Seeing the whole network!

[robtheplod]

Just discussing this with my wife ..... if we had a narrowboat and wanted to see the WHOLE canal network, what sort of timescale would you be looking at, assuming a leisurely pace..... are we talking years or months??

[Guest]

Just discussing this with my wife ..... if we had a narrowboat and wanted to see the WHOLE canal network, what sort of timescale would you be looking at, assuming a leisurely pace..... are we talking years or months??

 

How long is a peice of string?

 

It really would depend on how far you were willing to travel each time you were moving.

 

It could take months or errrr years....

[Robbo]

Well if you like to stop and live in places you can make it years but if you traveled everyday it could be months.

[carlt]

Years.

 

I was going to refer you to the Tuesday Night Club website (they have, over the years, covered pretty much all that is able to be covered) but it has gone.

 

This is a tragedy.

 

Anyone know if it's coming back?

[ValandPete]

We have covered most of the system taking five years to do it continuously cruising. A few bits we have not done, we are doing the Droitwich next year for example.

 

We are now returning to canals and rivers we really enjoyed and want to see again.

 

Val

[mrsmelly]

Just discussing this with my wife ..... if we had a narrowboat and wanted to see the WHOLE canal network, what sort of timescale would you be looking at, assuming a leisurely pace..... are we talking years or months??

 

We have done most of it several times ad hoc in between work and businesses over the last nearly 27 years. So I suggest it takes around 40 plus years so you best get started. If someone has no interest in " The journey " and just intends covering all the lengths of waterways just for the hell of it I would guess it can be done easily inside of two years.

 

Tim

[fretman]

been on the canals for some 44 years,, and still not done the lot.

[Captain Pegg]

A lot depends on what you define as the whole network and whether you go around it sequentially or as a series of trips from a home base. To go around it sequentially would approximate to 2000 hours of cruising. There was a similar thread nine months or so ago and the conclusion was that it is technically possible inside a year. In reality it is unlikely you would choose to do it that way.

 

JP

[Neil2]

Years.

 

I was going to refer you to the Tuesday Night Club website (they have, over the years, covered pretty much all that is able to be covered) but it has gone.

 

This is a tragedy.

 

Anyone know if it's coming back?

 

I was wondering what had happened to the TNC site, I though at first maybe it's down for maintenence but seemingly not. It's a shame I found it hugely informative and entertaining.

 

As for the OP - I suppose the first question is what do you consider to be the "whole network" - are you talking about just canals, or the entire inland waterways system?

[Tacet]

In our case, three summers and two winters. We did not idle away days on end by being tied-up nowhere in particular but on the other hand we did spend some time in pretty-much all the towns and cities as well as many of the villages.

 

We probably clocked about twice the distance that a programmed travelling-salesman might need to cover - so in theory maybe two summers and one winter. However, this rather depends on your definition/satisfaction with "all". Almost inevitably part of any programme will disrupted by stoppages, so if you are bothered you may need to return to some areas at a later stage.

 

It's most definitely good to do.

 

 

[Sea Dog]

Thing is, seeing the whole system is about ticking off destinations, whereas the pleasure in boating lies in the journey. Just enjoy doing whatever feels about right and at the end you'll be able to see how long it took.

[Mac of Cygnet]

There was a thread about the TNC earlier this year, including a contribution from Neil Arlidge, who said he hoped to get the site up and running again. There was also a link to an archive, but I haven't explored it. http://web.archive.o...co.uk/tour.html

 

Looks like it doesn't work.

Edited October 28, 2016 by Mac of Cygnet

[churchward]

Just discussing this with my wife ..... if we had a narrowboat and wanted to see the WHOLE canal network, what sort of timescale would you be looking at, assuming a leisurely pace..... are we talking years or months??

I guess it has mostly been said but with aprox 2000 miles of connected canal system lets say you average 3 mph then that's 666 hours cruising in theory but you will not be able to do all 2000 miles without repeating yourself ie going down the same bit of canal a few times so it will be longer than that. at 7 hours cruising a day it would take at least 95 days. So possible under 12 months but I would say not much fun. I think the point (certainly for my taste) would be to do it at a slow pace and take ones time to be able to stay longer in some places and explore the area away from the canal too. Personally I would think more sensibly it would take a couple of years at least probably more if/when I do it.

