Suggestions for a 1 week trip starting at Tardebigge

[TigereyesFi]

Good evening all,

I have booked a narrowboat for 1 week in August and we are picking it up from Tardebigge. Originally we had intending on cruising the Stourport ring but we now feel that we would struggle to complete in time and don't want to stress about getting back to the boatyard in time. We are a family of 4 and my girls are 12 and 14 so more than capable of helping with locks but this is our first time on a narrowboat so are novices. Andy (my man) is doing a 1 day helmsman course next week but as I cannot get time of during term time I am unable to do the course too ?

What I would like is recomendations on where to go from Tardebigge and nice overnight moorings, we do know that we would like to visit the black county museum and spend a day there, is there somewhere else nice we can spend a day before turning round and having a leisurely cruise back?

Thank you in advance for your advice ?

[arbutus]

If you make for the Black Country Museum, then a lot of your holiday will be travelling around the old industrial parts of Birmingham. Fascinating if you like that sort of thing, but maybe not what a lot of people imagine a canal holiday to be.

 

Tardibigge and the center of Birmingham are on a high plateau, so to get off the plateau you need to drop through a number of locks, whichever way you go.

 

I’d look at going down the Stratford canals but turning before Stratford-on-Avon.

An out and back trip will give you less stress on cruise timings.

You could also turn around a bit earlier and plan to visit the center of Birmingham as well.

 

If you do go down the Stratford canals, the boot inn, two thirds down the Lapworth flight is a bit of a Gastro pub that does good food. Also, there was a banter organised recently at the Bluebell on the north stratford canal

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=72843

[RevCedd]

We did the Stourport ring in a week from Tardebigge a few years ago. We made it but only just and there was a real rush coming back down the Severn. It was a memorable week but with little room for either relaxation or unexpected hold ups!

 

I would definitely recommend a stay in Gas Street basin but the stretch from there to Wolverhampton can be a bit bleak - I would therefore second turning towards Stratford even if you can't get all the way there.

 

Have fun!

[Woodsy]

We did Stratford upon Avon from Alvechurch & returned through Birmingham via GU in 7 days last year (spent 1 day at Stratford sight seeing) other than the locks being the hardest to work that we have encountered (including this years cruise) we had a great time, although we did work long days to fit it all in.

[Sbg]

Hi there. Over the past 5 years we have moored at Alvechurch, Upton, Droitwich and Saul, so have some experience of this area. How about this:

Tardebigge - Diglis Basin (58 locks, hard work but the flight can be done in 4 hours with effort and forethought)

Diglis - Gloucester Docks (Upton is a nice stop)

1 day on the Gloucester and Sharpness

Back up the Severn, divert to Tewkesbury

Tewkesbury to Worcester

Worcester - Droitwich via Barge Canal (good moorings near town centre)

Droitwich to Tardebigge

 

That's a good week's boating with plenty of variety. The main risk is the Severn levels if there has been a lot of rain.

[Rob-M]

Tardebigge - Diglis Basin (58 locks, hard work but the flight can be done in 4 hours with effort and forethought)

 

I would have to question Tardebigge to Diglis in 4 hours, I did it last year and it took 12 hours. Last weekend on a boat with 7 people we did Tardebigge to Hanbury Wharf in 5 hours. We only saw four boats coming up Tardebigge but had to wait for all of them so the time can quickly pass.

[Sbg]

I said the flight can be done in 4 hours...

Ideally, starting from the pound just above lock 57, two primary lock workers, one working down to the next lock to pre-set then come back to assist, steerer hopping on and off to assist with ground paddles.

Edited June 12, 2015 by Sbg

[Rob-M]

I said the flight can be done in 4 hours...

Ideally, starting from the pound just above lock 57, two primary lock workers, one working down to the next lock to pre-set then come back to assist, steerer hopping on and off to assist with ground paddles.

So by flight you just mean the 30 Tardebigge locks but in your original post it implied to me that Tardebigge to Diglis can be done in 4 hours. Yes I would agree that Tardebigge can be done in 4 hours or less, but there is still another 26 locks down to Diglis Basin in several more smaller flights.

[TigereyesFi]

Thank you Sbg, I have a good look at your route :-) I'm thinking going into Birmingham might be dissapointing as we love the open countryside. The thought of mooring in a noisy town isn't appealing for us country bumpkins.

[Proper Charlie]

Years ago, as hirers we did the Avon Ring in a week, including spending 2 nights and a whole day at Stratford. Hard work but great trip. We were fairly inexperienced at the time and had four children with us, none older than about 12.

