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A week from Marston Junction....


lampini

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We have a permanent mooring at the bottom of the Ashby Canal, near Marston Junction. We have a rare week off 3-10 June... which way should we go?? (Coventry is out, we want nice pubs and rural scenery! And walks!) 

We brought the boat down from Gt Haywood last spring so have done that bit but never been towards Rugby/Braunston way... any good? 

 

cheers! Xx

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Yes! Go South. In a reasonably vigorous week you would get down to Banbury and back. The North Oxford can be moderately grim in parts (long straight sections, adjacent railway line) but it's worth the effort to reach the South Oxford through Napton and Cropredy, a most enjoyable scenic route. Pubs are spaced out, but there are some good ones (Folly at Napton, Brasenose at Cropredy for example).

As usual when making such posts, I must declare an interest, as we moor in Cropredy village.

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As Athy says, head south.

The section of the north oxford between haweksbury and braunston can be dull, but there are some lovely spots to stop away from the railway, just not many, not a lot fo pubs either.

Guessing you have been all the way up to the end of the Ashby already?

 

Think i have seen your boat moored by the stables?

 

 

 

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That's us Dave! 

Wot I should have mentioned is that we are both feeling rather wrung out from work, so I've tried putting only a 4 hour day into canalplan.... which kinda only takes us as far as Braunston, with a day to mooch around before we head back... We'd both love to come down to cropredy - Jon loves it round there and I'd love to have the opportunity to meet mr Athy and buy him a well-deserved tipple of his choice for past help/encouragement/and being a general good egg! ;-)

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3 minutes ago, lampini said:

That's us Dave! 

Wot I should have mentioned is that we are both feeling rather wrung out from work, so I've tried putting only a 4 hour day into canalplan.... which kinda only takes us as far as Braunston, with a day to mooch around before we head back... We'd both love to come down to cropredy - Jon loves it round there and I'd love to have the opportunity to meet mr Athy and buy him a well-deserved tipple of his choice for past help/encouragement/and being a general good egg! ;-)

There aren't exactly many locks on that route until you get to Napton, so unless you find steering really tiring it shouldn't take it out of you.  At the very least you should cover the bit between Braunston and Napton, which is really lovely (at least ten times better than the North Oxford, IMO). It's the section which is both the Grand Union and the Oxford, and because of that is home to my favourite quirk of the canal system:  boat going north on the GU are traveling in one direction, while those going north on the Oxford and travelling the opposite way.

Also, the advantage of having your own boat is that you're not stuck with the hire boat week of 3pm Saturday to 9am the next Saturday.  You can arrive on the Friday evening and leave on Sunday evening, giving you nine days instead of six and a bit.

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1 minute ago, adam1uk said:

There aren't exactly many locks on that route until you get to Napton, so unless you find steering really tiring it shouldn't take it out of you.  At the very least you should cover the bit between Braunston and Napton, which is really lovely (at least ten times better than the North Oxford, IMO). It's the section which is both the Grand Union and the Oxford, and because of that is home to my favourite quirk of the canal system:  boat going north on the GU are traveling in one direction, while those going north on the Oxford and travelling the opposite way.

Also, the advantage of having your own boat is that you're not stuck with the hire boat week of 3pm Saturday to 9am the next Saturday.  You can arrive on the Friday evening and leave on Sunday evening, giving you nine days instead of six and a bit.

I agree, at least carry on to Napton junction.  The Braunston to Napton section is very pleasant and peaceful well away from roads etc, good mooring spots between bridges 100 and 103.  If you want pubs you could go a little bit further to the winding hole below Napton Locks and walk to the Folly.

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18 minutes ago, lampini said:

That's us Dave! 

Wot I should have mentioned is that we are both feeling rather wrung out from work, so I've tried putting only a 4 hour day into canalplan.... which kinda only takes us as far as Braunston, with a day to mooch around before we head back... We'd both love to come down to cropredy - Jon loves it round there and I'd love to have the opportunity to meet mr Athy and buy him a well-deserved tipple of his choice for past help/encouragement/and being a general good egg! ;-)

You are too kind - but I can resolve that one for you, as from June 3rd till the 10th Mrs. Athy and I will be, D.V., on a hire boat on the Canal de Garonne in S.W. France! A pint in Buzet-sur-Baise would be nice, but you wouldn't get there in a week from the Ashby.

Maybe next time...

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Jealous - I even have a guide book for the Garonne! Hope you and mrs A have the very best time... hope we shall be able to do the same in a year or so.... 

Much inspiration here.... thanks all, Napton it is then.. :-) 

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12 minutes ago, lampini said:

Jealous - I even have a guide book for the Garonne! Hope you and mrs A have the very best time... hope we shall be able to do the same in a year or so.... 

