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Down the southern Grand Union (a new route for us)


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55 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

Including your two boats breasted up to create a widebeam?

Two narrow boats have the option to move as a breasted pair or not, and the general congestion on the canal down here now, coupled with lack of dredging and often low pounds mean that most of the time we travel as two separate narrow boats.

However we can elect to breast up at appropriate places, typically where two or more locks are close together, and you can see what you will be needing to pass.

A 12' 6" wide brick has no such option and can only travel as a 12' 6" wide brick, wherever it goes.  A problem now is that 12'6 wide bricks are regularly coming to places where another 12' 6" wide brick is coming the other way, and maybe where another 12' 6" wide brick has elected to tie up on a stretch of tow-path where there are masses of trees on the overhanging side.

I'm pretty certain you know very little about the GU South of Tring summit, but (other than amongst wide beam owners of course) the non stop march of more and more wide-beams is now considered one of the major problems affecting a canal that rarely hosted wide boats, and, when it did, they would not have been tied up at random places all along it.

5 minutes ago, Iain_S said:

At least he's got the option of singling out ...

And 95% of the time we will be.

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13 minutes ago, Lysander said:

I was staggered to see the long stretch of enormous widebeams moored up at Ricky Festival. ?

There are stretches te whole awy down where maybe on average every third boat moored on the tow-path is a wide-beam.  10 yeras ago, it would have been unlikely to be more than every 20th boat.
 

The Southern GU is now a very different canal, and certainly not improved for the better in this respect.

3 minutes ago, matty40s said:

You could probably have left it there Alan

I know - I can't stop myself sometimes! ?

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2 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

There are stretches te whole awy down where maybe on average every third boat moored on the tow-path is a wide-beam.  10 yeras ago, it would have been unlikely to be more than every 20th boat.
 

The Southern GU is now a very different canal, and certainly not improved for the better in this respect.

I know - I can't stop myself sometimes! ?

Yup. Left it.

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4 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

Two narrow boats have the option to move as a breasted pair or not, and the general congestion on the canal down here now, coupled with lack of dredging and often low pounds mean that most of the time we travel as two separate narrow boats.

However we can elect to breast up at appropriate places, typically where two or more locks are close together, and you can see what you will be needing to pass.

A 12' 6" wide brick has no such option and can only travel as a 12' 6" wide brick, wherever it goes.  A problem now is that 12'6 wide bricks are regularly coming to places where another 12' 6" wide brick is coming the other way, and maybe where another 12' 6" wide brick has elected to tie up on a stretch of tow-path where there are masses of trees on the overhanging side.

I'm pretty certain you know very little about the GU South of Tring summit, but (other than amongst wide beam owners of course) the non stop march of more and more wide-beams is now considered one of the major problems affecting a canal that rarely hosted wide boats, and, when it did, they would not have been tied up at random places all along it.

 

 

4 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

There are stretches te whole awy down where maybe on average every third boat moored on the tow-path is a wide-beam.  10 yeras ago, it would have been unlikely to be more than every 20th boat.
 

The Southern GU is now a very different canal, and certainly not improved for the better in this respect.

 ?

 

I used to love the Southern GU where most of my early boating took place, quiet and peacefull, with lots of places where you could moor. But in recent years it has become increasingly congested with boats that do not move very far, and clog up all the good mooring places. Your comments sum up very well how it has changed in the last decade, and not to the better. I am becoming glad that my serious boating days are now over.

 

 

Edited by David Schweizer
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7 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

A 12' 6" wide brick has no such option and can only travel as a 12' 6" wide brick, wherever it goes. 

 

When we came through a few weeks ago, this chap in his narrowboat tug was having extreme difficulty navigating his widebeam brick.

 

20180422_104727.jpg.e767f9410fc447d42ab48a6b9ca5101a.jpg

 

 

Edited by David Mack
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We did 5.5 hours today (though Canalplan suggested it should have only taken 4.5 until I changed the default speed for broad canals from 3.25mph to 2.5mph) which took us to about a mile or 2 past Bugbrooke.

 

We saw nb Old Friends moored at Stowe Hill but I'm not sure if I saw Matty or not as I don't know what he looks like. I did spot one very good-looking chap but he didn't wave so either it was not Matty or he didn't notice us as he was so busy doing something to a boat.

 

Hopefully we'll clear Stoke Bruerne locks tomorrow and then I'll have a think about whether or not I feel like pushing on as far as Marsworth as per earlier advice, or taking it a bit easier as I'm normally inclined to do.

 

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2 hours ago, David Mack said:

 

When we came through a few weeks ago, this chap in his narrowboat tug was having extreme difficulty navigating his widebeam brick.

 

20180422_104727.jpg.e767f9410fc447d42ab48a6b9ca5101a.jpg

 

 

 

That isn't really a wideboat, it is actually a House Boat which is a different catagory under C&RT regulations. There used to be quite a few of those moored above Batchworth lock, maybe they have got fed up with the view!!

