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four counties ring

Argey_bargey

By Argey_bargey
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Argey_bargey Engager

Argey_bargey

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Having always wanted to do the FCR i have never got round to doing it. well this trip am not taking no for an answer....

 

this is my planned route. leaving from Norbury on Sat afternoon.

 

DAY 1 Norbury - Wheaton Ashton

 

DAY 2 AM Wheaton ashton - penkridge

DAY 2 PM. Penkridge - Tixhall Wide

 

DAY 3 AM. Tixhall wide - Stone

DAY 3 PM. Stone - Was meant to be Milton on the Caldon but have changed my mind now due to comments on here. so any ideas??

 

DAY 4 AM. Milton - Kidsgrove via harecastle tunnel.

DAY4 PM. Kidsgrove - Wheelock

 

DAY5 AM. Wheelock - Middlewich

DAY5 PM. Middlewich - Audlem

 

DAY6. Audlem - Market Drayton

 

 

DAY7. Market Drayton - Gnosall Heath.

 

DAY8. Gnosall heath - Norbury!!

 

 

I do enjoy long days crusing as long as i have a break in middle.

 

wot do you fellow boaters think?

Edited by Argey_bargey
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Argey_bargey Engager

Argey_bargey

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Nantwich is good place but always windy up on the embankment plus never any moorings....

 

Middlewich to Audlem is doable in a long afternoon... Done it before

 

Wardle lock to Barbridge 4 hours

 

Barbridge to Audlem is around 3 hours

 

It's not set in Stone as I quite like the moorings by hack green locks. Or Barbridge it's self

 

DAY7. Market Drayton - Gnosall Heath. - Enjoy some good value for money food and a well kept pint at The Navigation at Gnosall

 

 

Cheers Cheshire rose. Yes I want to go back past Norbury on our lAst night & wind and moor at Gnosall. Then a sort hope back the last morning back to Norbury

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Tuscan Veteran

Tuscan

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Nantwich is good place but always windy up on the embankment plus never any moorings....

 

Middlewich to Audlem is doable in a long afternoon... Done it before

 

Wardle lock to Barbridge 4 hours

 

Barbridge to Audlem is around 3 hours

 

It's not set in Stone as I quite like the moorings by hack green locks. Or Barbridge it's self

 

 

 

 

Cheers Cheshire rose. Yes I want to go back past Norbury on our lAst night & wind and moor at Gnosall. Then a sort hope back the last morning back to Norbury

 

 

Had a rubbish overpriced special at the Navigation, will not be returning . Prefer the boat by contrast had a really good meal at the Shroppie Fly.

 

Middlewhich to the Anchor at High Offley is a good day if you want to go for it.

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adam1uk Experienced

adam1uk

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The Caldon is one of my favourite canals, but I wouldn't bother making the little side trip you're intending. You'll be doing the worst part of it, and missing all the best bits, such as the Leek Arm, Cheddleton, Consal Forge, and Froghall. Leave it until you can do it all - and give yourself a bit more time on the Four Counties.

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Bigmac Explorer

Bigmac

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I'm not going to say the 4 Counties is not capable of being done in a BIG week, but I would check some of your destinations / timings. For instance - Day 2 you have Wheaton Aston to Penkridge down for a morning. This is a good 8 hour trip. Couple that up with going on to Tixall Wide in the afternoon and it makes it a 13 hour day at least I would suggest.

 

Have a look at Canalplan to get some better ideas of timings etc and bear in mind it could get busy with queues and holdups at locks. Fully agree with Adam about the Caldon too - go back some other time and enjoy the best of it.

 

Whatever you decide - have a good time (and good luck)

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Tremtastic Gongoozler

Tremtastic

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Me and the Mrs are planning on doing exactly the same. We're first timers but hopefully practical enough to do the ring in a week. Our last holiday was a 3000 mile road trip in the States.

 

Booked it this morning. Hope it wasn't you that nabbed the Summer Wine before us! Will probably see you 3pm on Saturday.

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Argey_bargey Engager

Argey_bargey

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Me and the Mrs are planning on doing exactly the same. We're first timers but hopefully practical enough to do the ring in a week. Our last holiday was a 3000 mile road trip in the States.

 

Booked it this morning. Hope it wasn't you that nabbed the Summer Wine before us! Will probably see you 3pm on Saturday.

 

 

 

hi yes am on summer wine

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Argey_bargey Engager

Argey_bargey

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Me and the Mrs are planning on doing exactly the same. We're first timers but hopefully practical enough to do the ring in a week. Our last holiday was a 3000 mile road trip in the States.

