Irob Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 Thanks, i may rethink my plans. Its been donkeys years since i visited the Smoke and never been to the museums etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Vectis Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 I booked the Rembrandt Gdns mooring for a week when booking opened before Christmas. Both moorings were empty when I arrived, apart from a short boat tied up at the Paddington end. The bloke said he hadn't booked but he would be moving off in the morning, which he did. According to CaRT's website the moorings were booked solid but I arrived on a Friday and had both moorings to myself until another boat arrived the following Wednesday. In the meantime a couple of boats turned up and, seeing the other mooring vacant, phoned CaRT to see if they could tie up but were refused as the mooring had been booked. I went to the CaRT office in Little Venice to see what was what but was told that bookings are handled by Limehouse and to contact them about booking. Strange or what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 2 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said: I booked the Rembrandt Gdns mooring for a week when booking opened before Christmas. Both moorings were empty when I arrived, apart from a short boat tied up at the Paddington end. The bloke said he hadn't booked but he would be moving off in the morning, which he did. According to CaRT's website the moorings were booked solid but I arrived on a Friday and had both moorings to myself until another boat arrived the following Wednesday. In the meantime a couple of boats turned up and, seeing the other mooring vacant, phoned CaRT to see if they could tie up but were refused as the mooring had been booked. I went to the CaRT office in Little Venice to see what was what but was told that bookings are handled by Limehouse and to contact them about booking. Strange or what? Maybe booked,paid for but a change of plan. As you don't get a refund they didn't bother cancelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark99 Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 I just checked and Rembrandt are fully booked it appears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Vectis Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 3 minutes ago, mark99 said: I just checked and Rembrandt are fully booked it appears. They were for the whole week we were there. It strikes me as a bit inconsiderate not to contact CaRT if you've booked but changed your plans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Megson Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 I'm moored for the night near Perivale and will have a cruise into the city tomorrow to see if I can find a space at Paddington. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark99 Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 Just now, Martin Megson said: I'm moored for the night near Perivale and will have a cruise into the city tomorrow to see if I can find a space at Paddington. What time? Windy but good base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Megson Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 3 minutes ago, mark99 said: What time? Windy but good base. I'll aim to arrive late morning in the hope of finding a space. I stayed there on my last visit but that was in winter so fairly quiet. Looking to spend a few days there before crossing to Limehouse to do the Tideway next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoominPapa Posted June 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 3 hours ago, Martin Megson said: I'll aim to arrive late morning in the hope of finding a space. I stayed there on my last visit but that was in winter so fairly quiet. Looking to spend a few days there before crossing to Limehouse to do the Tideway next week. Did we spy you going into Teddington Lock as we were coming out yesterday? We got a space on the VMs at Paddington, even arriving after 6 pm on a Friday night. MP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Megson Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 7 hours ago, MoominPapa said: Did we spy you going into Teddington Lock as we were coming out yesterday? We got a space on the VMs at Paddington, even arriving after 6 pm on a Friday night. MP. That would have been me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Megson Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 Safely moored up in Paddington basin. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJM Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 20 hours ago, Irob said: Seems a sorry state of affairs. I was planning a london cruise for june but good friend on nb Swansong beat me to it last month and advised me against the cruise. He spent 8 hours cruising non stop through london and couldnt find a single vistors mooring. I,ve crossed it off my list. Bizzarre! I regularly go into London and I have always found a mooring at (or close to) my chosen location every time I go. That is four or five trips a year for the last ten years. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambo Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 22 hours ago, Irob said: Thanks jambo, i was warned that the open stretches may not be safe from 'undesirables'. I might cruise to watford or rickmansworth as a base and catch public transport into town for a few days. There are undesirables around many of the VMs in London too! Like any big city, there's inequality and therefore crime but you'd have to be quite unlucky to encounter it. There are stretches where we don't moor (e.g. Yiewsley to Willowtree Marina, Alperton to Scrubs Lane, south of Mile End to Limehouse, the east end of Limehouse Cut to Old Ford Lock and a fair bit of the stretch north from Springfield Park to Enfield) but otherwise we find it's fine, or at least we've thankfully never had problems. Trouble does flare up and comes in waves periodically, especially around the school holidays, and it's worth keeping an eye on the London Boaters Facebook group if you do come to town so you can get a feel for what's happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boat&Bikes Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 21 hours ago, ditchcrawler said: Maybe booked,paid for but a change of plan. As you don't get a refund they didn't bother cancelling I think you can get a refund if you cancel 14 days prior to the date? