Freedom
Active Member
Probably should have posted this here
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246772
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246772
London to Bristol
- Thread starter Freedom
- Start date
rr_123
Well-Known Member
sounds like a great trip, and an adventure that would keep readers of these forums (fora?) interested, especially if you kept a thread going with pictures.
You can get a visitor's license for the Thames without going through the boat safety inspection, but you have to make a declaration that your boat would "pass" - obviously you're not a surveyor but it really means nothing obviously dodgy on the boat, and no sea toilet without a holding tank. Not sure if the same is true for the K and A, but someone here will probably know.
You could do the bit from central London to Reading where you'd join the K and A in a couple of days comfortably, but I would suggest that if you're going to do this trip you get a one week visitor's ticket and enjoy the Thames as you pass through, maybe going a bit further upstream than you need to and then turning back.
I don't know much about the canals, you don't pay per lock but you have to operate them yourselves and will need a windlass (maybe two...) to do that. Also when you get to the Caen hill flight near Devizes you will go through about thirty, and when you have spent all day operating locks you will still be able to see where you started from (c:
I would happily bung a few quid in your bucket, my father died of Leukaemia at 65 which still seems a bit cruel 20 years on!
R
You can get a visitor's license for the Thames without going through the boat safety inspection, but you have to make a declaration that your boat would "pass" - obviously you're not a surveyor but it really means nothing obviously dodgy on the boat, and no sea toilet without a holding tank. Not sure if the same is true for the K and A, but someone here will probably know.
You could do the bit from central London to Reading where you'd join the K and A in a couple of days comfortably, but I would suggest that if you're going to do this trip you get a one week visitor's ticket and enjoy the Thames as you pass through, maybe going a bit further upstream than you need to and then turning back.
I don't know much about the canals, you don't pay per lock but you have to operate them yourselves and will need a windlass (maybe two...) to do that. Also when you get to the Caen hill flight near Devizes you will go through about thirty, and when you have spent all day operating locks you will still be able to see where you started from (c:
I would happily bung a few quid in your bucket, my father died of Leukaemia at 65 which still seems a bit cruel 20 years on!
R
Chris_d
Well-Known Member
I have wanted to do this trip for years, thought about doing it in with my last 24ft sports cruiser on which we did the K&A up as far as Newbury before they raised the bridge there, that was the only barrier at only 6ft6' high. Also being petrol it was a bit impractical to get fuel etc.. However I reckon you could do it in something like a diesel Sealine 23 etc.. and it would be an fantastic trip, combining the Thames, K&A Canal, rivers Severn and Avon then all round the south coast.
Andrew_Fanner
Well-Known Member
I have taken a Norman Conquest from Newbury to Limehouse and back in 10 days with time off for Legoland and pub breaks. Elderly 2 stroke 35hp Johnson and ISTR about 18 gallns of petrol. I've also taken said Conquest to Bath and back on the K%A. Not gracious living but quite possible. If I were to choose a boat it would be one of the small Hardys, perfectly capable. The Barge at Seend Cleeve is still excellent as a reward for getting down Caen Hill and the flight afterwards.
BSC applies on the canals AS WELL.
BSC applies on the canals AS WELL.
Jaysay
Active Member
I think you would enjoy it - I have been as far as Bath a few times, though in a narrowboat.
You will need a British Waterways licence (you can get short-term ones) and a British Waterways key to unlock the padlocks on bridges, water points and Elsan dumps (key should come with the licence). The journey would take about a week from Reading to Bath, with maybe another 2 - 3 days beyond that to Bristol. Speed limit is 4 mph - you won't be able to go faster anyway because of the hydrodynamics of shallow water. You will need a chemical toilet or holding tank - there are good facilities for both on the K&A canal. Take a hose for water - hose reels are not provided. Fuel points are as good as on the Thames, but petrol would have to be obtained by can from the nearest garage. Navigation is not a problem! Nicholsons do a good guide, showing facilities, towns etc. I cannot remember the lowest headroom off-hand (not a problem in a narrowboat!), but you can probably Google an answer, or Nicholsons will tell you; I rather suspect that air draft may be your biggest problem as there are several very low bridges.
Pros and cons: Passing through Reading shopping centre, with its traffic-light-controlled one-way system is great fun, especially if the current is behind you. I would go through Fobney Lock (Reading) in the very early morning - there is a "youth problem" at other times. You will find the stretch of the K&A up to Newbury a bit urban at times, with quite a few road bridges that you have to open yourself (very popular in the rush hour, especially at Aldermaston); some are by hand, some electric, but all easy to do. After Newbury the canal is very rural and pleasant, with a long lock-free reach ('pound') between Wooton Rivers and Devizes. The Caen Flight is fun the first time, especially if you have friends or a good crew to help - allow half a day, roughly (it is not quite such fun the third and fourth time). As with all canals, you can moor anywhere on the towpath side, but the K&A can be a bit shallow or overgrown near the banks, hence the benefit (mentioned earlier) of carrying a gangplank. A barge pole or similar spar is also useful in the event of grounding - typical depth in the centre of the canal is 3 - 4 feet and the profile is saucer-shaped. Moor firmly and with tight warps as you get quite a surge on canals from passing boats. All of the locks are self hand operated (see earlier comment on needing a windlass), which makes for good social interaction. All of the locks on the K&A are also variable in design and state of repair (let us say, 'a little agricultural'). If you intend to stop in Bath, I would moor on the eastern edge at Sydney Gardens - it is free and there is less of a problem with late-night revellers in the centre of the city. You join the Avon at Bath, then to Bristol. I believe there is quite a fee to enter Bristol Harbour, maybe £40?