[Pete of Ebor]

Don't let the idea of mooring in central Birmingham put you off. The run from Tardebigge to Gas Street or Brindley Place only takes a few hours and has no locks. The run from there to The Black Country museum is a bit bleak in places but is remarkably open in places too, albeit 'brown field' sites. You certainly used to be able to moor at The Museum and are expected to pay for entry in The Bottle & Glass - there was to be a new visitor centre built. Dunno if this has been done yet or whether you can still moor there. If you're wanting greenery as opposed to industrial archaeology, then come back out of Brum the way you went in and go onto The North Stratford at King's Norton Junction and down to Lapworth and The South Stratford on to Stratford-upon-Avon. Alternatively, you could come out of Brum via Farmer's Bridge & The Grand Union to Lapworth. More industrial and the locks are harder work (as they are wide locks) but it gives a bit of variety on the route.

[Philip]

Did the Stourport Ring between Wednesday morning and Sunday morning a month ago, using the Stourbridge and Dudley Canals rather than down the Wolverhampton flight. I was single handed for some of the trip and wasn't pushing it to the limit either. Moored up at Merry Hill around 3pm Wednesday afternoon and stayed there the night. Even managed a diversion onto the old main line via the Gower Branch then back down to the new line via Spon Lane.

 

Your choice of course but I wouldn't just dismiss the Stourport Ring because of time. It should be easily doable in a week with more to spare if you want to spend a day at the Black Country Museum. I find the bit between Stourport and Stourton one of the prettiest sections of canal in the country.

Edited June 15, 2015 by Philip

[Dave_P]

I would strongly recommend a straight, there-and-back trip to Sharpness. Highlights would include: the longest flight in the country; the beautiful towns and cities of worcester, gloucester, tewkesbury and upton; a mix of canal and river and ship-canal; slimbridge; purton hulks; lovely riverside pubs - haw bridge etc.; gloucester historic dockyard and museum. I could go on. What's not to like?

 

I may see you, I'm planning to head off for Sharpness from Gas Street Basin on 29th July, then come back to Tewkesbury and spend a month on a leisurely cruise up the Avon, before returning to Brum via the Stratford Canal.

[JohnEW2912]

I'd agree with Philip that the Stourport Ring via the Netherton tunnel is easily done in a week's hiring. I can remember many years ago doing it in a week from Stourport and having a day and half off at the Black Country Museum and Birmingham.

[profscooter]

We're also hiring from Tardebigge for a week this August and aiming to do the Stourport Ring, clockwise via the Netherton Tunnel. There are 7 of us and most have done narrowboating before though, albeit some years ago and not on these particular canals. First afternoon looks a challenge but we hope to get through the locks in time for dinner. If all goes well we are hoping to have time to see a bit of Worcester and Kinver, visit a few pubs, and the bribe to get the kids to help a bit more is the prospect of a visit to Cadbury World near the end

[Mrs Trackman]

Ummm..interesting views. Personally I love locks (2 of us did 38 today). Years ago we took school parties from tardebigge and going down lots of locks was a great introduction to their trip. However the adults involved had plenty of boating and locking experience between us.We also had 9 children per boat divided into 3 groups to share the work.

However, I think on a week's holiday as novices, tardebigge is daunting.

I think if you prefer countryside I'd be tempted to head for the stratford canal. The stratford is pretty for most of its length though it wanders for a good while through birmingham suburbs. The first locks you come to are at Lapworth which are easy and very pretty. There are two national trust properties near the top though maybe not of great interest. South of Kingswood junction some of the locks are really difficult but the canal is very pretty. The edstone aqueduct is spectacular. If you want to avoid the last 16 locks, moor at wilmcote and take the hourly train to stratford.

If you had spare time you could divert to the grand union as far as hatton or knowle locks then turn back.

As many have said, you would be amazed if you stayed on the Birmingham level how countryfied much of it is. We have spent the last couple of months in Birmingham and also going out to stratford and leamington and everywhere we have been we have seen lots of wild flowers - there are even poppies growing in the brickwork on a bridge on the farmers bridge locks.

I hope you find a route you all enjoy.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Mrs Trackman

[Andy Healey]

Tardebigge, down Worcester and Birmingham, on to Droitwich Junction Canal and Droitwich Barge Canal, then River Severn down to Worcester, then back up Worcester and Birmingham to Tardebigge is easily doable in a week, we easily managed this from Alvechurch, lot of locks though. If I remember Moorings where Stoke Works (Queens Head was full), Droitwich in the pontooned Marina, Worcester above the locks from river, Dunhampstead, Tardebigge, and back to Alvechurch.