English lesson sought

[floatingmetal]

I live on a narrowboat in West London (Paddington Arm of the Grand Union) however I've no cruised any further east than Little Venice. I do know that a couple of my neighbours who did out towards the Lee and ran in to some trouble - one of them got badly beaten up. That was a couple of years ago though. I've never cruised out that way so I can't comment on the area first hand.

I have done the ring from here, up to the Midlands, down the Oxford, along the Thames and back in. Single handed and doing longish days, it takes a fortnight with a weekend off in the middle, so longer than you have to play with. In general terms I'd say don't try to do too much as I assume you're here for a holiday rather than hard work!

If you can fit it in, the stretch of Thames from Limehouse to Brentford could be worth doing as you can see lots of landmarks from the river side. You'll need to check tide times as the river is tidal up to Teddington which is a bit further up from Brentford. Last time I did that stretch we had to leave about 7.30am or thereabouts. You'd need to check with the hire company that you were allowed to go out on that part of the Thames. Above Teddington might be tempting but the one thing I'd warn you about there is that moorings can sometimes be hard to find - both side of the river bank are basically private propery so you can't just stop where you like. You'll find people sometimes stop cruising by about 3pm just so they can find somewhere to tie up! On a canal you can stop pretty much anywhere along the towpath side so that's easy.

If you have any questions, or want any maps posted over, do PM me. Don't know everything but might be able to help sanity check any suggested routes, etc.

To be vaguely on topic, I've spent today in a slightly below the knee demin skirt that I got in the sale at H&M. Since I exposed the neighbours to my Utilikilt last year, I might try them with it since it's vaguely kilt-ish before working more towards the short black thing I'm wearing now... If the weather is really good, I might *possibly* wear the Utilikilt to the Crick Boat Show in a few weeks. Maybe...!

Graham.

[Milfmog]

As B&B suggested, the Kennet and Avon could be an excellent choice as it allows you to head west, away from London, possibly as far as Bath (a beautiful city) and has many interesting features including the pumping station at Crofton powered by huge steam driven beam engines and a flight of 29 locks at Devizes (best attacked with a large crew or a group of other boats working co-operatively). It also includes the Limpley Stoke Aquaduct (and just above that is the excellent Cross Guns pub!) and a water wheel driven pumping station at Staverton that used to top up the infamous "Limpley Stoke dry section".

If you go that way, be nice to the pumping station; many years ago as a school boy (told you it was long ago) I helped to a very small degree with the restoration of the water wheels. I still remember the pain of the blisters caused by chipping rust off the metal with a hammer for hours at a time.

It might be worth talking to a few hire companies as it is sometimes possible to arrange one way cruises if there is another group willing to do the return trip the following week and a willing boat yard to check the boat over between cruises. I've never managed a one way trip but a couple of my friends seem to fall on their feet like that every time they go away.

Have fun,



Ian.

PS Apologies if some of the place names spellings are incorrect - it's been a while...

[Big and Bashful]

Milfmog,
Yep, I would like to try the K&A myself but it is a bit too far for me and my cronies from Sheffield. A 29 lock flight sounds like nothing after the Worcester Tardebigge flight, 58 locks make for a long day, with the top 31 locks making a fantastic 2 hours (and 5 minutes). However those are very fast narrow locks and a pleasure to attack. Are the K&A narrow or wide locks? because wide ones are so much slower. By the way , if heading down from Tardbigge to Worcester, after those first thirty or so locks, there is a pub with good beer, good cider and a carvery, heaven after the exercise. One year we went down that flight and continued down the last sixteen after the boatyard just for a final night in Worcester. With only four people locking and steering because number 5 was in a huff. Good times and a brilliant canal. How many locks would that be? the Stourport ring plus 32 locks? And how do I put on weight with that sort of exercise? Oh yes, good beer and food, that's how.

