Dilemma

[rojomo]

Hi,

 

My wife and I will be taking our 4th canal holiday in early June and we will also have my sister and hubby on board as crew who are first timers.

 

We pick the boat up from Market Drayton on the Shroppie and I have been elected as the one to decide which area to cruise

 

We only have one week so the 4 counties is definitely out, but would YOU......

 

 

a) Go north and then cruise the Llangollen as far as time will allow before returning. Some guides say it is possible to reach LLangollen and return in a week but it looks a bit of a long haul to me.

 

b)Go south to Autherley then say to Kidderminster and return on the Staffs and Worcs.

 

c)Finally similarly but at Autherley take the other direction and cruise to Great Haywood and then return.

 

Regards

 

John and Anne

[Liam]

Try the Llangollen route. Just head in that direction, and see where you get. In the middle of the week just turn round, you should be fine for time.

 

Although, me personally, would do the Four Counties, but each to their own

[bottle]

Hi John

 

according to CanalplanAC Hurelston Jnc to Llangollen and back

 

 

 

This will take 46 hours, 44 minutes which is 5 days, 1 hour and 44 minutes at 9 hours per day.

 

For calculation purposes, this is taken as 5 days

 

If as you say your guests are newcomers then what could be better than showing them that aqueduct (cannot say it and as for spelling) over the river Dee

 

If you don't get that far (Llangollen) never mind it is a wonderful canal and has all the elements, lift bridges, locks etc.

[Yamanx]

If you've not been to Llangollen then thats what I would advise, you'll do it in a week no hassle.

 

Or keep going at Hurleston and go into Chester.

 

The south route is nice if you go towards Kiddy.

 

But Llagollen would be my choice had I not been there before.

[Moley]

We only have one week so the 4 counties is definitely out, but would YOU......

a) Go north and then cruise the Llangollen

Go south to Autherley then say to Kidderminster and return on the Staffs and Worcs.

 

Some will tell you the 4 Counties is do-able in a week, but I'd say it's 9 days.

 

We fitted Llangollen into our fortnight last year. Market Drayton to Llangollen and back took us 5 1/2 days and we weren't pushing it. If your guests are newcomers, the Pontythingy is probably the way to go.

 

Otherwise, the lower Shroppie is lovely, and once you're through Wolverhampton, the S&W from there to the outskirts of Kiddy has got to be one of the nicest stretches of canal anywhere. You could easily make Kiddy or Stourport and back in a week, with perhaps a Stourbridge detour.

[Smudge]

The llangollen is a beautiful canal to cruise we did it on our honeymoon 7 years ago (i believe its changed at the source now with a new basin) but i would head for it again

As for the aquaduct cant say it cant spell it but it is known in our boat as the penicillin aquaduct

We went over it 3 times cos we had to return the boat to the boat yard at the end of it

[Liam]

It's nice to be able to choose where to go, but seeing as you have many options to take I'd just be happy on getting away from work and out on the boat, whereever that may be, for a week.

 

Roll on the 2 weeks holiday I'm getting in July

[Graham Blott]

Hi,

 

My wife and I will be taking our 4th canal holiday in early June and we will also have my sister and hubby on board as crew who are first timers.

 

We pick the boat up from Market Drayton on the Shroppie and I have been elected as the one to decide which area to cruise

 

We only have one week so the 4 counties is definitely out, but would YOU......

a) Go north and then cruise the Llangollen as far as time will allow before returning. Some guides say it is possible to reach LLangollen and return in a week but it looks a bit of a long haul to me.

 

b)Go south to Autherley then say to Kidderminster and return on the Staffs and Worcs.

 

c)Finally similarly but at Autherley take the other direction and cruise to Great Haywood and then return.

 

Regards

 

John and Anne

 

 

Hi John & Anne

 

Itdepends whether or not you want to do long days of cruising. The 4 counties will take about 53 hours (per Canalplan) and Llangollen and back about 54 hours. This is assuming an average cruising speed of 3 mph. Given that a week on a hire boat is actually little more than 6 days, this will involve you in doing 8-9 hours cruising a day. Great if that is what you want to do, not so great if you want to do some sightseeing as well.

 

The 4 counties has varied and attractive scenery, the Harecastle tunnel (which is an experience) and takes you through the heart of the Potteries. However once you get to the point of no return (around Stoke) you just have to keep going.

 

The Llangollen is beautiful and has lift bridges, staircase locks (at Grindley Brook) and the Pontycysylite (phew, managed it) Aquaduct which is one of the canal wonders. You can turn at trevor (just after the aquaduct) and save a few hours if time is getting tight. I always find that it takes less time to come back down the Llangollen than it takes to go (water flow) but the time saving won't amount to much.

 

At least going in June nowhere will be too busy asd you are missing the school hols.

 

Whatever you decide, enjoy!

 

Graham

[GUCCC150]

The Four Counties is very do able in a week we have at least 10 boats a week do it from Great Haywood But it will mean long days But it is very enjoyable

 

 

I have done it my self in a week and that was from Barton Turns

[rojomo]

Hi again,

 

Many thanks for your replies. We had a crews meeting last night down at the local and have decided it's to be the LLangollen! We will hope to get the boat as early as possible on the Saturday and lock down past Audlem by evening. It is actually that stretch, both out and back, that I fear may prevent us from achieving the ultimate destination in a week

 

Regards

 

John and Anne

[rojomo]

Hi,

 

Just returned yesterday from our fantastic week on the Shroppie/LLangollen canals after your encouraging replies.

