Marinas in small(ish) towns

[FadeToScarlet]

Coincidentally, the pub adjacent to Upware Marina is called the "Five Miles From Anywhere Inn ...", but it does have a bus stop.

 

LCx

With, I believe, one bus a day. Unless it has improved since we moored there.

 

We had to cycle 45m to Burwell or Swaffham Prior to catch a bus into town to work- and would have to aim for the one before the one we could get as they were so unreliable.

[Guest User]

... probably would been easier to hitch a lift on a tractor?

 

LCx

 

It's 10-20mins (depending on traffic) to Ely by car.

[frahkn]

Hello All,

 

I'm doing a blunderbus search of marinas in towns as potential live aboard locations. My knowledge of the system is not that extensive, so if people could give me reccomendations I'd appreciate it. Also, me and my other half are willing to go to almost any part of the UK, provided that the location is not very urban, and not close to a noisy main road.

 

Ta ra..

Aston marina on the Trent and Mersey is within easy walking distance of Stone - a nice small town with most services.

 

Also Mercia marina is close to the station in Willington (Willington is a village, not a town but it has most really essential services).

 

Frank.

[Mrs Trackman]

Aston marina on the Trent and Mersey is within easy walking distance of Stone - a nice small town with most services.

 

Also Mercia marina is close to the station in Willington (Willington is a village, not a town but it has most really essential services).

 

Frank.

Willington has only a very few (4 or 6) trains a day. I don't know what Willington did to upset the rail operators. when we first boated there were 2 trains a day to and from London and many local trains.

[Athy]

Willington has only a very few (4 or 6) trains a day. I don't know what Willington did to upset the rail operators. when we first boated there were 2 trains a day to and from London and many local trains.

A quick check suggests nine trains a day to Derby and ten to Burton on weekdays, not bad for a village station. It was closed for many years, and passenger use has risen most years since its reopening, so this suggests that someone is doing something right.

 

I remember it being called Repton & Willington before it closed, so I guess they are no longer aiming for school traffic.

Edited April 10, 2016 by Athy

[frahkn]

Willington has only a very few (4 or 6) trains a day. I don't know what Willington did to upset the rail operators. when we first boated there were 2 trains a day to and from London and many local trains.

 

There are a least 6 trains (including an early and a late one) to Birmingham. The journey is less than 30 minutes and connections are available to most places from Birmingham.

 

Frank.

[sal garfi]

Thanks for all of these. I'd already found some, but definitely not all. Although we have a warm spot for Ely, we're presently moored at Sawley (because of my work) and we live in Wales, so we're also attracted to the terrain along the Leed and Liverpool and the Rochdale canals. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to find many places along them, but we'll definitely chase up the two at Rufford, and any more suggestions would really be welcome.

 

Ta!

[Richard Fairhurst]

Willington has only a very few (4 or 6) trains a day. I don't know what Willington did to upset the rail operators. when we first boated there were 2 trains a day to and from London and many local trains.

 

It was reopened in the 1990s, together with a bunch of stations in the Soar Valley, to form part of the new 'Ivanhoe Line' from Loughborough to Leicester, Coalville, Ashby, Burton and Derby. The Ivanhoe stickers were still there at the station last time I went through.

 

Unfortunately, they never got round to reopening the middle bit (Leicester to Burton) and so it's rather marooned out on a limb, and at the mercy of CrossCountry, who are a bit ambivalent about stopping trains.

[Athy]

 

It was reopened in the 1990s, together with a bunch of stations in the Soar Valley, to form part of the new 'Ivanhoe Line' from Loughborough to Leicester, Coalville, Ashby, Burton and Derby. The Ivanhoe stickers were still there at the station last time I went through.

 

Unfortunately, they never got round to reopening the middle bit (Leicester to Burton) and so it's rather marooned out on a limb, and at the mercy of CrossCountry, who are a bit ambivalent about stopping trains.

Yes, I think I would have noticed if they had reopened Ashby-de-la-Zouch station, my parental home was a mile outside Ashby for some 40 years and I used to know the town very well. I do remember passenger trains stopping there (and at Coalville) when we first moved to the area in 1962.

[raymondh]

For a marina in a town on a very slow running river that is not enclosed ie all berths in open water look at Northwich Quay on the Weaver

Ray

[sal garfi]

For a marina in a town on a very slow running river that is not enclosed ie all berths in open water look at Northwich Quay on the Weaver

Ray

 

Hmmm..., interesting. Thanks!

[David Mack]

so we're also attracted to the terrain along the Leed and Liverpool and the Rochdale canals.

You could try Baltimore Marina in Todmorden on the Rochdale, or Shire Cruisers at Sowerby Bridge.

[Mac of Cygnet]

You could try Baltimore Marina in Todmorden on the Rochdale, or Shire Cruisers at Sowerby Bridge.

 

I moor at Sowerby Bridge, and it is indeed right in the centre of town with excellent bus and train services (and shops and pubs!), with a friendly community of moorers, but is usually fully occupied, especially for larger boats, but I've seen a few come and go last year, so it's worth asking. But you won't be able to get here until late June!

Edited April 14, 2016 by Mac of Cygnet

[Ange]

Have you considered Overwater Marina on the Shroppie? Walking distance of Audlem, a small town with a good range of shops and pubs. Well off the beaten track road wise and no longer a railway line (the remnants of the disused line can be found with the help of a pink map).

 

A friend of ours moored there for some time and we were impressed with the ethos of the owners which is very customer oriented.

[tagulablue]

Aston marina on the Trent and Mersey is within easy walking distance of Stone - a nice small town with most services.

 

Also Mercia marina is close to the station in Willington (Willington is a village, not a town but it has most really essential services).

 

Frank.

We love Mercia, easy walk to the station , good bus service, good boating community, cycles to borrow free of charge and you can join the car pool scheme if you need occasional use of vehicle. The on site shop is brilliant.

[sal garfi]

Have you considered Overwater Marina on the Shroppie? Walking distance of Audlem, a small town with a good range of shops and pubs. Well off the beaten track road wise and no longer a railway line (the remnants of the disused line can be found with the help of a pink map).

 

A friend of ours moored there for some time and we were impressed with the ethos of the owners which is very customer oriented.

 

Yes, I've seriously thought of overwater, but since we're talking of the Shroppie, what do people think of Blacwater Meadow at Ellesmere?

[PaulG]

Tewkesbury marina?

Floating pontoons, so river levels don't cause a problem.

5 mintes walk from the town centre, but away from the road, so it's quiet.

Nice old market town. Good pubs.Good curry.

What's not to like? :-)

[sal garfi]

Tewkesbury marina?

Floating pontoons, so river levels don't cause a problem.

5 mintes walk from the town centre, but away from the road, so it's quiet.

Nice old market town. Good pubs.Good curry.

What's not to like? :-)

 

I have to admit that I was worried about Tewksbury with all of the flooding that's occurred there in the recent past.

[PaulG]

 

I have to admit that I was worried about Tewksbury with all of the flooding that's occurred there in the recent past.

Local flooding is nothing new; it's been going on pretty much forever.

Not usually a problem unless we get a particularly high one that gets into buildings.