Needing help! Which Canal?

[Turbuck]

I'm planning a one week narrow boat trip in October. We're mostly interested in pubs and villages...and pubs! Any suggestions?

I am SO very confused at this point.

Thanks for any suggestions!

[nicknorman]

I'm planning a one week narrow boat trip in October. We're mostly interested in pubs and villages...and pubs! Any suggestions?

I am SO very confused at this point.

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

Will it be your first trip on English canals? Any physical fitness issues? (thinking about whether locks will be a good or bad thing.)

Edited January 27, 2013 by nicknorman

[Woodstock]

We hired on the Llangollen first week of October in 2011- and had a heatwave- sorry cant promise that- but it was beautiful. The trees had started to change to Autumn colours. Plenty of pubs along the way and although the Llangollen gets busy in Summer it was much less busy- although school half term holidays are in October

Edited January 27, 2013 by jp117

[mrsmelly]

I'm planning a one week narrow boat trip in October. We're mostly interested in pubs and villages...and pubs! Any suggestions?

I am SO very confused at this point.

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

One bit of advice I would give is that whichever canal you go on and especialy in so called honey spots it is invariably better not to use the directly canal side pubs. Very usualy better pubs with better foods and better pricing are to be had a few minutes walk away.

 

Tim

[Naughty Cal]

What about the chesterfield canal? Plenty of variety and very pretty.

[TNC]

One bit of advice I would give is that whichever canal you go on and especialy in so called honey spots it is invariably better not to use the directly canal side pubs. Very usualy better pubs with better foods and better pricing are to be had a few minutes walk away.

 

Tim

 

Yes, you often have to walk a bit to find the 'Spoons!

[nicknorman]

What about the chesterfield canal? Plenty of variety and very pretty.

Are there hire bases on it?

[Naughty Cal]

Are there hire bases on it?

 

Yes a small yard with a couple of well turned out boats. Nice chap who runs them.

[mrsmelly]

Yes, you often have to walk a bit to find the 'Spoons!

 

[RichardH]

We did the Llangollen as our first boating holiday in the Autumn many years ago. Definately the best time to see it.

 

Would recommend our friends at Chas Hardern.

[Guest]

I'm planning a one week narrow boat trip in October. We're mostly interested in pubs and villages...and pubs! Any suggestions?

I am SO very confused at this point.

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

Our first canal holiday was on the Leeds and Liverpool - mainly because it is the closest to us with hire boats available. We had a great week. The canal is stunning with plenty of decent pubs close to or within a short walk from the canal. Depending where you are coming in from the US you could fly into Manchester which will put you in reasonably striking distance of hire bases by train and taxi.

 

We did the first week in October and to our surprise we rather jammily got great weather too.

 

Slight downside is the locks are 'double' locks so a bit more challenging than some of the narrow locks you get on other parts of the system no problem for first timers if you have a couple of crew or manage to share them with another boat.

 

Some people gripe about the swing bridges mainly the number of them but in reality they ain't that bad.

 

In a week we comfortably did Skipton to Nelson, turned, Nelson to well past Keithley (taking in the iconic 5 and 3 rises at Bingley) turned back to Skipton. If we had put in longer days we could have got further.

 

Your choice of hire boat yards would include

 

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

 

http://www.snaygillboats.co.uk/

 

A lot of us boaters up North of the UK are keen to see more boats and hirers up on the Northern waterways rather than the traditional gravitation to the Midlands Wales and the South - you will find things a lot less 'busy' up here, you will rarely have to queue for a lock and normally will not have any problem finding a mooring at the 'busy' spots - the same cannot always be said for the busier parts of the system.

 

Are there hire bases on it?

 

http://www.chesterfieldcanalboat.co.uk/index.htm

Edited January 27, 2013 by The Dog House

[nicknorman]

...A lot of us boaters up North of the UK are keen to see more boats and hirers up on the Northern waterways rather than the traditional gravitation to the Midlands Wales and the South - you will find things a lot less 'busy' up here, you will rarely have to queue for a lock and normally will not have any problem finding a mooring at the 'busy' spots - the same cannot always be said for the busier parts of the system.

 

 

My only thought about the L&L is that it does have quite a different character from the southern canals. The former is all stone walls and beauty derived from a harsher (or wilder?) landscape, whereas the latter is all leafy hedges, rolling fields - and cosy. They both have their merits, but they are different merits. It all depends on what you are looking for.

 

Oh and did I mention that the locals are a bit funny up (oop) North, they eat strange things and may be difficult for an American to understand?

Edited January 27, 2013 by nicknorman

[Grace and Favour]

Our first narrowboat hire was the Llangollen in September.........

 

It was beautiful, inspiring, peaceful.

 

Four years later we bought (and now live on) our boat.

[Guest]

Just a further thought for the Original Poster - you can take a virtual cruise along sections of the Leeds and Liverpool here on the excellent Pennine waterways web site

 

here -

 

http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/ll/ll3.htm

 

I gives a flavour of the scenery and surroundings.

 

The sections we covered on our first trip referred to above are covered by parts 3,4,4a,5,6,7,8.

[twbm]

I'm planning a one week narrow boat trip in October. We're mostly interested in pubs and villages...and pubs! Any suggestions?

I am SO very confused at this point.

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

I have to say you seem to have the right balance there.

 

Votes are for the Llangollen so far, but give us some clues about where you're landing and how much travel you can do either end of the boat holiday, plus any other goals - for example if you want do Stratford on Avon, there's no better way to arrive than by canal.

