Looking for options - first trip

[Dbonar]

We are a party of 6 adults plus two older teens from the US. We've settled on a 7 day trip but we're still looking at routes.

 

* Probably more 6-7 hour a day boaters but would be perfectly happy with a mix of time (4 one day because there is something to see or do combined with a 9 hour day of rural countryside with stops only to eat).

* Probably flying into Birmingham and not interested in Thames, K&A, or fenlands.

* Would prefer to avoid big flights of locks

* Would like a mix of history, industrial history and rural.One member of the party is worried about inner city Birmingham and Manchester so a ton of traveling on the BCN.

 

 

We have been looking at an out and back trip from Anderton to Chester and back. However I'd hate to focus too much on one area just because a chance initial look brought it to my attention. In particular are there trips closer to Birmingham that make sense?

[Alan de Enfield]

Welcome - and hope you have a great time

 

Just one thing to bear in mind is that you will probably pick up your hire boat at 3pm on Day 1, you need to be back to return the boat (normally) by 9 am / 10am on the last day so you have, in effect, only 5 days,

 

We average about 2 miles per hour so you are looking a about 12 miles per day - if your trip is an 'out and return' you'll be looking at a distance of roughly 30miles from your start point.

 

Ideally hire in the area you want to visit.

[Athy]

Welcome!

Within a couple of days you will, I hope, have received numerous suggestions and will be both better informed and more confused than you are now.

 

But to start, it looks as if you have not yet chosen your hire boat company. A couple of well-respected hirers within fairly easy reach of Birmingham which you might look at are Napton Narrowboats (who do some quite big boats in case you're intending to accommodate all eight of you in one boat) and Ashby Narrowboats. Their web sites will include suggested travel routes for various durations of hire.

 

I don't know about the hire fleets in the North West (Anderton/ Chester area) but I'm sure that someone will be along soon who can offer information.

[Paul C]

Napton Narrowboats (Autherley Junction) - then do the 4 counties ring. Yes there's locks, but they're not too onerous with 8 of you. The good thing about the 4 counties ring is that there's a bunch of variety. This, in general, applies to any ring because you effectively do twice the unique lock-miles (if that makes sense) because on an out and back trip, you'd repeat what you did out. There's other cruising rings but they tend to be a little longer than fitting into a hireboat week (which is about 6 1/4 days long, due to handover etc) or loads more locks, or just not as nice.

 

The other option - an easy option to suggest - is Llangollen and return from one of the following: Chas Hardern (Beeston), Anglo Welsh (Bunbury), Venetian Hire (Cholmendeston), Cheshire Cat (Overwater Marina, nr Audlem). There's other hire firms a little further afield but then it would make it a busy week for cruising hours. There's others nearer (ie on the Llangollen itself) but then it wouldn't fill the week, or if you did you'd be doing so for the sake of it rather than being logical etc.

 

Anderton - Chester and return is quite easy, you could do Preston Brook - Chester; Anderton - Ellesmere Port; or Preston Brook - Ellesmere Port to fill it out.

 

Apologies that all the above are in the NW - that's the ones I know best. Someone else from somewhere else could suggest stuff nearer Birmingham.

PS there's Manchester Airport which probably does just as many, or maybe more, transatlantic routes as Brum.

PS There's Countrywide Cruisers in Brewood, for the 4CR too.

PPS Vikings Afloat by Gailey; Anglo Welsh in Great Haywood; them yukky lime green boats in Stone.

[Dbonar]

Thanks for the welcomes and the info. Manchester is in the running but right now it looks like Birmingham is slightly cheaper for flights from the US. We'll be arriving from multiple locations in the US and staying different lengths of time in the UK both before and after the boat hire so either would work.

 

Mostly we've been looking for boats using Drifters and Hoseasons to make sure that there are 8-10 berth vessels where we want them. As one person said - we'd rather pick out route and look for boats then pick a boat and look for routes. We would be happy to actually hire directly from the smaller outfit but the bigger websites make finding boats much faster.

 

The 4CR does look interesting. I'd like to try it at some point but around 100 miles and 90+ locks probably doesn't match our plans.

 

Llangollen is being looked at. We'll be going in early July so I'm somewhat worried about it being busy.

[Paul C]

Don't worry about it being busy, pragmatically it doesn't really affect the holiday. Also, early July will be just outside the school holiday time.

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

4 county ring is a gallop The Staffs and Worcester north of Birmingham is a delight Do not forget it is what is off the canals that make them special allow for sightseeing unless you want to join the herd of Yanks who say "it's Thursday this must be Rome".

[arbutus]

An out and back trip to Chester sounds good.

 

Although Napton Narroboats from their base at Autherley Junction is easier to get to. http://www.napton-marina.co.uk/routes/autherley_junction/one_week_cruises.php

 

 

Autherley junction is on the outskirts of Wolverhampton in a semi-rural location. There are frequent trains from Birmingham International station to Wolverhampton, the trip takes about half an hour. Birmingham International is on the same site as Birmingham Airport, while Autherley Junction is a short taxi ride from Wolverhampton station.

 

Napton Narrowboats have good eight berth boats.

