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MoominPapa

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I booked the Rembrandt Gdns mooring for a week when booking opened before Christmas.

Both moorings were empty when I arrived, apart from a short boat tied up at the Paddington end. The bloke said he hadn't booked but he would be moving off in the morning, which he did.

According to CaRT's website the moorings were booked solid but I arrived on a Friday and had both moorings to myself until another boat arrived the following Wednesday.

In the meantime a couple of boats turned up and, seeing the other mooring vacant, phoned CaRT to see if they could tie up but were refused as the mooring had been booked.

I went to the CaRT office in Little Venice to see what was what but was told that bookings are handled by Limehouse and to contact them about booking.

Strange or what?

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2 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said:

I booked the Rembrandt Gdns mooring for a week when booking opened before Christmas.

Both moorings were empty when I arrived, apart from a short boat tied up at the Paddington end. The bloke said he hadn't booked but he would be moving off in the morning, which he did.

According to CaRT's website the moorings were booked solid but I arrived on a Friday and had both moorings to myself until another boat arrived the following Wednesday.

In the meantime a couple of boats turned up and, seeing the other mooring vacant, phoned CaRT to see if they could tie up but were refused as the mooring had been booked.

I went to the CaRT office in Little Venice to see what was what but was told that bookings are handled by Limehouse and to contact them about booking.

Strange or what?

Maybe booked,paid for but a change of plan. As you don't get a refund they didn't bother cancelling 

 

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Just now, Martin Megson said:

I'm moored for the night near Perivale and will have a cruise into the city tomorrow to see if I can find a space at Paddington. 

What time? Windy but good base.

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3 minutes ago, mark99 said:

What time? Windy but good base.

I'll aim to arrive late morning in the hope of finding a space. I stayed there on my last visit but that was in winter so fairly quiet. Looking to spend a few days there before crossing to Limehouse to do the Tideway next week.

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3 hours ago, Martin Megson said:

I'll aim to arrive late morning in the hope of finding a space. I stayed there on my last visit but that was in winter so fairly quiet. Looking to spend a few days there before crossing to Limehouse to do the Tideway next week.

Did we spy you going into Teddington Lock as we were coming out yesterday?

 

We got a space on the VMs at Paddington, even arriving after 6 pm on a Friday night.

 

MP.

 

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20 hours ago, Irob said:

Seems a sorry state of affairs. I was planning a london cruise for june but good friend on nb Swansong beat me to it last month and advised me against the cruise. He spent 8 hours cruising non stop through london and couldnt find a single vistors mooring. I,ve crossed it off my list.

Bizzarre! I regularly go into London and I have always found a mooring at (or close to) my chosen location every time I go. That is four or five trips a year for the last ten years. 

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22 hours ago, Irob said:

Thanks jambo, i was warned that the open stretches may not be safe from 'undesirables'.  I might cruise to watford or  rickmansworth as a base and catch public transport into town for a few days.

There are undesirables around many of the VMs in London too! Like any big city, there's inequality and therefore crime but you'd have to be quite unlucky to encounter it. There are stretches where we don't moor (e.g. Yiewsley to Willowtree Marina, Alperton to Scrubs Lane, south of Mile End to Limehouse, the east end of Limehouse Cut to Old Ford Lock and a fair bit of the stretch north from Springfield Park to Enfield) but otherwise we find it's fine, or at least we've thankfully never had problems. Trouble does flare up and comes in waves periodically, especially around the school holidays, and it's worth keeping an eye on the London Boaters Facebook group if you do come to town so you can get a feel for what's happening.  

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Ok today from Broxbourne to Picketts Lock. 8 locks 6 hours incl dinner. From start to mooring up saw no boats on the move. As soon as moored just now 2 boats appeared. Never done that before - ie seen no boats moving whilst we travelled for 6 hours. Perfect weather too!

Edited by mark99
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On 12 June 2017 at 16:55, Irob said:

Thanks jambo, i was warned that the open stretches may not be safe from 'undesirables'.  I might cruise to watford or  rickmansworth as a base and catch public transport into town for a few days.

