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Places with a bad reputation that don't deserve it


MtB

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Leicester again from me. Still not enough facilities (elsan in Barrow on Soar and then Kilby Bridge) although the new moorings at Frog Island have finally solved the water tap issue. 

I've never had problems in Nuneaton except for rubbish and trolleys and I'm too sane to have a go at an inanimate object.

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1 minute ago, reg said:

As I mentioned in Tuther thread I was warned by a number people to avoid the curly wurly since then I have been told by others that I missed out by not doing it. So is it OK single handed? 

Yes - no locks apart from anything else! There are a limited number of places I’d want to stop for the night, simply because boats moored on the towpath are abnormal, and that attracts attention. But Brownhills, Pelsall, Anglesey Basin, Cannock extension are all fine, and probably a good few other paces too.

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40 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Leicester again from me. Still not enough facilities (elsan in Barrow on Soar and then Kilby Bridge) although the new moorings at Frog Island have finally solved the water tap issue. 

I've never had problems in Nuneaton except for rubbish and trolleys and I'm too sane to have a go at an inanimate object.

I think the problem with Leicester is the amount of rubbish in the canal as you go past Abbey Park towards the space centre. It is quite grim and I can see why people want to get through as quick as they can.

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2 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

Yes - no locks apart from anything else! There are a limited number of places I’d want to stop for the night, simply because boats moored on the towpath are abnormal, and that attracts attention. But Brownhills, Pelsall, Anglesey Basin, Cannock extension are all fine, and probably a good few other paces too.

I do seem to recall at the time, maybe 4 or 5 years ago,  I was looking into it that a number of people commented that it was under used and undervalued. Might be worth a visit. 

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5 minutes ago, Rickent said:

I think the problem with Leicester is the amount of rubbish in the canal as you go past Abbey Park towards the space centre. It is quite grim and I can see why people want to get through as quick as they can.

its a very short section which could be massively changed if Leicester council improved the cities storm sluice outflow rubbish management and emptied the bins in and around abbey park more than once a week.

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Brum

The only real part of it I have done is from Fazeley through to Catherine De Barnes. 

Was a grey murky day so that may of affected my view of the run. 

First part one of my favourite little runs up to Kingsbury water park

But then burnt out buildings and lots of graffiti through the locks

No place to Moor until Star city, fast food paradise

Long run to Catherine De Barnes with few places to pull in and tie up. 

Sort of put me of Brum in general so I've tended to avoid it. 

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1 minute ago, matty40s said:

its a very short section which could be massively changed if Leicester council improved the cities storm sluice outflow rubbish management and emptied the bins in and around abbey park more than once a week.

You are right but it's that short section that people remember.Leicester City Council could deffo do more.

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6 minutes ago, reg said:

I do seem to recall at the time, maybe 4 or 5 years ago,  I was looking into it that a number of people commented that it was under used and undervalued. Might be worth a visit. 

Definitely worth a visit. The half from Wolverhampton to just short of Pelsall isn’t fantastic, but the second half (counting the whole loop including Daw End and Rushall) is pleasant. I always like the Rushall flight, and Longwood Jn is a great overnight stop.

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22 minutes ago, reg said:

As I mentioned in Tuther thread I was warned by a number people to avoid the curly wurly since then I have been told by others that I missed out by not doing it. So is it OK single handed? 

No, you'll be murdered in your bed

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1 minute ago, reg said:

Brum

The only real part of it I have done is from Fazeley through to Catherine De Barnes. 

Was a grey murky day so that may of affected my view of the run. 

First part one of my favourite little runs 

But then burnt out buildings and lots of graffiti through the locks

No place to Moor until Star city, fast food paradise

Long run to Catherine De Barnes with few places to pull in and tie up. 

Sort of put me of Brum in general so I've tended to avoid it. 

That is the edge of Birmingham. Certainly Garrison and Camp Hill can be a bit grotty, although the locks are in pretty good condition and we have never had any problems there. The long run from Camp Hill to Catherine de Barnes is dreary and dull - and not the BCN of course! The the W and E is nothing to do with Birmingham really, it is the Black Country and quite rural in places, quite varied. But some grotty bits going around the sides of Walsall  it has to be agreed.

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Chester. I've heard some weird stuff saying its unsafe/etc but in reality its just a normal place on the canal which goes through a city centre, and is thus likely to see a large number of people during the day (and fewer at night) - so basic precautions, such as not leaving valuables on sight etc, are sensible.

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24 minutes ago, Rickent said:

I think the problem with Leicester is the amount of rubbish in the canal as you go past Abbey Park towards the space centre. It is quite grim and I can see why people want to get through as quick as they can.

That is part of the issue but the pile of cans and other rubbish along the mile straight is hardly attractive. In fact with the ability to park anywhere there why do boats only moor at Castle Gardens or the new moorings?

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2 minutes ago, keith. said:

That is part of the issue but the pile of cans and other rubbish along the mile straight is hardly attractive. In fact with the ability to park anywhere there why do boats only moor at Castle Gardens or the new moorings?

Having Known Leicester city centre well the edge of the mile straight was, and still may be, crack alley at night. Not a place to wander or more up. 

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6 minutes ago, Paul C said:

Chester. I've heard some weird stuff saying its unsafe/etc but in reality its just a normal place on the canal which goes through a city centre, and is thus likely to see a large number of people during the day (and fewer at night) - so basic precautions, such as not leaving valuables on sight etc, are sensible.

We’ve moored in Chester with no problems. 

One of our daughters has recently moved there, and we had a long walk by the canal yesterday. It again, felt as safe as any town or city we have visited. 

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I went up the curly wurly in 1987. I still remember it very clearly unlike other bits of the canals I've forgotten. However I'm still alive to shudder with the memory.

I stopped working in Leicester in 2005 . I'd stopped boating through it prior and still avoid it. It's a tragedy because the setting and the straight mile in particular were spectacular. My parents went to uni there after the war and loved it. I worked there in the courts, the bail hostels and the police stations. Believe me its reputation would take a lot to change.

bits of the cov at the top used to be bad, got shot at ( and not with an air rifle) near mancetter simply for boating past

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