Route Suggestions for a Yank

[gussnkoda]

Hello. My family and I are looking at a canal boat vacation for next year. We are from the States and have a very limited knowledge of the region that the canals are located. We have looked at the various routes and have become totally overwhelmed! I was hoping that someone could suggest a route that would be good for a couple of first timers with two kids (ages 10 and 8). Our main priority is finding someplace/route that the kids would enjoy as well as allow us to see the area of the country. Ideally we would like to be able to stop and explore different towns and attractions. Any suggestions?

[keble]

Hello. My family and I are looking at a canal boat vacation for next year. We are from the States and have a very limited knowledge of the region that the canals are located. We have looked at the various routes and have become totally overwhelmed! I was hoping that someone could suggest a route that would be good for a couple of first timers with two kids (ages 10 and 8). Our main priority is finding someplace/route that the kids would enjoy as well as allow us to see the area of the country. Ideally we would like to be able to stop and explore different towns and attractions. Any suggestions?

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

You have plenty of time to learn more, and hopefully the weather will be better next year

A popular choice is to do a 'ring'.

 

My suggestion is to use the Canalplan web site, click on 'plan a journey', enter a start place (try Stone), then scroll down and Click 'Cruising ring'.

Now you will see all the possible rings and an idea of how long each takes.

 

I think the Midlands e.g. Staffordshire would fit your objectives.

Edited July 18, 2012 by keble

[Athy]

Welcome to the forum. You will find the canals rather different from the mighty Mississippi which flows through your home city!

Regarding enjoyment for your children, that depends on their interests - but theme park-style attractions are not usually a feature of canal routes, and there are no beaches. However, if you choose a route which has locks, they can be trained to work them (they are not too young to do this under supervision). I have seen kids about that age thoroughly enjoying operating the locks, also spotting wildlife, feeding ducks and the like.

As Keble suggests, the Midlands is your best bet. The area offers a wide variety of canalscapes within a quite small space. Have a look on the internet at the Grand Union Canal, the Oxford and the Staffs & Worcs (Staffordshire and Worcestershire), all of which are within or partly within the Midlands.

As far as hiring a boat is concerned, a narrowboat which is advertised as a 4-berth will be comfy for two but cramped for four, so look for one which is advertised as a 6-berth and you will have plenty of living space.

[RichardH]

As far as hiring a boat is concerned, a narrowboat which is advertised as a 4-berth will be comfy for two but cramped for four, so look for one which is advertised as a 6-berth and you will have plenty of living space.

 

I think that is a bit of a sweeping statement. Take the Black Prince Duchess 4 as an example - 2 fixed doubles, decent bathroom, dining table and 2 easy chairs. Certainly not cramped.

[Athy]

I am pleased to hear that, Richard. Obviously some boats will be more spacious than others.

Gussnkoda, you will find that, on this forum, as soon as one person expresses an opinion, somebody else will express a diametrically opposite one. It's the nature of the beast: one thing which unites boaters is that they are all different!

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

from Worcester up the Worcester and Birmingham Canal through long tunnels to Cadbury's World (chocolate) was popular with our grandchild. The Black Country Museum then down to Stourbridge a bit industrial in places.

[Guest]

Welcome to the forum -

 

Leicester ring is worth considering, - a mix of river and canal and stuff such as the National Space Centre and steam railways en route that may interest the kids (though they'll probably be just as happy and occupied with the boat and lock operation duties.

 

Down side - the weather on this route can bring you to a halt when the river sections rise and it can (as has happened this year) happen very quickly.

 

Check out some of the route pages on these hire boat sites for ideas too -

 

http://www.valleycruises.co.uk/routes.htm

 

http://www.ashbyboats.co.uk/

 

I am biased because it's our 'stomping ground' but don't dismiss the northern waterways and automatically go for the Midlands or the south like so many hireres seem to do. Generally quieter up here with less boats making for a very relaxing 'no queues at the locks' experience. Some stunning scenery - probably less for the kids to do in terms of 'attractions' but as said - they will have a fair bit to do if they are allowed to help with the boating stuff.

