Advice required,or am I daft?

[Appleyard]

This being my first time on this forum,I would welcome any hints and suggestions.....

We (me&she) expect to have some time this autumn/winter for a holiday,& would like to spend it in the UK for a change.
I have always fancied a canal type trip but would this be feasible during the winter? I know that many if not all canal boats have heaters etc., so would be reasonably comfortable.We live in Scotland,but would be interested in somewhere north England/midlands.Do any hire companies operate during this time?

We sail during the summer in Greece and Turkey ,on a boat with an engine as well as big flappy things ,so should be reasonably competent.

Any advice and suggestions are welcome.

 

[sturmvogel190a]

This being my first time on this forum,I would welcome any hints and suggestions.....

We (me&she) expect to have some time this autumn/winter for a holiday,& would like to spend it in the UK for a change.
I have always fancied a canal type trip but would this be feasible during the winter? I know that many if not all canal boats have heaters etc., so would be reasonably comfortable.We live in Scotland,but would be interested in somewhere north England/midlands.Do any hire companies operate during this time?

We sail during the summer in Greece and Turkey ,on a boat with an engine as well as big flappy things ,so should be reasonably competent.

Any advice and suggestions are welcome.

Most hire boats will have central heating and a wood burner/multi fuel stove so heat no probs as you have hinted at ,BW stoppages ie lock repairs and Ice if we get some thick enough are the only things to hold you up/stop you Steve.
Crunching through ice on the canal with a narrow boat is a wonderfully therapeutic feeling ....bit like popping bubble wrap but much better

 

[oldgit]

The downside is poss. days and days of dull drizzle stuck in a tiny tin box staring out at a cold dark riverbank and bare branches in the nether regions of some god forsaken industrial town.

The up side could be some cold crisp days with brilliant blue sky with a stark winter landscape going past your window, then going to bed knowing that neither wind,tide or ROCNA will be a reason you have to get up at 3.30 AM because something does not feel right.
The river bank will be where you left it.
Did the Cheshire Ring a few years ago and loved every second.

 

[landlockedpirate]

We have hired a canal day boat a few times during the winter for family day trips. Its a great way to get a water fix. As mentioned, on a crisp cold day its fantastic and these boats stay suprisingly warm, even with just a couple of small heaters.

Lots of firms do close over winter, it might be worth ringing them directly (rather than using Blakes/Hoseasons etc) to see if they will hire one to you.

If you dont fancy locks (bit miserable working them in the rain) try hire bases on the Bridgewater canal in Cheshire, lots of pubs and restaurants and no locks.

 

[Appleyard]

Great replies fellas...sounds as if I might not be as deluded as I first thought. As for the possibility of bad weather,which let's face it you can get at any time of year,we will just have to take a flyer and hope for the best.
The Cheshire ring sounds like the type of thing I was thinking about...some decent pubs & so on . Is that the same canal system as the Bridgewater ? I will have to get on to the net & read up a bit.

I wasn't thinking so much of a narrow boat,more a cruiser ,but would welcome any thoughts.Keep the ideas coming!!

As L.L.P said ,a water fix in mid winter would be very welcome.

 

[duncanmack]

This being my first time on this forum,I would welcome any hints and suggestions.....

We (me&she) expect to have some time this autumn/winter for a holiday,& would like to spend it in the UK for a change.
I have always fancied a canal type trip but would this be feasible during the winter? I know that many if not all canal boats have heaters etc., so would be reasonably comfortable.We live in Scotland,but would be interested in somewhere north England/midlands.Do any hire companies operate during this time?

We sail during the summer in Greece and Turkey ,on a boat with an engine as well as big flappy things ,so should be reasonably competent.

Any advice and suggestions are welcome.

I spent a week in February on the Llangollen canal a few years ago. It was great. Especially as there weren't too many nutters around - wouldn't begin to consider it in high season.
Good central heating. Anyway, it only snowed once. Narrow boat is good fun but if you go down that route then consider the choice of stern. Traditional has your head and shoulders out the stern hatch. IIRC Semi-Trad has a stern deck, which was better for us.

The question of you being daft has no bearing on this. I don't recall that you're any dafter than me.....

 

[Appleyard]

Thanks for the info about Narrowboats,Duncan,but apropos your final comment...dunno whether to be reassured or not!

 

[TrueBlue]

Virtually all boats for hire on the canals are steel narrowboats (cruisers don't take well to crashing around...). There are some broad beam boats available on the Grand Union and possibly the Leeds and Liverpool canals.

The Cheshire ring has a lot of locks and I wouldn't recommend it for a first trip or a winter one.

Have a look at BW's winter closure page here which will determine where you could go.

I would have thought that the Oxford canal or possibly the 4 counties ring would suit you better.
For the Oxford I'd suggest Oxfordshire narrowboats, a favourite of mine as their boats are nice

For the Counties ring, then the Alvechurch group have a base at Anderton on the ring, and several other bases around the system.

Bear in mind that cruising times assume spring / summer daylight type hours......

 

[sturmvogel190a]

Virtually all boats for hire on the canals are steel narrowboats (cruisers don't take well to crashing around...). There are some broad beam boats available on the Grand Union and possibly the Leeds and Liverpool canals.

The Cheshire ring has a lot of locks and I wouldn't recommend it for a first trip or a winter one.

Have a look at BW's winter closure page here which will determine where you could go.

I would have thought that the Oxford canal or possibly the 4 counties ring would suit you better.
For the Oxford I'd suggest Oxfordshire narrowboats, a favourite of mine as their boats are nice

For the Counties ring, then the Alvechurch group have a base at Anderton on the ring, and several other bases around the system.

Bear in mind that cruising times assume spring / summer daylight type hours......

Second the Oxford canal ...beautiful suroundings and being single locks easier for a newbie and you can pop out onto the Thames above Kings and head to Lechlade if she is not in winter flood mode .

 

[Appleyard]

Thanks everybody for the info. The Oxfordshire would seem to be promising,as they apparently operate in the winter.
I will let you all know how it goes!!!

 

[oldgit]

Thanks everybody for the info. The Oxfordshire would seem to be promising,as they apparently operate in the winter.
I will let you all know how it goes!!!

We WILL need to know which anchor is present and your comments on same please,any further info on seahorses, col regs and flags will be taken into consideration and held against you at a later date

 

[TrueBlue]

Thanks everybody for the info. The Oxfordshire would seem to be promising,as they apparently operate in the winter.
I will let you all know how it goes!!!

Oxfordshire have a calendar - but when I clicked on dates in December it said nothing available - so give them a bell to make sure.

If you should venture on to the Thames, then you'll need a licence (dunno if ONB have an arrangement on some boats), but you can buy one at a lock. The Thames has "proper locks"; those above Oxford have balance beams and they are exceptionally easy to operate (assume that lock keepers will be scarce in the winter).
Again if you decide to go "down" the canal Oxford is fantastic to visit by boat and the canal and river take you pretty well into the town centre. There are guided tours (ONLY do the ones organised by the Council as you'll be taken into some colleges not open to the public. Lots of shops. lots of restaurants.
Unashamedly recommended is SoJo in Hythe Bridge Street. Any day except Tuesday they do a Mongolian Wok; pile your choice of meat, veg, oils and spices in a bowl (be adventurous) and an elderly Chinese gentleman will cook if for you while you watch. Inexpensive too.

If you get a Thames licence (a one day pass effectively covers two days) it's easier to moor above Osney lock on the EA moorings and walk in. Makes quite a pleasant overnight mooring too. Not quite sure what moorings there are on the canal as the towpath is well made up so difficult to drive a pin in.