 

 

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56 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

 

That isn't really a wideboat, it is actually a House Boat which is a different catagory under C&RT regulations. There used to be quite a few of those moored above Batchworth lock, maybe they have got fed up with the view!!

 

 

Agreed. But is VERY brick-shaped!

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10 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

Two narrow boats have the option to move as a breasted pair or not, and the general congestion on the canal down here now, coupled with lack of dredging and often low pounds mean that most of the time we travel as two separate narrow boats.

However we can elect to breast up at appropriate places, typically where two or more locks are close together, and you can see what you will be needing to pass.

A 12' 6" wide brick has no such option and can only travel as a 12' 6" wide brick, wherever it goes.  A problem now is that 12'6 wide bricks are regularly coming to places where another 12' 6" wide brick is coming the other way, and maybe where another 12' 6" wide brick has elected to tie up on a stretch of tow-path where there are masses of trees on the overhanging side.

I'm pretty certain you know very little about the GU South of Tring summit, but (other than amongst wide beam owners of course) the non stop march of more and more wide-beams is now considered one of the major problems affecting a canal that rarely hosted wide boats, and, when it did, they would not have been tied up at random places all along it.

And 95% of the time we will be.

And sadly, a lot of the random places they moor are tight bends and angled bridge holes. Milton Keynes can be particularly bad, with the right angled bends above Cassiobury park being another. 

received_1553572504741828.jpeg

Edited by BWM
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Yesterday (Friday) we did Blisworth tunnel in the morning with no other boats moving in either direction. Very wet in there!

 

We stopped for lunch in Stoke Bruerne, plus beer in the Boat, plus a visit to a gift shop. After 3pm we set off to do all 7 locks and then moored for the night on the VMs below the bottom lock.

 

Today we aim to do about 4 to 4.5 hours which should take us to, but not all the way through, Milton Keynes. Probably somewhere near Linford Wharf / Gifford Park, give or take a mile or two.

 

Being newbies to this canal I'm not sure if there are any spots best avoided in Milton Keynes or where the best (quiet) overnight mooring places are. Shops (or pubs) are NOT needed at this point in time. Can anyone advise please?

 

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On 24/05/2018 at 20:10, BWM said:

And sadly, a lot of the random places they moor are tight bends and angled bridge holes. Milton Keynes can be particularly bad, with the right angled bends above Cassiobury park being another. 

received_1553572504741828.jpeg

 

Interesting that you shold quote Milton Keynes and Cassiobury Park, but illustrate your point with a picture of Braunston Turn.

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We came down the gu last week and dropped onto the Thames after not having been down that section for twenty five years. Verdict is its still worth a visit but there are very many nicer canals to visit. Lots of moored non moving boats ( plenty with birds nests in the fenders ) but we still had a decent mooring each afternoon/evening. South of Ricky for a couple of miles is depressing. Things of note. I have never seen as many piles of rubbish left all over the place as on that canal and never seen so many completely oveflowing never emptied dog poo bins or dog crap laying around. Its got some pretty stretches but places like for instance Brentford are shee ite holes.

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41 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

We came down the gu last week and dropped onto the Thames after not having been down that section for twenty five years.

At least you are probably now far enough clear of it that the weather should be OK for those following you!

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1 hour ago, Lily Rose said:

Being newbies to this canal I'm not sure if there are any spots best avoided in Milton Keynes or where the best (quiet) overnight mooring places are. Shops (or pubs) are NOT needed at this point in time. Can anyone advise please?

I'm not aware of any problem areas to moor in Milton Keynes from a safety/security point of view.

 

Obviously some of it is fairly anonymous - other bits really nice.

 

One of our favourite moorings is offside at Linford Park, where the visitor moorings are the local park's authorities, not CRT.  There are only about 4 x 48 mooring spots here (the rest are permanent moorings), but surprisingly despite the loveliness of Linford Park there is often a space, and you could well get lucky.

Also before you get there, (if you haven't already!) the bit between bridges 74 & 75 is very pleasant, allowing walks out towards an old disused church in the middle of a field at Stantonbury, (great for those of us with dogs that need exercising).

Further South the areas around Woolstone and Simpson are also both good, (pubs available, even if you don't want them),  as is Fenny Stratford, (pub really crap - avoid!), but by then you are leaving MK.

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2 hours ago, David Schweizer said:

 

Interesting that you shold quote Milton Keynes and Cassiobury Park, but illustrate your point with a picture of Braunston Turn.

The picture was noticed on Facebook after I'd posted, and I decided to add it as an edit afterwards, being a perfect example of the type of mooring causing difficulties. 

2 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

We came down the gu last week and dropped onto the Thames after not having been down that section for twenty five years. Verdict is its still worth a visit but there are very many nicer canals to visit. Lots of moored non moving boats ( plenty with birds nests in the fenders ) but we still had a decent mooring each afternoon/evening. South of Ricky for a couple of miles is depressing. Things of note. I have never seen as many piles of rubbish left all over the place as on that canal and never seen so many completely oveflowing never emptied dog poo bins or dog crap laying around. Its got some pretty stretches but places like for instance Brentford are shee ite holes.