 

From Autherley there are out and back cruises along the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal or along the Shropshire Union canal, although on neither route will you come across a town like Chester. The Staffs & Worcs canal is rural and gently drops down to the river Severn at Stourport so the locks occur

intermittently. The Shropshire Union was built at a later date, so has cuttings and embankments with the locks concentrated in a few flights which are very easy to work through.

[OldGoat]

We are a party of 6 adults plus two older teens from the US. We've settled on a 7 day trip but we're still looking at routes.

 

* Probably more 6-7 hour a day boaters but would be perfectly happy with a mix of time (4 one day because there is something to see or do combined with a 9 hour day of rural countryside with stops only to eat).

* Probably flying into Birmingham and not interested in Thames, K&A, or fenlands.

* Would prefer to avoid big flights of locks

* Would like a mix of history, industrial history and rural.One member of the party is worried about inner city Birmingham and Manchester so a ton of traveling on the BCN.

 

 

We have been looking at an out and back trip from Anderton to Chester and back. However I'd hate to focus too much on one area just because a chance initial look brought it to my attention. In particular are there trips closer to Birmingham that make sense?

 

I really ought to make this replay a sticky - as it's one of my hobby horses.

 

Brum has a lot to offer with some new and splendid (?) architecture.

The centre has excellent moorings which are safe.

There's a lot to do within walking distance.

However, the routes in and out are not very nice and you would have to cruise for 1/2 - 1 day to get to a pleasant and safe mooring.

 

(You couldn't do the 4 counties in a week) Your hire would only give you about 6 1/2 days of usable cruising.

You won't achieve absolutely all your objectives in that time span.

 

All the locations I'm suggesting can be reached easily for the airport - by train (?is there a shuttle into New Street fro the airport??)

 

My favourite would be the Oxford canal from Lower Heyford (train adjacent) to Oxford, museums, music art galleries, architecture (shopping...). but not any industry that you'd like to see (? does the Mini have factory visits). En route are pubs and lots of fields.

 

What's wrong with the Thames - Turn left near Oxford and you get to the upper Thames with proper locks - which knock spots of any canal lock - so easy to operate. Very rural and some locals are friendly. You could spend a day or two on there. Fast trains from Brum.

 

Chester and back is 'nice' but good hire bases aren't near and CHester is quite small...

 

If you could arrange to overnight in an hotel in Birmingham with you spare day - you could get a bit more out of the trip - the proceed to the Oxford route or something else. I'd suggest at thinking about the Black Country Museum - but I've heard here that it's a bit run down

[Richard T]

Another independent with good boats is Andersen at Middlewich. Their boats are always well turned out. An out and back trip to Chester would be good from there or an almost lock free trip to the Anderton boat lift and a couple of days on the Weaver.

[EEng]

And check out canal route planner

 

Ideal to see how far or not you will get and how many hours a day cruising you need

 

http://canalplan.org.uk/cgi-bin/canal.cgi

[Southern Star]

 

 

 

We have been looking at an out and back trip from Anderton to Chester and back.

We did that exact trip last August, Anderton to Chester and back, and I'd recommend it, it was the perfect balance between boating and sightseeing.

[jonesthenuke]

If you can, I would try a route with locks as they are part of the canal experience and even if you have never done this before you will rapidly learn how. Narrow locks are probably easier to start with though.

[Dbonar]

We want locks. We'd prefer to avoid a route that averages a lock per mile though.

 

As mentioned in my other thread the biggest problem seems to be finding a big enough boat. 3 double beds plus 2 singles is fairly doable but we'd prefer to avoid having anyone sleep in the dinette. That's tough.

[Cruising Mike]

 

Just one thing to bear in mind is that you will probably pick up your hire boat at 3pm on Day 1, you need to be back to return the boat (normally) by 9 am / 10am on the last day so you have, in effect, only 5 days,

 

 

 

Someone made this mistake in another thread. A typical 7 day hire, after removing day one is in fact 6 full days cruising as you return the boat on the morning of day 8.

 

OP - It really depends what you want out of the holiday. If you are like me and want to use the boat as much as possible and less sightseeing, then i would suggest the Four Counties Ring. It does have a fair number of locks in some locations but mostly narrow locks. With 8 on board it should be a doddle at 7 hours per day. Which in July still allow enough daylight for a bit of sight seeing anyway.

If you like to sight see and stop off regularly, then i would suggest an out and back such as the Llangollen from Audlem with Cheshire Cat Narrowboats.

 

Edit to note, that there are trains stopping at both Birmingham Airport and Birmingham New Street, where you can then get trains to the rest of the country.

Edited March 17, 2015 by Cruising Mike

[OldGoat]

As you say finding a suitably sized boat is a challenge - it's either a 12 bunk berth boat - which WILL disappoint or you'll have to make some compromise.

 

You didn't say why you wouldn't do the thames ( you may have some pre-conceptions that need to be shattered) - but broad boats ar available with the sort of comfort and accommodation they you require. Otherwise you'll need to find a broad beam boat.

[john6767]

We want locks. We'd prefer to avoid a route that averages a lock per mile though.

