Weekend barge hire in the midlands....

Discussion in 'Bulletin Board' started by tobyornottoby, Jan 16, 2018.

  1. tobyornottoby

    tobyornottoby Well-Known Member

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    ....anyone with an enjoyable experience leading to recommendation?

    ( never done it but seems to be the fewer locks the better).

    ta.
     
  2. mikeytyke34

    mikeytyke34 Active Member

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    Loved it. We hired from Sewerby bridge for 4 days. Locks are easy enough to do.
     
  3. Dod

    Dodgy Back Tyke Well-Known Member

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    The Llangollen Canal is very nice - particularly the Pontyscylytle (sp??!) Aqueduct is well worth doing. You can hire a boat from Chirk Marina for a few days if you want to check it out. I know this isn't the Midlands, but it is accessible and there aren't many locks. My late father in law used to manage a hire fleet some time ago so know it well.
     
  4. Mr Badger

    Mr Badger Well-Known Member

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    Alvechurch south of Birmingham. You can go down to Worcester. Boat hire company there.
     
  5. North Yorks Red

    North Yorks Red Well-Known Member

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    We did the Coventry and Ashby loads of cruising without touching a lock if you don’t want to
     
  6. Das

    Dassett tyke Active Member

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    Brummicham navy descend on these parts every year, usually around fairport weekend, at cropredy.
     
  7. tobyornottoby

    tobyornottoby Well-Known Member

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    I'm after 3 nights in Feb with a few pub stops and nice countryside and tbh would like a route that means going in a loop rather than there and back, plus minimal lock effort but I can't find one!
     
  8. Dod

    Dodgy Back Tyke Well-Known Member

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    Can't think of a 3 day loop - really minimum of 7 days. Good luck though.
     
  9. Mr Badger

    Mr Badger Well-Known Member

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    Bear in mind the 3mph you'll be doing. No chance of finding a loop to do in three days.
    If you want a charming little canal then the Stratford on Avon canal is really lovely. The river Avon itself down to Tewksbury is also very nice.
     
  10. tobyornottoby

    tobyornottoby Well-Known Member

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    Ah well I'm beginning to understand now. I shall investigate your kind suggestions. Thank you.
     
  11. nezbfc

    nezbfc Well-Known Member

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    You can also do alvechurch straight into gas steet basin.

    Without actually touching a lock at all.

    It does however have a massive long tunnel that takes about an hour to get through
     
  12. RedKestrel

    RedKestrel Well-Known Member

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    Birmingham to Branston looks good;
     
  13. jedi one

    jedi one Well-Known Member

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    fradley junction ( burton on trent) to frazeley sort of area
     
  14. gra

    grandfathertyke Well-Known Member

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    https://canalplan.eu/

    Check this site out. Just about everything you might need to know about hiring, planning a route, safety, the lot.
     
  15. gra

    grandfathertyke Well-Known Member

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  16. Brush

    Brush Well-Known Member

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    You could try Jannel Cruisers at Shobnall Marina in Burton. The Trent & Mersey is lovely through Staffordshire including the Cannock Chase area.
     
  17. madmark62

    madmark62 Well-Known Member

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    You do not want to hire a BARGE, you want to hire a narrowboat ! They are not the same thing and the names are not interchangable. This is a barge[​IMG]
     
  18. madmark62

    madmark62 Well-Known Member

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    4 mph, 6mph on Rivers.
     
  19. Red

    Red CB Well-Known Member

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    I won a week on a narrowboat holiday in a competition in the Sheffield Telegraph in 1984 , I was on strike at the time & used to enter free entry comps as a bit of a pastime , we went the following year & to be honest I did not know what to expect . We had two young kids & it was a holiday I would never have tried if I hadn"t got lucky , but it was fantastic. We picked up the boat at Nantwich in Cheshire & trundled up & down the Grand Union canal & we found the whole experience very enjoyable , I would definitely recommend it
     
    Jimmy viz likes this.
  20. Eas

    East Grinstead Tyke Active Member

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    Canal holidays are terrific but don’t over estimate the distance you can travel, especially in winter when the days are short. General rule is allow 20 minutes per mile and 30 minutes per lock. Canals will be quiet. Watch out for ice on the towpath and on your boat in the morning.
     

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