In that area Croxley is much easier for getting to the station, it is a short walk up the hill from the visitors moorings above lock 79. As far as I remember it is a normal 14 day mooring and quieter than Rickmansworth 

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Yes I think it is general towpath at Croxley. The canal in Rickmansworth isn't all that far from the station but the biting insects near the Aquadrome are pretty hellish in summer. We had to invest in a mosquito net when we were there. Mobile reception was terrible but there is a good cafe with decent internet in the Aquadrome.

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We have some friends who have recently moved to Bishops Stortford so next year we may plan a trip across London. We were thinking of mooring at Perivale overnight, getting up early and hammering it right through in one day. Distance wise I think it is doable but if there is a constant line of moored boats I have no idea if it is possible to cross London in one day at tick over speed?

We have no desire to stop in London, I lived on the outskirts within a 5 min walk of an underground station all my life and hardly ever bothered going in, except occasionally for work. Been there, seen it, got bugger all to interest me!

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When I visited London by boat 8 years ago I pre-booked a mooring with WLCC Alperton  (  http://wlmcc.org )for a few days and caught the tube into town; very secure and friendly. I'm very pleased I did as one day I decided to boat into town with the intention of staying if I could find a mooring; I gave up looking after a while and ended up sailing back to Alperton in the dark! My lasting memory was lots and lots of moored boats and incredibly little movement so obviously not much has changed other than it probably getting worse. It makes me thankful to be up North.

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On 2017-6-13 at 20:45, Bewildered said:

We have some friends who have recently moved to Bishops Stortford so next year we may plan a trip across London. We were thinking of mooring at Perivale overnight, getting up early and hammering it right through in one day. Distance wise I think it is doable but if there is a constant line of moored boats I have no idea if it is possible to cross London in one day at tick over speed?

We have no desire to stop in London, I lived on the outskirts within a 5 min walk of an underground station all my life and hardly ever bothered going in, except occasionally for work. Been there, seen it, got bugger all to interest me!

Moor at Perivale. Get up and leisurely go to Kings Cross.

Overnight at London Canal Museum Kings Cross bookable (we are here right now).

Get up early and do 9 locks and circa 11 miles to find plenty of mooring round Picketts lock on the Lee.

No mooring stress no hassle.

The rest of journey to Bishops Stortfords is a breeze! if you accept the mooring on the Stort needs accomodation via planks etc as its a river with non ideal banks.

 

 

 

 

 

Pootled down Ducketts Cut today.

4 full length moorings free at about 4pm near Victoria Park. 

Not too bad a choice. 

 

Edited by mark99
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I did London last year with the parents, I went to work during the day, they went sight seeing. We steamed in the evening and first light before work to get us about a bit. Was lovely!

Always a place to stop with other boats ahead or astern, no dramas at all!

Unlike in Scotland where they got their boat let go overnight and got gobbed on from bridges just for being English...

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Just arrived at Perivale. Hundreds of yards of boat free towpath. I cannot see another boat in about 0.5km upstream or O.5 km downstream. 

Lots of free moorings in Alperton and lots in Kensal Green. 

My feeling is that the density of boats is less but same number. Good thing.

One mooring near Little Venice free but I guess snapped up quick.

 

 

Edited by mark99
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2 hours ago, mark99 said:

Just arrived at Perivale. Hundreds of yards of boat free towpath. I cannot see another boat in about 0.5km upstream or O.5 km downstream. 

Lots of free moorings in Alperton and lots in Kensal Green. 

My feeling is that the density of boats is less but same number. Good thing.

One mooring near Little Venice free but I guess snapped up quick.

 

 

Perivale is a really good spot to moor. If you want to get closer in, Old Oak Common looked good. Noisy from trains, but felt OK and space available.

 

MP.

 

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1 minute ago, MoominPapa said:

Perivale is a really good spot to moor. If you want to get closer in, Old Oak Common looked good. Noisy from trains, but felt OK and space available.

 

MP.

 

Aye not bad. Very green. Only the odd noise from the golf club swatting the puck or whatever it's called.

A bit shallow but we have found a deep spot...... previous research :)

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The OP didn't complain they couldn't find a mooring yet lots of chatter here about moored boats in London and an implication that you'd have trouble finding a mooring.

Maybe those who are complaning and haven't tried cruising to London should actually try it before making comment.

To those who are worried, I say go for it. 

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