 

http://www.canalboatescapes.co.uk/narrow_boat_hire_leeds_liverpool_canal.htm

 

http://www.penninecruisers.com/BoatingHolidays.htm

 

All the companies above are considered reputable and will provide you with a nice boat for your holiday, though there are numerous others of course too.

 

Gussnkoda, you will find that, on this forum, as soon as one person expresses an opinion, somebody else will express a diametrically opposite one. It's the nature of the beast: one thing which unites boaters is that they are all different!

 

No we won't -

[john6767]

You don't say how long a vacation you are planning. If you were to have 2 weeks then the Warwickshire Ring with give a lot of variety, towns/country, wide locks/narrow locks. There are quite a few locks though, so you need to decide if that is OK for you.

 

It can easily be done in a week, but then you don't have time to explore, 2 weeks would give you a lot of time, and perhaps the odd side trip if you want. If you take the North Stratford route to Birmingham then you go right into the centre of the city, then you have all that the city offers. You will also pass Drayton Manor Theme Park so can take a day out to do that.

 

There are lots of hire companies based on the ring eg. Union Canal Carriers, Rose Narrowboats, Napton Narrowboats, Black Prince, Calcutt Boats, Kate Boats + others. If you started from the Braunston/Napton area then going clockwise lets you do most of the lock first rather than at the end.

[bowten]

Harrison Ford likes the Llangollen Canal.

Edited July 18, 2012 by bowten

[OldGoat]

Jumping in at the deep end as to do justice to your requirements requires a lot of thought to get it right.

 

You should bear in mind that inland boats go incredibly slowly - so it may take a day or so to get from one area of interest to another. It also helps if you are prepared to do a lot of research to firm up your choices. When we've visited the States we were impressed by the amount of information available especially from the AAA. Over here things are awkward to find. Crazy, because tourism is a good earner!

 

Echo what other's have said - you can use Canalplan to work out an itinery and you can choose to select to view photos as you go along a route - that gives you a feel.

 

The best routes for attractions for all tend to have a lot of locks which means work for all and kids lose interest when there are too many.

 

Here are a couple of oddball suggestions that might be worth looking at:-

The London ring - that will take you into the City and you can moor at Paddington and Limehouse - there's a lot to explore from either location

A week on the Thames. Windsor and Eton, Oxford and a fews places in between. The locks are operated for you, but you still have to do some work.

 

Otherwise any ring around Birmingham is good - but heavily locked. Attractions:-

Black Country Museum - a bit like Colonial Williamsberg. Easily spend a day there. You can moor outside!

Cadbury's

Birmingham centre shopping and ethnic foods

The Pen museum (not so dull)

The Jewellery museum - fascinating pre WW2 silversmith's workshop tour.

Science Place for kids

A National Trust back-to-back housing area; see how folks lived in the 19th. century

 

There you go for starters - give it some thought and come back with more specific questions; wht do you like to do. Is "history" interesting and so on.

[Chalky]

I'd hire from somewhere round Napton and head down the South Oxford canal. Stop off in Banbury for shopping and swimming pool for the kids (spice ball leisure centre). There's Thrupp where some of the Inspector Morse progs were filmed. There's a quarry just north of Thrupp where the kids can go looking for fossils. In Oxford there's lots of museums, swimming, ice skating etc for the kids. London is about 1 hour by bus (Oxford tube ) from the bus station. Not a heavy route but things to do and if you've never boated before there's enough other activities for the family.

[Tom and Bex]

I don't think you've said how long you've got but I would recommend the Black Country Ring if you have time - a very relaxed 10-14 days but easily manageable in a week. Quite a few locks (about 100ish?) and a mix of rural and city cruising. Attractions on route include some attractive villages, Drayton Manor Theme Park, Birmingham city centre (shopping, sealife centre, museums etc), Black Country Museum, and if time a detour to Cadbury World. You could easily spend a whole day at each of these.

 

We did this ring over a week last September and still had a day to explore parts of the BCN and 1/2 day at the Black Country Museum.

