Advice needed please

[Mantaray]

Have a 10 day holl booked from Autherley Jn in 2 weeks time.

 

Thinking of doing a ring down to worcester then back up to the mail box and then on to wolverhampton 21.

 

Now my question is, having never done any River curusing before, is there anything I should watch for or need to know about going on to a tidel river.

 

Thanks for any help.

[Guest]

Have a 10 day holl booked from Autherley Jn in 2 weeks time.

 

Thinking of doing a ring down to worcester then back up to the mail box and then on to wolverhampton 21.

 

Now my question is, having never done any River curusing before, is there anything I should watch for or need to know about going on to a tidel river.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

Tidal?

 

Anchor and self- inflating life jackets....

[Keeping Up]

That part of the river is not tidal. Anchor and life jackets are still a good idea anyway. Otherwise the only thing to watch out for (apart from checking that it isn't in flood at the time) is to remember that there are very few places to moor a narrowboat apart from the normally-recognised places.

[NickF]

Have a 10 day holl booked from Autherley Jn in 2 weeks time.

 

Thinking of doing a ring down to worcester then back up to the mail box and then on to wolverhampton 21.

 

Now my question is, having never done any River curusing before, is there anything I should watch for or need to know about going on to a tidel river.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

 

The above two posts pretty well sum it up ..... one more tip is make sure you turn to face upstream when you moor as it makes the whole process a lot easier ... in fact it is even easier than mooring on a canal which has no current. Have a great time.

 

Oh yes and remember to tie the anchor to the boat ...I was once shown the anchor on a hire boat handover and it was only on close inspection I realised the other end of the rope / chain had not been tied onto the boat!

Nick

[Night Hawk]

We did the very same trip a few weeks ago. The flow on the River Severn was slower that on the Llangollen Canal. The large locks are manned and are so straightforward. Follow the instructions from the lock keepers. Make sure you anchor is ready to deploy and any dogs are inside. Take you camera. Note the closing times for the locks and be aware that it takes around three hours from Stourport Basin to Worcester. Unless the river level is high, I'd moor on the river rather than locking in to Worcester Basin - The moorings in the basin are..erm..not nearly as stunning as those on the river. You'll come across three bridges just before Worcester and the best moorings are just around the first bridge - the foot bridge. Moor as far back as you can - virtually infront of the canoe club - not the rowing club as it's out of bounds. Be aware that there's a fee of a few pounds per night to moor there - more often than not you won't be bothered by the Council chap collecting fees. It's a good ten minute walk into town and the cathedral is worth a visit. I must recommend a little cafe/bistro in just off the main shopping area in Worcester - the Ginger Pig.....superb food and drink.....probably one of the best lunches in town.

 

Have fun.

 

Andrew

[Richard T]

Why not cut the corner and use the Droitwich canal. Its really nice with good moorings in the centre of Droitwich. This will give you time to explore some bits of the BCN - maybe a visit to the wondeful art gallery in Walsall.

[Night Hawk]

Why not cut the corner and use the Droitwich canal. Its really nice with good moorings in the centre of Droitwich. This will give you time to explore some bits of the BCN - maybe a visit to the wondeful art gallery in Walsall.

 

 

EH? The corner you'd be cutting off is the best bit of that entire ring....and I'm sorry, the bit of the Droitwich we did was soooo overgrown with reeds, you couldn't see anything over the top. BCN is fab though....

 

 

 

 

[keble]

Good points above. If you haven't used a river lock before then a few points might help:

* there are lights (red flashing means the lockie has seen you); if in doubt phone them. I have had an occasion when the lockie couldn't see me waiting!

* there are smallish pontoons to moor on when you're waiting

* the lockie will direct you to one side of the lock, look out for him waving!

* you will be expected to rope up to the vertical wires on the lock walls, so have someone at the front of the boat. You just loop round the wires to prevent being blown about

 

Enjoy!

