How different are canals?

[Lmcgrath87]

We've only ever taken the boat on the Thames upstream. We'll be pottering around there until next year, but I'd like to go to Bath for our summer holiday next year.

 

How much different is travelling on the canals to travelling on the Thames? Obviously once we get a gold licence we'll have day trips onto the K&A before heading on our journey, but I'd like to have an idea of what to expect.

 

I've seen so many sunken boats in locks that I'm terrified...

[Guest]

We've only ever taken the boat on the Thames upstream. We'll be pottering around there until next year, but I'd like to go to Bath for our summer holiday next year.

 

How much different is travelling on the canals to travelling on the Thames? Obviously once we get a gold licence we'll have day trips onto the K&A before heading on our journey, but I'd like to have an idea of what to expect.

 

I've seen so many sunken boats in locks that I'm terrified...

Quite rare actually. How many boats go in a lock and don't sink! Just a question of being vigilant in canal locks. Thousands of people navigate the canal systems safely and successfully every year, so can you. Haven't done a great deal on rivers personally, but have found they tend to be wider. Canals can be shallow in parts, and narrow, but you will soon get used to that. I hate windy days the most, anything else is fine for me.

[mark99]

We've only ever taken the boat on the Thames upstream. We'll be pottering around there until next year, but I'd like to go to Bath for our summer holiday next year.

 

How much different is travelling on the canals to travelling on the Thames? Obviously once we get a gold licence we'll have day trips onto the K&A before heading on our journey, but I'd like to have an idea of what to expect.

 

I've seen so many sunken boats in locks that I'm terrified...

 

Compared to Thames it's more relaxed.

 

You already pass the acid test - you are aware locks can be dangerous to the unwary - and are hence not unwary. If ya get ma drift.

[ROBDEN]

If they let first time hirers on the canals (not sure about the Thames) with a 70 footer, I'm sure you'll be fine.

 

Rob....

[Bettie Boo]

We went down and back on the K&A last year, the only thing I have for comparison is the GU and north Oxford. Personally, I found the K&A to be bloody hard work for little reward to be honest.

 

Yes, there were very pretty bits, the pump house at Crofton was very interesting, and I enjoyed the towns of Hungerford and Devizes. But I much prefer the wide vista's you get when cruising on the GU and the north Oxford, where your not fighting over grown canal banks and hard to work lock mechanisms the whole way.

 

Where we've never needed to use our gang plank on either the GU or N. Oxford, it was readily deployed on the K&A

 

I'm not saying we won't do the K&A again, but can't see it on the cards for the next couple of years; mind you...'im at the back doesn't agree with my assessment of the K&A and finds it lovely (mind, it was me doing the most of the locks)

 

I Loved our 5 weeks on the Thames

[John V]

You'll be fine as long as you stay away from the bits on the chart marked (Here be Sea Serpents)

[b0atman]

K&A some lovely places be aware that if there is a train station moorings can be a bit scarce.

I would do it again but be prepared for a bit more muscle power.

Mooring in the wilds is a bit harder front end or stern only in lots of places.

[Paul C]

Realistically, the only way you'll know is to try it.

[billS]

The K&A is absolutely fine, but it is hard work and not really typical of the main canal network. The eastern end is the hardest canal I have done to date, with locks approximately at one mile intervals and you don't even have time to get the kettle on before the next one comes into view.

 

I would recommend that for your first canal trip, you should tootle up the Thames to Oxford and then go up the Oxford canal. The locks are more spread out and are much easier to work. If you are feeling like a good work out you can do the entire Thames ring - back to Reading via Napton, down the Grand Union and onto the Thames at Brentford - in about the same time as it takes to do Bristol and back.

 

By the way, if you do decide to do the K&A, then don't turn back at Bath. Bristol Floating Harbour is one of the best boating experiences you will get on the canal system in my opinion. It alone makes the journey worthwhile.

Edited August 18, 2015 by billS

[Dharl]

Seconded for the Bristol Floating Harbour! Our first hire was from Hilperton down to Bristol and back and we loved it! It was whilst we where moored up underneath (almost anyway) SS Great Britain, finishing off our Sudowner GnTs, that we decided that we wanted to have our own narrow boat in the future!

[Hawkmoth]

^^^^^^ But be prepared to pay a fair bit for the privilege of getting into Bristol. The K&A is hard work but there some lovely bits. Caen Hill is a must see and must do, just to say you've done it.

Bob

[Dharl]

^^^^^^^ If doing Caen Hill recommend arranging for a couple of friends to join for the day to make it a bit more light work.

 

Have done both ends of the K&A now in hire boats and from next season our Shared boat is going to based on the Eastern end so looking forward to getting back to Bristol in our own (shared) boat!

[Athy]

If they let first time hirers on the canals (not sure about the Thames) with a 70 footer, I'm sure you'll be fine.

 

 

...until you meet one coming the other way round a bend.

You will find that you're much more in contact with the surrounding countryside than you are on the Thames - you can step off the boat and go exploring almost anywhere along most canals.

 

I would recommend that for your first canal trip, you should tootle up the Thames to Oxford and then go up the Oxford canal. The locks are more spread out and are much easier to work. .

