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First time hirers. Advice please?


junior

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It seems from some of the comments from locals, that my plan may work how i hope it to!

It's not a bad plan. I'd also suggest, weather permitting, you consider doing the Droitwich mini ring but with a spur up to Stourport instead of up to Brum. I do both fairly often as short cruises being based close to your hire boat, and I'd offer this alternative as because it will be more leisurely and include the range of the things you're seeking. There are still enough locks to keep the other cruisers happy without Tardebigge.

 

Worcester is quite a nice city to visit: it's full of history and is probably better suited to a holiday chill out 'browse the shops and leisurely coffee' than Brum's big city shops and chain cafes. There are some very good pubs and restaurants too, so two nights and a whole day between are never too much. Stourport means taking in the best of the Severn, and the canal history and features there are worth seeing. The town isn't fantastic, but you'll get there in the afternoon have time to chill, and be able to do good ale and a good curry in the evening before bimbling back down the Severn rather quicker with the flow!

 

Overnights would be something like: 1. Droitwich; 2. Halsall Inn; 3. Stourport; 4&5 Worcester; 6. Dunhampstead (or Hanbury for a later start). It'll work both ways, but this way you'll do the Severn first so you won't get caught out by weather changes (either on the river or going under the very low M5 culvert on the Droitwich) and you'll do the harder work of the Droitwich first too. Droitwich back to the marina is a longer run time-wise than it appears too.

 

Hope that's useful as an option to throw in the mix. I can extol the virtues of the other route and Brum too if you'd prefer!

 

Have a great holiday!

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It's not a bad plan. I'd also suggest, weather permitting, you consider doing the Droitwich mini ring but with a spur up to Stourport instead of up to Brum. I do both fairly often as short cruises being based close to your hire boat, and I'd offer this alternative as because it will be more leisurely and include the range of the things you're seeking. There are still enough locks to keep the other cruisers happy without Tardebigge.

 

Worcester is quite a nice city to visit: it's full of history and is probably better suited to a holiday chill out 'browse the shops and leisurely coffee' than Brum's big city shops and chain cafes. There are some very good pubs and restaurants too, so two nights and a whole day between are never too much. Stourport means taking in the best of the Severn, and the canal history and features there are worth seeing. The town isn't fantastic, but you'll get there in the afternoon have time to chill, and be able to do good ale and a good curry in the evening before bimbling back down the Severn rather quicker with the flow!

 

Overnights would be something like: 1. Droitwich; 2. Halsall Inn; 3. Stourport; 4&5 Worcester; 6. Dunhampstead (or Hanbury for a later start). It'll work both ways, but this way you'll do the Severn first so you won't get caught out by weather changes (either on the river or going under the very low M5 culvert on the Droitwich) and you'll do the harder work of the Droitwich first too. Droitwich back to the marina is a longer run time-wise than it appears too.

 

Hope that's useful as an option to throw in the mix. I can extol the virtues of the other route and Brum too if you'd prefer!

 

Have a great holiday!

That's pretty much sold to me. That and the increase of locks from 70 to 80 something.

 

I shall study the map book tonight!

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where is Halsall Inn? Do you mean the Hamstall Inn, which used to be a cider house

 

Well spotted! Halsall is the name of Junior's (the OP) coal boat! I do indeed mean the Hampstall Inn. Not the flashiest place I've ever been, but nice food in good portions and good beer. What more could a holidaying boater want? Good moorings, actually, and they have the best in the area. Most pub moorings on that section of the Severn are rather poor for narrowboats. Thanks for noticing the gaffe. :)

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Impressed as ever by good ideas on here. I was going to point out that Tardebigge locks are very easy, even with two of us but then I thought how annoying they could be if you got behind slow lockers.

also thinking that whereas I love Birmingham, it can be tricky to avoid chain restaurants. I reckon Worcester much more interesting for a short visit and no rushing or tight timings. Stourport also an interesting town to visit. If you must visit shops in Birmingham there are frequent trains from Droitwich and Worcester.

