Best route to Llangollen canal

[Gypsey_Kings]

Hi,

 

So we are going to see the famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct leaving from Fenny Compton (Just north of Banbury on the Oxford canal), and the question to all those experienced boaters out there, is which way would be the best for us... Us being SWMBO and myself only, both of us retired. SWMBO refuses to steer the boat, so has to do all the locks. Time and distance is not an issue but locks are. Double locks are terrible but single locks not so bad. If they are close together than I can close them for her while she goes to set the next one...

 

The route I'm thinking of is..up the Oxford, left at Napton onto the top of the Grand Union canal. Then off at the Kingswood junction onto the Stratford-upon-Avon to Kings Norton Junction, turn right going north to the Birmingham Main line to Autherley Junction and then north up the Shropshire Union canal to the Llangollen canal. see https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zjsJ2QUJ-Z-A.kMfF21e046r8&usp=sharing Looks like over 100 locks this way!!

 

An alternative is to go to Braunston and use the Coventry canal and then the Trent & Mersey to Middlewich and then down to the Llangollen. My calcs say 75 locks this way!!

 

Any advice from the great wealth of knowledge that is on the forum would be very appreciated...

 

thanks in advance

Clive

[Jim Riley]

Use ropes, both do the locks? Use one gate on broad locks?

[Rob-M]

If you don't like doing wide locks then I would continue on to the North Oxford and Coventry and via Fradley, up the T&M and across the Middlewich branch. This is a pleasant route as long as you are OK with Harecastle Tunnel.

[monkeyhanger]

Hi,

 

So we are going to see the famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct leaving from Fenny Compton (Just north of Banbury on the Oxford canal), and the question to all those experienced boaters out there, is which way would be the best for us... Us being SWMBO and myself only, both of us retired. SWMBO refuses to steer the boat, so has to do all the locks. Time and distance is not an issue but locks are. Double locks are terrible but single locks not so bad. If they are close together than I can close them for her while she goes to set the next one...

 

The route I'm thinking of is..up the Oxford, left at Napton onto the top of the Grand Union canal. Then off at the Kingswood junction onto the Stratford-upon-Avon to Kings Norton Junction, turn right going north to the Birmingham Main line to Autherley Junction and then north up the Shropshire Union canal to the Llangollen canal. see https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zjsJ2QUJ-Z-A.kMfF21e046r8&usp=sharing Looks like over 100 locks this way!!

 

An alternative is to go to Braunston and use the Coventry canal and then the Trent & Mersey to Middlewich and then down to the Llangollen. My calcs say 75 locks this way!!

 

Any advice from the great wealth of knowledge that is on the forum would be very appreciated...

 

thanks in advance

Clive

I single handed to Llangollen from London last summer. I used the Coventry and T&M canals, and it was relatively easy going. Heartbreak hill was a bit tedious(downhill locks are when you're single handing) otherwise all OK. Be prepared to meet some interesting boating techniques on the Llangollen canal!

[Keeping Up]

Via the northern Stratford, that's our route of choice - similarly both retired & SWMBO refusing to do the locks.

[arbutus]

As time and distance are no problem, I’d use the Coventry and T&M to Great Heywood, turn right onto the Staffs & Worcs and then at Autherley go up the Shropshire Union.

A pretty route, the Shroppie has easy locks and most are in flights.

[Gypsey_Kings]

Rob-M - Thanks for the comments, Harecastle should'nt be a problem.

 

monkeyhanger - Thanks for your input, What interesting techniques on the Llangollen canal would that be? reversing !!

 

 

Via the northern Stratford, that's our route of choice - similarly both retired & SWMBO refusing to do the locks.

 

Hi Keeping Up, Would that be 1) Grand Union, Birmingham - north Stratford - Trent & Mersey to Middlewich or 2) Coventry, Trent & Mersey - north Stratford - Shropshire? I did have a look at this routeas it seems to miss all the big flights...