Much inspiration here.... thanks all, Napton it is then.. :-) 

We do quite like it down there - this will be the third year in a row that we have hired a pénichette from Agen. We don't go on the actual Garonne, very big grown-up river, that, but the more amenable Canal de GaroNne, with a side order of the delightful River Baise. All organised by a very efficient firm in Yorkshire.

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2 hours ago, lampini said:

We have a permanent mooring at the bottom of the Ashby Canal, near Marston Junction. We have a rare week off 3-10 June... which way should we go?? (Coventry is out, we want nice pubs and rural scenery! And walks!) 

We brought the boat down from Gt Haywood last spring so have done that bit but never been towards Rugby/Braunston way... any good? 

 

cheers! Xx

Devil's advocate time...

I agree it seems natural to head south as you have already done the Coventry from Fradley junction, but as Athy says the North Oxford is a dreary canal even on a summers day and devoid of interest.  There's not much for the crew to do and the towpath isn't that great to walk on though they were digging it up last time we were down there so it may be better now.  But you could get as far as Cropredy or beyond and the South Oxford is truly delightful as many know. 

The alternative would be head North back up to Fradley and then turn right and you could get a long way down the T&M, all the way to Shardlow if you like to crack on. On balance I think that journey is more interesting/varied.  I love that section of the T&M I don't even mind the bit that runs right by the A38.     

If you do go South you'd expect a bit of lock queuing on the South Oxford in June, I would say Banbury was a bit ambitious for that reason. 

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11 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

Devil's advocate time...

I agree it seems natural to head south as you have already done the Coventry from Fradley junction, but as Athy says the North Oxford is a dreary canal even on a summers day and devoid of interest.  There's not much for the crew to do and the towpath isn't that great to walk on though they were digging it up last time we were down there so it may be better now.  But you could get as far as Cropredy or beyond and the South Oxford is truly delightful as many know. 

The alternative would be head North back up to Fradley and then turn right and you could get a long way down the T&M, all the way to Shardlow if you like to crack on. On balance I think that journey is more interesting/varied.  I love that section of the T&M I don't even mind the bit that runs right by the A38.     

If you do go South you'd expect a bit of lock queuing on the South Oxford in June, I would say Banbury was a bit ambitious for that reason. 

Its a good point actually, a week for someone who does not like doing long hours on the tiller means not getting far on the oxford, at least going north you get options for walking/pubs at Atherstone, Polesworth, Tamworth and all the little villages up to fradley junction.

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There seems to be lots of negative waves here for the North Oxford - I quite like it:

- Hawkesbury Junctionand the Greyhound - interesting bend, lock and a very good pub

- I like trains

- the stretch through Brinklow and all Oaks wood can be pleasant on a sunny day (but very gloomy on a dull one)

- The pub at Newbold on Avon

- Hillmorton locks are quite interesting (but the café there is a bit odd)

 

 

Edited by billS
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You are of course largely correct; indeed, I was hoping to mention Sutton Stop as being a beacon amidst the pervading gloom. But the approach to it, mit Pylons und Substation, is fairly grim.

Yes, I like Newbold, though I wish they would hurry up and replace the light bulbs in the tunnel.

Hillmorton hasn't been the same since some vandal carved doggerel into the lock beams.

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1 hour ago, Athy said:

 , mit Pylons und Substation,

If you are going to get all Teutonic when you refer to our National Grid, then go the whole schwein.

.....mit Strommasten und Umspannwerk

Edited by billS
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As far as I can tell the OP has not yet confirmed whether or not they have been up the Ashby.

Assuming they have not, then as someone who has covered everything between Warwick, Banbury, Braunston, Market Harborough, Atherstone and Snarestone in the last 18 months I would suggest that a trip all the way up the Ashby to Snarestone should be at the very top of the list. I'm not sure off the top of my head how many hours cruising that is but would think that it's easily do-able in a week of short days, and very relaxing with no locks.

I'll be heading up from Napton and then to at least Rugby, probably turning at Brinklow, myself from tomorrow and if it wasn't for the fact that I want a relaxing week I would be heading up the Ashby for a third time (which I will do again when I have more time as I would want to go all the way).

Regarding the North Oxford I would agree that some of it is less than lovely (e.g. Barby Straight and the approach to Hawkesbury Junction) but some sections aren't bad and with only the three locks at Hillmorton to get through at least it's quick and easy to get to Braunston.

 

 

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6 minutes ago, MrBeethoven said:

As far as I can tell the OP has not yet confirmed whether or not they have been up the Ashby.

 

 

 

You are quite correct. I sort of assumed that, as they moor on it, they had been along it. But if they haven't, then they certainly should.

On the other hand, as you say, it doesn't take a week to get along it and back, as it is only 22 miles long, so they might wish to venture a little further now that they have a whole week to play with.

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3 minutes ago, Athy said:

You are quite correct. I sort of assumed that, as they moor on it, they had been along it. But if they haven't, then they certainly should.

