Suggestions for second narrow-boat holiday

[mvn]

Hello Everybody,

 

Last year, together with my wife and daughter, I had my first narrow-boat holiday (a mid-week break) going from Congleton to the Bugsworth Basin and back, and had received a lot of really useful suggestions prior to my trip. Though we had a lovely time, I did not think I would be doing one again a year later. But as my daughter's school vacation is approaching, I find myself trying to put together another narrow-boat trip! I am planning to make this a week long, and would be accompanied for around half of it by a friend, his wife and their 1 year old son.

 

I am looking for a route that has very nice scenery, not too crowded, and stays as rural as possible. A bonus would be sections with somewhat hilly scenery (I loved the view down into the valley at the Peak Forest Canal), and some interesting walks.

 

Right now, the Leeds and Liverpool canal looks very very appealing, but for the dates I am interested in, there is only one boat available at Skipton. Also, if I want to confine myself to the more rural part, I am not sure if there is enough for a whole week.

Another possibility is to start at Congleton as I did last year, but plan a longer route. I do not have too much choice anyway as most boats on any canal for the period I am interested in are booked - I will have to finalize something soon!

I would be happy to receive suggestions for routes on these canals (or even other canals).

 

The last time around, I had also asked questions about safety in and around Stoke-on-Trent (after reading reports on this forum), but finally never headed in that direction. I thought this was something particular to some of the larger urban centres, but today I chanced upon several posts talking about vandalism and troublemakers on the Leeds and Liverpool, and even in Skipton. Any advice or suggestions? Is, for example, the Macclesfield better in this regard? Or these are just very rare isolated events that get blown out of proportion?

 

Thanks !

 

 

 

 

 

[Richard T]

If you hire from the hire base at Autherley junction Oxford narrow boats from memory you can choose from two nice canals The Shropshire Union or the Staffs and Worcs. different type of canals but both lovely.

[Top cat]

If you go on the Leeds and Liverpool be prepared to struggle with swing bridges, the central bit is pretty but the big towns are dodgy.

 

We have been to Stoke lots of times, never had any hint of trouble favourite moorings are Westport lake and China gardens.

 

It wont be quiet unless you go well off season but for scenery the Llangollen canal is hard to beat, Black prince have boats at Chirk.

 

For an easy cruise the Ashby canal is a good bet 22 miles , no locks and its off the main routes, probably not enough for a weeks cruising but you can get to the Coventry canal to extend things a bit.

 

Top Cat

[Sea Dog]

Well we did the BCN in the 80s with a 3 month old and a four year old as our first Narrowboat holiday. It was a wee bit grim in places, but it resulted in regular Narrowboat holidays thereafter and culminated in buying the boat I'm sitting in now. Point is, I'm not convinced it much matters where you go: the attraction appears to lie somewhere other than the chosen route.

 

Enjoy this year's holiday - it sounds to me that, for you, there's always going to be next year if the route falls a bit short!

[JessicaBOO]

We operate on the Leeds Liverpool from Apperley Bridge Marina. Our most popular cruise route is one way Apperley Bridge to Barnoldswick. The route takes in the best the L&L has to offer, Saltaire, Bingley 5 Rise, Skipton, Gargrave, the fabulous bends above Bank Newton & East Marton. This section is surprisingly rural and there are no 'dodgy' areas. We have a boat currently in Liverpool having cruised the entire L&L from Leeds City Centre - they report a fantastic experience without any issue and in 5 years of business we have never had a single report of any problem with vandalism or troublemakers!

[johnmck]

How about the Mons and Brec? Beautiful scenery hugging the hillside. Not many locks. Loved it when we did it.

[magictime]

JessicaBOO beat me to it! For a mostly rural route with spectacular hilly scenery, that one-way trip from Apperley Bridge to Barnoldswick (or vice versa) would be hard to beat. Saltaire is well worth a visit, the Bingley Three and Five Rise need no introduction, then you have a long lock-free stretch (albeit with quite a few swing bridges!) taking in some absolutely stunning Yorkshire Dales scenery as you approach Skipton and Gargrave, then a similarly attractive journey into Lancashire.

 

And I wouldn't worry about troublemakers etc. on that route - I suppose there must be a few dodgy characters even somewhere like Skipton, but it's hardly what you'd call 'rough'. Insofar as the L&L has a 'reputation', it probably relates to urban spots like Blackburn, Burnley and Wigan.

[RichM]

You could always keep an air rifle aboard if you're worried about falling victim to yobs or worse.

Edited May 28, 2016 by Armitage Shanks

[mvn]

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. It turns out that my friend booked a boat starting from Skipton before I could use your inputs. The main issue was that the last week of July was the only possible time me and my friend could go on this together, and I was finding it difficult to get a boat on any of the canals I was looking at. So I had told him to also see if he got something, and when he did, he reserved it at once. So, for this year, its the L&L from Skipton!

 

I was actually considering the Mon and Brec as well as Staff and Worcs - perhaps the next time. And the Llangollen if I can make it off season!

 

I did not know that one way hires were possible. I did see one (and only one) from Hudersfield to Barnoldswick, but thought that with the sheer number of locks, it would too rushed for a week.

Now that I am starting in Skipton, I suppose I will go east for a while, and then come back and go west, eventually covering the part between Apperley Bridge to Barnoldswick - but isn't that very short for a week, even if I take it easy?