 

Booked it this morning. Hope it wasn't you that nabbed the Summer Wine before us! Will probably see you 3pm on Saturday.

 

 

wot boat are you hiring?

 

which way are you going?

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Tremtastic Gongoozler

Tremtastic

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wot boat are you hiring?

 

which way are you going?

 

Phoenix.

 

Was planning on going anti-clockwise, but not sure if we'll manage to get the whole way round. Will see how far we get in the first couple of days and then decide. You'll spot us with the massive fluffy black dog.

Edited by Tremtastic
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PeterScott Veteran II

PeterScottDonate to Canal World

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Here's my brief account of the Four Counties Ring and a side-trip to Llangollen in a week. We have done one-week trips 4CR with a Caldon side-trip to both Leek and Froghall; and we have done it with a side-trip to Macclesfield. Similarly adding on the ring to Stourton, Netherton and down the 21 It's really a matter of how many hours the crew enjoys: eating-while-steering can save time, and going to the pub just makes it too easy to miss that early dawn :-)
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Argey_bargey Engager

Argey_bargey

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Very sociable, but can understand that. I wouldn't want to be following a couple of idiot newbies with a massive dog either! :P

 

No worries about the boat.

Was planning on going anti clockwise myself as you can above but a freind is now tagging along till Tues and getting off in Nantwich or Middlewich so now all plans have changed

 

 

Would of been good to go together could of helped u out,

 

Here's my brief account of the Four Counties Ring and a side-trip to Llangollen in a week. We have done one-week trips 4CR with a Caldon side-trip to both Leek and Froghall; and we have done it with a side-trip to Macclesfield. Similarly adding on the ring to Stourton, Netherton and down the 21 It's really a matter of how many hours the crew enjoys: eating-while-steering can save time, and going to the pub just makes it too easy to miss that early dawn :-)

A very energetic week the old chap

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Tremtastic Gongoozler

Tremtastic

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Here's my brief account of the Four Counties Ring and a side-trip to Llangollen in a week. We have done one-week trips 4CR with a Caldon side-trip to both Leek and Froghall; and we have done it with a side-trip to Macclesfield. Similarly adding on the ring to Stourton, Netherton and down the 21 It's really a matter of how many hours the crew enjoys: eating-while-steering can save time, and going to the pub just makes it too easy to miss that early dawn :-)

 

Blimey. That looks a bit too hardcore for us! Impressive though.

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Tremtastic Gongoozler

Tremtastic

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Got back home yesterday evening. Glad we did the whole ring. Brief summary:

 

Day 1: Picked up the boat at 3pm in Norbury. Travelled south and moored up in Brewood just after it started bucketing.

 

Day 2: Down to Autherley then up north along the Staffs and Worcs. Picked up a mate at the Fox and Anchor and two more in Penkridge. Had a BBQ south of Stafford and chucked out friends at the A34 bridge to get taxis back. Carried on, hoping to moor in Tixall Wide but found no spaces. Moored up before Great Haywood Junction. Beer and scratchings in the pub.

 

Day 3: Intended on getting through Stoke and mooring at Westport Lake. Queuing 4 deep at every lock in the morning and more rain. Got fed up of this so pulled into Aston Marina and had a lazy lunch of pie and steak in the Bistro (can highly recommend it). After lunch, everyone else seemed to have moored up so we flew through Stone. I worked out how to jump off and reverse the boat to close the locks myself so the missus could run and get the next ready. Moored in Barlaston.

 

Day 4: Through Stoke early in the morning and on to Harecastle Tunnel. Bacon sandwiches whilst waiting our turn. First thing I told my missus was "never let go of the windlass". She let go and now has the bruise to prove it. Down to Hassall Green for a noisy night by the M6. I wanted to carry on, but she decided she'd had enough.

 

Day 5: Lunchtime stop for supplies in Middlewich. Onto a beautiful mooring by Top Flash.

 

Day 6: Bought lunch and BBQ supplies in Nantwich. Moored just before Audlem with BBQ, beer and another mate who'd decided to join us for the last day.

 

Day 7: Awoke in Audlem in the pouring rain. Kept on pouring, but meant that no-one else was stupid enough to be out and all 25 locks south of there were in our favour even if the side-currents from the weirs weren't. Decided to knock it on the head, so got back to the boatyard at 4pm instead of 9am the following day.

 

All-in-all it was a good holiday and something we'll definitely do again. The days when we had mates around were much better, so we'll try to find some others to drag along with us. The four counties probably was a bit of a rush considering traffic and rain, but we knew the area already and didn't feel like we'd missed out.

Edited by Tremtastic
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