Four counties cnal

[Morthin]

After having done the Llangollen canal last year I have now got the bug and am planning to do the four counties canal.

I had some excellent advise on theis forum last year,Ii am hoping I will get the same again.

 

Can anybody advise which way is the best to go i.e. anti or clockwise or any other way !

 

Also we have a dog, so we require pet friendly pubs on the route. I have checked the lists available but they seem to be very few and far between... anybody know anything different.

 

Thanks in advance

[bottle]

Where do you plan to start ?

[alan_fincher]

Being pedantic whilst referred to as the "Four Counties Ring", there is no Four Counties Canal, and it is made up of parts of the T&M, the S&W, and the Shroppie, (including the Middlwewich Branch).

 

Bottle's question about where you intend to start is pertinent.

 

Two thoughts:

 

Anti-Clockwise gives better options for your mooring the night before you do Harecastle Tunnel, assuming you do it in a morning, Westport Lake being infinitely preferable to the gloom at Kidsgrove. Also they normally release a tranch of boats South to North first, so less waiting first thing than if you are on a Southbound passage.

 

I prefer anti-clockwise, but this means you will be ascending the lock flights on the Shroppie. These have some regularly pretty violent bye-washes, which can make getting into the bottom apron of the lock "interesting", (as testified by all the damaged brickwork in many of these aprons opposite where the bye washes flow in!). Not that hard once used to them, but even the experienced sometimes get caught out by the odd one that is arranged significantly different to others.

 

Going down the Shroppie flights is probably the only advantage of a clockwise circuit, as exiting through bye-washes is easier than entering though them.

[Morthin]

We intend to start at Gailey marina

[Paul C]

We've done it (or its constituent canals) several times, both ways. Interestingly, we've never actually done 'just' the 4 counties ring, the closest to this was when we did the ring + up and down the Caldon canal as an extra. Other occasions, we've either gone up or down the shroppie; T&M; or done a ring which is much larger but incorporates 3/4 of the 4 counties ring. And done the Middlewich branch probably 20 times or more now.

 

The only issue (and its not really an issue...) is planning the night's stops between the bottom of heartbreak hill (Wheelock), through the tunnel then through Stoke. Going south, we normally plan to get to Wheelock in the evening, then do a reasonably early start, do all the locks in heartbreak hill (AKA The Cheshire Locks), then arrive at the tunnel north portal between 2-3pm. One time we stopped at Westlake park, another we went on to Etruria (we went around 1/2 mile along the canal past the services, then spun the boat at a wide section and reversed onto moorings near the staircase). There's also the option of stopping at/near Etruria on the main bit of the T&M. Other possibles are planning to arrive at Rode Heath, which is around the middle of heartbreak hill and thus splitting it over 2 days.

 

There's a few other reasonable places to stop on heartbreak hill, but you've got to plan it a bit because its a lock flight. We've not stopped at these though.

 

As for clockwise/anticlockwise, for us its faster to go uphill on lock flights because it means one of us goes on to set the next lock and its easier for the driver of the boat to finish off the lock going uphill than downhill - therefore going up the shroppie, therefore anticlockwise, would make more sense. But the last few occasions Audlem (flight of 15) has been busy enough to mean a lot of the gates could be left open for an oncoming boat etc and that being quick(er) at locks was no advantage because we'd simply catch up with a slower boat.

[captain birdseye]

We tend to go down Cheshire locks and so anti clockwise. We find Cheshire locks bounce us about a bit when going up hill, whereas the Shroppie ones are more gentle. We usually stop at Stone, then either Etruria or Westport lake for the passage through Harecastle. You then have a choice of stops depending how many locks you want to do each day.

 

Rode Heath or below Thurlwood, there is a pub if you walk through the houses from the bottom lock called the Oak. Wheelock a bit further on. From Wheelock it is about three hours into Middlewich for shopping.

 

Most of the pubs we have stopped at on trips either let dogs in the pub, or we have sat in beers gardens with them, not a problem in the summer but a bit chilly now

[IanD]

If you do go up the Caldon and stop at the Black Lion at Consall Forge (great pub!), make sure your dog doesn't have a taste for chickens or you'll be very unpopular...

