Stowe Hill to Hertford. . . How long do I need ?

[Terryb]

Well fellow boaters. I am just 2 days away from my new life on the cut. I have until the 15th March to get the boat back to Hertford or at least up to Romney Lock, to enable me to commute to Hertford.

Assuming I aint silly and common sense is not alien to me. How long dya think it will take me.

FYI it's a bit late to change my plans, so no wise cracks please, this is serious and I will need all the help I can get. Any advice welcome, from good places to stop on the way, nearest supermarkets, toilets, elsan points, water. Etc, you know. Be Gentle with me.

Edited March 3, 2015 by Terryb

[junior]

I'm not exactly sure where Hertford is, but if i was doing it on a boat familiar to me and putting in full days i'd be confident of doing it in under 7 days. With a bit of 'darkness' boating you could probably do it in 5 or 6. I don't know if there are any stoppages left on your route.

 

That's back of fag packet guesstimates as I've not got a Nicholsons handy.

Edited March 3, 2015 by junior

[Terryb]

Thanks mate, thats a good start to the thread, confidence levels are rising. There is the Bridge 84 MK problem, but last I saw they were progressing well and passable under the cover of darkness.

[MtB]

Well fellow boaters. I am just 2 days away from my new life on the cut. I have until the 15th March to get the boat back to Hertford or at least up to Romney Lock, to enable me to commute to Hertford.

Assuming I aint silly and common sense is not alien to me. How long dya think it will take me.

FYI it's a bit late to change my plans, so no wise cracks please, this is serious and I will need all the help I can get. Any advice welcome, from good places to stop on the way, nearest supermarkets, toilets, elsan points, water. Etc, you know. Be Gentle with me.

 

 

You seem a sensible and resourceful sort of bloke so I expect you'll be fine. Not knowing the route myself my best advice is take a lappy or something so you can remain on line during the trip should you need to post on here for assistance in the unlikely event of difficulty.

 

And beer. Obviously.

 

 

MtB

[Leo No2]

Thanks mate, thats a good start to the thread, confidence levels are rising. There is the Bridge 84 MK problem, but last I saw they were progressing well and passable under the cover of darkness.

It's closed again until, I understand, 13-March. There's at least a couple of boats I know of stuck south of Bridge 84 (including a fuel boat and butty and a share boat) trying to get north and have been advised closure stays on until 13-March. Best to check with CRT I think.

Edited March 3, 2015 by Leo No2

[junior]

If you happen to end up on the Watford/Rickmansworth next WWednesday I might be available to come and do locks for you as I'll be in the area and at a loose end during the day.

[bottle]

 

Overnight stopping places

 

This is calculated based on 9 full days travelling.

Travel starts on Sunday the 15th of March, 2015 at Stowe Hill Marina.

On average each full day will be approximately 7 hours and 6 minutes travelling but some overnight stops have been moved to avoid unsuitable stopping places and this has affected the lengths of the days. The shortest day is 6 hours and 52 minutes and the longest is 7 hours and 20 minutes (the maximum day-length is set at 10 hours).

 

or go to http://canalplan.org.uk/cgi-bin/canal.cgi and change the parameters to your liking.

[alan_fincher]

Are you aware of CanalPlanAC?

 

It is an excellent tool.

 

It shows that "Junior's" estimated 7 days is achievable, based on every day being 8.5 hours, (but see below!!).

 

 

Totals

Total distance is 122.79 miles and 105 locks. There are at least 3 moveable bridges; 15 small aqueducts or underbridges and 3 tunnels (Blisworth Tunnel (3056 yards long), Maida Hill Tunnel (272 yards long) and Islington Tunnel (960 yards long)).

This is made up of 98.22 miles of broad canals; 11.11 miles of commercial waterways; 13.47 miles of small rivers; 98 broad locks; 7 large locks.

This will take 59 hours, 55 minutes which is 7 days, 3 hours and 55 minutes at 8 hours per day. For initial calculation purposes (before adjusting for such things as overnight stops) this is taken as 7 days of 8 hours and 33 minutes each.

 

You don't say if you are single handing, and, if so, what experience you have. I would suggest that with 105 large locks to tackle, the 7 days would only easily be achieved by an experienced person.

However, if you are planning to set off in two days, and want to be at your destination by the 15th, then I think you have a problem!

There is a stoppage at Bridge 84 on the Grand Union, and you will get there in maybe less than a day and a half. If the current end date of that stoppage of March 13th holds, and they don't let any more boats through, (and I'm told currently they are not), then you would only have the 14th and 15th to do the remaining 6 days or so of the trip - clearly not possible!

Edited March 3, 2015 by alan_fincher

[Keeping Up]

Thanks mate, thats a good start to the thread, confidence levels are rising. There is the Bridge 84 MK problem, but last I saw they were progressing well and passable under the cover of darkness.

Yes they're making steady progress at bridge 84 but at the moment they're keeping the canal blocked at all times, with orange plastic netting stretched across the canal and tied to the trees on both sides.

 

Stoppages apart I'd normally reckon to take at least 8 days if single handed at this time of year, maybe less with a good crew. There are a lot of locks which are quite hard work on your own, and if you're unfamiliar with the boat and with the vagaries of Grand Union locks it could even take a day or two longer especially if the weather is unkind to you.

[Terryb]

Thanks everyone. I am aware of the stoppage. I am also aware of Canal Plan route finder. Thanks again. I noticed a few weeks ago that boats were getting through having removed a scaffolding pole barrier. I wonder how the orange plastic will hold up, if my boat had no brakes.

