Four Counties

[Guest]

1. On the T&M at Hardingswood, Nicholson's shows laundry & shower facilities at Red Bull. Are these facilities on the Mac or the T&M? If they are round the corner on the Mac, can we moor on the T&M and walk to them?

Are they worth the effort? (Clean and nice - OCM will be cross if we walk and they're not!)

 

2. The stretch from the entrance to the tunnel up to Wheelock is going to take more than one day (for us anyway!) given time for the tunnel and congestion at locks. Any useful tips about o'night mooring between Hardingswood and Wheelock?

Our inclination is to moor away from habitation and cook on board, (unless your learned wisdom is not to!) Between bridges 144 & 145 looks inviting.

 

note: one reason for cooking on board is because OCM is Coeliac and we have a lot of difficulty feeding at pubs. Steak & Jacket is nice but from her point-of-view, not every day for a fortnight!

 

Your advice would be most welcome.

[Bernie]

The washing facilities at Red Bull are on the T&M just below the 3rd lock down from the Harecastle Tunnel, but we tend to moor above the 2nd lock not too far from Poole Aqueduct, as it is a little more restful with no battering about of the boats as the locks are emptied. It's not too long a walk to the facilities just more or less round the corner. Last time we were there they were very clean.

A very good mooring place between there and Wheelock is Rode Heath opposite the Broughton Arms we tend to moor there even though we don't eat in the pub.

Edited March 5, 2005 by Bernie

[John Orentas]

Hi Wyeman.

 

1. Yes the facilities at Red Bull yard are quite good, at least the shower is I don't recall a laundry room but I wouldn't notice. There is also a DIY pump out and water point there. Red Bull yard is on the T & M just below lock 43, there is a good overnight mooring between there and lock 44. The Red Bull pub a short walk over lock 43, liquid and solid refreshment.

 

2. If you prefer to moor 'out in the sticks' the canal from Red Bull all the way to Wheelock and beyond is very pleasant it starts to get a bit industrial, if I remember at around bridge 157.

[Bernie]

Hi Wyeman.

 

  Red Bull yard is on the T & M just below lock 43, there is a good overnight mooring between there and lock 44.  The Red Bull pub a short walk over lock 43, liquid and solid refreshment.

 

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We have always found that if we moor between those 2 locks the boat tends to get battered about each time lock 43 is emptied, have lost a couple of fenders there in the past.

[John Orentas]

I have never noticed, but then I usually spend a few hours in the Red Bull. The alternative is below lock 44, don't moor above 43 you will be next to the sewage works, I would rather be battered about.

 

Actually I was thinking of a late stop, early start.

[Bernie]

But above lock 42 is fine with a fairly long stretch before the last lock and plenty of rings if going that way now we always moor there.

[Guest]

Bernie & John

Thanks both - just what I needed to know. All I need now is for the weather to break so my crew will be a bit more inclined towards it and we're off.

 

Where do I find out about times and procedures for the tunnel?

 

Peter

[Bernie]

Unless you are going before Mar 10th when booking is required, then between either 9 or 10 am till I think 4pm you just turn up and go as the tunnel keeper tells you to. He will make a quick check to see if you have a current licence then tell you to proceed as and when.

Edited March 5, 2005 by Bernie

[John Orentas]

Plan to get there before 15.00 hrs and you will be guaranteed a passage, don't listen to silly stories about headless boatmen, he hasn't been seen for years.

[Guest]

___silly stories about headless boatmen__

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for that John (tried to put an "off topic" emoticon here but couldnt get it to work!)

 

Peter

Edited March 6, 2005 by Guest

[Guest]

Berniie & John

Thanks both for the help here.

 

Bernie - you seem to be saying that after march 10th we need to book in advance. As we're not very experienced yet, it'll be a bit difficult to know when we're likley get there.

Who do we book with, how?

Do we ring the number in Nicholsons? 01782 785703

How much notice will we have to give?

Dont want to end up rushing about because we've booked a tunnel trip!

 

(It's only a little boat - should be able to get a lift over the top!)

 

Peter

Edited March 6, 2005 by Guest

[Paul Evans]

Bernie was saying that, until 10 March, you need to book a trip through Harecastle Tunnel in advance. Click Harecastle for details.

 

After 10 March, you just turn up and wait until the tunnel keeper tells you to go. It's a one way tunnel and takes about 40 minutes to get through. A convoy of 8 boats takes about an hour to complete the passage so if you just miss a south bound convoy (or north bound if you're going the other way) you will have up to 2 hours to wait.

[Richard Lacy]

And mind your head when you get to the middle of the tunnel as it gets lower and lower and lower - probably the reason that boatman is headless !

[John Orentas]

Not as much fun as it used to be, when I started using it there was still the remnants of the old towpath to run into, torrents of water poured down from the roof which came within inches of your cabin top in places. A real adventure then.

[Richard Lacy]

Yes I hit that one a few times and the one at Bancroft Basin on the Stratford, I have a vague recollection of a side tunnel running off towards one of the old colliery sites that used to pour in water from the side as well many years ago . Whats a tunnel without a good soaking - might make a topic for a new thread - Which is the wettiest tunnel ? My vote would go to Wast Hill at the moment having got absolutely drenched in there last weekend.