Which is the quickest way? Birmingham to Cropredy

[Dave_P]

Think of going to Cropredy this year. I should have plenty of time to get back but a tight window to get there. I'd always assumed that the quickest way from the centre of Birmingham was: kings Norton junction, lapworth, hatton, napton, cropredy.

 

The other route I'd always dismissed as a lot further would be: farmers bridge, Salford junction, fazeley junction, then along the Coventry canal and round to napton that way. Further but less locks.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts?

[Laurie Booth]

Fewer locks not less locks

I'll now run and hide

[Dave_P]

Quite right Laurie. I blame the parents & teachers

[the grinch]

there are as many reasons why each is quicker than the other, lapworth is quicker if you don't get held up by a stuck swingbridge at Shirley, all the locks are clear and you don't get stuck behind a slow boat down the single locks, likewise camphill can often be short of water so time wasted refilling knowle locks can be a bit slow but if they are all in your favour or you have good crew they don't take to long.

[the grinch]

also you could even go via B&Fazeley, Coventry and Oxford (the old bottom road) but that is single locks all the way and definitely a longer route both in terms of time and distance.

[Chalky]

M40.

[Dave_P]

 

also you could even go via B&Fazeley, Coventry and Oxford (the old bottom road) but that is single locks all the way and definitely a longer route both in terms of time and distance.

 

 

 

 

also you could even go via B&Fazeley, Coventry and Oxford (the old bottom road) but that is single locks all the way and definitely a longer route both in terms of time and distance.

I thought that's what I'd said?

[the grinch]

what did sir wish to say?

 

edit are I can see what you said now both above my comment and duh!! also at the start of the thread!! must have something on my mind that has nought to do with canals!! lol

Edited May 19, 2013 by hamsterfan

[mattlad]

M40.

Nah.

 

Helicopter!

[matty40s]

Moving quite a lot of boats all year round, I would generally give Birmingham a miss, preferring longer cruising pounds to more locks.

This allows night-time cruising as well.

Centre of Birmingham out, I would chose Lapworth flight (simple narrow locks) and hope that I teamed up with another boat who could move to do the stretch from Hatton Top to Napton.

Last trip I was lucky enough to find another crew waiting in the 3rd pound at Hatton, and managed to do Lapworth to Braunston in 11 hours.

[Dave_P]

Moving quite a lot of boats all year round, I would generally give Birmingham a miss, preferring longer cruising pounds to more locks.

This allows night-time cruising as well.

Centre of Birmingham out, I would chose Lapworth flight (simple narrow locks) and hope that I teamed up with another boat who could move to do the stretch from Hatton Top to Napton.

Last trip I was lucky enough to find another crew waiting in the 3rd pound at Hatton, and managed to do Lapworth to Braunston in 11 hours.

Thanks Matty,

 

I tend to agree with you on this but I've heard from 3 different boaters that the Tamworth, Atherstone etc way is actually quicker. I can really get my head around how though.

[Athy]

When we used to moor between Atherstone and Nuneaton, at Springwood Haven marina, we used to reckon "two and a half days hard, three days soft" to get to Cropredy. I am not sure how this compares with other routes.

[alan_fincher]

I must admit that when in one of my wilder moments I was looking at options for getting "Sickle" up to an event in Brum, and not being confident about single handing her, I did seriously look at going around the "bottom road", rather than the GU route either via Knowle of the Northern Oxford. It is a lot further, but being able to let a boat largely look after itself in narrow locks did seem a distinct advantage.

 

I seem to recall if I fed the trip into CanalPlanAC set to defaults for our usual rate of progress the "bottom road" didn't actually come out massively worse time wise.

[john6767]

I could not help it, here is what Canal Plan says, with my settings, for Napton to Old Turn, ie the variable part of the journey

 

via GU and North Stratford; 40.31 miles and 66 locks, taking 27 hours 22 min

via GU to Camp Hill; 38.86 miles and 76 locks, taking 27 hours 16 min

Via North Oxford/Coventry/B&F; 64.87 miles and 55 locks, taking 33 hours 53 min

 

GU and North Stratford would be my choice, in fact it was, as we in the process of doing that right now.

 

Edited to add: looks to me as though the GU/North Stratford lock count includes Kings Norton stop lock.

Edited May 20, 2013 by john6767

[Chalky]

The South Oxford, especially the top pound is shallow and will limit the speed considerably. At Fenny Compton yesterday the level was a good 4 - 6" below it's nominal level. Don't know it its deliberate or not.

[Nightwatch]

The South Oxford, especially the top pound is shallow and will limit the speed considerably. At Fenny Compton yesterday the level was a good 4 - 6" below it's nominal level. Don't know it its deliberate or not.

CA&T may be keeping the levels low as they are working on Broadmoor Lock further down towards Oxford. I see this morning at they have also closed Elkingtons Lock for water safety.

 

Just a thought.

 

Martyn

Edited May 20, 2013 by Nightwatch

[Athy]

CA&T may be keeping the levels low as they are working on Broadmoor Lock further down towards Oxford. I see this morning at they have also closed Elkingtons Lock for water safety.

 

 

Oh whacko, just in time for the BH weekend. Are the locks expected to be open in time for the holiday?

We noticed a couple of weeks ago that one of those locks, Broadmoor I think, was making a determined effort to win the local Leaky Lock Prize.

[Nightwatch]

Oh whacko, just in time for the BH weekend. Are the locks expected to be open in time for the holiday?

We noticed a couple of weeks ago that one of those locks, Broadmoor I think, was making a determined effort to win the local Leaky Lock Prize.

Hi Mike. Locks due to reopen this afternoon.

 

It is the leaky Broadmoor Lock that they are working on.

 

We are going to the boat this weekend. Working party I'm afraid. Stayingfor the week trying to get Nightwatch ready for sale.

 

May see you.

Martyn

[Athy]

Yes, we plan to be there, though probably not moving far as we intend to stay on Trojan and go by car to the Crick Show. Hope to have time to drop down into Croppers and test the lock repairs though.

[Nightwatch]

Mike, you will be pleased to know that your proposed trip to Cropredy can now go ahead.

 

Is it safe to assume that Broadmoor lock no longer leeks?

 

Martyn