Ashby Doubts.

[Frog Man]

Cheers Bunny, gone full circle! Wey was my first consideration, as I'm living in Kent. But I was somewhat put off. Apparently it runs by M25 for a while, moorings are in short supply and the locks are a bit heavy.

However, I've had a look on On The Wey website and found this:

 

"25 miles

 

20 locks

 

13 hours cruising

 

A longer cruise up to Weybridge where the Wey flows into the River Thames. Wisley Gardens is a must!

 

Places of Interest: Newark Priory, Send, Ripley, Pyrford and Weybridge town centre."

 

Any thoughts / experiences on this anyone?

[OldGoat]

Frog Man, on 24 Apr 2016 - 08:41 AM, said:Frog Man, on 24 Apr 2016 - 08:41 AM, said:Frog Man, on 24 Apr 2016 - 08:41 AM, said:

Cheers Bunny, gone full circle! Wey was my first consideration, as I'm living in Kent. But I was somewhat put off. Apparently it runs by M25 for a while, moorings are in short supply and the locks are a bit heavy.

However, I've had a look on On The Wey website and found this:

 

"25 miles

 

20 locks

 

13 hours cruising

 

A longer cruise up to Weybridge where the Wey flows into the River Thames. Wisley Gardens is a must!

 

Places of Interest: Newark Priory, Send, Ripley, Pyrford and Weybridge town centre."

 

Any thoughts / experiences on this anyone?

We were on the Wey at Pyrford for 4 years. However, the locks are very heavy (idiosyncratic design)and finding a mooring is difficult because the banks are shallow.

It's not a place to spend a week.

 

The major hire fleet was wound up some years ago but Farncome Boathouse has a small fleet (??), but quite old boats - (I stand to be corrected). Guildford and Godalming at the top end but not a lot of interest in either.

 

Wisley is great if you're into gardening - but it's a fair hike from the river. There's a motor experience at Brooklands, but access from the river is awkward - moor near Byfleet Boat Club.

 

If you now want to see things, then The Thames has a bit more to offer.

Edit:

The Thames going upstream -

Farmoor reservoir (!) with sailing clubs and excellent views; an evening walk

Occasional pubs

Well signed foot paths

Kelmscott Manor (arts and craft movement

Lechlade 2 pubs tat shops

The Roundhouse at the junction with the Thames and Severn Canal

 

Going downstream

Pub at Godstow - used by Morse...

Oxford itself - worth spending at least 1/2 day,

Ashmoleean museum

Museum of Natural History with Pitt Rivers ditto behind - weird collection of anthropological stuff

Some colleges may be open - but it's out of term time. Most college chapels are worth a visit as some have magnificent ceilings / stained glass

Botanic Gardens

The council used to run a walking tour and that can be good as retired University staff sometimes act as guides

History of Oxford at the Town Hall

Chinese, Thai, Korean restaurants with good value lunches - near the canal end.

Abingdon

Nice old town by the river (forget the rest)

Waitrose for food or open air market.

 

Oxford canal

going down

Thrupp has good overnight moorings plus two pubs

 

going up

Banbury

overnight moorings - not too noisy

the old town centre is worth a wander

 

The challenge with canals and rivers is that they're mostly agricultural and apart from very pleasant walks there's not a lot to do or see...

 

If you want to 'do things' then the Birmingham area has a lot to offer. Hire a boat from Alvechurch and you'll not have a lot of locks once you're on the plateau.

Even the city centre is remarkably quiet at night.

Might be worth thinking about the possibility and asking....

 

Edited April 24, 2016 by OldGoat

[Boat&Bikes]

Starting at Market Harborough and going up Foxton locks is a good 4 day trip. You could push on and go down into Braunston. If prefered take it easy and pop into Welford before going down to Crick, maybe down Watford flight...lots of choice and a few good pubs.

 

Ian.

[Frog Man]

Cheers OG, you make a very good case for Oxford - I'm doing a bit of research as we speak!

Thanks too to Ian, had a look at that route on canalplanner, looks good but the app says no locks I think? Edit: just realised I had Foxton set as the END point! Plenty of locks after that clearly!

 

(I'm finding googlemaps invaluable too!)

Edited April 24, 2016 by Frog Man

[Woodsy]

Hi again Frog Man,

You must have misread Ian's post, a few hours out of Market Harborough is the Foxton flight, you would get there in the 1st evening with no problem, its well set up with pub, restaurant, museum etc and followed by the Watford locks.