The rubbish and general grubby nature of this area was our main drive to relocate further north-best decision we have made in a long time!

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2 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

I'm not aware of any problem areas to moor in Milton Keynes from a safety/security point of view.

 

Obviously some of it is fairly anonymous - other bits really nice.

 

One of our favourite moorings is offside at Linford Park, where the visitor moorings are the local park's authorities, not CRT.  There are only about 4 x 48 mooring spots here (the rest are permanent moorings), but surprisingly despite the loveliness of Linford Park there is often a space, and you could well get lucky.

Also before you get there, (if you haven't already!) the bit between bridges 74 & 75 is very pleasant, allowing walks out towards an old disused church in the middle of a field at Stantonbury, (great for those of us with dogs that need exercising).

Further South the areas around Woolstone and Simpson are also both good, (pubs available, even if you don't want them),  as is Fenny Stratford, (pub really crap - avoid!), but by then you are leaving MK.

Many thanks for that Alan. We've just had lunch at Cosgrove and will set off soon.

 

Before we do I'll make a note of your suggestions ready for later.

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1 hour ago, BWM said:

The picture was noticed on Facebook after I'd posted, and I decided to add it as an edit afterwards, being a perfect example of the type of mooring causing difficulties. 

The rubbish and general grubby nature of this area was our main drive to relocate further north-best decision we have made in a long time!

Yes and its a real shame. Already the canal has the disadvantage over many with its south east trajectory but I was absolutely amazed that rubbish and never ending overflowing dog poo bins abound. If whoever supplied the bins has no intention of emptying them then please dont provide them but of course when they put them up it would have been good PR but as usual very short lived. I did have to giggle at yet another example of good intentions going wrong as on page 54 of my ten year old nicholsons navigation note number 3 it states

BW request that no wide beam craft moor between Helem hempstead and Braunston ? fat chance.

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We've now made it to Slapton, our original destination, and with enough time to go on to Marsworth Junction tomorrow before we to turn and start back on Wednesday at a more leisurely average daily rate of 3 hours.

 

Currently moored just above Slapton Lock with a good view of the Whipsnade Zoo lion from the boat.

 

I chatted with the owner of the house by Slapton Lock while the lock was filling. Turns out he has a boat, based by the lock for 15 years but now based in the same marina as us. Small world!

 

This thing of beauty went past a short while ago. It appears to have a man's head on a stick placed inside an old tyre on the roof for some reason.

 

IMG_20180528_182043.jpg

Edited by Lily Rose
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Well this bit of the trip is not going as well as we'd hoped, weather-wise!

 

We've had three days of glorious weather over the bank holiday weekend, with all the rain (lots of it!), thunder and lightning happening overnight or in the evening.

 

So I shouldn't complain. But I will.

 

We spent last night a few hundred yards beyond Slapton winding hole, our original turning point. Following advice that Slapton to Marsworth was a lovely section of canal we decided to press on this morning, even though the glorious views had disappeared in the mist, and do the 16 locks there and back over two days in the hope the mists would clear.

 

Nope!

 

We did 4 of the 8 locks and then needed to stop for lunch after 2 hours with no views whatsoever. We could be anywhere really. By the time we finished lunch it was raining heavily so we decided to wait a while for the brighter/drier weather later.

 

Instead, so far, we have had probably two hours of thunder, lightning and VERY heavy rain. And it's still going on. Unsurprisingly, no boats have gone past since a few minutes after we stopped at 1.

 

The forecasts (BBC and Metcheck) suggest this is due to stop at around 6pm. I hope they're right. If so, we can have an evening cruise for the 4 locks to Marsworth for an overnight stop and , hopefully a quick look round the area.

 

If not, then we're stuck here for the night (cos if I decide to move I'm reasonably confident I'll be told I'm single-handing it) and tomorrow it will be down to Marsworth, a quick Elsan/water stop, turn and head back up the flight, possibly still without seeing any Chiltern views. And only a fleeting glimpse of the junction.

 

Fingers crossed now. While I've been typing this a brave soul has gone past, out of necessity apparently, and the rain sounds to be easing off so maybe we'll get there this evening after all.

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The rain's stopped here and I'm off out to a local shop to pick up my new Virgin TV box which apparently I need so I can go on watching telly after July.

The forecast appears to be dry this evening, wet in the morning but dry again from lunchtime onwards. Have a lie-in! 

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The weather forecast today for broadly this area has been one of the worst I have ever seen.

 

On the basis of what it read this morning, I felt reasonably safe to start painting quite a large area of boat roof.

 

It then started raining - a little, initially.

On re-checking the forecast had been completely re-written, and now showed rain until about 3:00pm.

By now it was a deluge, and my paint awash.

 

We quit the boat in some of the wettest weather I have seen in ages, and the thunderstorms started soon after.

Our Morris side, New Moon Morris, is supposed to be dancing out in Wilstone this evening.  The weather forecast says we should just about be OK, but looking out of the window right now, I don't feel inclined to believe it!

I suspect we will be boozing, not dancing!

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