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So let's put some timings on these suggestions to help.

 

Original Option;-

 

Day 1 PM: Droitwich Spa Marina to Netherwich Basin - 1.5 hours

 

Day 2 AM: Netherwich Basin to Camp House Inn - 4 hours

Day 2 PM: Camp House Inn to Worcester visitor moorings - 2 to 3 hours

 

Day 3 AM: Worcester to Tibberton visitor mooring (and pub) - 4 hours

Day 3 PM: Tibberton to Stoke Pound visitor mooring - 4 hours

 

Day 4 AM: Stoke Pound to Alvechurch - 4 hours

Day 4 PM: Alvechurch to Birmingham - 4 hours

 

Day 5 - free day in Birmingham

 

Day 6 AM: free in Birmingham

Day 6 PM: Birmingham to Alvechurch - 4 hours

 

Day 7 AM: Alvechurch to Stoke Pound - 4 hours

Day 7 PM: Stoke Pound to Stoke Works - 2 hours

 

Day 8 AM: Stoke Works to Droitwich Spa Marina - 2 hours

 

Time isn't the problem here. The issue is that Day 3 will involve 26 locks and no more than two hours free of locks, the morning of day 4 will be 30 locks and Day 7 will be 36 locks with no significant cruising breaks between locks. The flip side of that is that the W&B locks once out of Worcester are very quick and easy.

 

 

Droitwich Ring & Severn (as per Sea Dog's suggestion)

 

Day 1 - as above

 

Day 2 AM or PM: Droitwich to Hampstall Ferry - 4 hours

 

Day 3 AM or PM: Hampstall Ferry to Stourport - 2 hours

 

Day 4 - free in Stourport

 

Day 5 AM: Stourport to Camp House Inn - 3 hours

Day 5 PM: Camp House Inn to Worcester - 2 to 3 hours

 

Day 6 - free in Worcester

 

Day 7 - AM: Worcester to Tibberton - 4 hours

Day 7 - PM: Tibberton to Hanbury Wharf - 2 hours

 

Day 8 - AM: Hanbury Wharf to Droitwich Spa Marina - 0.5 hours

 

I would say that's a bit too much at the other extreme. Of course you could always explore a bit more of the Severn, or up the Staffs & Worcs or up to Stoke Wharf on the W&B but having paid to hire a boat it may be that a little more to get the teeth into is required.

 

Am getting grief; got to go and cook dinner now!

 

JP

Edited by Captain Pegg
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Somlets put some timings on these suggestions to help.

Original Option;-

Day 1 PM: Droitwich Spa Marina to Netherwich Basin - 1.5 hours

Day 2 AM: Netherwich Basin to Camp House Inn - 4 hours

Day 2 PM: Camp House Inn to Worcester visitor moorings - 2 to 3 hours

Day 3 AM: Worcester to Tibberton visitor mooring (and pub) - 4 hours

Day 3 PM: Tibberton to Stoke Pound visitor mooring - 4 hours

Day 4 AM: Stoke Pound to Alvechurch - 4 hours

Day 4 PM: Alvechurch to Birmingham - 4 hours

Day 5 - free day in Birmingham

Day 6 AM: free in Birmingham

Day 6 PM: Birmingham to Alvechurch - 4 hours

Day 7 AM: Alvechurch to Stoke Pound - 4 hours

Day 7 PM: Stoke Pound to Stoke Works - 2 hours

Day 8 AM: Stoke Works to Droitwich Spa Marina - 2 hours

Time isn't the problem here. The issue is that Day 3 will involve 26 locks and no more than two hours free of locks, the morning of day 4 will be 30 locks and Day 7 will be 36 locks with no significant cruising breaks between locks. The flip side of that is that the W&B locks once out of Worcester are very quick and easy.

