Canal Boat Holidays Revised

Subject: Canal Boat Holidays Revised
From: Rivermusic
Date: 07 Jan 16 - 04:35 PM

In order to take advantage of a better boat operating from a slightly more convenient base I have revised the proposed boats trips that I am organising this June.

Although running contiguously and using the same boat, the two trips are entirely separate. Bookings can be made for either of the two weeks or for the full two week trip. Cabins with king size, double and two single berths are available on both trips. The details are now as follows

Week 1 - We will leave the boatyard at Napton, Warwickshire on the lunchtime of Saturday 4th June. We will travel east along the Grand Union, and then north up to the Ashby Canal as far as its navigable terminus at Snarestone. Along the way we will pass Braunston, Rugby, Coventry and Hinckley before returning to Napton. The route is very leisurely encountering aqueducts and tunnels, but is lock free on the entire journey. We will return to the boatyard at Napton on Saturday 11th June.

Week 2 - We will leave the boatyard in Napton, Warwickshire during the afternoon of Saturday 11th June. We will travel along the South Oxford Canal in the direction of Banbury. Along the way we will pass many sites of interest and great beauty along the route to Banbury, and possibly beyond towards Oxford. We will return to Napton on Saturday 18th June.

Crewing the boat, working locks (2nd week) etc will be optional and always with guidance and, if necessary, instruction from an experienced narrowboat skipper with commercial boating experience. Food for meals, inc full breakfast, lunch and the majority of evening meals is provided for on a communal catering basis.

Each evening the boat will moor up close to a welcoming canalside hostelry where the option to enjoy a delightful session of music and song in a relaxed atmosphere will be available. The venues for the sessions are to be confirmed.

Total cost including
Boat Hire & Food
4th - 11th June £250 per person
11th - 18th June £250 per person

For further details contact
Neil Cardwell 07887 607008
Email [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Canal Boat Holidays Revised
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 08 Jan 16 - 04:22 AM

It sounds interesting.

How many people does the boat hold when full? Also what would be the minimum number of participants, including yourself, to make the trip viable?

DC

Subject: RE: Canal Boat Holidays Revised
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 08 Jan 16 - 04:25 AM

Is car parking available at the starting point?

DC

Subject: RE: Canal Boat Holidays Revised
From: Rivermusic
Date: 08 Jan 16 - 07:56 AM

The type of boat I am using has a maximum occupancy of 10 people. However, I am not intending to fill the boat to its capacity as this would involve having to convert a double bed at the front of the boat into a living space during the day time, and then converting it back into a bed at the end of the day. Also, in my experience it is far better to under crew a boat to make the journey more comfortable. There are four cabins, two with king size beds, one with two single berths and a fourth with two single berths that can be combined into a double bed. I can email a layout plan of the boat to anyone emailing me and requesting it. My wife and I will be taking up two of the eight available places on each trip, leaving six places available on each of the trips. However, if the idea proves to be hugely popular I can book another identical boat to broaden the capacity. I could even book two other very similar boats if necessary, but I do not anticipate this being the case. My wife and I will be contributing to the holiday financially just the same as any other crew members. I have simply taken the cost of the boat hire, added an estimated allowance to cover costs for provisions, and divided by eight to arrive at the cost quoted. If the boat did not have a full compliment on each trip I suppose we would subsidise the trip to make it viable, but this could not extend beyond the odd one or two missing crew members. Yes secure car parking is provided and included in the cost at the boatyard with the usual proviso that the proprietors cannot be held liable or responsible. Hope this helps.

Subject: RE: Canal Boat Holidays Revised
From: Rivermusic
Date: 09 Jan 16 - 09:26 AM

I've had it pointed out to me that technically I have made an error in my narrative regarding locks we will encounter during the first week of the trip. There is a lock at Hawkesbury Junction where the North Oxford Canal meets the Coventry Canal. However, this lock is only a stop lock, whose primary function when constructed was to prevent one canal company pinching another canal company's water in the days when different companies owned various parts of the canal network. Under normal circumstances the difference in the water levels between the two canals is very minimal, a matter of inches, and sometimes the levels are so equal that this type of lock can remain navigable without having to operate it as the gates at each end are left open.