[NickF]

I must admit I agree with Captain Birdseye! I find the Cheshire Locks (heartbreak hill) have quite a strong pull going uphill so prefer going down them hence i would recommend anti-clockwise.

 

Although may be you ought to go the least popular way round then more of the locks will be set for you? All you have to do is work out which is the least popular way! I am sure which ever way you go you will have a great time.

[alan_fincher]

Although may be you ought to go the least popular way round then more of the locks will be set for you? All you have to do is work out which is the least popular way! I am sure which ever way you go you will have a great time.

 

One theory expressed in the past is that most of the hire companies describing the ring do so in a clockwise manner, and hence more hire boats go clockwise than anti clockwise.

 

I have no idea if that suggestion holds water, though.

 

Obviously only relevant, (if at all!), if doing it at a time when many hire boats are out.

[OldGoat]

Everybody (above) goes anti-clockwise...

When we hired, we invariably went clockwise and thus avoided the huge queue that invariably happened at the first 'proper' lock on the shroppie.

 

Otherwise bear in mind what others have said.

In practice "it all depends" - on luck on the day.

 

 

[Paul C]

Everybody (above) goes anti-clockwise...

When we hired, we invariably went clockwise and thus avoided the huge queue that invariably happened at the first 'proper' lock on the shroppie.

 

Otherwise bear in mind what others have said.

In practice "it all depends" - on luck on the day.

 

 

 

I don't think either direction on the ring, is the sole cause of queues at the relevant first/last locks of flights etc. Both canals are used for a lot of north-south "traffic" which isn't doing the ring, and there's many other more local users going shorter distances, so the effects of a popular/unpopular direction would be minimal. Queues tend to develop at the first lock after a long pound, where boats can catch each other up; then become spaced out within the lock flight (you'd hope). Thus, the locks on the Middlewich branch can become congested; Hack Green; top lock at Red Bull, etc. I'd say its not a massive issue so long as you allow a little flexibility in the schedule though so don't worry about it, ie I agree with your last sentence.

[Pete of Ebor]

The Bona Boaters have a simple rule. Whatever way round any ring the most people or the boatyard suggest, then we go the other way - on the simple grounds that it's better to meet loads of boats on a flight then to be behind them ! This is especially true if you're hiring. At the end of the day, clockwise or anti-clockwise, the number of locks is the same...

[Philip]

With Gailey being the base, the thought of finishing the trip with the stretch of locks near the M6 doesn't seem the nicest way! Finishing the trip by cruising along the southern half of the Shropshire Union is a lovely way to round things off. Some hire companies also like you to do the tunnel earlier in the trip. So on those bases anti-clockwise is better because of where you're starting from. I do prefer going up the Cheshire locks though, as going the other way feels like an anti-climax with the tunnel out of the way. Obviously this is clockwise so if you were starting from Middlewich for example then this would be the best way round.

[Cruising Mike]

We did the Four Counties in May this year, starting at Overwater Marina in Audlem, we went Anti-Clockwise. The reason for this was being relatively inexperienced we opted to do the lockless southern half of the Shroppie first to get used to the boat. Another bonus was leaving Harecastle Tunnel til later in the week. Whichever way round you go you will enjoy it no doubt. Make sure you stop off at the top of Hack Green Locks as the mooring there is just beautiful, with the secret bunker just a few hundred yards away

[Pete of Ebor]

Isn't that the secret bunker with the great big canalside sign saying 'secret bunker' ?

[tree monkey]

Isn't that the secret bunker with the great big canalside sign saying 'secret bunker' ?

Yup and it still makes laugh after many years of living and working in the area, easily pleased I guess

[Cruising Mike]

Isn't that the secret bunker with the great big canalside sign saying 'secret bunker' ?

 

Lol, yes it is! Although i've moored near it i have never visited, hence the 'secret'

[NickF]

Isn't that the secret bunker with the great big canalside sign saying 'secret bunker' ?

There was ... you've just blown the secret by putting it on here!