On my second canal boat outing (2 week hire from Gayton) after going to Market Harborough, on the return we started at the bottom of Foxton at 7 am, got down the Watford flight and through Long Buckby all in one day -mind you my wire did stop talking to me until we stopped for the night.

Our first outing was Rugby to Ashby, as I mentioned in your earlier thread.

Edited April 24, 2016 by Woodsy

[pomkitanner]

Our first hire was with the Ashby boat Co, but we did a 7 day there and back. I recall the boat was well appointed and had no complaints . However as a first timer I remember thinking how fortunate that we upped from 4 days to 7 . Didn't do too much research prior and so was disappointed that the first day was essentially lock free. We made it all the way to Cropready and back, so many locks, but that would not have been the case for a 4 day hire . We found the South Oxford to be a lovely canal, less so on the section through to Braunston, which on some sections was more built up and in places industrial. Were I again to hire on the Oxford I would opt to begin South of Braunston. As the Oxford is a contour canal , the oft quoted "it all looks different on the return " is never more apt .

[Frog Man]

Thanks chaps, this is a bit messy- its a cut n paste from CanalplanAC .

 

RouteOxford Canal (Southern Section - Main Line)From Heyford Wharf Narrows

 

¾ furlongs, 0 locksCleves Bridge No 2072½ furlongs, 0 locksHigh Bush Bridge No 2086½ furlongs, 0 locksNew Brighton Bridge No 2111 mile, 1¾ furlongs, 2 locksJane's Enchanted Tea Garden1 mile, 4 furlongs, 0 locksOld Enslow Bridge No 2161 mile, 3¾ furlongs, 1 lockRailway Bridge over River Cherwell No 217A4½ furlongs, 1 lockThrupp Cruising Club1 mile, 4½ furlongs, 1 lockThrupp Widea few yards, 0 locksAnnie's Tea Roomsa few yards, 0 locksThrupp Visitor Moorings¾ furlongs, 0 locksThe Boat Inn (Thrupp)¾ furlongs, 0 locksThe Jolly Boatman PH2 furlongs, 0 locksBridge No 223a few yards, 0 locksThe Highwayman PH and Restaurant2½ furlongs, 0 locksYarnton Lane Bridge No 228

 

Kidlington half a mile north

 

Yarnton Lane

 

1 mile, 2½ furlongs, 1 lockDrinkwater's Lift Bridge No 231 [seenavigational note 1 below]

 

BW Key required

 

1 mile, 3½ furlongs, 1 lockWolvercote Junction

 

Junction of Duke's Cut with Oxford Canal

 

2¾ furlongs, 1 lockIsis Lock Junction3 miles, 1 lockOxford

 

Visitor moorings - City centre 5 mins walk

 

¾ furlongs, 0 locks

 

I'm sure that all makes sense to a trained eye (!)

It comes up as a 4 day trip, return. :-)

Edited April 24, 2016 by Frog Man

[OldGoat]

Hmm - I tried the same route and got this on the summary page (before all the details):-

 

This is a trip of 14 miles, 5 furlongs and 10 locks from Heyford Wharf to East Street (Oxford) moorings.

This will take 8 hours and 29 minutes.

From Heyford Wharf travel south on the Oxford Canal (Southern Section - Main Line) for 14 miles, 2¾ furlongs and 9 locks to Isis Lock Junction, then travel west on the River Thames (Sheepwash Channel) for 1 furlong and 1 lock to Sheepwash Channel Junction, then travel south on the River Thames (above Oxford) for ¾ furlongs to Osney Bridge, then travel south on the River Thames (below Oxford) for ½ furlongs to East Street (Oxford) moorings.

 

The stuff in light blue is all you need for starters.

So that's one day out and one day back......

 

The first day will only be 1/2 day so you could probably get to Thrupp - but the moorings might be full by then; usually room by the second pub, but then you've a busy road alongside.

Edited April 24, 2016 by OldGoat

[Paul C]

If you've not booked yet, and have a fixed time to do the short break, you might find that you simply can't get booked at your preferred choice of hirebase/boat etc now. But there are sure to be some late deals which are available now or nearer the time, if you can afford to be flexible. I'd not overanalyse it, especially if its a 4 day break. Just choose a reasonable hire firm and a reasonable route, and do it.

[Frog Man]

Cheers chaps, its very kind of you to help like this. I really appreciate it. :-)

[mark99]

Will hopefully be on Wey tomorrow on our own boat. We have been there before but on hire from Farncombe boat house. Pretty navigation. The M25 does encroach but only for a short section. Locks are tricky but we did it as first time hirer's a long time ago without too much issue.

Edited May 2, 2016 by mark99