As time and distance are no problem, I’d use the Coventry and T&M to Great Heywood, turn right onto the Staffs & Worcs and then at Autherley go up the Shropshire Union.

A pretty route, the Shroppie has easy locks and most are in flights.

 

Hi Arbutus, This is starting to look like a very good route....thanks...(from my direction it would be turn left at Great Haywood onto Staffs & Worcs !!)

[churchward]

If you don't like doing wide locks then I would continue on to the North Oxford and Coventry and via Fradley, up the T&M and across the Middlewich branch. This is a pleasant route as long as you are OK with Harecastle Tunnel.

Or if not, same route to Great Heywood Junction but then turn left onto the Staff & Worcestershire to Autherley Junction then up the Shroppie which is the way we went when we moved our boat from Rugby to Swanley last year. All narrow locks, you get to visit Tixall Wide and the Shroppie is great. We enjoyed it anyway.

[ditchcrawler]

As time and distance are no problem, I’d use the Coventry and T&M to Great Heywood, turn right onto the Staffs & Worcs and then at Autherley go up the Shropshire Union.

A pretty route, the Shroppie has easy locks and most are in flights.

I would go with that one

Fill up with diesel at Wheaton Aston

We had a nice meal in the Sun at Trevor, between the basin and Llangollen

Edited May 23, 2015 by ditchcrawler

[Keeping Up]

Hi Keeping Up, Would that be 1) Grand Union, Birmingham - north Stratford - Trent & Mersey to Middlewich or 2) Coventry, Trent & Mersey - north Stratford - Shropshire? I did have a look at this routeas it seems to miss all the big flights...

 

Number 1. The locks on the Warwick and Birmingham Canal, including Hatton, are surprisingly easy even if you don't find someone to share with.

 

But the other routes, including the northern Birmingham bypass, are ALL good.

[KJT]

Fill up with diesel at Wheaton Aston

 

Why do you suggest there? And where at Wheaton Aston? There doesn't seem to be any services there.

We are heading up to Llangollen via the Shroppie and were thinking of Norbury Wharf or Nantwich Canal Centre for services including diesel.

[GoodGurl]

wheaton aston is very cheap, i believe it's at 58ppl atm

[Jamboat]

Why do you suggest there? And where at Wheaton Aston? There doesn't seem to be any services there.

We are heading up to Llangollen via the Shroppie and were thinking of Norbury Wharf or Nantwich Canal Centre for services including diesel.

It's at Turners Garage just through br19 on the off side, one of the cheapest spots on the system

[Rob-M]

You could also catch the fuel boat Mountbatten on the Llangollen.

[Paul C]

We filled up at Wheaton Aston a couple of days ago, it was 58.9p/litre, its just gone up from 57.9p/litre because it was scrubbed out on the board. Norbury Jn is 59.9p/litre and about 3 1/2 hours up the canal if you pass Wheaton Aston when its closed.

[Gypsey_Kings]

Thanks everyone for the tips and routes.. I added up the locks and distances etc of the different routes (from the info on Heron maps) ... from Napton to Hurleston Junction... some interesting figures ...

1) High road - Napton, Braunston, Coventry canal to Fradley, Trent & Mersey to Middlewich and then south to Hurleston Junction..

- 75 locks, 48.75 hours and 117 miles

2) Low road - Napton, Grand Union to Kingswood Junction, Stratford-upon-Avon to Birmingham main line to Autherley Junction and then up the Shroppie..

- 118 locks, 52.75 hours and 94.75 miles

3) Lo-Hi X-over - Napton, Grand Union to Kingswood Junction, Stratford-upon-Avon to Birmingham main line to Autherley Junction, up the Staffs & Worcs to Great Haywood, Trent & Mersey to Middlewich and then south to Hurleston Junction..

- 130 locks, 60.75 hours and 108.75 miles

4) Hi-Lo X-over - Napton, Braunston, Coventry canal to Fradley, Trent & Mersey to Great Haywood, down the Staffs & Worcs to Autherley Junction and then up the Shroppie..

