experience..through the centre of Manchester...down the 9 locks...to Castlefield basin . It offers a lot of different experiences and lock sizes..and 3 tunnels....as well as being able to go down onto the River Weaver at the Anderton boat lift.....to the nearest town centre...and back to the boat lift to get back on to the canals and continue on. The Bridgewater canal has no locks, but there are enough on the other canals to make you work a little. You can catch a train to Manchester from anywhere..and there is an airport nearby...I have seen hireboats in this area, but someone else might have more info on which operators service this area.

[adam1uk]

In two weeks your options are almost endless.

 

You could do in two weeks any of the well-known rings that lots of people do in a week, if you go slow enough.

 

Or you could add a side trip -- for example, the Four Counties Ring would be a good option, with an excursion up the Caldon Canal, or to Chester (or both).

 

Or you could combine two rings together. Last year, we did a combination of the Avon Ring and the Warwickshire Ring.

[STIG]

I would agree with Adam, in 2 weeks you`ll not get much better than doin the avon and warwickshire rings, that way you only do hatton flight once

[familyfive]

Last summer (2011) my wife, my two sons (10 & 12 this year) and I tried a narrowboat vacation for the first time and we loved it.

We spent one week on the Kennet & Avon Canal in a boat from Foxhangers. Cruising (very) slowly from (near) Devizes to Bath and back.

This year we are planning our summer vacation on dry land in Denmark but we have started to look for the 2013 vacation and narrowboat is on the top of the list.

We are looking for a ring, pretty much anywhere in the UK, for two weeks on the canals.

I could go 10 hrs. a day, but the boss (wife) wants a slower pace.

We both care more for old villages and nice scenery than cities.

 

I'm thankful for any suggestion that you may have.

 

Svein

Bergen

Norway

 

 

Yes I think Adam's suggestions are good. I see you said you prefer old villages and nice scenery to cities, however I wouldn't worry about going through Birmingham. The combination of Warwickshire/Avon ring's route through Birmingham is quite allright.

 

We did a combination of the Black Country Ring and Stourport Ring last time in a fortnight, which was nice and steady and a good combination of villages and places to stop off at - Shugborough Hall on the T&M, Cathedral at Worcester, Steam Railway at Kidderminster if you want to see a bit of British heritage. The route through Birmingham would have been the same as the Avon/Warwickshire ring combo as we didn't need to do the Netherton tunnel/Wolverhampton 21. We moored in the centre and it was v pleasant with hanging baskets of flowers etc around the place. The boys enjoyed the visit to the Sea Life Centre right next to where we moored and the excellent take away curry we had!

 

In the past we,ve done the Four Counties plus Caldon and Macc in two weeks. Again a route of nice scenery/villages and going through Stoke on Trent is worth it for the Harecastle tunnel! We had time to do both Caldon and Macclesfield extensions but of course you don't need to do both, see how time goes, or perhaps you could do the Llangollen as a side trip add on instead?

 

Enjoy your planning!

[PiRSqwared]

We did the 4 counties in a week a couple of years ago. As a week long trip, it would make an excellent 2 week trip!!

[RichardH]

I would agree with the Four Counties.

 

We have had guests undertaken one of the L&L/HNC/Rochdale rings in 2 weeks but they have arrived back over tired and suffering cabin fever.....

[Mybust]

Thank you for the answers.

As not all of the names are known to me I have to look into the suggestions before I take this further.

 

Four Counties in a week might be to slow, but more interesting with the suggested side trips.

Edited May 27, 2012 by Mybust

[Dalesman]

Thank you for the answers.

As not all of the names are known to me I have to look into the suggestions before I take this further.

 

Four Counties in a week might be to slow, but more interesting with the suggested side trips.

Do the Four Counties but also include a trip on the River Weaver via the Anderton Boat Lift well worth it.