[bizzard]

The southern GU locks are a generally a doddle for a single hander, what with the walkways across the lock gates and steps down. I found it easiest to pull my boat in and out by rope unless the gates are open for you. I could do 32 locks a day quite comfortably down from Cowroast s/handed. The locks on the Regents through London are a bit more difficult, climbing up and down the big often cobbled lock plynths. The river Lea locks are quite heavy with low geared paddles. Beware going up Picketts lock and Stanstead Abbots lock on the Lea both are fierce, gingerly open one paddle at a time.

[matty40s]

I did Uxbridge to the stoppage at Milton Keynes in 2 1/2 days over the weekend, there is no passage through the bridge now. add another day to East London and another day up the Lee Navigation to Stanstead Abbots.

 

 

edited to add, I had no headlight so no night cruising.

Edited March 3, 2015 by matty40s

[alan_fincher]

Are you single handing, and how much narrowboating experience do you have?

 

Although there is nothing complex about this trip, it wouldn't be the easiest of starts for an inexperienced single hander.

 

For example the railings erected around locks in the Camden area in a bid to stop people from the local nightclubs falling in, often get in the way of boat operation. You wan't to be able to move the boat on a rope, but have to climb over things!

 

And a lot of the bottom gates in that area blow open on windy days, and it can be remarkably hard to keep both of the pair shut long enough to start filling an empty lock.

 

And if you get to one of the big electric locks on the Lee, and find that the lock landings are not available, because residential boats are moored on them two deep, you may need to do a bit of inventive thinking.

 

Equally you may tale it all in your stride, of course, but you will undoubtedly find a few challenges en route.

[Mike Tee]

I think you may have a problem.

 

If bridge 84 opens afternoon of 13th you will probably get no further than Hemel.

If it opens one day early, probably Ricky.

If two days early, probably Little Venice.

Three days early would get you to Tottenham lock.

All these times depend on how long you stay in the pub with 'Keeping Up'

 

However, the railway follows the G.U. all the way, so you might be advised to check routes to Hertford from stations along your route, and target stops accordingly. Don't know that route myself, but it might mean going into, then out of London, but I'd have thought not a lengthy journey.

 

eta- what Alan F. says about the railings at Camden, keep a BW / water point key in your pocket at all times - there is a gate in the railings which unlocks with these keys, saves ripping your trousers leaping over.

Edited March 3, 2015 by Mike Tee

[bizzard]

Make sure you've goy yer B/W-Cart key for sanitary stations, electric locks and one or two swing bridges.

[bizzard]

Lots of railway stations all the way up the Lea, all fairly close by, to Liverpool st station.

[Athy]

Hertford is well served by London trains, as it has services from Liverpool Street to Hertford East and from King's Cross to Hertford North.

[sarahavfc]

It all depends how you boat. We did Ponders End on the Lee to Braunston in 3 long days last year and even had time to drop into Stowe Hill for a Coffee with Dominic and Steve.

 

Keep an eye on Stonebridge Lock at the moment too, due to vandalism there's a 3 hour passage window.

Edited March 3, 2015 by sarahavfc

[valrene9600]

Seems you might have a problem so you need a plan B. Travel to Hertford seems your need as you shuffle the boat to Hertford after the MK stoppage.

Trains into London along the way is pretty good on the GU. London To Hertford is OK.

724 green line runs into Hertford. You will find it first at cassio bridge then ri ckmansworth and u bridge.

I think this is what you need to be thinking. Moving a car as you travel is an option, bike along towpath to get car is easy.

Off top of my head you have canalside supermarkets at L. Buzzard, Rickmanswodth, Bulls bridge and two along paddington arm all are canalside.

Make plan b now while you have time to absorb the info you get from the forum.

Make the trip enjoyable not an ordeal.

Hope this helps and you get many more commute tips.

[valrene9600]

L buzzard, Tring, berkhamsted, hemel hempstead, apsley, kings langley are all practically canalside and provide trains into Euston. Some are fast. L Buzz for instance is 40mins.

Good luck, /

[Terryb]

Who the hell mentioned trains. !! I have bought a boat. It is my new home. I only want to get to Hertford for work. And as they do not give a toss about me, I will not give a toss about them After all it's only money, and who needs that.

 

Joking asside. Many Many Thanks for all your wonderfull advice and journey plans, and wishes. I cant tell you how much they are all worth.

Answers.....

Yes, I am on my own.

 

No I do not have any expeirience.

 

Yes,I think I am fit enough.

 

No, I don't care too much if I run over time.

 

Special thanks with regards the Keys I shall need and the times some of you guys have made similar journeys. Great stuff, bring it on. Oh,one more point. Do I need a decent Headlight for the tunnels. Alfie has an old oil type lampon the bow, but I have no idea if it works, or how well.

Edited March 3, 2015 by Terryb

[Mike Tee]

Do I need a decent Headlight for the tunnels

 

yes

[Terryb]

Cheers Mike, I thought I might.

[bottle]

and make sure you have a back up, a large torch (working) would be a good idea.

 

Just a sample e-bay

Make sure you can get to it from the steering position, or even put it on the roof in front of you before entering the tunnel.

[Mike Tee]

Come on Alfie, keep us up to date - have you started yet?

(Don't forget - if you keep us up to date with the journey/approximate timings etc, you may not have to single hand through all the locks!).