Melchett:
Lusk:
Live and learnAlways
I live and learn every single day from Toby1235 [emoji23]
I have three mates who live on boats, 2 lorry drivers and a ■■■■■ tarmac engineer.
I have reread this thread from start to finish.
Me and the future Missus Nut considered a narrowboat holiday. I have fairly serious mobility issues at the minute and she is worried that she would be up and down doing the locks whilst I steered with a pot of tea or a pint [emoji481] in my hand. I did look at Chirk and Llangollen as it has less locks, or whether to try the Broads instead.
Fantastic reading in this thread though!
Wheel Nut:
I have reread this thread from start to finish.
Me and the future Missus Nut considered a narrowboat holiday. I have fairly serious mobility issues at the minute and she is worried that she would be up and down doing the locks whilst I steered with a pot of tea or a pint [emoji481] in my hand. I did look at Chirk and Llangollen as it has less locks, or whether to try the Broads instead.Fantastic reading in this thread though!
If you hire a boat from (say) Clifton Cruisers at Rugby you can get all the way to the end of the Ashby Canal which is 35 miles each way with only one very small stop lock (fall of around 6 inches) at Hawkesbury to pass through.
Harry Monk:
Wheel Nut:
I have reread this thread from start to finish.
Me and the future Missus Nut considered a narrowboat holiday. I have fairly serious mobility issues at the minute and she is worried that she would be up and down doing the locks whilst I steered with a pot of tea or a pint [emoji481] in my hand. I did look at Chirk and Llangollen as it has less locks, or whether to try the Broads instead.Fantastic reading in this thread though!
If you hire a boat from (say) Clifton Cruisers at Rugby you can get all the way to the end of the Ashby Canal which is 35 miles each way with only one very small stop lock (fall of around 6 inches) at Hawkesbury to pass through.
Thanks. I have found your Facebook Desiree page, great photos.
I have a boating mate in Shardlow and another on private moorings on River Soar near Kegworth
How long have you lived on a narrow boat Harry?
UKtramp:
How long have you lived on a narrow boat Harry?
I’ve owned it for four years and lived on it for the last two years now, I moved aboard when I sold my truck.
Wheel Nut:
I have reread this thread from start to finish.
Me and the future Missus Nut considered a narrowboat holiday. I have fairly serious mobility issues at the minute and she is worried that she would be up and down doing the locks whilst I steered with a pot of tea or a pint [emoji481] in my hand. I did look at Chirk and Llangollen as it has less locks, or whether to try the Broads instead.Fantastic reading in this thread though!
But what does “The Future Missus Nut” think of your ambitions in trying out the broads instead?
Sorry…
Harry Monk:
UKtramp:
How long have you lived on a narrow boat Harry?I’ve owned it for four years and lived on it for the last two years now, I moved aboard when I sold my truck.
Fascinating thread to read, really love your boat and a bit envious of your life style to be honest. The wife and I along with a few friends (yes I have some) are hiring one for 3 weeks to sail from Cheshire to Wales. Really looking forward to it and so was really interested to read and see the pics you have put on.
UKtramp:
Harry Monk:
UKtramp:
How long have you lived on a narrow boat Harry?I’ve owned it for four years and lived on it for the last two years now, I moved aboard when I sold my truck.
Fascinating thread to read, really love your boat and a bit envious of your life style to be honest. The wife and I along with a few friends (yes I have some) are hiring one for 3 weeks to sail from Cheshire to Wales. Really looking forward to it and so was really interested to read and see the pics you have put on.
Just be aware that depending on where in Cheshire you are hiring from, it may not be possible to get to Wales at the moment because of a major canal breach at Middlewich which will probably not be repaired until the end of the year. Unless you go the long way round. 
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma … r-43432245
There are still plenty of other routes to take of course.
Harry Monk:
Just be aware that depending on where in Cheshire you are hiring from, it may not be possible to get to Wales because of a major canal breach at Middlewich which will probably not be repaired until the end of the year.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma … r-43432245
There are still plenty of other routes to take of course.