@JesicaBOO: I did check your boats, but the maximum capacity was 4. Actually I somehow did not prefer Skipton as a starting point as it is in the middle of the route, but well..

 

Thanks for reassuring me about the safety - just that I am not very good dealing with trouble makers.

[JessicaBOO]

MVN I would suggest head towards Apperley Bridge first ( you will be going against the flow of all the Skipton based boats and it will be quieter) go all the way to Saltaire which is a fab place to visit - wind the boat at the Bradford arm just before dock lane swing bridge - before heading back towards Skipton and onwards through Gargrave. Yes our boats currently only sleep 4 - we are in the planning stages of a new luxury 9ft wide 57ft long boat that will sleep 6 + 2 and hope to have her in the water at the start of 2017 season. I am sure you will enjoy the L&L! Take a look at our Facebook page for lots of photos of the wonderful scenery & wildlife you will enjoy

[magictime]

Now that I am starting in Skipton, I suppose I will go east for a while, and then come back and go west, eventually covering the part between Apperley Bridge to Barnoldswick - but isn't that very short for a week, even if I take it easy?

 

I wouldn't say so, especially if you're planning to do some walks along the way. According to Canal Plan, it'd take about 6 full (7-hour) days to go to Barnoldswick, turn round and go to Apperley Bridge, and then return to Skipton.

 

http://canalplan.org.uk/

[captain birdseye]

hire from Congleton again if you liked the boat, and go the other way and up the Caldon. Apart from the bit through Stoke, which you are through in half a day it is very pretty with the bonus of some cracking pubs and a steam railway to play on.

 

The river section down to the Black :Lion at Consall being one of my favorite parts of the system.

[mvn]

I apologize for disappearing suddenly without responding to the last few posts. I wanted to check a couple of things about the route before responding when a few minor crises at work kept me incredibly busy; I am now looking forward to this vacation ever more than before!

 

@JesicaBOO: Thanks!

 

@captain birdseye: Again, thanks, but as my second post said, I have already reserved a boat starting from Skipton. The Caldon will have to wait till the next time.

 

@magictime: I agree that Apperly Bridge to Barnoldswick is ~ 7 days. But this would have 56 locks in all, which I thought was a little too many - on my previous (and first ever) trip, we had 24 locks in 4 days and that seemed about right. So, I was thinking of the section between Nelson and Bingley (just before the five-rise) as this would have 44 locks, and walk to see the Bingley five-rise and Saltaire. And this route would, according to canalplan.org.uk, take only 5 full days.

Anyway, as you suggest, the area seems lovely and if I take my time with a few leisurely walks, there should be plenty to do for a week.

[JessicaBOO]

If I were you I would wind after Foulridge there is nothing to see in Nelson - you are just adding the Barrowford locks which you have to go down and then back up!

[Nightwatch]

If I were you I would wind after Foulridge there is nothing to see in Nelson - you are just adding the Barrowford locks which you have to go down and then back up!

I agree.

[magictime]

I agree.

 

Me too. And don't forget that the Bingley Five- and Three-Rise Locks are manned, so it'd be misleading to count them as 16 more locks (out and back) for your crew to do; you could let the lock keepers do everything and just enjoy the ride, if you like.

[mvn]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I thought my daughter would love the tunnel and it is not far from Barnoldswick, but I will wind just after.

I thought the lock-keepers at the Bingley Five and Three-Rise locks were only to keep an eye on the boats. I will consider extending my trip to Saltaire and maybe even beyond.

[GoodGurl]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I thought my daughter would love the tunnel and it is not far from Barnoldswick, but I will wind just after.

I thought the lock-keepers at the Bingley Five and Three-Rise locks were only to keep an eye on the boats. I will consider extending my trip to Saltaire and maybe even beyond.

Theres always scotland and the Falkirk wheel for your next trip.

[Joe the plumber]

How about the Leicester section of the Grand Union starting from Market Harborough. You get to go up and down Foxton Locks (lovely views from the top) and if you want a rural trip, the next 20 miles or so are just that, and lock free. You can pop down the Welford Arm too (one shallow lock). There are hills at Laughton and a couple of tunnels.

[PaulG]

You could always keep an air rifle aboard if you're worried about falling victim to yobs or worse.

Sorry, to disagree, but this is a very bad idea which is likely to land you in serious trouble.

 

It is illegal to shoot an airgun on any land, including common land, river banks, public land, recreation areas or playing fields and land covered by water, i.e. lakes, ponds, canals and rivers where you do not have full permission from the lands owner or its tenant.

It is also illegal to have an airgun (loaded or not) in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

 

The laws relating to self defence use the principe of "reasonable force".

e.g. If a yob threatened to throw a stone at your boat and you responded with a threat to shoot him with an air rifle, this would not be likely to convince a court that the response was reasonable.

 

If you had the air rifle on board solely for the purpose of deterring yobs, then this would be a problem as well. Given the legal restrictions quoted above, it would be difficult to show that you have any legitimate use for an airgun on a narrowboat unless you are a member of a shooting club, or have access to other places where you may legally use the gun.

 

There have been occasions when people have got away with using an airgun against intruders, but in these cases the threat was shown to be severe enough to justify their response, and they had legitimate reasons for both owning the weapon and access to places where they could legally use the weapon.

Edited July 5, 2016 by PaulG