Advice on best route from Kate's Boats for 1 weeks cruise

[Rob and Heather]

Hi all,

We are both virgin boaters and have booked a week’s holiday from Kate's Boats. Could anyone advise on a leisurely route that we could take (with plenty of time for breaks etc), bearing in mind that there will only be a crew of 2 on this maiden voyage?

Thanks in anticipation,

Rob and Heather

[tony collins]

Hi all,

We are both virgin boaters and have booked a week’s holiday from Kate's Boats. Could anyone advise on a leisurely route that we could take (with plenty of time for breaks etc), bearing in mind that there will only be a crew of 2 on this maiden voyage?

Thanks in anticipation,

Rob and Heather

 

I image that you are starting from Nelson Wharf in Warwick. In which case I would suggest a run round the GU to Braunston, maybe through the tunnel if you fancy it. through the other side, there is Norton Junction with the Leicester section to explore. If you go the other way from Warwick you will soon be faced with the Hatton flight which could put a damper on your plans to relax a bit if you don't have anothet boat to lock up with.

 

I think you are very wise to take your time and allow yourselves tp enjoy the scenes you are passing through.

 

Tony

Edited May 27, 2007 by tony collins

[Janet S]

Welcome to the forum Rob and Heather,

 

Be patient. I'm sure you'll get plenty of replies in due course. With it being a Bank Holiday weekend, lots of our regular forum members who would normally offer advice are off cruising. I'm sure you'll get responses shortly.

 

Janet

[Keeping Up]

Hi Rob and Heather, and welcome to the forum.

 

If you are virgin boaters then it would almost certainly be best to head south from Warwick; you would probably find the Hatton flight of 21 locks to be both daunting and exhausting so soon after starting your holiday. Take it slow and easy; there are quite a lot of locks to the south too, but they are generally spaced out so you can take them at your own pace and stop between them whenever you feel like it. If you can find another boat to share them with, it will make life much much easier.

 

Whichever route you take will be enjoyable. You can take the South Oxford canal, with a flight of narrow locks followed by a long and beautiful summit pound, or head into the fascinating village of Braunston. If you have time you can choose whether to go up the locks and through the tunnel, or take the more leisurely North Oxford Canal with hardly any locks.

 

The best plan is to travel for 3 days and then just turn round wherever you are. The return journey will be just as interesting: it all looks different from the other direction, and by then you'll be experts so you'll find it quicker and easier going back (so you';ll have spare time for visiting some of the places you missed on your first few days)

 

Allan