Our Holiday

[Stephen and Kate]

We are not new to narrow boats and have had 3 canal holidays. "The Cheshire Ring", "The Four Counties Ring", and a "there and back"on the Leeds and Liverpool. These have always been done with a couple of friends but this year we are going on our own. We are stating from "The Canal Cruising Company" in Stone and hope to go south to Great Haywood, Then on to Fradley Junction, then onto Curdwoth then Gas Street Birmingham then through to Wolverhampton then back to Stone via the Staffs and Worcs and Trent and Mersey. Canal Plan says this is 95 Miles and 91 locks which is similar to the Cheshire ring. My questions are 1. Is it possible to do in a week (9th to 16 the August) with only 2 of us, and 2 is it OK to overnight in Gas Street . Your help please

[Victor Vectis]

To answer your second question, yes but.................

 

Gas St. itself is busy and noisy, more so at the weekend. The best mooring being round the back in the shadow of the Hyatt. Coming from Farmer's Bridge turn left just after Broad St. bridge before Worcester Bar.

 

Quieter moorings are on the Main Line on the way out but the best IMHO are on the left at the start of Oozells Loop. Again coming from Farmer's Bridge turn right at the roundabout and immediately left under the bridge.

 

Make sure you visit the Great Western at Wolverhampton and try the Bathams

SAM

 

PS Welcome to the forum.

[kevinl]

If you allow 15 minutes a mile and 15 minutes a lock it would take 46.5 hours, add in all time you will lose waiting for locks (bearing in mind the it's summer holiday time)and it sounds like pretty hard week's work. The problem with a ring is if you drop behind you're then under pressure to catch up and it stops being a holiday and becomes an endurance challenge to get back to base on time. If there were 4 of you then it would be easier but you might relish the challenge as you get your annual boating fix.

K