[Captain Pegg]

I guess it has mostly been said but with aprox 2000 miles of connected canal system lets say you average 3 mph then that's 666 hours cruising in theory but you will not be able to do all 2000 miles without repeating yourself ie going down the same bit of canal a few times so it will be longer than that. at 7 hours cruising a day it would take at least 95 days. So possible under 12 months but I would say not much fun. I think the point (certainly for my taste) would be to do it at a slow pace and take ones time to be able to stay longer in some places and explore the area away from the canal too. Personally I would think more sensibly it would take a couple of years at least probably more if/when I do it.

That 2000 miles is only the CRT administered bit and without other navigation authorities' waters it isn't particularly well connected at all. Then there is the small matter of locks which your 95 days makes no allowance for. In the previous thread it was calculated as being realistically nine months minimum and to complete within a year would need a certain amount of luck with unforeseen stoppages and river navigations having suitable water levels on pre-determined dates. Purely a work of theory and a pointless exercise in practice.

 

JP

Edited October 28, 2016 by Captain Pegg

[Dave_P]

What about Rivers such as Ancholme, Idle, Welland, Medway? All just about reachable by narrowboat?

[robtheplod]

thanks everyone, very interesting!!!

[churchward]

That 2000 miles is only the CRT administered bit and without other navigation authorities' waters it isn't particularly well connected at all. Then there is the small matter of locks which your 95 days makes no allowance for. In the previous thread it was calculated as being realistically nine months minimum and to complete within a year would need a certain amount of luck with unforeseen stoppages and river navigations having suitable water levels on pre-determined dates. Purely a work of theory and a pointless exercise in practice.

 

JP

Yes quite. I was not trying to be accurate just a brief estimate of the smallest amount of time and as I said it does not take account of the times you would have to retrace your steps. I also said it would take longer than the 95 days. I was just using it as a rule of thumb to show it could be done within a year but in my view not very practically or with the most pleasure.

[Peter X]

If I were looking to see the whole canal network I'd feel I hadn't done it properly until I'd also done all the non-tidal navigable rivers connected to it as well, e.g. the Thames from Teddington to Lechlade, the Cam, Ouse and Nene in East Anglia etc.

 

Allowing for including the rivers, the necessary repetition for all the dead ends, and reasonable slowing down for moored boats, a slightly optimistic estimate is 3000 miles at 3mph plus 2000 locks at four an hour, i.e. 1500 hours, or 150 days if we expect to do 12 hours in summer reducing to 8 hours in winter. Allowing time to stop for water, shopping etc., plus a contingency for the inevitable delays due to boat problems or unplanned stoppages, my guess would be that a talented and determined crew could do it in daylight in under a year with good planning and a big element of luck, but it would take a certain type of person to want to see it through.

 

My answer for the OP who wants to go at a leisurely pace to enjoy the trip and explore places is maybe to allow three or four years, and think ahead each autumn to avoid being stuck at a planned winter stoppage.

[Laurie Booth]

Years.

 

I was going to refer you to the Tuesday Night Club website (they have, over the years, covered pretty much all that is able to be covered) but it has gone.

 

This is a tragedy.

 

Anyone know if it's coming back?

If I recall correctly they met on Wednesdays. Also no ladies were allowed to be members unless they didn't mind being called gentlemen.

[Neil2]

There was a thread about the TNC earlier this year, including a contribution from Neil Arlidge, who said he hoped to get the site up and running again. There was also a link to an archive, but I haven't explored it. http://web.archive.o...co.uk/tour.html

 

Looks like it doesn't work.

 

I just had a read of that thread so for those not up to speed they had a problem with the server being hacked and Neil hasn't had time to get all the data transferred to a new one. It sounds like they have had a right time of it lately their car being rear ended by some lunatic and sadly one of their dogs killed as a result. http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=83987

[magictime]

It's strange, isn't it? Most of us would probably think 15 miles a day represented a pretty relaxed pace if planning a holiday, which would suggest that doing even 3,000 miles in a year should be no great undertaking. That's 'only' 200 15-mile days, after all; or more realistically, maybe 150 15-mile days (between March and October) plus 75 10-mile days (between November and February). Somehow it still feels very intensive, though; the difference between boating as a 'change that's as good as a rest' and boating that becomes a 'daily grind', perhaps.