Subject: RE: Canal Boat Holidays Revised
From: Rivermusic
Date: 10 Jan 16 - 09:58 AM

I have received a question asking whether or not we will be venturing down the arm of the canal that goes into Coventry itself. The short answer is that I wasn't intending to do so. Last year when we went around the Leicester ring, which incorporates the Coventry Canal, we went down the arm that goes into the heart of Coventry and we wished that we hadn't! Several times we grounded and got stuck on rubbish that had been thrown into the canal and it wasn't very picturesque as all there was to see along the canal was several large rodents and masses of rubbish filled carrier bags strewn from every available fence, post and railing. The whole section of the canal arm into Coventry was like a huge municipal tip. Does anyone know why people, presumably local people, had done this? I'm sure boaters weren't the cause as this is the only time I have ever seen this on any of the many canals I have been on. Mercifully the rest of the canal was delightful.

Subject: RE: Canal Boat Holidays Revised
From: Paul Burke
Date: 10 Jan 16 - 03:08 PM

Does anyone know why people, presumably local people, had done this?

Because there is a significant proportion of the population who are shite. Some of them have boats. If that's the first time you've seen such self- destructive behaviour on the canals, you haven't been to Wigan. Or tens of other places I could name. But Wigan.

Subject: RE: Canal Boat Holidays Revised
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 11 Jan 16 - 03:41 AM

It would be good to have more recycling points on the canals.

Coventry is a problem - our steering ceased to work ( panic ) and we found an old jacket wrapped round the propeller. Its a mucky canal and the basin at Coventry not very inviting. However, most of the canals are fabulous - and the many volunteers who work with the canal trust do a fabulous job.

FloraG.

Subject: RE: Canal Boat Holidays Revised
From: Rivermusic
Date: 11 Jan 16 - 08:26 AM

Strangely I spent part of my honeymoon passing the Wigan Pier and JJB Stadium on a boat, not to mention going up and down the daunting Wigan locks. It wasn't exactly pretty, but neither was it untidy, unkempt or strewn with rubbish. The phenomenon at Coventry was something else. There weren't a few unsightly plastic carrier bags filled with refuse here and there, there were hundreds, or maybe thousands of them. I wondered if they were the result of some sort of protest or refuse collection strike action. It was at the end of September last year. And yes Flora G now that you have reminded me I also had a trip down the weed hatch to free various items of clothing from around the propeller!

Subject: RE: Canal Boat Holidays Revised
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 11 Jan 16 - 08:50 AM

We have been walking the Leeds and Liverpool Canal towpath, but did not look forward to the length through Wigan.

However, the Wigan flashes are now recovering from the iron and coal industry. They are largely green, and we saw more birds and butterflies there than in many rural areas. They are home to the willow tit too.

And I crossed the canal footbridge to witness Wigan Athletic's Premier League struggles at the JJB Stadium, but also enjoyed four trips to Wembley.

Subject: RE: Canal Boat Holidays Revised
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Jan 16 - 10:18 AM

Yes I do remember that the Flashes were very pleasant, even six years ago, and they were a welcome relief after passing through the town centre. Not that there's anything wrong with Wigan's town centre, it's just that in common with just about every other town or city centre, it isn't all that picturesque. Mind you if I were to pick a mode of transport to pass through any urban landscape it would be along a canal as invariably the surroundings tend to be far pleasanter than any road or railway line. As for the JJB stadium, having previously worked in football (including for Wigan when Paul Jewel was the manager) I have seen Wigan's first team play at home 27 times, the last 5 times were at the JJB, and I've even been over there to watch a reserve game or two!

Subject: RE: Canal Boat Holidays Revised
From: Rivermusic
Date: 13 Jan 16 - 12:47 PM

Just to advise that there are still places left on both holidays, but that, due to already confirmed bookings, availability is getting very limited. However, as my wife and I can be flexible with regard to the cabin we use, it is still possible to offer accommodation in either a cabin with two single berths or in one of the cabins with a king size bed.

Subject: RE: Canal Boat Holidays Revised
From: Rivermusic
Date: 14 Jan 16 - 02:51 PM

Well would you believe it! I've just looked at my Nicholson's Waterways Guide 3 and somebody has gone and built three locks at Rugby that I'm sure weren't there when I looked at it the last time!!! But still three locks and a stop lock there and the same back is virtually lock free in a whole week of boating. Whilst going around the Leicester Ring my wife and I worked over twenty locks in one day. But this is far from advisable, particularly when it is teeming down with rain the whole day as it was for us!

Subject: RE: Canal Boat Holidays Revised
From: Rivermusic
Date: 15 Jan 16 - 04:17 PM

Has anyone any suggestions for welcoming canalside pubs along the Oxford Northern, Ashby and Oxford Southern canals that would be good to approach about hosting music sessions in?