Thanks for this info, will check where we are going from as it is one of our friends we left the booking to. I will tell him this before he books it. We are sort of new to this type of holiday and just thought cheshire to Wales would be nice. Can you recommend any picturesque waterways? Preferably with nice pubs and restaurants along the route?
UKtramp:
Harry Monk:
Just be aware that depending on where in Cheshire you are hiring from, it may not be possible to get to Wales because of a major canal breach at Middlewich which will probably not be repaired until the end of the year.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma … r-43432245
There are still plenty of other routes to take of course.
Thanks for this info, will check where we are going from as it is one of our friends we left the booking to. I will tell him this before he books it. We are sort of new to this type of holiday and just thought cheshire to Wales would be nice. Can you recommend any picturesque waterways? Preferably with nice pubs and restaurants along the route?
The one I’m on at the moment, the Caldon Canal is probably one of the the most beautiful canals I’ve ever been on, and easily do-able in three weeks from Cheshire. Virtually all canals have pubs alongside at regular intervals which date back to the earliest days of canal transport which serve food, the best thing to do is buy a Pearson’s guide a few weeks before you go and look at that to plan your trip.
Harry Monk:
UKtramp:
Harry Monk:
Just be aware that depending on where in Cheshire you are hiring from, it may not be possible to get to Wales because of a major canal breach at Middlewich which will probably not be repaired until the end of the year.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma … r-43432245
There are still plenty of other routes to take of course.
Thanks for this info, will check where we are going from as it is one of our friends we left the booking to. I will tell him this before he books it. We are sort of new to this type of holiday and just thought cheshire to Wales would be nice. Can you recommend any picturesque waterways? Preferably with nice pubs and restaurants along the route?
The one I’m on at the moment, the Caldon Canal is probably one of the the most beautiful canals I’ve ever been on, and easily do-able in three weeks from Cheshire. Virtually all canals have pubs alongside at regular intervals which date back to the earliest days of canal transport which serve food, the best thing to do is buy a Pearson’s guide a few weeks before you go and look at that to plan your trip.
Cheers Harry. appreciate that.
All good stuff here.Yes the Tim n Pru effect,this should keep it expensive for the future,god i loathe television.Just wondering Harry if you’ve travelled the Avon Kennet route? does it connect with canals heading north,or would there be a spot of river work involved.I remember my late dad telling me of a trip he made as a youth around the Worsley coal mining regions,said it was paradoxically as scenic as the Dordogne region of France 
Hi Harry,
Just visited your Facebook pages. What a great insight into the world of narrowboating! Can you give us a list of your books on the subject? They should make good reading given your posts on here.
Les.
manalishi:
All good stuff here.Yes the Tim n Pru effect,this should keep it expensive for the future,god i loathe television.Just wondering Harry if you’ve travelled the Avon Kennet route? does it connect with canals heading north,or would there be a spot of river work involved.I remember my late dad telling me of a trip he made as a youth around the Worsley coal mining regions,said it was paradoxically as scenic as the Dordogne region of France
I’ve not done the K&A, maybe next year. It is partly canal, partly river and it connects with the Thames at its eastern end, so it’s possible to navigate from Bristol and Bath to Lancaster, Selby, Skipton etc. It’s not unusual for canals to use river sections for part of their length, I’ll be on the rivers Trent and Soar later this week.
kickstart:
Hi Harry,
Just visited your Facebook pages. What a great insight into the world of narrowboating! Can you give us a list of your books on the subject? They should make good reading given your posts on here.
Les.
Don’t have any books, think that might be Dan Brown you’re thinking of?
Sorry for the confusion Harry. In my defence, it was very late when I was reading your posts and looked at the Facebook page. Also, senility is setting in since I retired. (that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it.) I’ll get my coat.
Les.
