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Mooring halfway between York & Bristol


Clodi

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At present we have an offside mooring on the K&A which suits us aewe have 2 boys at Bristol Uni,however our youngest is starting at the University of York this year &, as out boat is booked in with Martin Kedian this June, we are considering giving up our mooring on the Kennet and finding new moorings roughly halfway between Bristol and York.

We have not yet sold our bricks and mortar therefore do not require liveaboard moorings yet but are looking for any advice or recommendations that can be given.

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12 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

How are you and/or the kids getting too/from the boat? Car, train, coach? Short list moorings based on proximity to appropriate transport. Motorways, stations, whatever. As @matty40s says, loads to choose from in the Midlands.

 

Jen

I'll be myself and my wife, we'll be using a car, our house at present is in West Wales which hopefully will be on the market. Our problem is not knowing the area.

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3 minutes ago, Clodi said:

Our problem is not knowing the area.

Maybe you could expand on 'what you want' :

 

Marina

Offside mooring

Towpath mooring

Water

Electric

Shops in walking distance

Security

Car Parking

Residential or Leisure

Post / Mail box 

Elsan / Pump-out within X miles

 

etc etc etc

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To be roughly halfway between Bristol and York you have a big choice of canals and mooring locations, basically anywhere from Braunston to Mercia would put you 2 hours or so from either.    There are a lot of marinas, if that is what you are looking for.

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7 minutes ago, Clodi said:

I'll be myself and my wife, we'll be using a car, our house at present is in West Wales which hopefully will be on the market. Our problem is not knowing the area.

Pretty much any mooring/marina on the Trent and Mersey is within easy reach of motorways and major trunk A roads that will take you to Bristol and York. Similarly with the Leicester branch of the GU and the River Soar. True of most of the Midlands canals in fact, with a few exceptions, like parts of the Shropie and the far end of the Caldon. You can mostly base your choice on other criteria, like facilities, flood risk, aesthetics and cruising range.

 

Jen

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23 minutes ago, john6767 said:

To be roughly halfway between Bristol and York you have a big choice of canals and mooring locations, basically anywhere from Braunston to Mercia would put you 2 hours or so from either.    There are a lot of marinas, if that is what you are looking for.

Fazely or The Samuel Barlow look good

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1 hour ago, Clodi said:

I'll be myself and my wife, we'll be using a car, our house at present is in West Wales which hopefully will be on the market. Our problem is not knowing the area.

Once you leave West Wales public transport is quite easy, speshly in the Midlands area you are looking at.

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Been so long in Wales have forgotten what public transport is. I would guess the best bet would be to find secure cheap mooring, possibly a marina, (though not too fussed about electric), to use as a base whilst we have a chance to cruise around and check out the area.

As already mentioned do not need residential moorings but security is important also parking. A convenient water point would be great, at present we have to do 4 locks to turn around.

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2 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Pretty much any mooring/marina on the Trent and Mersey is within easy reach of motorways and major trunk A roads that will take you to Bristol and York. Similarly with the Leicester branch of the GU and the River Soar. True of most of the Midlands canals in fact, with a few exceptions, like parts of the Shropie and the far end of the Caldon. You can mostly base your choice on other criteria, like facilities, flood risk, aesthetics and cruising range.

 

Jen

And price!

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We stopped briefly in King's Bromley - then booked ourselves a mooring for the winter - then did it again the next year. We're moving to somewhere else for next winter just for a change but we've found them to be excellent in all respects. We're not residential but do like to spend a few days on the boat from time to time. They are dog-friendly, and they do all they can to help -for example (at no extra cost) when we're not on board they monitor our electricity meter every week and automatically top it up when necessary (we leave a couple of heaters with frost-stats switched on). They are quite handy for car transport, or just a short cab ride from Lichfield Trent Valley station. Their price is quite reasonable for a busy marina.

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I'm not sure how surprised I am that there's a website for the OP's question, i.e. http://www.whatshalfway.com

It does seem rather a niche site, but that's the Internet for you. Perhaps matty40s used it, because the answer it seems is postcode M42 B79, on the M42 a few miles NW of Alvecote Marina near Tamworth. So there's your answer.

Please bear in mind that when you're only halfway up to York you'll be neither up nor down. 

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What do your sons think?

Do they give two hoots where your boat is?

They have moved or are moving out and university is intended to give them their independence.

Mooring your boat near York or Bristol and using it as student accommodation might make more sense?  But you will lose the use of your boat !

