Boat venture K&A to Gloucester and Sharpness

[LizL]

Hi

 

We are going to move a boat from the K&A to Gloucester and Sharpness over the summer but will need to do it in stages. Does anyone have any good suggestions about good mooring places for a week or two along the way - close to public transport links/good car parking etc.?

 

Thanks very much for any thoughts!

 

 

Liz

[Gillie]

Where on the K&A will you be starting from??

[blackrose]

I just did a trip from the Thames to Sharpness and then up to Gloucester, Tewkesbury and the Avon.

 

I moored at Sulhampstead, Newbury, Hungerford, Gt Bedwyn, Devizes, Semington, Bradford, Bath and then Bristol Harbour. I had no problems finding moorings until I got to Bradford and then I was just lucky, but I wouldn't fancy it in summer. Also plenty of moorings above the locks (before the tunnels) in Bath at this time of year. I paid 27 quid overnight in Bristol Harbour but that was unavoidable as I was out to Portishead at 4.30am. If you have an early start to catch the ebb tide then you won't be able to use the free moorings at Hanham - they're too far from Bristol.

 

Once you get onto the G&S you have left the long lines of continuous moorers and crusties on rotting boats far behind. It's a great canal even though it's not that long.

 

There were plenty of moorings in Gloucester basin a few days ago. Hardly any boats there.

[Gillie]

I moored at Sulhampstead, Newbury, Hungerford, Gt Bedwyn, Devizes, Semington, Bradford, Bath and then Bristol Harbour.

You did Gt Bedwyn to Devizes in a day?!!

[magpie patrick]

You did Gt Bedwyn to Devizes in a day?!!

Why not? It's only around 15 locks and then just chug. Blackrose was trying to move his boat to his new home, rather than being on holiday, and people shift under these circumstances

[LizL]

Thanks for the replies - we're not doing the Sharpness bit but going via the Oxford and across to Stratford etc - and looking for longer moorings such as 14 day rather than 24/48 hours.

 

Any thoughts would be brilliant, thanks.

 

Liz

[RickH]

Brought my boat from Worcester to Bath last year , so the same route as you will be doing , really so much depends on how far you wish to travel each day .Abingdon is a good stop , Thrupp has great two week moorings and you can park near the pub and the end of the lane . Can't say I liked going near Birmingham though . Get canal companion route books and it will show train stations , go on to Waterscape.com and it will tell you moorings on route . Check dates of Croperdy Festival as it will be crazy busy there .

Have fun , I did !

PS The Bridge pub at Tibberton is worth a stop

[keble]

On the Avon, from Stratford to Tewkesbury, there a quite limited moorings. I suggest you contact the various marinas e.g. Evesham to see what they can offer.

I guess you will do Tewkesbury to Gloucester in a single hop (3-4 hours) so no need for a stop there.

[blackrose]

You did Gt Bedwyn to Devizes in a day?!!

Yes. Some days I didn't move very far but that day I just kept going. I've taken my widebeam through 25 locks in a day on the GU (single-handed), but that was a few years ago when I was probably a bit fitter.

[Ange]

SNIP

 

 

PS The Bridge pub at Tibberton is worth a stop

I'll second that one! They do great food at reasonable prices and are really boater friendly. They'll even let you park your car in their car park for a few days if you're moving a car with the boat - just ask them first out of courtesy.

 

Oh and good beer as well

[blackrose]

On the Avon, from Stratford to Tewkesbury, there a quite limited moorings. I suggest you contact the various marinas e.g. Evesham to see what they can offer.

I guess you will do Tewkesbury to Gloucester in a single hop (3-4 hours) so no need for a stop there.

Limited in terms of longer-term moorings, but there are 24 hour moorings by most locks. Evesham itself has lots of public moorings so no need for the marina unless you have to leave the boat and you're worried about flooding.

[LizL]

These are really helpful hints, thanks very much - if anyone has anything else to add, that would be brilliant. I'll put everything together later, it's really useful!

 

Thanks again!

 

 

Liz