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark99 Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 (edited) Ok today from Broxbourne to Picketts Lock. 8 locks 6 hours incl dinner. From start to mooring up saw no boats on the move. As soon as moored just now 2 boats appeared. Never done that before - ie seen no boats moving whilst we travelled for 6 hours. Perfect weather too! Edited June 13, 2017 by mark99 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bewildered Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 On 12 June 2017 at 16:55, Irob said: Thanks jambo, i was warned that the open stretches may not be safe from 'undesirables'. I might cruise to watford or rickmansworth as a base and catch public transport into town for a few days. In that area Croxley is much easier for getting to the station, it is a short walk up the hill from the visitors moorings above lock 79. As far as I remember it is a normal 14 day mooring and quieter than Rickmansworth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambo Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 Yes I think it is general towpath at Croxley. The canal in Rickmansworth isn't all that far from the station but the biting insects near the Aquadrome are pretty hellish in summer. We had to invest in a mosquito net when we were there. Mobile reception was terrible but there is a good cafe with decent internet in the Aquadrome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bewildered Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 We have some friends who have recently moved to Bishops Stortford so next year we may plan a trip across London. We were thinking of mooring at Perivale overnight, getting up early and hammering it right through in one day. Distance wise I think it is doable but if there is a constant line of moored boats I have no idea if it is possible to cross London in one day at tick over speed? We have no desire to stop in London, I lived on the outskirts within a 5 min walk of an underground station all my life and hardly ever bothered going in, except occasionally for work. Been there, seen it, got bugger all to interest me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgreg Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 When I visited London by boat 8 years ago I pre-booked a mooring with WLCC Alperton ( http://wlmcc.org )for a few days and caught the tube into town; very secure and friendly. I'm very pleased I did as one day I decided to boat into town with the intention of staying if I could find a mooring; I gave up looking after a while and ended up sailing back to Alperton in the dark! My lasting memory was lots and lots of moored boats and incredibly little movement so obviously not much has changed other than it probably getting worse. It makes me thankful to be up North. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark99 Posted June 14, 2017 Report Share Posted June 14, 2017 (edited) On 2017-6-13 at 20:45, Bewildered said: We have some friends who have recently moved to Bishops Stortford so next year we may plan a trip across London. We were thinking of mooring at Perivale overnight, getting up early and hammering it right through in one day. Distance wise I think it is doable but if there is a constant line of moored boats I have no idea if it is possible to cross London in one day at tick over speed? We have no desire to stop in London, I lived on the outskirts within a 5 min walk of an underground station all my life and hardly ever bothered going in, except occasionally for work. Been there, seen it, got bugger all to interest me! Moor at Perivale. Get up and leisurely go to Kings Cross. Overnight at London Canal Museum Kings Cross bookable (we are here right now). Get up early and do 9 locks and circa 11 miles to find plenty of mooring round Picketts lock on the Lee. No mooring stress no hassle. The rest of journey to Bishops Stortfords is a breeze! if you accept the mooring on the Stort needs accomodation via planks etc as its a river with non ideal banks. Pootled down Ducketts Cut today. 4 full length moorings free at about 4pm near Victoria Park. Not too bad a choice. Edited June 14, 2017 by mark99 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingle Posted June 15, 2017 Report Share Posted June 15, 2017 I did London last year with the parents, I went to work during the day, they went sight seeing. We steamed in the evening and first light before work to get us about a bit. Was lovely! Always a place to stop with other boats ahead or astern, no dramas at all! Unlike in Scotland where they got their boat let go overnight and got gobbed on from bridges just for being English... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark99 Posted June 15, 2017 Report Share Posted June 15, 2017 (edited) Just arrived at Perivale. Hundreds of yards of boat free towpath. I cannot see another boat in about 0.5km upstream or O.5 km downstream. Lots of free moorings in Alperton and lots in Kensal Green. My feeling is that the density of boats is less but same number. Good thing. One mooring near Little Venice free but I guess snapped up quick. Edited June 15, 2017 by mark99 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoominPapa Posted June 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2017 2 hours ago, mark99 said: Just arrived at Perivale. Hundreds of yards of boat free towpath. I cannot see another boat in about 0.5km upstream or O.5 km downstream. Lots of free moorings in Alperton and lots in Kensal Green. My feeling is that the density of boats is less but same number. Good thing. One mooring near Little Venice free but I guess snapped up quick. Perivale is a really good spot to moor. If you want to get closer in, Old Oak Common looked good. Noisy from trains, but felt OK and space available. MP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark99 Posted June 15, 2017 Report Share Posted June 15, 2017 1 minute ago, MoominPapa said: Perivale is a really good spot to moor. If you want to get closer in, Old Oak Common looked good. Noisy from trains, but felt OK and space available. MP. Aye not bad. Very green. Only the odd noise from the golf club swatting the puck or whatever it's called. A bit shallow but we have found a deep spot...... previous research Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowland al Posted June 16, 2017 Report Share Posted June 16, 2017 The OP didn't complain they couldn't find a mooring yet lots of chatter here about moored boats in London and an implication that you'd have trouble finding a mooring. Maybe those who are complaning and haven't tried cruising to London should actually try it before making comment. To those who are worried, I say go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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