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7 hours ago, Keeping Up said:

We stopped briefly in King's Bromley - then booked ourselves a mooring for the winter - then did it again the next year. We're moving to somewhere else for next winter just for a change but we've found them to be excellent in all respects. We're not residential but do like to spend a few days on the boat from time to time. They are dog-friendly, and they do all they can to help -for example (at no extra cost) when we're not on board they monitor our electricity meter every week and automatically top it up when necessary (we leave a couple of heaters with frost-stats switched on). They are quite handy for car transport, or just a short cab ride from Lichfield Trent Valley station. Their price is quite reasonable for a busy marina.

 

Do you find it easy to get taxi's willing to take a dog? I ask because we (also in the Midlands) are finding more difficulty with this.

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6 hours ago, Peter X said:

I'm not sure how surprised I am that there's a website for the OP's question, i.e. http://www.whatshalfway.com

It does seem rather a niche site, but that's the Internet for you. Perhaps matty40s used it, because the answer it seems is postcode M42 B79, on the M42 a few miles NW of Alvecote Marina near Tamworth. So there's your answer.

Please bear in mind that when you're only halfway up to York you'll be neither up nor down. 

Interesting web site!  However n this case I don’t think the exact minimum point is really what to go on when picking where to locate a boat.  I would say more importantly pick where you want to be from a canal perspective.  If you are prepared to be two and a half hours from each rather than the minimum of two hours you have a massive choice of locations.

Just now, frahkn said:

 

Do you find it easy to get taxi's willing to take a dog? I ask because we (also in the Midlands) are finding more difficulty with this.

Almost impossible in my experience, and a big issue to us.  We usually end up with one of us getting taxi and train home to then come back with a car to get the other and the dog.  In fairness it is easier with stuff you want to take home like washing as well, but without the dog (or taxis taking dogs) we would have the option of us both going home together.

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Good public transport links to Nottingham, Newark and Lincoln.

 

All will have ample mooring choices from marinas to online moorings.

8 minutes ago, frahkn said:

 

Do you find it easy to get taxi's willing to take a dog? I ask because we (also in the Midlands) are finding more difficulty with this.

Black cabs are almost always willing to take a dog. We have not had a problem yet in either Sheffield or Lincoln with black cabs and private hire.

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11 hours ago, matty40s said:

Once you leave West Wales public transport is quite easy, speshly in the Midlands area you are looking at.

As is getting around by car. Nowhere near as time consuming to travel considerable distances across the Midlands with the extensive main road and motorway network, compared with West Wales. I have done daily commutes to places 50 to 70 miles away by car or train that only took an hour or so each way. Not enjoyable, but practical. The biggest problem is everyone else trying to travel at the same time and clogging up the roads.

 

Jen

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3 hours ago, frahkn said:

 

Do you find it easy to get taxi's willing to take a dog? I ask because we (also in the Midlands) are finding more difficulty with this.

I haven't tried in that area, like others I generally use the taxi to get to the station then I catch the train home to fetch the car.

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3 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

Good public transport links to Nottingham, Newark and Lincoln.

 

All will have ample mooring choices from marinas to online moorings.

Black cabs are almost always willing to take a dog. We have not had a problem yet in either Sheffield or Lincoln with black cabs and private hire.

 

There are hundreds of black cabs in Birmingham but virtually none of them will accept a dog, even our goldie - a picture of gentleness and restraint - I believe (but of course, cannot prove) that this is due to cultural issues with the drivers.

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8 minutes ago, frahkn said:

 

There are hundreds of black cabs in Birmingham but virtually none of them will accept a dog, even our goldie - a picture of gentleness and restraint - I believe (but of course, cannot prove) that this is due to cultural issues with the drivers.

Get yourself a white stick... ;)

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12 hours ago, Clodi said:

Been so long in Wales have forgotten what public transport is. I would guess the best bet would be to find secure cheap mooring, possibly a marina, (though not too fussed about electric), to use as a base whilst we have a chance to cruise around and check out the area.

As already mentioned do not need residential moorings but security is important also parking. A convenient water point would be great, at present we have to do 4 locks to turn around.

May not suit you but that is what we have at Park Farm but its up near Anderton, 10 minutes to the M6

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12 hours ago, Clodi said:

As already mentioned do not need residential moorings but security is important also parking. A convenient water point would be great, at present we have to do 4 locks to turn around.

 

If you chose Alvecote it is secure and has parking. Water is available there as well.

 

Another bonus is the ease of turning around, outside the adjacent Sammy Barlow pub heading towards Coventry or 5 minutes up the cut if heading towards Tamworth, so no locks involved in turning around.

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