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Which Ring?


Montgomery

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Good evening all,

A newbee to the forum so go easy on me! 

I have a week's holiday booked in August from Alvechurch and am looking for a bit of a steer. I can't decide whether to tackle the Stourport ring or the Black Country ring. We are a crew of 4 in our 20's and early 30's, I have many years experience and the rest of the crew have a bit. We did market-harborough to rugby and return last year (easily) and my crew want more of a challenge (more locks etc). I know both rings will offer that, but would be interested to know which ring people prefer and why, it would be nice to see a bit of heritage and countryside and obviously some nice moorings with pubs/restaurants. 

I look forward to your comments and replies. 

Cheers 

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As with all these types of questions - "it all depends"  and that's a fatuous answer.

Been there done it / them.

Thinking a bit - as you have lots of manpower, make your own ring, so that you can flex it a bit depending on how much time you spend in the pub(s) - if there are any left...

I'd think about the Black country ring - but extend it by going through Netherton  tunnel, down to Stourbridge up the S&W and then round the BCR.

IM(H)O the alternative of Stourport is less attractive, the Severn is always a rush through - especially downhill, nowhere / not many places to stop - but then you have the challenge (if any)  of Tardegigge, which is great, but more of  how fast you can do it rather than just crashing on.

Don't - as we used to do in years past - just motor on. Allow a while to stop in Brum, have a look at the BCLM (worth half a day and the fish 'n chips are excellent - beer's reasonable as well. It's a good overnight stop.

 

Much more fun.... 

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7 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Just to be clear, is the difference between the two routes if you use either Wolverhampton or Delph/Stourbridge to get on/off the BCN?

Hi, 

No the black country ring I was enquiring about is down farmers bridge, onto the Birmingham & Fazeley, Fazeley jcn, Fradley jcn, along the T&M then the Staffs and Worcester then down the BCN via Wolverhampton. 

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12 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

As with all these types of questions - "it all depends"  and that's a fatuous answer.

Been there done it / them.

Thinking a bit - as you have lots of manpower, make your own ring, so that you can flex it a bit depending on how much time you spend in the pub(s) - if there are any left...

I'd think about the Black country ring - but extend it by going through Netherton  tunnel, down to Stourbridge up the S&W and then round the BCR.

IM(H)O the alternative of Stourport is less attractive, the Severn is always a rush through - especially downhill, nowhere / not many places to stop - but then you have the challenge (if any)  of Tardegigge, which is great, but more of  how fast you can do it rather than just crashing on.

Don't - as we used to do in years past - just motor on. Allow a while to stop in Brum, have a look at the BCLM (worth half a day and the fish 'n chips are excellent - beer's reasonable as well. It's a good overnight stop.

 

Much more fun.... 

Thanks for the response. Do you think the add on and the rest of the BCR are doable in a week? 

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8 minutes ago, Montgomery said:

Hi, 

No the black country ring I was enquiring about is down farmers bridge, onto the Birmingham & Fazeley, Fazeley jcn, Fradley jcn, along the T&M then the Staffs and Worcester then down the BCN via Wolverhampton. 

Ah OK, so two quite different routes, one including the Severn one one not.  I think it has to be personal preference as to if you fancy the river part or not, although in reality that would only be 4 hours or so.

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5 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Ah OK, so two quite different routes, one including the Severn one one not.  I think it has to be personal preference as to if you fancy the river part or not, although in reality that would only be 4 hours or so.

The river part doesn't really worry me, I was just curious to see if anyone had a preference and could sing the praise of one over the other.... For beauty, places to see and things to do and good moorings etc. But like you say I guess it's a personal thing? 

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32 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

If you really want a challenge combine them and do both.

Alvechurch - Hanbury - Droitwich - Hawford - Stourport - Great Haywood - Fradley - Fazeley - Birmingham - Alvechurch.

We did that last year, two of us in 10 days but took it leisurely and stayed for a day and a bit in Birmingham.

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10 hours ago, Captain Pegg said:

If you really want a challenge combine them and do both.

Alvechurch - Hanbury - Droitwich - Hawford - Stourport - Great Haywood - Fradley - Fazeley - Birmingham - Alvechurch.

Is it doable in a week? If so wouldn't mind a crack at that! 

10 hours ago, Rob-M said:

We did that last year, two of us in 10 days but took it leisurely and stayed for a day and a bit in Birmingham.

How long were your cruising days? We are probably looking to do around 7hrs per day. 

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3 hours ago, Montgomery said:

Hmmm..... Might be a bit of a push then.... Especially in the middle of the August school holidays! 

I would go for the Stourport ring anticlockwise so you get a faster run down the Severn to Worcester. Easily doable in 7 days.

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4 hours ago, Montgomery said:

Is it doable in a week? If so wouldn't mind a crack at that! 

How long were your cruising days? We are probably looking to do around 7hrs per day. 

We started and finished at Great Haywood going via Fradley, Birmingham, Droitwich, Stourport and back to Great Haywood and cruised a total of 69 hours according to the log book.

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1 hour ago, Flyboy said:

I would go for the Stourport ring anticlockwise so you get a faster run down the Severn to Worcester. Easily doable in 7 days.

Yeah that would be the way I'd go if I decide to do the Stourport ring over the black country ring. 

1 hour ago, Rob-M said:

We started and finished at Great Haywood going via Fradley, Birmingham, Droitwich, Stourport and back to Great Haywood and cruised a total of 69 hours according to the log book.

Long days, and if lots of traffic (middle of school holidays) it may be a little too much for a week? 

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Which ever ring/route you decide on you may like to look at the pub guide i produce on a hobby basis that all I ask for is that if you find any changes that you e-mail at the end of your trip

Its far more comprehensive for the canals/navigable rivers than any other guide

Enjoy !

www.canalandriversidepubs.co.uk/waterway-rings.html

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  • 1 month later...

I have 

done both in the past 5 years always from Alvechurch and I would say the Stourport ring offers the best variant of scenery and rivers etc Stourpost in its self is interesting but deffo allow a full day for Black Country museum is is fab so maybe Black Country would be best allow a good night out in Broad st. Birmingham too enjoy 

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