 

Yes! we made it to LLangollen relatively easily with ony a small number of holdups. We passed over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on the way up at 7.00am in the morning in brilliant sunshine. The aqueduct's shadow with our boat crossing over was cast on the floor of the valley below...fabulous!!!!

 

Saturday from boat pick up at 2.30pm

 

MARKET DRAYTON to COOLE PILATE.

 

Sunday.

 

COOLE PILATE to between POVEYS LOCK AND GRINDLEY BROOK.

 

Monday.

 

GRINDLEY BROOK to CHIRK. (long day)

 

Tuesday.

 

CHIRK to LLANGOLLEN for lunch returning to BOTTOM OF NEW MARTON LOCKS.

 

Wednesday.

 

NEW MARTON to PLATT LANE.

 

Thursday.

 

PLATT LANE to HACK GREEN (very long day)

 

Friday.

 

HACK GREEN to TOP OF ADDERLEY LOCKS (lovely easy cruise up Audlem flight)

 

Saturday.

 

Leisurely 1 hours cruise from ADDERLY back to MARKET DRAYTON for 9.am.

 

What a great cruise.

 

Regards

 

John, Anne and crew.

[ncpierce]

Hi,

 

My wife and I will be taking our 4th canal holiday in early June and we will also have my sister and hubby on board as crew who are first timers.

 

We pick the boat up from Market Drayton on the Shroppie and I have been elected as the one to decide which area to cruise

 

We only have one week so the 4 counties is definitely out

 

Hi,

 

We are also picking up a boat from Market Drayton and this will be our 8th time out and we are planning to do the four counties. Crew of 3 (+ nan to make the tea) and not afraid of long days can someone suggest where we need to be, or where's nice to moore during this ring.

 

Thanks

 

Nigel

Edited June 10, 2007 by ncpierce

[ncpierce]

Hi,

 

We are also picking up a boat from Market Drayton and this will be our 8th time out and we are planning to do the four counties. Crew of 3 (+ nan to make the tea) and not afraid of long days can someone suggest where we need to be, or where's nice to moore during this ring.

 

Thanks

 

Nigel

 

Well our 9th trip was rather interesting. Made it around the 4 Counties in 7days on Spirit of Georgia (Challenger 66' Super Tug) with traditional engine controls and boatmans cabin. Probably averaged about 10hour days including last Monday, rather wet.

 

Had a few alarming moments! Lock 47 coming up "Heartbreak Hill" the water was flowing over the top of the lock sides by about 300mm and one boat had been sitting above the lock waiting to get in for an hour as they could not open the gates on their own. Also the next morning coming up through the last lock at Red Bull the push-pull handle on the forward and reverse sheared off so we struggled all the way through Harecastle with that before getting it welded up at Stoke-on-Trent where we were passed by NB Belle as I was "hovering" while the account was settled. Later on in the week we heard rumours that the ring was not completably due to trees down but by the time we got too the cuttings on Thursday / Friday the trees were clear and we could make it home.

 

I think that everyone should 'learn' to drive with traditional engine controls. I find them so easy and the boat was very responsive, the ability to keep the engine revs up and change direction came in very handy at Autherely Junction when a couple of boats were playing silly buggers.

 

It will be a challenge to find as nice a boat for next year.

[Stephen Sugg]

Well our 9th trip was rather interesting. Made it around the 4 Counties in 7days on Spirit of Georgia (Challenger 66' Super Tug) with traditional engine controls and boatmans cabin. Probably averaged about 10hour days including last Monday, rather wet.

 

Had a few alarming moments! Lock 47 coming up "Heartbreak Hill" the water was flowing over the top of the lock sides by about 300mm and one boat had been sitting above the lock waiting to get in for an hour as they could not open the gates on their own. Also the next morning coming up through the last lock at Red Bull the push-pull handle on the forward and reverse sheared off so we struggled all the way through Harecastle with that before getting it welded up at Stoke-on-Trent where we were passed by NB Belle as I was "hovering" while the account was settled. Later on in the week we heard rumours that the ring was not completably due to trees down but by the time we got too the cuttings on Thursday / Friday the trees were clear and we could make it home.

 

I think that everyone should 'learn' to drive with traditional engine controls. I find them so easy and the boat was very responsive, the ability to keep the engine revs up and change direction came in very handy at Autherely Junction when a couple of boats were playing silly buggers.

 

It will be a challenge to find as nice a boat for next year.

 

I just had a look on the website, lovely looking boat, seemed quite pricey but worth it I'd say, looks like I'll have to start dropping hints to the wife for next year.....

[D Rowley]

Well our 9th trip was rather interesting. Made it around the 4 Counties in 7days on Spirit of Georgia (Challenger 66' Super Tug) with traditional engine controls and boatmans cabin. Probably averaged about 10hour days including last Monday, rather wet.

 

Had a few alarming moments! Lock 47 coming up "Heartbreak Hill" the water was flowing over the top of the lock sides by about 300mm and one boat had been sitting above the lock waiting to get in for an hour as they could not open the gates on their own. Also the next morning coming up through the last lock at Red Bull the push-pull handle on the forward and reverse sheared off so we struggled all the way through Harecastle with that before getting it welded up at Stoke-on-Trent where we were passed by NB Belle as I was "hovering" while the account was settled. Later on in the week we heard rumours that the ring was not completably due to trees down but by the time we got too the cuttings on Thursday / Friday the trees were clear and we could make it home.

 

I think that everyone should 'learn' to drive with traditional engine controls. I find them so easy and the boat was very responsive, the ability to keep the engine revs up and change direction came in very handy at Autherely Junction when a couple of boats were playing silly buggers.

 

It will be a challenge to find as nice a boat for next year.

 

what would cause the lock to be like that ?