Pearsons or Nicholsons guide?

[Southern Star]

I use Pearson's guides for navigating, I have never used a Nicholsons guide or any other type, but I'm wondering if anybody has used both or any other guide could say which they prefer, and why?

[NB Lola]

Pearsons here. I have both but pearsons, for me, is more boater friendly in terms of info close to canal, never got away with Nicholsons, must be me being a left handed!

Edited September 19, 2015 by NB Lola

[Alan de Enfield]

Used both as Pearsons didn't cover the River Trent.

 

Pearsons every time - Nicholsons just doesn't 'read right' for me.

[Arthur Marshall]

I like the old style Nicholson's with the canal map vertical on the page. Seem to make more sense that the new ones and not much has changed over the past thirty years...

[Tisinca]

Pearsons for us ...Very lighthearted and a pleasure to cruise with .

[Phil.]

We have both. Pearsons have more boater type information in them but we prefer navigating using the nicholsons as this replicates OS maps which is what we are used to for map reading.

[cuthound]

I like the old style Nicholson's with the canal map vertical on the page. Seem to make more sense that the new ones and not much has changed over the past thirty years...

Completely agree, and they covered the system in 3 books, now they need at least twice as many.

 

I can't get on with Pearson's, too much flowery prose for me.

[Jo_]

He likes Nicholsons (he is a physicist and a tecky), I like Pearsons which gives me better information about the area and is an excellent complement to Nickies. So Nickies is at the stern, Pearsons is in the salon so I can consult as I skip up and down the boat between coffee, locks, travelling on the back, sorting meals, doing washing .......

[Machpoint005]

Old Nicholsons for me - good old OS 1:25000 maps win every time.

Bearing in mind of course, that no paper publication can possibly keep up with pub closures/remodellings/reopenings.

[Jerra]

We have both. Pearsons have more boater type information in them but we prefer navigating using the nicholsons as this replicates OS maps which is what we are used to for map reading.

I agree much prefer Nicholson's as I can visualise things better with the OS scale and information.

[IanD]

Pearsons is much more amusing and less dry and has some useful information that Nicholson's doesn't -- crucially for our last trip on the L&L, places you can turn a boat other than the (few!) winding holes shown on Nicholson's. Nicholson's is better for things near the canal (as opposed to on it) and I find it easier to read when travelling as it's map-like, and is reprinted more often so is more up-to-date. Nicholson's has more dry factual information (e.g. lists of things), Pearson's is better at telling you which are actually worth a visit.

 

In other words I agree with Phil, they're both good in different ways. Get both :-)

[Boredrider]

Pearson's for mooring information, Nicholsons for mapping.

[Sanddancer]

Pearson most of the time as it's easy to see things that we need Eg Pubs and shops plus water points. Nicholson is for when you have time to sit and study.

[Liam]

Nicholson every time.

[john6767]

I prefer Nicholsons with the OS maps and North up the page always. But am I reading others comments to say that new Nicholsons are no longer like that?

[Arthur Marshall]

I prefer Nicholsons with the OS maps and North up the page always. But am I reading others comments to say that new Nicholsons are no longer like that?

No it's the old ones which have a strip map of the canal always vertical on the page - north moves around to fit.

[john6767]

No it's the old ones which have a strip map of the canal always vertical on the page - north moves around to fit.

Thanks.

[peterboat]

Nicholsons the old version as it lets us set up the satellite and I got them for freeeeeeeeee

[jonathanA]

Both...

 

As said they are different and I find it useful to compare info in both

[JamesWoolcock]

I used OS maps nearly every day of my working life.

 

So Pearson's is a welcome relief and I have used no other for many years (Sissons on the tidal Trent excepted) and they give at the top of every map what I want to know instantly: Miles, Locks, Hours.

 

And they inform and amuse me.

 

Love 'em but have a copy of Chris Clegg's Canal Time Map too, which shows journeys in 2 hour chunks as well as 6 hour, 8 hour and 10 hour summaries.

 

Available £4.00 from: hnbc.org.uk

 

James

[Dave_P]

Any map which doesn't have North at the top is just wrong, and gets the thumbs down from me.

 

Nicholsons all the way.

[Guest]

Any map which doesn't have North at the top is just wrong, and gets the thumbs down from me.

 

Nicholsons all the way.

I struggle with that a bit too.

[Arthur Marshall]

Any map which doesn't have North at the top is just wrong, and gets the thumbs down from me.

 

Nicholsons all the way.

It's only a convention. London tube map? Same principle,really. Full waterways map only has north vaguely in the right place. Its useful as an overview but doesn't really matter at 4mph when you can only go one way anyway!

[NickF]

I prefer Pearson, the maps are just easier to read and the write ups are quite honest and witty. The past two trips I have been on I used a tablet in a waterproof cover with waterwaysroutes electronic maps, I just love them, you can see where you are because of the GPS function and they are really specific and show exactly where everything is (some waterpoints on the Rochdale are in odd places).

[Athy]

I prefer the Pearsonal touch.