Avon Ring from Tardebigge - advice

[Sue Taylor]

Thanks all 👍🏼

[Frankgh]

The time has arrived after months of waiting! We will start the Avon Ring Monday out of Droitwich. We shall go anticlockwise and will take the Avon locks very carefully whilst we travel upstream. I have reviewed David John's trip upstream the Avon and it look perfectly OK as long as one is prudent with the gate paddles. We have 2 weeks to complete the trip so time is on our side. If you see the 2 yanks on the cut, give us a shout!

[Sue Taylor]

I'm guessing the severn must be open again now then 

 

Check them because it looks like some are still red

[Frankgh]

It looks good on the CRT website unless I’m reading it wrong. 

[Sue Taylor]

Obviously if any of it's red then they won't let you pass...good luck 

[john6767]

19 hours ago, Frankgh said:

The time has arrived after months of waiting! We will start the Avon Ring Monday out of Droitwich. We shall go anticlockwise and will take the Avon locks very carefully whilst we travel upstream. I have reviewed David John's trip upstream the Avon and it look perfectly OK as long as one is prudent with the gate paddles. We have 2 weeks to complete the trip so time is on our side. If you see the 2 yanks on the cut, give us a shout!

Are you certain that the Avon is navigable for its full length at the moment.  The ANT notices are here, https://www.avonnavigationtrust.org/notices/ and to me it looks like it is not yet all open following the winter.

Edited April 21 by john6767

[Frankgh]

It looks like from that site that 3 locks are impassable, Pershore, Evesham and Nafford. Is that correct?

[David Mack]

44 minutes ago, Frankgh said:

It looks like from that site that 3 locks are impassable, Pershore, Evesham and Nafford. Is that correct?

I think Pershore is navigable if travelling upstream, Evesham and Nafford are closed.

Worth phoning them Monday morning for the latest position, but in any event if you arrive at Tewksbury, the lock keeper would probably advise you not to proceed onto the Avon since you wouldn't be able to get through, and so no need to pay the Avon licence fee.

[Frankgh]

Ridged flexibility is the key to AirPower. Looks like that applies to narrow boating too!

[Sue Taylor]

We got as far as Worcester basin and all was on red traffic lights from there so ended up doing 180 locks instead of 130 ! Wootton Wawen and back 🙄

[john6767]

3 hours ago, Frankgh said:

It looks like from that site that 3 locks are impassable, Pershore, Evesham and Nafford. Is that correct?

My reading is Pershore and Nafford are closed, and Evesham is closed downstream due to the upstream lock landing being obstructed.  The general notes say that navigation is not recommended, and to contact ANT if you absolutely need to travel.
 

If I were the OP I would look for an alternative route that is all canal based. 

Edited April 21 by john6767

[Frankgh]

Thank you for your advice! We will proceed prudently!

[Stroudwater1]

12 hours ago, Frankgh said:

Thank you for your advice! We will proceed prudently!

I would call the hire firm who may get further advice and details, some will know who to contact for up to date details ahead of the website updates.
 

Navigating all the way from Droitwich to Tewkesbury then having to turn back to Worcester means you do probably the most uninspiring part of the network twice. Theres very little mooring available either as the thread mentions. It’s Upton, often  moored against another boat or two or tying up in trees, not usually recommended . 
 

You could head on to Sharpness but it’s not a good use of a 2 week holiday. 
 

Less the Avons cleaned up rapidly I would rethink and go up Tardebigge Astwood and Stoke Prior locks or head up to Stourport and do rings that involve Birmingham which is far nicer and more interesting than many folk realise. 

[Frankgh]

Sadly the Avon is out and 2 trips through the Tardebigge are in our future as the hire company is advising against any river travel. I will inquire during handover if that includes Droitwich to Stourport. Either way, Birmingham, here we come!

[agg221]

If they will let you do the short stretch from Droitwich to Stourport then I would go for it while the river is with you.

 

It only takes a few hours so is an easy dash in good weather. Once up there, consider your revised options as including the Staffs & Worcs, up to Great Haywood, turn right on the Trent and Mersey and then down the Coventry and back into Birmingham either via the Oxford, Grand Union and northern Stratford, or if you want an easy trip then just the Birmingham and Fazeley. The former is longer but not hard work.

 

Alec

[Sue Taylor]

We did tardebigge twice in our week doing 180 looks in total we did it the first way three and a half hours and going back we did it in two and a half so it was a challenge

[john6767]

1 hour ago, Frankgh said:

Sadly the Avon is out and 2 trips through the Tardebigge are in our future as the hire company is advising against any river travel. I will inquire during handover if that includes Droitwich to Stourport. Either way, Birmingham, here we come!

You could do Stratford upon Avon and return on the canal, and then depending on how much you like locks, on the return from Stratford divert off and go GU to Braunston.  On the return when you get to Kingswood junction you could even carry on up the GU and get into the centre of Birmingham that way, before returning to base on the W&B.  I am assuming you have 2 week is, which I think you have said but if not then probably just Stratford and back would be my suggestion.

[Frankgh]

We do have 2 weeks. We appreciate the advice! We have considered Stratford and back. We will see which way the winds blow us!

[Captain Pegg]

With a two week trip if you do choose to head for Stratford you should have time to be able to go back to Birmingham (via Knowle if you want a different but much more urban route) and then take stock of how the Severn is behaving. It could be very different in 10 days time and it might enable you to return via Stourbridge and the Staffs & Worcs with a back up of coming back down Tardebigge.

 

As has been said the trip from Stourport to Hawford is easily done in two to three hours.

 

 

[Stroudwater1]

34 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

With a two week trip if you do choose to head for Stratford you should have time to be able to go back to Birmingham (via Knowle if you want a different but much more urban route) and then take stock of how the Severn is behaving. It could be very different in 10 days time and it might enable you to return via Stourbridge and the Staffs & Worcs with a back up of coming back down Tardebigge.

 

As has been said the trip from Stourport to Hawford is easily done in two to three hours.

 

 

 

Yes, that would make for a very enjoyable trip, with varied canals and much to see. Best to moor no further into Birmingham than Catherine de Barnes until you get to the top of the Farmers Bridge flight.  Its not too easy to moor and isnt ideal mooring overall. 

 

[Richard T]

5 hours ago, agg221 said:

 

 

It only takes a few hours so is an easy dash in good weather. Once up there, consider your revised options as including the Staffs & Worcs, up to Great Haywood, turn right on the Trent and Mersey and then down the Coventry and back into Birmingham either via the Oxford, Grand Union and northern Stratford, or if you want an easy trip then just the Birmingham and Fazeley. The former is longer but not hard work.

 

Alec

The north Oxford is still blocked so any route using it is not possible

[Sue Taylor]

We went away Easter weekend for the week and had been watching the severn for some time previous and unfortunately for us it didn't change and still hasn't !