[Night Hawk]

Good points above. If you haven't used a river lock before then a few points might help:

* there are lights (red flashing means the lockie has seen you); if in doubt phone them. I have had an occasion when the lockie couldn't see me waiting!

* there are smallish pontoons to moor on when you're waiting

* the lockie will direct you to one side of the lock, look out for him waving!

* you will be expected to rope up to the vertical wires on the lock walls, so have someone at the front of the boat. You just loop round the wires to prevent being blown about

 

Enjoy!

 

TBH there's little need to rope up if you're going downstream - You can easily hold on to the think steel cables in the lock chamber - have a crew member at the bow to grab a cable. Don't panic as you near the locks - be aware that the broad channel towards the locks is slghtly to the left/right of the path of the river - There are HUGE signs directing you towards the locks....and..erm...stay well clear of the huge orange buoys by the weirs.

 

Its great fun...make sure you post some pix.

 

A

 

 

 

[Mantaray]

Thanks all, thats just the sort of info I was looking for. .

 

Which way, anti clockwise or clockwise, would you sugest doing the ring?

 

I would prefer to go clockwise, and get the Wolverhamton 21 out the way, but as we can't pick the boat up before 3pm, we may be pushing it to get up the 21 and find somewhere to moor for the night.(crew is me and the wife).also it would mean leaving the river section till mid holiday, and if we can't use it due to high water, we may then need to rush to get back on time.

[adam1uk]

You'll come across three bridges just before Worcester and the best moorings are just around the first bridge - the foot bridge. Moor as far back as you can - virtually infront of the canoe club - not the rowing club as it's out of bounds.

 

Yes, that footbridge is a popular pedestrian route between the city centre and the other side of the river, so try to moor north of it if you can. It's the only place we've ever had drunk students dancing on the roof of the boat in the early hours of the morning, on their way home. And it was only a Tuesday!

 

Thanks all, thats just the sort of info I was looking for. .

 

Which way, anti clockwise or clockwise, would you sugest doing the ring?

 

I would prefer to go clockwise, and get the Wolverhamton 21 out the way, but as we can't pick the boat up before 3pm, we may be pushing it to get up the 21 and find somewhere to moor for the night.(crew is me and the wife).also it would mean leaving the river section till mid holiday, and if we can't use it due to high water, we may then need to rush to get back on time.

 

I'd go down to Stourport first, then on the Severn. That way you're going with the river, so it'll be slightly quicker. Also, the Tardebigge locks tend to leak empty overnight, so if you can moor at the bottom and be first up in the morning, they'll be in your favour.

[OldGoat]

Yes, that footbridge is a popular pedestrian route between the city centre and the other side of the river, so try to moor north of it if you can. It's the only place we've ever had drunk students dancing on the roof of the boat in the early hours of the morning, on their way home. And it was only a Tuesday!

 

 

 

I'd go down to Stourport first, then on the Severn. That way you're going with the river, so it'll be slightly quicker. Also, the Tardebigge locks tend to leak empty overnight, so if you can moor at the bottom and be first up in the morning, they'll be in your favour.

 

 

Brill suggestion!

The Severn is no big deal and not a lot of places to stop and see ('cept Worcester) so you might as well go rocketing down and enjoy (Worcester again) and the canal system.

 

The Severn is a disappointment because you are generally under the scenery and can't see anything and moorings are scarce.

 

The bit about Tardebigge is excellent as the bad thing about the flight is having to fill/empty the locks twice - if you see what I mean.

[Mantaray]

Cheers.

 

Everything is pointing to going anti clockwise, so I think that is what we will do.

However I still like the idia of getting the biult up areas of Brum out of the way first, 2or 3 long days at the start then nice slow days for then next week.

 

I think it will depend on what time we getaway, and weather we have time to do the Wolverhamton 21 and find somewhere safe to moor the first night.