Droitwich Ring & Severn (as per Sea Dog's suggestion)

Day 1 - as above

Day 2 AM or PM: Droitwich to Hampstall Ferry - 4 hours

Day 3 AM or PM: Hampstall Ferry to Stourport - 2 hours

Day 4 - free in Stourport

Day 5 AM: Stourport to Camp House Inn - 3 hours

Day 5 PM: Camp House Inn to Worcester - 2 to 3 hours

Day 6 - free in Worcester

Day 7 - AM: Worcester to Tibberton - 4 hours

Day 7 - PM: Tibberton to Hanbury Wharf - 2 hours

Day 8 - AM: Hanbury Wharf to Droitwich Spa Marina - 0.5 hours

I would say that's a bit too much at the other extreme. Of course you could always explore a bit more of the Severn, or up the Staffs & Worcs or up to Stoke Wharf on the W&B but having paid to hire a boat it may be that a little more to get the teeth into is required.

Am getting grief; got to go and cook dinner now!

JP

I'm puzzled by "Day 8" etc. Normally a hire boat week is 6.5 days.

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I would say that's a bit too much at the other extreme. Of course you could always explore a bit more of the Severn, or up the Staffs & Worcs or up to Stoke Wharf on the W&B but having paid to hire a boat it may be that a little more to get the teeth into is required.

Ah JP, I see I've done 7 days on my Stourport route whilst you've correctly given Junior the 8 required because he'll leave and arrive back on the same changeover day, of course. A classic schoolboy error which shows my days of hiring are further behind me than I realised!

 

I still think the up the Severn route is my favourite for a week out and back from Droitwich Spa, so I'd be inclined to use that extra day by passing through Stourport and on to Wolverley for that night. That's really quite a nice stretch, passing the likes of falling Sands lock, Kidderminster Cathedral and some lovely canal stretches for his crew to experience. It still might not be enough for you and I can understand that, but your timings are a fair bit faster than I do between the places in your illustration, and I think an easier pace might be Junior's preference from the sound of it.

 

Anyway, it's all good info for Junior to think about. I confess that the rather good burgers in The Lock at Wolverley, sitting outside by the river with a pint at The Angel in Stourport before a really tasty 3 course Indian meal for £9.95 at the super friendly Namaste followed by a nightcap at the Black Star, a leisurely wander around Worcester bracketed by a couple of evenings on New Street / Friar Street taking in the pie and mash at the King Charles and a drink or two in the Cardinal's Hat, all cloud my judgement quite a bit! Coupled with a really nice mix of great river and canal cruising, it's pretty much my idea of Boating Bliss! I also like going up to Brum too and that route too has its merits, so Junior won't go far wrong if he goes that way either. It won't rival his own stamping ground for variety and prettiness though. :D

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And Captain Pegg's timings showed 2 hours and 0.5 hours boating on the last day. So doable, as long as you get up early enough.

And packing up your stuff and cleaning/tidying/ checking you've not left anything?

Good luck with that, best not to go to bed Friday night.

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And packing up your stuff and cleaning/tidying/ checking you've not left anything?

Good luck with that, best not to go to bed Friday night.

But the alternative is spending the last night of your holiday at the hire base. OK at some, but definitely not the best option at others.

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Have done many of the things you list Sea Dog and can recommend them but they aren't a days cruising away from each other!

 

I am confident of the timings I have used given it is a crew of four providing one person goes ahead to prepare and two others work the lock the boat is in. When I set out from Droitwich I aim for the top of Tardebigge because I will be at the bottom by early to mid-afternoon and it's too early to tie up. That means I do 49 or 50 locks in a day with one or two other crew. The 42 locks between Tardebigge top and Astwood bottom are no more than 6 hours work for a crew of four. Other than some stiff top ground paddles they are as easy and quick as locks come. I am usually struck by how few boats are on the Tardebigge flight. The only thing to avoid are the times when the hire bases at Stoke, Tardebigge and Alvechurch send out their boats as that tends to result in four or five boats all heading the same way in close proximity.