[Milfmog]

B&B,


We're getting way off topic now but to answer your question the K&A is a wide (14 foot) canal. The Cain Hill flight at Devizes is best noted for several excellent pubs selling Wadsworth's famous falling over water, but they would, given that the brewery is also in Devizes...

Have fun,


Ian.

PS There is some good information about the K&A to be found here.

[prof]

Ah, yes, I know Tardebigge well - been up and down it quite a few times now. (I think I might remember the pub mentioned, though I'm not keen on pubs which confuse their purpose with the provision of food - indeed I recall standing in a pub near Burton-on-Trent once, when someone came in and asked for a pint of lager, the landlord said "If you want that muck you'll have to go somewhere else, I won't have it in my pub.")

In, I think, 1979 or 1980, we had a holiday on the BCN, and got to the top of the Wolverhampton flight of 21 locks somewhat too early for one of our crew to go to the pub for the evening. So, at his insistence, to use up some time, and work up a significant thirst, we went down the 21, turned round, and came back up them - then went to the pub.

[crfriend]

We're getting way off topic now but to answer your question the K&A is a wide (14 foot) canal.

"Off topic" can be in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I am really enjoying a lot of this thread because it's introducing me to things that just don't exist on this side of "The Pond".

There is some good information about the K&A to be found here.

And thank you especially for that gem!

[Big and Bashful]

Oh come on Prof! after a gallon of good beer, what could be better that rinsing the beer down with a good basic meal? Specially after thirty locks, every time we have done that flight we make it harder by catching up to then 'helping' the boat in front until they give in and let us pass them. We must be mad, but it does help us generate a good thirst!
Now that we are getting older a laid back route like the 4 Counties works better, good beer there as well.

[SkirtDude]

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[Big and Bashful]

Skirtdude,
Yes, most of the English canals still have mitre gates, my favourite type of lock has split lower gates and a single top gate with nice basic finger crushing rack and pinion based paddle gear. A lot of locks had hydraulic paddle gear fitted but it needs far more winding and often refuses to stay fully open.
Guillotine gates are a rarity and powered gates are only found on larger canal navigations and rivers.
The best part of the English canals is that they are small and you work the locks yourself unlike large locks where you depend on lockkeepers and have to dodge ships.
They also give you an appetite. Oh, and a thirst.

[prof]

Oh come on Prof! after a gallon of good beer, what could be better that rinsing the beer down with a good basic meal? Specially after thirty locks, every time we have done that flight we make it harder by catching up to then 'helping' the boat in front until they give in and let us pass them. We must be mad, but it does help us generate a good thirst!
Now that we are getting older a laid back route like the 4 Counties works better, good beer there as well.

We've frequently 'assisted' the boat or boats in front, with our crew of 12. However, ideal post pub, post thirst food is a curry - preferably in one of the Balsall Heath curry emporia in inner Birmingham. Nothing else matches it, and so, if such is unavailable, I would rather carry on drinking decent ale in the sort of pub which has no food, no 'jukebox', no piped 'muzak', and definitely no children.

[Big and Bashful]

Prof,
You have the same taste in pubs as me, no kids, unless they are on the menu! no music unless it is real- case in point: The Sun in Llangollen, live blues band till 2 in the morning, good choice of real ale and had to search for staff yo let us out once we had finished off the beer!
As far as curry houses, never tried Birmingham, love Glasgow for curries but the best I know is one restaurant in Helensburgh, Argyll & Bute. It is called No. 28 and everywhere else I have eaten just pales into insignificance.

[prof]

Thanks B&B, I shall look the Helensburgh one next time I'm in the area.

As far as music is concerned, I'm afraid that by preference as well as professionally I favour only what might be termed serious music - or misnamed 'classical' music - and never want any as a kind of wallpaper. It's probably one of the perils of studying music so much, that one cannot let it 'wash over' one, if music is heard it has to receive one's concentration.

[Big and Bashful]

Prof,
I agree music needs your full attention but I admit I have a very wide taste, if you do visit the area, PM me and maybe we can arrange a meet.