[mrsmelly]

It's strange, isn't it? Most of us would probably think 15 miles a day represented a pretty relaxed pace if planning a holiday, which would suggest that doing even 3,000 miles in a year should be no great undertaking. That's 'only' 200 15-mile days, after all; or more realistically, maybe 150 15-mile days (between March and October) plus 75 10-mile days (between November and February). Somehow it still feels very intensive, though; the difference between boating as a 'change that's as good as a rest' and boating that becomes a 'daily grind', perhaps.

 

When we bought our first boat to live on in 1989 we used to set off most mornings and travel all day and often into the evening just for the hell of it. Now unless we need to be somewhere specific to say black the boat we generaly travel far enough only to charge the batteries then stop so only a couple of hours or so per day so 15 miles to me now would be a no no. But as you say most people are hobby boaters or on holiday so they feel the need to move a lot which seems to make sense I suppose?

 

Tim

[NilesMI]

Somehow it still feels very intensive, though; the difference between boating as a 'change that's as good as a rest' and boating that becomes a 'daily grind', perhaps.

 

It's also the case that for a one or two week holiday, the rest of your life can be put on hold and you actually can spend all your time getting from A to B.

 

I'm gradually getting round the network and for me, it's working out at around 2000 lock-miles a year, comprising around 150 actual cruising days.

 

Again, for me, "the network" means all the interconnected inland waterways, including navigable rivers and tidal sections. I'm aiming to travel the whole thing in both directions, but I tend to make that less of an aim than having a varied cruising route planned for each year. Inevitably that means that I'm visiting some parts of the network many times over.

[magpie patrick]

It was me (I think) who asked about 9 months ago: whilst you can debate what you mean by "the whole system" unless you are going to go daft the fringe bits won't add much except that waiting for tide and weather to go down the Humber might mean extending by a month or two.

 

My conclusion is I could do it in three years, but would probably want five. Unless I win the lottery I'll be doing it in concentrated chunks, and I will need a bigger car or to replace Juno with a smaller boat (Lutine isn't exactly trailable)

It's strange, isn't it? Most of us would probably think 15 miles a day represented a pretty relaxed pace if planning a holiday, which would suggest that doing even 3,000 miles in a year should be no great undertaking. That's 'only' 200 15-mile days, after all; or more realistically, maybe 150 15-mile days (between March and October) plus 75 10-mile days (between November and February). Somehow it still feels very intensive, though; the difference between boating as a 'change that's as good as a rest' and boating that becomes a 'daily grind', perhaps.

 

I've always, in anything I do, that the longer you do it for the more you have to pace yourself.

 

I would happily do the Cheshire Ring in a week, I wouldn't do it twice in two weeks

 

That said, this summer's rate of cruising has been about a mile a day and that's a little TOO slow!

[Tacet]

Our trip amounted to close-on 10,000 lock-miles in about 2 1/2 years - say 4,000 lock miles per year. Engine hours totalled about 2800 (say 1100 per year)

 

Doubtless the cruising fills the time available but several factors conspire against being wholly efficient. The winter stoppages mean it is more a case of finding a route that allows you to continue moving rather than completing the task. Rivers tend to be more troublesome in winter too and various long-term closure mean that you may need to come back to visit, for example, the Aylesbury Arm or the Rochdale. Some parts need booking head (Ribble Link, Standedge tunnel) so you need to build in some slack in the programme to be confident of making the appointment.

 

In our case we lost a couple of weeks on the Wey due to flood and three weeks a Lapworth due to a CRT mess-up.

 

Most people will need/prefer to be in an area at certain times or return "home" from time to time; I worked (admittedly not over-hard) throughout and the office and clients seem to think you should make the occasional visit or meeting.

 

We visited everywhere (all the reasonably available canals and rivers) we intended but I think a one year trip would require single-mindedness and, in all probability, a couple of loose ends though unforeseeable events.