Heartily seconded - but then I would say that, wouldn't I?

[cuthound]

^^^^^^^ If doing Caen Hill recommend arranging for a couple of friends to join for the day to make it a bit more light work.

 

Have done both ends of the K&A now in hire boats and from next season our Shared boat is going to based on the Eastern end so looking forward to getting back to Bristol in our own (shared) boat!

So Honeystreet will finally get to Honeystreet!

 

When we had a share in her I got fed up of answering the question "are you based at Honeystreet". (We spent a year on the K&A in 2001 on our previous share boat Oberon). Lovely canal, but hard work. It was also where BW pioneered their vegetation policy of not cutting it very often! At least up until 2001, on all of the other canals I had been on, the vegetation was cut well before your couldn't see over it.

 

Edited to add a missing speech mark.

Edited August 18, 2015 by cuthound

[OldGoat]

Second BillS and DHarl.

Haven't done the K&A for years because -

much of the Eastern end has the railway running alongside

The swing bridges were awful, not because they were heavy, but because you need one person to get the bridge balanced and one to swing it. Mebe nowadays most will be open all the time..

 

For a start (BTW - have you done the Thames up to Lechlade?) - The Oxford.

Locks are light, lovely scenery, not quite so many liveaboards AND

it's the gateway to the rest of the system with a helluva lot of variety.

[Athy]

So Honeystreet will finally get to Honeystreet!

 

When we had a share in her if got fed up of answering the question "are you based at Honeystreet?".

Last week we were moored near a boat called Paris. I wonder if they ever get asked the obvious question.

[Laurie Booth]

We've only ever taken the boat on the Thames upstream. We'll be pottering around there until next year, but I'd like to go to Bath for our summer holiday next year.

 

How much different is travelling on the canals to travelling on the Thames? Obviously once we get a gold licence we'll have day trips onto the K&A before heading on our journey, but I'd like to have an idea of what to expect.

 

I've seen so many sunken boats in locks that I'm terrified...

Rivers are a lot more dangerous than canals.

[OldGoat]

Rivers are a lot more dangerous than canals.

 

 

So you've already done the worst bit - so take a brownie point.

 

(well perhaps not as you've not ventured out of your 'marina' much if any and the River's not running much of late...)

[Theo]

We went down and back on the K&A last year, the only thing I have for comparison is the GU and north Oxford. Personally, I found the K&A to be bloody hard work for little reward to be honest.

 

Yes, there were very pretty bits, the pump house at Crofton was very interesting, and I enjoyed the towns of Hungerford and Devizes. But I much prefer the wide vista's you get when cruising on the GU and the north Oxford, where your not fighting over grown canal banks and hard to work lock mechanisms the whole way.

 

Where we've never needed to use our gang plank on either the GU or N. Oxford, it was readily deployed on the K&A

 

I'm not saying we won't do the K&A again, but can't see it on the cards for the next couple of years; mind you...'im at the back doesn't agree with my assessment of the K&A and finds it lovely (mind, it was me doing the most of the locks)

 

I Loved our 5 weeks on the Thames

Naa!

 

The K&A is lovely and the scenery beautiful. In fact stunning past Bradford on Avon. It is certainly harder work than the narrow canals but very much worthwhile. Go as far as Bristol if you can. The moorings in Bristol are expensive but the city is well worth a vist for a couple of days (£52 mooring fee IIRC)

 

N

The K&A is absolutely fine, but it is hard work and not really typical of the main canal network. The eastern end is the hardest canal I have done to date, with locks approximately at one mile intervals and you don't even have time to get the kettle on before the next one comes into view.

 

I would recommend that for your first canal trip, you should tootle up the Thames to Oxford and then go up the Oxford canal. The locks are more spread out and are much easier to work. If you are feeling like a good work out you can do the entire Thames ring - back to Reading via Napton, down the Grand Union and onto the Thames at Brentford - in about the same time as it takes to do Bristol and back.

 

By the way, if you do decide to do the K&A, then don't turn back at Bath. Bristol Floating Harbour is one of the best boating experiences you will get on the canal system in my opinion. It alone makes the journey worthwhile.

Hear, hear!

 

N

[Pykebird]

The k and A is on my list of places to do, always wanted to go there.

[Bettie Boo]

The k and A is on my list of places to do, always wanted to go there.

 

Get yourself a very long gang plank if you don't already have one

[Bacchus]

Rivers are a lot more dangerous than canals.

 

Canals go up and down whereas rivers only go down so you always know which way you're going

[mark99]

Badlands of the K+A

 

[Bettie Boo]

Yup and when you pass the badlands you come to this... not advisable if you've recently had a paint job, but great for getting the dust off the sides

Edited August 18, 2015 by Bettie Boo

[MtB]

We've only ever taken the boat on the Thames upstream. We'll be pottering around there until next year, but I'd like to go to Bath for our summer holiday next year.

 

How much different is travelling on the canals to travelling on the Thames? Obviously once we get a gold licence we'll have day trips onto the K&A before heading on our journey, but I'd like to have an idea of what to expect.

 

I've seen so many sunken boats in locks that I'm terrified...

 

 

That's odd. I'm sure I've been boating longer than you, and I've never seen a boat sunk in a lock...