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There and back again, to see how far it is.

junior

By junior
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Barry Veteran

Barry

Posted
Posted

It's been a while since I updated this. As I thought might happen, once I missed a few days it felt like I'd lost my mojo.

 

So over the last 2 months I have done the BCN Challenge, visited Foxton Locks festival and more recently the Braunston Historic Boat Rally plus I've done a few here and there trips in between.

 

The boat is now at Barby having some work done but then I'll be setting off for my summer cruise proper as I have 6 weeks without having to go to work.

 

I'm heading to Manchester, specifically Bedford Basin in Leigh on the Bridgwater Canal and Castlefield Basin, I'm not sure which comes first. I'm planning my route (from Hillmorton) and it looks like I have two options.

 

A) Trent & Mersey all the way or

 

cool.png Trent & Mersey- Staffs & wooster- Shropshire Union- Middlewich.

 

Having never been north of where I am now (by boat) I thought I'd ask for opinions? If it makes any difference I am single handed, not fussed about pubs, like to see civilisation at least once every 48hrs and I tend to boat long days. TV and phone signal are important to me but not critical for one night and I f**king hate Stoke.

 

I'll post some pics from the last few months soon but I'm in France right now with a data limit.

 

 

If you are going to Manchester I wouldn't miss the chance to do The Macclesfield Canal followed by a sneaky look at the Upper Peak Forest. Both lovely especially the latter

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haggis Veteran

haggisDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

Why not go up the Trent and Mersey, then the Macclesfield, the Aston, the Rochdale 9 in Manchester, back down the Bridgewater, Trent and Mersey, Mdidlewich branch then down the Shropshire Union, up the Wolverhampton 21 and have another boat round the BCN.

 

That would give you a really nice trip

 

haggis

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junior Veteran

junior

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Thanks for the suggestions so far, I should have added that I want to be back in London/GU South for November to take a winter mooring so I don't have much scope for doing other canals, although I would like to try and get onto the River Weaver.

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  • 4 weeks later...
junior Veteran

junior

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I'm soon to be on the T&M headed for Manchester and though I'd take the opportunity for a quick blast on the River Weaver to see how my boat goes on deeper water.

 

Having never been off the canal before I have a few silly newbie questions I'm hoping veterans of the Weaver could help me with.

 

Do I need an anchor? I have the anchor, chain and rope on the boat but none of it is connected and it's all hidden away.

 

Will I need a life jacket?

 

Having never been anywhere near a river before I'm thinking of a few things that I probably shouldn't be....

 

If the river is flowing fast, how do I moor up single handed as I will need to step off with the centre line?

 

When I moor up do I need to worry about the water level going up and down over night?

 

When I go up the boat lift, how long will it take me to get to the end of the navigable section? Is there somewhere to moor there? I was planning to stop over night and go back down the next day.

 

Is anyone planning to visit the Weaver over the next few weeks? It would be great to buddy up. If there are any Weaver veterans on the forum who fancy a blast in the next few weeks, give me a shout. I'd like to get some photos and it's pretty hard single handed.

 

Anything else I should be thinking about?

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David Mack Veteran II

David MackDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

Trent & Mersey is like the M25 today.

 

20140813_113549_zps5yfsandr.jpg

 

I thought someone said these northern canals were deserted?

 

Isn't that the Armitage Shanks toilet factory?

 

Andrew Denny's GrannyButtons blog has a photo of the spot where the staff can sit out by the canalside to eat their lunch.(Can't post a link direct to the image)

 

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bizzard Veteran II

bizzard

Posted
Posted

Northampton just means north of Amton wherever that is.

Many moons ago when I travelled by train from London to Liverpool Rugby seemed to me to be the beginning of the north although the stations name then said ''Rugby Midland''.not just ''Rugby''. Approaching Rugby from the south which was fresh and sunny the atmosphere would quite suddenly take on a certain dismal yellowy gloom usually accompanied by rainy drizzle and this would continue getting worse the further north the train went and then finally brightening up again after Crewe or thereabouts.

These were the days before smokeless zones, when steam railway engines, most forms of industry, power stations, houses ect all belched out smoke and folk went about coughing and spluttering with catarrh and asthma and the like, smelling of stew, everyone ate copious amounts of stew in those days. The midlands generally seemed to be permanently wallowing in this yellow drizzly smoky smog as indeed were most industrial areas, cities and towns all over, like Birmingham ect. Sheffield was like Dante's inferno especially at night time, Sheffield being set out in a bit of a valley the smoke couldn't get out and blow away easily. Stoke-on-Trent was like the Hobs of Hell because of the smoke emitted from those potty kilns and I doubt anybody there ever saw the sun at all, its only fairly recently that they've had their first ever glimpse of the moon I believe. The inhabitants complexions were of a sort of dull mustardy green because of lack of sunlight, like wartime submariners complexions who had been submerged for months on end, there smarting eyes peering through the murk.

Yes that was my early childhood introduction to the north which seemed to me to begin in the midlands at Rugby. But of course its all different now, well a lot better anyway. The sun pops out quite regularly up there now. Catarrh and asthma are almost an ailment of the past, smutty eyes don't smart much anymore, complexions are now of a nice healthy pinky hue and all is quite bright and cheerful. smile.png

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

Posted
Posted (edited)

No, but it is in the South. Just like Northampton is in the North.

 

No it isnt.

 

We keep our boat in the midlands and you have not even got that far yet!!

 

You are still in the southlaugh.png

Edited by Naughty Cal
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