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Lock-free or few-lock 1 week cruise


dil

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Hi all,

My wife and I have had many a wonderful canal holiday and she has always been happy to work the locks as she gets a little claustrophobic going down them in the boat. Unfortunately, her health and stamina have deteriorated and so we are looking for a route for a week which would be a little less demanding. I have found some possibilities which I will list below and was wondering if anyone would be kind enough to suggest any more?

 

1. Lancaster Canal

2. North Oxford, Coventry, Ashby Canals.

3. Mon & Brec Canal (a few locks at one end I know)

The more rural the better!

 

Many thanks!

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Hi all,

My wife and I have had many a wonderful canal holiday and she has always been happy to work the locks as she gets a little claustrophobic going down them in the boat. Unfortunately, her health and stamina have deteriorated and so we are looking for a route for a week which would be a little less demanding. I have found some possibilities which I will list below and was wondering if anyone would be kind enough to suggest any more?

 

1. Lancaster Canal

2. North Oxford, Coventry, Ashby Canals.

3. Mon & Brec Canal (a few locks at one end I know)

The more rural the better!

 

Many thanks!

 

Putting it that way, the North Oxford (etc) sounds brill:

only 4 locks each way

 

A sideways thought - how about the Thames? Quite a few locks and they're done for you. Even if you have to operate them yourself downstream of King's they're all electric, so if unattended, you only have to push buttons.

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Hi all,

My wife and I have had many a wonderful canal holiday and she has always been happy to work the locks as she gets a little claustrophobic going down them in the boat. Unfortunately, her health and stamina have deteriorated and so we are looking for a route for a week which would be a little less demanding. I have found some possibilities which I will list below and was wondering if anyone would be kind enough to suggest any more?

 

1. Lancaster Canal

2. North Oxford, Coventry, Ashby Canals.

3. Mon & Brec Canal (a few locks at one end I know)

The more rural the better!

 

Many thanks!

 

Ignore me, missed that you'd already posted my suggestion - it would be my choice though.

Edited by The Dog House
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Putting it that way, the North Oxford (etc) sounds brill:

only 4 locks each way

 

A sideways thought - how about the Thames? Quite a few locks and they're done for you. Even if you have to operate them yourself downstream of King's they're all electric, so if unattended, you only have to push buttons.

 

 

Thames sounds like a good idea to me too, the locks are so big and the drops so small that you are not nearly as enclosed as you are at the bottom of a narrow lock so may be claustrophobic feeling wouldn't be a problem.

NickF

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Putting it that way, the North Oxford (etc) sounds brill:

only 4 locks each way

 

And it doesn't have to be that many. If you hire from the Ashby Boat Co at Stoke Golding or Excellence Afloat at Springwood Haven, you could easily spend a week on the Ashby/Coventry/N Oxford and only do the stop lock at Hawkesbury Junction. There's a winding hole at the bottom of the Hillmorton Locks, and one at the top of Atherstone. And if you fancy a change from the rural, you can make the trip into Coventry.

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There used to be the Bridgewater (to Manchester and Runcorn) then onto the T&M to Middlewich. But there's a breach or two there. And if she gets claustrophobic in locks, the 3 tunnels won't help! That would give you an easy week to explore this at a leisurely pace. With the breach, then there's no point going further than Preston Brook, so basically the Bridgewater only; which is realistically 2-3 days at the most.

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And it doesn't have to be that many. If you hire from the Ashby Boat Co at Stoke Golding or Excellence Afloat at Springwood Haven, you could easily spend a week on the Ashby/Coventry/N Oxford and only do the stop lock at Hawkesbury Junction. There's a winding hole at the bottom of the Hillmorton Locks, and one at the top of Atherstone. And if you fancy a change from the rural, you can make the trip into Coventry.

 

Seconded. And it would be difficult to be worried about the Hawkesbury Junction lock - it's about 6" or something! Great countryside and lots of lovely moorings. Excellence Afloat's boats would be my choice

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Your own choice of the Mon and Brec is far and away the most rural and beautiful canal in the entire country (or the bits of it I know).

Think there are only 5 locks all in one area, roughly in the middle. If you haven't done it before, its a real gem unsurpassed anywhere.

Apologies to those who think "their" canal is pretty, but the Mon and Brec cannot be beaten!

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There used to be the Bridgewater (to Manchester and Runcorn) then onto the T&M to Middlewich. But there's a breach or two there. And if she gets claustrophobic in locks, the 3 tunnels won't help! That would give you an easy week to explore this at a leisurely pace. With the breach, then there's no point going further than Preston Brook, so basically the Bridgewater only; which is realistically 2-3 days at the most.

 

I've been on the Bridgewater for exactly a year, and haven't seen all of it yet. Preston Brook to Leigh and back, with leisurely days, would be lovely for a week!

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ONE THING for sure DO`NT do the broads....boring....

just got back from doing them and will not be hurrying back....

 

The Broads is a great boating holiday venue - why did you think they were boring?

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Your own choice of the Mon and Brec is far and away the most rural and beautiful canal in the entire country (or the bits of it I know).

Think there are only 5 locks all in one area, roughly in the middle. If you haven't done it before, its a real gem unsurpassed anywhere.

Apologies to those who think "their" canal is pretty, but the Mon and Brec cannot be beaten!

 

 

Have got to agree, this is a stunning canal.

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The Broads is a great boating holiday venue - why did you think they were boring?

Horses for courses Martin. I have met people who have hired a Narrowboat and hated every minute of it.

I'm a Norfolk Boy, but the Broads are The Broads and if you don't like what they offer there is no alternative in the area. Unlike canals wher you can do countryside or industrial, a mixture, locks, no lock, all sorts of combinations.

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If you want rural and no locks, it has to be the Ashby!

 

We did it this Summer. Leaving the top of Atherstone to the bottom of Hillmorton via the Ashby canal (there and back) is the best part of 45 to 50 miles and only one lock (Stretton stop).

 

Even then, once up the three at Hillmorton you've got miles to explore before you get to another set of locks (Braunston, Napton, Calcutt)

 

By the time we got to Hillmorton we were going stir crazy!

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I did glos & sharpness this year for lock free (including river severn). I loved it but suffered from wanting to sit still but not having enough power (batteries). It was with my own boat so I cared about the batteries and engine (which I might not be so bothered about with a hire boat). Not massively rural but quiet enough for my liking. Abc are in Worcester so it would only be 2 locks onto the river. Then it's all manned. Down side is that the Severn has been closed half of this summer due to flooding. It's not normally as bad as this year though.

 

Dave

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Thank you all for your swift responses - a great help! Maybe we'll do the North Oxford-Ashby one trip and the Mon & Brec for another. I notice a slight lack of enthusiasm for the Lancaster?! Will keep an eye open for any more replies. Happy boating!

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If you want rural and no locks, it has to be the Ashby!

 

We did it this Summer. Leaving the top of Atherstone to the bottom of Hillmorton via the Ashby canal (there and back) is the best part of 45 to 50 miles and only one lock (Stretton stop).

Even then, once up the three at Hillmorton you've got miles to explore before you get to another set of locks (Braunston, Napton, Calcutt)

 

By the time we got to Hillmorton we were going stir crazy!

 

 

Surely Stretton Stop has a swing bridge not a lock?

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