Berkhamsted

[adam1uk]

We're planning to have a trip down the Aylesbury arm in a couple of weeks, and we'd also have time to extend the trip to Berko. But I can't remember whether there's anywhere to wind a 59ft boat. I vaguely remember that it seemed wide below the Rising Sun lock, but is it wide enough? Or can anyone suggest another place to turn?

[alan_fincher]

There is a full sized winding hole outside Berkhamsted station, although most cruising guides don't report it.

 

If you need to go further, I'm sure you could turn in the stream exit some distance below Rising Sun lock.

 

There is a further (unofficial) winding hole below "Topside" lock, just to the South of the town.

 

EDITED TO ADD:

 

I wouldn't try immediately below Rising Sun lock - go under next footbridge, and look for a stream exit on the offside, nearly the petrol station and (out of use) sanitary station, on the off-side.

Edited March 27, 2014 by alan_fincher

[Tuscan]

Always used to be able turn a 60' in the bend in the canal opposite the station, haven't done it for a few years though others will have more recent experience

[alan_fincher]

Always used to be able turn a 60' in the bend in the canal opposite the station, haven't done it for a few years though others will have more recent experience

You can turn full length boats there.

 

Berkhamsted was the normal Northernmost point for regular barge, (as opposed to narrow boat) traffic, and this is the only winding hole they could have used. A horse barge operated here some yeras ago, (14 foot beam), and regularly turned outside the station.

 

I think there are more trees to dodge now, though!

[Supertramp]

We turned in the Station curve last year, it was tight with the bushes and fishermen, but managed without too much bother

[jenlyn]

I've turned my 60ft widebeam by the rail station, and also above that lock. The garage below rising sun was quite shallow a couple of weeks ago, silt I think. So am not sure it would be easy to turn there at the moment.

[David Schweizer]

You can turn full length boats there.

 

Berkhamsted was the normal Northernmost point for regular barge, (as opposed to narrow boat) traffic, and this is the only winding hole they could have used. A horse barge operated here some yeras ago, (14 foot beam), and regularly turned outside the station.

 

I think there are more trees to dodge now, though!

 

I presume you are talking about this one Alan :-

 

[matty40s]

You can turn in the waitrose pound, between the willows above the lock.

[adam1uk]

Thanks everyone. Turning by the station will be ideal.

[alan_fincher]

I presume you are talking about this one Alan :-

 

Well "Tuba" is one candidate boat, as was "Fleet", both seen here

 

 

These were at one stage used for hotel boating, and even as trip boats, with (somewhat amazingly!) passengers sat on the roofs, and needing top dodge the bridges.

 

But the one I'm most familiar with turning at Berkhamsted on an often more than daily basis, was a converted metal barge, "Ben Klibrech", shown here plying its trade.

 

 

People often assume that is me steering, because it has a lot of my gait at the time about it, but it certainly isn't me.

 

I suppose what is striking about all three pictures is just how much all the three locations shown have changed in the last 40 to 50 years.

Edited March 27, 2014 by alan_fincher

[David Schweizer]

Ah yes, I remeber Fleet as well, but I am not sure about the third one. Weren;t they normally moored on the towpath side (right hand side) coming from London?

Edited March 28, 2014 by David Schweizer

[adam1uk]

You can turn in the waitrose pound, between the willows above the lock.

 

Which is what we did. Thank you.

[LEO]

 

Which is what we did. Thank you.

HI,

Good to see you, have a good trip,

 

Leo

[adam1uk]

HI,

Good to see you, have a good trip,

 

Leo

And you! We're just pottering about this week, really -- thanks to the planned trip down the Aylesbury Arm being scuppered by the stoppage this week.

[alan_fincher]

And you! We're just pottering about this week, really -- thanks to the planned trip down the Aylesbury Arm being scuppered by the stoppage this week.

 

I hope you were able to find somewhere to squeeze in in Berkhamsted whilst it remains as 14 day moorings so heavily in demand!

 

It now has volunteers actively recording the situation, apparently - something that would seem to be completely unnecessary based on my regular walks along there for more than a year now, when I have never seen the town even close to "full".

[LEO]

And you! We're just pottering about this week, really -- thanks to the planned trip down the Aylesbury Arm being scuppered by the stoppage thi

 

A quick trip up the Wendover Arm?.

[adam1uk]

I hope you were able to find somewhere to squeeze in in Berkhamsted whilst it remains as 14 day moorings so heavily in demand!

It now has volunteers actively recording the situation, apparently - something that would seem to be completely unnecessary based on my regular walks along there for more than a year now, when I have never seen the town even close to "full".

There are only five or six boats here, plus one in the next pound down. If they want to make a change to the moorings here, I'd suggest the best use of the money would be pulling some rings in. It seems bizarre to be in a town like this and have to bang pins in!

A quick trip up the Wendover Arm?.

Always a possibility. We've been down to the end before, and loved how remote and quiet it felt.

[matty40s]

came through Berko on New Years eve and it was a ghost town to what it was just a few years previously.

We stopped at Waitrose to get dinner, then moored by the Crystal Palarse for an afternoon bev and then just below the Rising Sun for New Years Eve . - Loads of space, towpaths a disgrace and more dog muck than Battersea dogs home.- the local dog walkers should be ashamed........or fined.

[Tuscan]

Marsworth is still very quiet with very few boats moored up maybe there's a case for making the summer season 1 June to 30 September.

[alan_fincher]

Loads of space, towpaths a disgrace and more dog muck than Battersea dogs home.- the local dog walkers should be ashamed........or fined.

Errm,

 

Can we please make that....

 

"Some of the local dog walkers should be ashamed........or fined."

 

Actually though, I find the dog s**t problem tends to worsen the further North in the country the canal is. Generally it's far, far worse, for example, on the Four Counties tan the Grand Union, (for a conurbation of similar size), in my view.

[mark99]

Errm,

 

Can we please make that....

 

"Some of the local dog walkers should be ashamed........or fined."

 

Actually though, I find the dog s**t problem tends to worsen the further North in the country the canal is. Generally it's far, far worse, for example, on the Four Counties tan the Grand Union, (for a conurbation of similar size), in my view.

 

 

Milton Keynes ...... not good.

[alan_fincher]

 

 

Milton Keynes ...... not good.

 

Nowhere is good, unfortunately.

 

Took our dog for a walk at Seabrook a couple of days, and was confronted by a lively German Shepherd from a live aboard boat running uncontrolled on the tow-path. Whilst trying to protrect our dog , (currently with injury and running up large vet bills), as it jumped all over him, I skidded and nearly went over on some of the s**t deposited by the GS. The owner stood at the hatch calling his dog to absolutely zero effect.

 

Later I tried to moor one of our boats at Cheddington, and was dodging poop everwhere as I tried to do so, and ended up "picking up" for several dogs not my own.

 

Having said all that, if you think there (or Milton Keynes) is bad, try the Middlewich branch, or the Ashton! The South is good compared to those examples!

[bizzard]

Most of the towpath dogs muck tends to be concentrated near access points to roads where folk just bring their dog onto the towpath to poop and then go out back to the road again.

[mark99]

Having said all that, if you think there (or Milton Keynes) is bad, try the Middlewich branch, or the Ashton! The South is good compared to those examples!

 

 

Never really noticed the Middlewich branch poo situation althought we have traversed it twice. One thing you might have noticed though Alan, is that as you go past Brum, the vegetarian choices/options reduces.

Edited April 8, 2014 by mark99

[PiRSqwared]

Berko has an excellent chip shop next to the station. We always try to time our arrival there to coincide with their opening times.