If you decide to do the trip, then contact me via this forum and I will help you down the Caen flight - I live near Devizes. Hope that helps (phew!).
You will need a British Waterways licence (you can get short-term ones) and a British Waterways key to unlock the padlocks on bridges, water points and Elsan dumps (key should come with the licence). The journey would take about a week from Reading to Bath, with maybe another 2 - 3 days beyond that to Bristol. Speed limit is 4 mph - you won't be able to go faster anyway because of the hydrodynamics of shallow water. You will need a chemical toilet or holding tank - there are good facilities for both on the K&A canal. Take a hose for water - hose reels are not provided. Fuel points are as good as on the Thames, but petrol would have to be obtained by can from the nearest garage. Navigation is not a problem! Nicholsons do a good guide, showing facilities, towns etc. I cannot remember the lowest headroom off-hand (not a problem in a narrowboat!), but you can probably Google an answer, or Nicholsons will tell you; I rather suspect that air draft may be your biggest problem as there are several very low bridges.
Pros and cons: Passing through Reading shopping centre, with its traffic-light-controlled one-way system is great fun, especially if the current is behind you. I would go through Fobney Lock (Reading) in the very early morning - there is a "youth problem" at other times. You will find the stretch of the K&A up to Newbury a bit urban at times, with quite a few road bridges that you have to open yourself (very popular in the rush hour, especially at Aldermaston); some are by hand, some electric, but all easy to do. After Newbury the canal is very rural and pleasant, with a long lock-free reach ('pound') between Wooton Rivers and Devizes. The Caen Flight is fun the first time, especially if you have friends or a good crew to help - allow half a day, roughly (it is not quite such fun the third and fourth time). As with all canals, you can moor anywhere on the towpath side, but the K&A can be a bit shallow or overgrown near the banks, hence the benefit (mentioned earlier) of carrying a gangplank. A barge pole or similar spar is also useful in the event of grounding - typical depth in the centre of the canal is 3 - 4 feet and the profile is saucer-shaped. Moor firmly and with tight warps as you get quite a surge on canals from passing boats. All of the locks are self hand operated (see earlier comment on needing a windlass), which makes for good social interaction. All of the locks on the K&A are also variable in design and state of repair (let us say, 'a little agricultural'). If you intend to stop in Bath, I would moor on the eastern edge at Sydney Gardens - it is free and there is less of a problem with late-night revellers in the centre of the city. You join the Avon at Bath, then to Bristol. I believe there is quite a fee to enter Bristol Harbour, maybe £40?
If you decide to do the trip, then contact me via this forum and I will help you down the Caen flight - I live near Devizes. Hope that helps (phew!).
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Andrew_Fanner
Well-Known Member
No Caen no pain
Loggo
Well-Known Member
Lumee jaysay ! Is that an open offer to anyone ??
Andrew_Fanner
Well-Known Member
Seconded, can I book you (x 2) during the 1st week of August please
Unless FiL has a brainstorm and decides that Newbury and Reading are more interesting than BoA and Bath ofcmiket
Well-Known Member
Wonderful book
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Unlikely-Voyage-Jack-Crow-Odyssey/dp/1574091522
This is a wonderful book "The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow" and describes the journey of a Mirror dinghy from Worcester to the Black Sea, via Severn, Bristol Channel, K&A canal, Thames, Channel crossing and on via the Danube to the Black Sea.
Amusingly written and none the worse for being a sailing dinghy rather than a motor boat.
Given to me by Micky (Are you still lurking, Micky) who bought one of my previous boats to do the same trip. Not sure he made it, but hopefully still planned.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Unlikely-Voyage-Jack-Crow-Odyssey/dp/1574091522
This is a wonderful book "The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow" and describes the journey of a Mirror dinghy from Worcester to the Black Sea, via Severn, Bristol Channel, K&A canal, Thames, Channel crossing and on via the Danube to the Black Sea.
Amusingly written and none the worse for being a sailing dinghy rather than a motor boat.
Given to me by Micky (Are you still lurking, Micky) who bought one of my previous boats to do the same trip. Not sure he made it, but hopefully still planned.
Jaysay
Active Member
Seconded, can I book you (x 2) during the 1st week of August please
My dear chap of course (and anyone else), though not sure what I'm doing next August for certain...Send me a private message with a bit of notice, nearer the time
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