- 63 locks, 50 hours and 130.25 miles


Looks like route 4 is my choice, even though it is 130 miles it's only a couple of hours difference to route 1 and route 2 and has the least number of locks. Route 3 seems to be the worst, nearly double the locks and 10 hours longer.

Thanks again to everyone for the advice ...

[KJT]

It's at Turners Garage just through br19 on the off side, one of the cheapest spots on the system

Ah, that explains it. Thanks for the info. Very helpful.

 

Ken

[Orca]

We've just done (or are about to finish) a similar trip. We went via the North Oxford and Coventry, Trent & Mersey, Middlewich Branch, then after the Llangollen down the Shroppie and up the northern bit of the Staffs & Worcs to get back in the T&M and the Coventry. I can't be arsed with the hassle of rivers, even though going back to Yelvertoft a trip via Alrewas and down the Soar would have given greater variety. The biggest thing though for for two vertiginous boaters (my missus and I) was Pontcysyllte. Has to be done at least once......but never Again!

[Jerra]

I would add another vote for the Shroppie and there are about 12 locks fewer than going by Heart break hill.

[Orca]

Imo the Trent & Mersey is moderately marred by Stoke and the notoriety at Etruria. Better on the T&M bit than the Caldon, but we went for cheap one night moorings at the Black Prince Marina (the one with the lift bridge by the Toby Inn chain pub). Two nights moorings, plus pump out were very reasonable and they give you a key to come and go as you please. Shops etc within easy walking distance and very friendly, laid back place.

Edited May 23, 2015 by Orca

[monkeyhanger]

Rob-M - Thanks for the comments, Harecastle should'nt be a problem.

 

monkeyhanger - Thanks for your input, What interesting techniques on the Llangollen canal would that be? reversing !!

 

 

 

Hi Keeping Up, Would that be 1) Grand Union, Birmingham - north Stratford - Trent & Mersey to Middlewich or 2) Coventry, Trent & Mersey - north Stratford - Shropshire? I did have a look at this routeas it seems to miss all the big flights...

 

Hi Arbutus, This is starting to look like a very good route....thanks...(from my direction it would be turn left at Great Haywood onto Staffs & Worcs !!)

Re--Interesting techniques---like being rammed twice by a boat trying to get into a lock on the Hurleston flight before I'd fully exited the same lock( I was caught on the sill and the lockie had gone to run some water down). And this was a private boater, not a hirer in a hurry. Like seeing the crew of the boat a distance in front of you panic and rush around like headless chickens and set off in a huge cloud of exhaust smoke so they can beat you to the lock-- then moor in the middle of the lock mooring leaving no room for you--then being roundly abused when you ask them to move up a bit. Like the countless number of boats who moor up on a centre line only. Then there's the fun at the lift bridges. As a single hander with a 70ft boat, you really appreciate it when the crew of a boat in front lifts a bridge, but you don't expect it to be dropped again right in front of you! All good fun up there--I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

[JohnEW2912]

Imo the Trent & Mersey is moderately marred by Stoke and the notoriety at Etruria. Better on the T&M bit than the Caldon, but we went for cheap one night moorings at the Black Prince Marina (the one with the lift bridge by the Toby Inn chain pub). Two nights moorings, plus pump out were very reasonable and they give you a key to come and go as you please. Shops etc within easy walking distance and very friendly, laid back place.

We've never had any problems at Etruria and it would be a shame to go all that way from Fenny Compton to Llangollen and not seen any urban canals. More particularly if you go that way you can divert up the Caldon, which in my view is the best canal on the system and a much better experience than the Llangollen.

 

Whichever route you take make sure you make time to go up the Montgomery as well.

[ROBDEN]

We've never had a prolem at Etruria either and stopped there many times.

Also good shopping within walking distance.

 

Rob....

[Burgiesburnin]

Watch out for the single traffic section about 2 miles before Llangollen. It's one of the best kept secrets on the entire network and we once met a day boat that didnt seem to think that it applied to him.