 

Junior did say he was thinking of 8 hours cruising and a day off which is what it will need for his original plan. I also thought about a truncated Stourport Ring which would give overnight stops at Droitwich, Stourport, Kinver, Merry Hill, Birmingham, Tardebigge and Hanbury but not a full day off in Birmingham unless some days were more than 8 hours. Otherwise those are very comfortable days time wise. It's suitable moorings rather than length of days that dictate on that plan.

 

I regularly did two hours home starting at 0700 on the last day of hire boat trips but both of my suggestions leave room to be back on the doorstep on the last night.

 

JP

Edited by Captain Pegg
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Have done many of the things you list Sea Dog and can recommend them but they aren't a days cruising away from each other!

 

I am confident of the timings I have used given it is a crew of four providing one person goes ahead to prepare and two others work the lock the boat is in. When I set out from Droitwich I aim for the top of Tardebigge because I will be at the bottom by early to mid-afternoon and it's too early to tie up. That means I do 49 or 50 locks in a day with one or two other crew.

They are a cruising day apart for me JP!

 

I don't doubt your timings at all, but I moor overnight at the Queen's Head on day 1, do their happy hour and mid week offer (2 for 1 lovely pizza for example) and do Tardebigge the next morning while you're happy doing 49-50 locks a day. That's the difference between our timings. Neither of us is more right then the other, it's just down to how we enjoy our cruising.

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They are a cruising day apart for me JP!

I don't doubt your timings at all, but I moor overnight at the Queen's Head on day 1, do their happy hour and mid week offer (2 for 1 lovely pizza for example) and do Tardebigge the next morning while you're happy doing 49-50 locks a day. That's the difference between our timings. Neither of us is more right then the other, it's just down to how we enjoy our cruising.

 

Actually you were right - Worcester to Wolverley is a day's cruising!

 

The timing thing was a general point rather than a response and in truth I find Tardebigge is a big mental as well as physical barrier between me and most of rest of the system. But for a one off hirer that's a challenge rather than a concern. I simply don't have two days to spare getting up and down it each way in the time I get off work. I still have a hire boater mentality even now I am an owner for that reason.

 

Anyway we have given Junior the ability to choose.

 

JP

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I agree entirely with your sentiment about Tardebigge as a bit of a barrier. I have a bit more free time on my hands than you do (although it doesn't always feel like it!) so it doesn't present quite the same constraint to me, but it's still a constraint. We do have a good and varied immediate cruising area though, don't we! :D

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Go slowly past moored boats.

Don't drink and steer.

Don't moor on lock landings or swing bridge landings.

Don't get into a lock and eat your breakfast/lunch whilst sitting in it.

Don't moor in winding holes.

All things I have seen hire boaters do, apart from the first of course as mostly they hare past our moored boat at top speed and look very puzzled when asked to slow down.

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Go slowly past moored boats.

Don't drink and steer.

Don't moor on lock landings or swing bridge landings.

Don't get into a lock and eat your breakfast/lunch whilst sitting in it.

Don't moor in winding holes.

All things I have seen hire boaters do, apart from the first of course as mostly they hare past our moored boat at top speed and look very puzzled when asked to slow down.

I've seen more leisure boaters do any of these things than hire boaters.

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Go slowly past moored boats.

Don't drink and steer.

Don't moor on lock landings or swing bridge landings.

Don't get into a lock and eat your breakfast/lunch whilst sitting in it.

Don't moor in winding holes.

All things I have seen hire boaters do, apart from the first of course as mostly they hare past our moored boat at top speed and look very puzzled when asked to slow down.

I have seen all those things done. In the vast majority of cases it was privately owned boats, not hire boats. Judging a boater by the logo on the side of their boat is akin to judging someone by the colour of their skin. Don't be a hireist!

  • Greenie 1
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Go slowly past moored boats.

Don't drink and steer.

Don't moor on lock landings or swing bridge landings.

Don't get into a lock and eat your breakfast/lunch whilst sitting in it.

Don't moor in winding holes.

All things I have seen hire boaters do, apart from the first of course as mostly they hare past our moored boat at top speed and look very puzzled when asked to slow down.

 

Hireboats are not exclusively guilty of the above.

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