Route dilemma - four counties, llangollen OR cheshire

[arboretum]

First posting from a newbie to the forum and to life on the canals, even though only live 50 yards from the Basingstoke Canal and used the towpaths frequently for other pursuits...!

 

Anyway, we're travelling to Shropshire and hiring a narrow boat as our first foray into this pursuit. Four members of the crew - 14/15 year old teenagers, two forty+ adults on a boat for seven days.

 

Our "family" debate for route:

 

[a] Four counties - (probably clockwise, but could also do anti-clockwise) - Harecastle tunnel sounds like fun!

 

Llangollen - though some reticence about the aqueduct ("I'm not going over that"), rumours about queues, "ground hog day" on the reverse trip...but with the bonus of the Llangollen railway half way through the holiday

 

[c] Cheshire Ring - benefit of shopping near Manchester, versus possible "noise" on the Ashton canal

 

I think we're going to go with the Four Counties, just need to finalise either clockwise or anticlockwise for our route.

 

Anybody can sway us in either direction?

 

A.

Edited July 16, 2012 by arboretum

[Paul C]

Where are you hiring from, or have you not booked yet?

[arboretum]

We're starting from the Middlewich area...so clearly lots of options. Even considered pottering up to Chester / Ellesmere Port museum instead of doing a ring or Llangollen...

[Paul C]

Llangollen is a bit of a stretch from Middlewich but definitely possible, however you'd need to put long days of travel in, and if you got delayed too much it wouldn't work out.

 

I personally prefer the Cheshire Ring but I don't think there's much in it! They're both good popular routes. Cheshire Ring is a bit more urban in sections (but with lovely rural bits too). So if you prefer the 4 counties ring, you won't go far wrong.

[arboretum]

Thanks Paul. That's confirmed it... Four Counties!

[NickF]

In my opinion and this is an opinion.

Llangollen .. too crowded

Cheshire ring .... all the locks are in flights so teenagers would get bored on the long lock free pounds.

Four Counties ..... easily doable ... locks more evenly spread .. (though not always) so a better route for teenagers.

Have a great holiday!

Nick

[Jo_]

Yep, I agree about Four Counties which is great for adults (well, we think it is) and lots of interest for the 14/15 year olds. And it means you've got four fit bodies to swing up/down heartbreak hill. It'll be great fun and I hope you've timed it to coincide with our summer which is about to start, if the forecast is to be believed!

[ditchcrawler]

We're starting from the Middlewich area...so clearly lots of options. Even considered pottering up to Chester / Ellesmere Port museum instead of doing a ring or Llangollen...

When you do a out and back trip it never looks the same coming back, also if you time your turn round point you get a chance to stop at the places you missed going out.

[john6767]

When you do a out and back trip it never looks the same coming back, also if you time your turn round point you get a chance to stop at the places you missed going out.

 

Could not agree more, don't knock a trip for being an out an back at all. On the way back you will have a list of places that you spotted that would be nice to stop, like that pub you passed at 10AM etc.

 

 

 

[Pie Eater]

Four Counties clockwise and then see what day you reach Nantwich and decide if you have some spare time to spend on the Llangollen.

 

Steve

[Argey_bargey]

Just came back of the four counties we done it lockwise from Breewood. Excellent trip but as everyone says the Cheshire locks known as heartbreak hill is quite tough & I would get this done & out the way pretty much straight after u leave Middlewich. I would leave Middlewich I presume late afternoon after trail run etc. overnight around wheelock area then have an early start up heartbreak hill to Kidsgrove through the tunnel in the afternoon. Quite a long day but onces its out the way u can slow right. Towns I recommend is Stone penkeridge Breewood market Drayton adluem & Nantwich

[Philip]

If you've not already started then another option you might want to consider is an out and back on the Shroppie and with a week to play with (and longer days, big crew) you could also get a fair way down the Staffs and Worcester which is very pleasant south of Compton - plenty of locks, some good pubs and with old style paddles and gates, they're more fun to work. Doubt you'd get all the way to the Severn but Kinver is definitely do-able. Definitely worth doing an out-and-back for the Shropshire Union alone, if you're not too fussed about missing out on the tunnel.