[Paul C]

Llangollen is popular (ie busy) for a reason - it makes a good week long holiday and of course there's the famous aqueduct, and the other (Chirk) aqueduct too, plus some tunnels for interest, and there's not too many locks. Plenty of choice on hire firms too. For example, Anglo Welsh are ideally located for a week trip from Bunbury (or Trevor if you wanted to do the aqueduct first, although for me the trip from Bunbury makes it more logical because you have a 'goal' to achieve by reaching Llangollen).

 

Manchester Airport would be nearest, and be about an hour and a bit transfer. Realistically, taxi would be the best way.

[Skye]

Llangollen is popular (ie busy) for a reason - it makes a good week long holiday and of course there's the famous aqueduct, and the other (Chirk) aqueduct too, plus some tunnels for interest, and there's not too many locks. Plenty of choice on hire firms too. For example, Anglo Welsh are ideally located for a week trip from Bunbury (or Trevor if you wanted to do the aqueduct first, although for me the trip from Bunbury makes it more logical because you have a 'goal' to achieve by reaching Llangollen).

 

Manchester Airport would be nearest, and be about an hour and a bit transfer. Realistically, taxi would be the best way.

 

Last August we went from Trevor to Nantwich and back, the tunnels and aqueducts are fantastic, lots of places to eat and drink, This year it will back on the Leeds Liverpool I think, depending on Madam Windlass!

[Grace and Favour]

>>>>

This year it will back on the Leeds Liverpool I think, depending on Madam Windlass!

 

Hopefully a little more forgiving than a Madam Whiplash?

[twbm]

Hopefully a little more forgiving than a Madam Whiplash?

 

You need to agree a 'safe' word to get the ratchets released.

[Jerra]

We did the Llangollen as our first boating holiday in the Autumn many years ago. Definately the best time to see it.

 

Would recommend our friends at Chas Hardern.

 

Having used Chas a couple of times in the past I would also recommend him for hiring in that area.

[Turbuck]

Will it be your first trip on English canals? Any physical fitness issues? (thinking about whether locks will be a good or bad thing.)

 

Nicknorman, there are no physical issues. My fiance informed me that the locks are my job...I hope he's kidding!

 

I have to say you seem to have the right balance there.

 

Votes are for the Llangollen so far, but give us some clues about where you're landing and how much travel you can do either end of the boat holiday, plus any other goals - for example if you want do Stratford on Avon, there's no better way to arrive than by canal.

 

That does seem to be the right balance!

 

We were planning to arrive in London on a Thursday, then train to the dock on Saturday, returning to London on Saturday. We're still very flexible with those plans, though.

 

Maybe we should fly into Manchester. Our only goal at this point is to see something other than London (and the pubs, of course!)

 

Thanks!

 

Thank you all so much for your replies!! This is great!

 

Any suggestions are welcome. October can't come quickly enough...

[mrsmelly]

Nicknorman, there are no physical issues. My fiance informed me that the locks are my job...I hope he's kidding!

 

 

 

That does seem to be the right balance!

 

We were planning to arrive in London on a Thursday, then train to the dock on Saturday, returning to London on Saturday. We're still very flexible with those plans, though.

 

Maybe we should fly into Manchester. Our only goal at this point is to see something other than London (and the pubs, of course!)

 

Thanks!

 

Thank you all so much for your replies!! This is great!

 

Any suggestions are welcome. October can't come quickly enough...

 

One quick tip. Miss London out, you wouldnt be missing anything much anyway

 

Tim

[PhilR]

I'm planning a one week narrow boat trip in October. We're mostly interested in pubs and villages...and pubs! Any suggestions?

I am SO very confused at this point.

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

You will probably be even more confused after visiting all those pubs. But don't worry, you will forget all about it before you get home ...............

 

Edited to add: Manchester or Birmingham airports might be a better bet if you don't intend visiting London.

Edited January 28, 2013 by PhilR

[Turbuck]

You will probably be even more confused after visiting all those pubs. But don't worry, you will forget all about it before you get home ...............

 

Edited to add: Manchester or Birmingham airports might be a better bet if you don't intend visiting London.

 

I just spent a week in London in December, so it's not necessary to go again.

 

How cold are these boats? I freeze easily...I'm a Florida girl!

[wannabe]

Our first canal holiday was on the Leeds and Liverpool - mainly because it is the closest to us with hire boats available. We had a great week. The canal is stunning with plenty of decent pubs close to or within a short walk from the canal. Depending where you are coming in from the US you could fly into Manchester which will put you in reasonably striking distance of hire bases by train and taxi.

 

We did the first week in October and to our surprise we rather jammily got great weather too.

 

Slight downside is the locks are 'double' locks so a bit more challenging than some of the narrow locks you get on other parts of the system no problem for first timers if you have a couple of crew or manage to share them with another boat.

 

Some people gripe about the swing bridges mainly the number of them but in reality they ain't that bad.

 

In a week we comfortably did Skipton to Nelson, turned, Nelson to well past Keithley (taking in the iconic 5 and 3 rises at Bingley) turned back to Skipton. If we had put in longer days we could have got further.

 

Your choice of hire boat yards would include

 

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

 

http://www.snaygillboats.co.uk/

 

A lot of us boaters up North of the UK are keen to see more boats and hirers up on the Northern waterways rather than the traditional gravitation to the Midlands Wales and the South - you will find things a lot less 'busy' up here, you will rarely have to queue for a lock and normally will not have any problem finding a mooring at the 'busy' spots - the same cannot always be said for the busier parts of the system.

 

 

 

http://www.chesterfieldcanalboat.co.uk/index.htm

omg. Who'd believe I'd actually agree with you on something lol

Loved our hire boat on the leeds/Liverpool ( Chucked it down all week but great fun and saw my old camping ground from a different viewpoint.

Definitely a return trip in the future