 

Tom

[OldGoat]

I'd hire from somewhere round Napton and head down the South Oxford canal. Stop off in Banbury for shopping and swimming pool for the kids (spice ball leisure centre). There's Thrupp where some of the Inspector Morse progs were filmed. There's a quarry just north of Thrupp where the kids can go looking for fossils. In Oxford there's lots of museums, swimming, ice skating etc for the kids. London is about 1 hour by bus (Oxford tube ) from the bus station. Not a heavy route but things to do and if you've never boated before there's enough other activities for the family.

 

Transportation may be a bit of a challenge - depending on your port of entry, BUT Oxfordshire Narrowboats has a rail station exactly opposite

and you could go down to Oxford AND take a short trip on the Thames. A lovely river if you enjoy the English countryside.

[gussnkoda]

Thanks everyone for the replies. We are looking at crusing for a week. Any other suggestions? Advice?

[Guest]

Thanks everyone for the replies. We are looking at crusing for a week. Any other suggestions? Advice?

 

Well that pretty much knocks the Leicester ring on the head as per my suggestion, so disregard that one.

[Graham Davis]

For a week, I'd suggest flying into Manchester and doing the Llangollen.

[Trooperdan]

When I saw the OP I thought my wife had made a post! We are also planning a trip nest year and have the same questions and inability to make a decision! What we'd like to do may not even be possible from on a narrowboat trip! We'd like to be able to explore churches and castles and certainly pubs but I understand that you really can't just moor the boat for a day and go off without the batteries going flat and it is very unlikely to find shore power at a mooring.

 

So, our current thinking is to take 2 weeks, one afloat doing the Cheshire ring and another renting a cottage somewhere near attractions within bike or public transportation reach. I';m certainly not up to renting a car and driving on the "wrong side" of the road! The canals alone are intimidating enough!

[john6767]

Thanks everyone for the replies. We are looking at crusing for a week. Any other suggestions? Advice?

 

If you only have a week, then there are rings that you can do like the Warwickshire, but you will not have any spare time. If you want to spend time dong other things then don't be too adventurous with the route, and do a shorter "out and back" route. As has been mentioned the Llangollen (or part of it) with be possible, ot part of the South Oxford perhaps. Another suggestion would be the South Stratford.

 

 

 

 

When I saw the OP I thought my wife had made a post! We are also planning a trip nest year and have the same questions and inability to make a decision! What we'd like to do may not even be possible from on a narrowboat trip! We'd like to be able to explore churches and castles and certainly pubs but I understand that you really can't just moor the boat for a day and go off without the batteries going flat and it is very unlikely to find shore power at a mooring.

 

So, our current thinking is to take 2 weeks, one afloat doing the Cheshire ring and another renting a cottage somewhere near attractions within bike or public transportation reach. I';m certainly not up to renting a car and driving on the "wrong side" of the road! The canals alone are intimidating enough!

 

You will have no issue with batteries going flat if you leave the boat for a day. You are correct that there is no shore power where you will be mooring on the canal towpath, but that will not be an issue.

 

Just go for it and drive, I drive in the states all the time and have no issue!

 

 

 

[warwickshireman]

Trooperdan. For you I recommend the Llangollen and the shropshire union to Chester. You can comfortably do all of that in 2 weeks. Castles to visit en route: Beeston, Chirk, Castel Dinas Bran (Llangollen) and the walls round Chester. Churches: buy a Nicholsons guide, they're obsessed with 'em. Don't worry about your trip being there and back rather than a ring. The view is different on the way back and you'll be able to visit different pubs.

[Trooperdan]

Warwickshireman, thanks a bunch for the reply, call me TD or Dan. I've just about decided on the Cheshire ring from Middlewich counter-clockwise but I will take a look at your suggested route. I understand the Llangollen is very crowded and narrow isn't it? It does offer that very intimidating viaduct! <shudder> I expect to make an ass of myself, not to worry, I'll just fly a small Australian flag as a subterfuge!

[Tuscan]

Just remember less is more and you will ave a great time