[cheshire~rose]

Whichever way you do your ring you will find secure moorings at The Black Country Museum a short hop from the top of The Wolverhamton 21. If you do get there late on then they can be full but it is not a bad area to moor up outside the museum on the arm (and the chip shop across the road is excellent value for money)

Don't be in too much of a rush to get "built up Birmingham" out of the way. while there are a few bits that can be somewhat depressing there are still many old canalside buildings tucked away and I always marvel at how green the corridor of the canal is through the old industrial areas.

[Night Hawk]

We do Autherley to Gas Street Basin in one day...it's an early start but great arriving in Gas Street in the late afternoon.

[cheshire~rose]

We do Autherley to Gas Street Basin in one day...it's an early start but great arriving in Gas Street in the late afternoon.

 

It is wonderful arriving in Gas Street in the late afternoon to find you have such great neighbours as we did when we moored next to you!

 

The problem is that picking the boat up at 3pm will mean by the time it is loaded and you have been given your briefing it will be even later and when we did the 21 we met some hirers that were told not to go up in the afternoon as the kids throw stones?

 

I think the comment about the leaky tardebigge flight and going with the flow on the river are both relevant. I suggest pick up your boat and have a gentle pootle down the Staffs and Worcs the first evening. There are a number of nice places to tie up within a few hours cruising

[Mantaray]

Don't be in too much of a rush to get "built up Birmingham" out of the way. while there are a few bits that can be somewhat depressing there are still many old canalside buildings tucked away and I always marvel at how green the corridor of the canal is through the old industrial areas.

 

Personally, I don't mind the biult up areas to much, it's the other half and my mother who are not so keen. My wife and I have done the new main line, so I plan to do the old one this time.

 

..... The problem is that picking the boat up at 3pm will mean by the time it is loaded and you have been given your briefing it will be even later ....

 

Thats why I think we will not have time to do the Wolverhapton 21, it will be getting dark by 7/7.30 pm, so even if we are lucky and get away quickly that will only give us 3 to 4 hours before we need to moor up.

[MtB]

one more tip is make sure you turn to face upstream when you moor as it makes the whole process a lot easier ... in fact it is even easier than mooring on a canal which has no current. Have a great time.

Nick

 

The other approach which seems to occur to no-one is to moor downstream easily by attaching your sternline first. This way, the current pushes the bow into the bank then you can get a bow line on with no probs and it saves turning the boat twice. I've always done it this way on the Thames.

 

Mike

[Keeping Up]

The other approach which seems to occur to no-one is to moor downstream easily by attaching your sternline first. This way, the current pushes the bow into the bank then you can get a bow line on with no probs and it saves turning the boat twice. I've always done it this way on the Thames.

 

Mike

 

It's the way I've always done it, even in semi-flood conditions. In fact I've even been known to turn deliberately to face downstream.

 

I don't like having someone step off the front of the boat because I usually can't see if they've stepped on to the bank or into the water, and stepping off the stern with the centre line can be problematic when facing upstream - the current can catch the bow and swing it out dangerously before you've got the line secure. Stepping off with the stern line, after using a big burst of reverse if necessary to stop the boat, is by contrast a safe, calm and well-controlled procedure.

[Theo]

EH? The corner you'd be cutting off is the best bit of that entire ring....and I'm sorry, the bit of the Droitwich we did was soooo overgrown with reeds, you couldn't see anything over the top. BCN is fab though....

 

 

 

 

 

I read that the passage of boats keeps the reeds under control so it is our duty to use this canal! In fact when I did it I deliberately kept half of the boat width in the reeds to do the best job possible. It makes a lovely swishing noise as you move along!

 

N

Edited September 9, 2012 by Theo
speelling

[IanM]

Have a 10 day holl booked from Autherley Jn in 2 weeks time.

 

Thinking of doing a ring down to worcester then back up to the mail box and then on to wolverhampton 21.

 

 

 

10 days? We've done that trip in a weekend... were pushing it a bit though ;-)

[Mantaray]

Got away fine yesterday, and am now having a beer at Kinver.