On the other hand, as you say, it doesn't take a week to get along it and back, as it is only 22 miles long, so they might wish to venture a little further now that they have a whole week to play with.

You're probably right but assuming they haven't then I would add that I could quite happily spend a week on the Ashby. The trouble is it takes me a while to get there and back from Calcutt as I like to cruise for only 2 or 3 hours a day and then chill.

If a week was a bit too long for just the Ashby then in their position I would suggest adding a short hop down to Hawkesbury junction, a meal in The Greyhound and then back up to Marston Junction the next day. Unless they know it well they could also include a cruise up to Atherstone and back. It was back in 2011 when I did that on a hire boat but my recollection is that it was a very agreeable trip with the possible exception of the Nuneaton stretch. I want to do that again sometime but only when I have time to do the locks and head further north as Atherstone was as far as we got.

 

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35 minutes ago, Athy said:

You are quite correct. I sort of assumed that, as they moor on it, they had been along it. But if they haven't, then they certainly should.

On the other hand, as you say, it doesn't take a week to get along it and back, as it is only 22 miles long, so they might wish to venture a little further now that they have a whole week to play with.

This exactly!

we have been up to the end a few times as it fits in a long weekend and we absolutely love love love it, stocking up at the rather excellent farm shops reachable from bridge 23....

Trouble is, we haven't done a lock in a YEAR!!! I think we're beginning to be scared of them again.... ;-)

We did love that stretch north past Nuneaton... much food for thought here - thanks all - we do tend to go off in the boat whenever we can (Greyhound for a pint anyone? Do-able and back in a half day easy from here!)

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10 minutes ago, lampini said:

Trouble is, we haven't done a lock in a YEAR!!! I think we're beginning to be scared of them again.... ;-)

 

The lock at Sutton Stop should break you in gently then.

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3 hours ago, Athy said:

You are of course largely correct; indeed, I was hoping to mention Sutton Stop as being a beacon amidst the pervading gloom. But the approach to it, mit Pylons und Substation, is fairly grim.

Yes, I like Newbold, though I wish they would hurry up and replace the light bulbs in the tunnel.

Hillmorton hasn't been the same since some vandal carved doggerel into the lock beams.

That grimness is part of the reason Sutton Stop is such an important place. The North Oxford has a key role in the history of canals and plenty of interest if you look for it. (I thought it was great that a hirer noted the bridges on the Warwickshire Ring the other day).

How grim do you think Sutton Stop was when the power station was belching out smoke and steam and the place was full of boats laden with coal and grubby little families?

Now it's all cleaned up we call it grim and eulogise about those days. Bonkers.

Enjoy all canals for what they are and accept we all have different tastes. Far sooner Marston to Braunston than Marston to Snarestone for me.

JP

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19 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

That grimness is part of the reason Sutton Stop is such an important place. The North Oxford has a key role in the history of canals and plenty of interest if you look for it. (I thought it was great that a hirer noted the bridges on the Warwickshire Ring the other day).

How grim do you think Sutton Stop was when the power station was belching out smoke and steam and the place was full of boats laden with coal and grubby little families?

Now it's all cleaned up we call it grim and eulogise about those days. Bonkers.

Enjoy all canals for what they are and accept we all have different tastes. Far sooner Marston to Braunston than Marston to Snarestone for me.

JP

I do enjoy canals for what they are, while appreciating their history. I think many boaters do. I think that many of the boat-proud crews of yore might not have taken kindly to being called "grubby little families" either!

 

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44 minutes ago, lampini said:

This exactly!

we have been up to the end a few times and we absolutely love love love it, stocking up at the rather excellent farm shops reachable from bridge 23....

 

Same here - in fact when we moored at Springwood Haven it used to be our regular spring first-of-the-year trip. Last year we revisited it and have now been to the new very end.

I regret not having got to know it before. As a boy, from the age of 13, I lived only three miles from its end, at Packington, when there was still coal traffic from Gopsall Wharf, and I never even knew it was there. I do remember seeing a little humpy bridge but not thinking anything of it.

We stopped calling at the farm shop after buying something (fruit I think) a few years ago which went very off far too quickly.

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46 minutes ago, Athy said:

Same here - in fact when we moored at Springwood Haven it used to be our regular spring first-of-the-year trip. Last year we revisited it and have now been to the new very end.

I regret not having got to know it before. As a boy, from the age of 13, I lived only three miles from its end, at Packington, when there was still coal traffic from Gopsall Wharf, and I never even knew it was there. I do remember seeing a little humpy bridge but not thinking anything of it.

We stopped calling at the farm shop after buying something (fruit I think) a few years ago which went very off far too quickly.

Went right to the end once 'cos Jon said the loo blue the ACS sold there was very good value! Any excuse....  Another vote for South... we've never done a two-way tunnel before 'bout time we did- advice? Boy, I'm looking forward to this!! :-)

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