Harry Monk:
manalishi:
All good stuff here.Yes the Tim n Pru effect,this should keep it expensive for the future,god i loathe television.Just wondering Harry if you’ve travelled the Avon Kennet route? does it connect with canals heading north,or would there be a spot of river work involved.I remember my late dad telling me of a trip he made as a youth around the Worsley coal mining regions,said it was paradoxically as scenic as the Dordogne region of FranceI’ve not done the K&A, maybe next year. It is partly canal, partly river and it connects with the Thames at its eastern end, so it’s possible to navigate from Bristol and Bath to Lancaster, Selby, Skipton etc. It’s not unusual for canals to use river sections for part of their length, I’ll be on the rivers Trent and Soar later this week.
Cheers for that Harry,i imagine the K&A has stupendous scenic potential,ditto the Cotswolds region that’s currently undergoing restoration work. Happy cruising if that’s the accepted parlance in narrowboat circles. 
manalishi:
Harry Monk:
manalishi:
All good stuff here.Yes the Tim n Pru effect,this should keep it expensive for the future,god i loathe television.Just wondering Harry if you’ve travelled the Avon Kennet route? does it connect with canals heading north,or would there be a spot of river work involved.I remember my late dad telling me of a trip he made as a youth around the Worsley coal mining regions,said it was paradoxically as scenic as the Dordogne region of FranceI’ve not done the K&A, maybe next year. It is partly canal, partly river and it connects with the Thames at its eastern end, so it’s possible to navigate from Bristol and Bath to Lancaster, Selby, Skipton etc. It’s not unusual for canals to use river sections for part of their length, I’ll be on the rivers Trent and Soar later this week.
Cheers for that Harry,i imagine the K&A has stupendous scenic potential,ditto the Cotswolds region that’s currently undergoing restoration work. Happy cruising if that’s the accepted parlance in narrowboat circles.
I hope to do the K&A next year, if one of my boys can come along to help me with the Caen Hill flight because working one lock single-handed is hard enough work, let alone this lot.
I went past the end of the Stroudwater Canal a month or so ago, at the moment the navigation is fully restored between Stroud and Stonehouse but not connected to the main network, although they’ve just been granted £23 million of lottery funds so the restoration work should be completed in a few years.
Harry Monk:
manalishi:
Harry Monk:
manalishi:
All good stuff here.Yes the Tim n Pru effect,this should keep it expensive for the future,god i loathe television.Just wondering Harry if you’ve travelled the Avon Kennet route? does it connect with canals heading north,or would there be a spot of river work involved.I remember my late dad telling me of a trip he made as a youth around the Worsley coal mining regions,said it was paradoxically as scenic as the Dordogne region of FranceI’ve not done the K&A, maybe next year. It is partly canal, partly river and it connects with the Thames at its eastern end, so it’s possible to navigate from Bristol and Bath to Lancaster, Selby, Skipton etc. It’s not unusual for canals to use river sections for part of their length, I’ll be on the rivers Trent and Soar later this week.
Cheers for that Harry,i imagine the K&A has stupendous scenic potential,ditto the Cotswolds region that’s currently undergoing restoration work. Happy cruising if that’s the accepted parlance in narrowboat circles.
I hope to do the K&A next year, if one of my boys can come along to help me with the Caen Hill flight because working one lock single-handed is hard enough work, let alone this lot.
I went past the end of the Stroudwater Canal a month or so ago, at the moment the navigation is fully restored between Stroud and Stonehouse but not connected to the main network, although they’ve just been granted £23 million of lottery funds so the restoration work should be completed in a few years.
Crikey don’t forget to pack the deepheat those their locks look formidable.PS did you say you once traversed the Manchester Ship Canal?..me and my sister regularly visited Irlam locks as nippers waiting for the huge ships to enter the giant lock there.Magical times.I always take a wistful glance westwards when driving over the nearby motorway bridge but never a vessel to be seen.Is that stretch narrowboatable/