 

As mentioned in my other thread the biggest problem seems to be finding a big enough boat. 3 double beds plus 2 singles is fairly doable but we'd prefer to avoid having anyone sleep in the dinette. That's tough.

I think that you have to accept that with 8 people on a narrowboat you are going to have to make compromises, and it is going to be cramped and very cosy.

 

This one from Napton would give you what you want I think

http://www.napton-marina.co.uk/boats/edwardian_elite_fleet/edwardian_elite_8.php

[Athy]

 

 

This one from Napton would give you what you want I think

http://www.napton-marina.co.uk/boats/edwardian_elite_fleet/edwardian_elite_8.php

By George, I think he's got it! Napton are a good firm and they've evidently thought out the layout of this boat carefully.

 

I can see only one drawback: at night, sleepers in the front cabin will not be able to reach a toilet, so camels only up front.

[Philip]

You could do the Cheshire Ring in a week if you focused mainly on cruising rather than sight seeing. Having said that you still wouldn't need to go at it hammer and tongue from dawn til dusk every day to do it in a week, as some people seem to think. Just be sensible in your schedule (ie. don't spend a whole day in one place as that would leave you pushed!) and in your overnight stops. Same goes for the Four Counties Ring. I did the Cheshire Ring for the first time last year and loved it, would definitely recommend it! Plenty of variety in terms of gentle and mountainous countryside, also industry and history and modern regeneration going through Manchester. The Macclesfield and Peak Forest Canals have a bit of everything! Some very interesting and pretty lock flights to work through too.

 

Hire companies for this route include Claymoore Navigation at Preston Brook, Andersen Boats at Middlewich, Middlewich Narrowboats, Heritage Narrowboats at Scholar Green. There are also a few more either on the route or close to the route.

Edited March 17, 2015 by Philip

[Pete of Ebor]

Sorry to say this but the words 'Birmingham' and 'avoid big flights of locks' are a bit incompatible as Birmingham is on the top of a plateau, so which ever way you go to it, it is up, and coming away from it is back is down again !

However, as a route for novices I would always recommend The Stourport Ring. Yes, there are big flights of locks (Tardebigge with 30+, and either The Wolverhampton 21 or The Delph 10 plus The Stourbridge 16) but with 6 adults and two teens, lock flights shouldn't be any cause for concern at all. As well as passing right through the centre of Birmingham, this route does also have greenery, Industrial history, tunnels, a big river and loads of pubs.

[Little Else]

I'd second the Stourport ring. Locks in flights are easier than locks strung out along the canal.

[Dbonar]

I think that you have to accept that with 8 people on a narrowboat you are going to have to make compromises, and it is going to be cramped and very cosy.

 

This one from Napton would give you what you want I think

http://www.napton-marina.co.uk/boats/edwardian_elite_fleet/edwardian_elite_8.php

Their Explorer 8 out of Autherley Junction is now at the top of our list.

Sorry to say this but the words 'Birmingham' and 'avoid big flights of locks' are a bit incompatible as Birmingham is on the top of a plateau, so which ever way you go to it, it is up, and coming away from it is back is down again !

However, as a route for novices I would always recommend The Stourport Ring. Yes, there are big flights of locks (Tardebigge with 30+, and either The Wolverhampton 21 or The Delph 10 plus The Stourbridge 16) but with 6 adults and two teens, lock flights shouldn't be any cause for concern at all. As well as passing right through the centre of Birmingham, this route does also have greenery, Industrial history, tunnels, a big river and loads of pubs.

 

This is where we run into the problems of planning for a group. I'm convinced we could do that ring and it looks interesting. However I'm not seeing agreement from others.

[OldGoat]

I liked the OP's statement that he liked locks - but not more than one per mile - that rather rules out any canal (as he also said he didn't want to go on a river).

He's not come back to explain why / or modify his request - making it difficult to be more helpful.

Part of the requirements are for industrial archaeology, green fields and pleasant views.

 

I not from the above he's coming from Altanta - bring lots of warm clothes. We don't get that sort of heat and humidity, nor do boats have air conditioning. we've got family in Altlanta...

 

The Stourport is a good mix is a good route - but Tardebigge is a killer, not because of the number of locks (great to operate), but because you have to do the whole lot of 5x in one hit. You can't stop and any moorings between the two sets are usually full (IME) - not to mention the moorings at the top.

 

If they do choose that route, remember to stop and walk up to the church - fantastic views from their and there are memorials to at least one historic Admiral and similar titled families (history - tick, views - tick, rural - well slightly, tick)

 

I still can't get my head around the 4 counties, we always did it in a week - yet folks on here say two weeks???

 

Please Mr. Bonar - do come back and give us some feedback - so that 'we' can either see the error of our ways, or indeed, refine our suggestions. When were you coming over?

 

You'll lobe B'rum airport it's very, very, small when compared to your home version.

 

 

[Little Else]

Inner city Birmingham is great fun, we are going to be pottering around the BCN prior to the Tipton Banter. Some of your crew hadn't seen that report on Fox News by any chance?

[Paul C]

Scratching my head why someone would recommend Stourport ring with the Tardebigge flight, when the OP has mentioned they don't want it too lock-intensive.