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Fradley to London current experinces


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I have planned my first major cruise from Fradley to London, 60ft NB low draft.

I have plenty of leisure time, so the speed of cruising is not an issue, hanging around at locks waiting to double up may become one after time.

What I am concerned about is current and forecast water levels.

My proposed route:

Fradley >  Coventry; Hawkesbury Junction > Oxford>

Braunston Junction > Grand Union; Northampton, Aylesbury, Watford, Uxbridge, Little Venice (Moorings booked).

In my original planned journey, I intended to do the return journey Via the Oxford but dismissed this due to current known issues with water levels etc, so return will be back over the same route.

I have concerns the current and predicted water levels are going to make this more a war of attrition than the chill time experience I want.

I would really appreciate any comments from folks who have current experience on my proposed route.

I am thinking I may have to have a plan B journey.

Many thanks,

 

 

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Its just as well you are not hurrying as Milton Keynes is 4 hours on tickover and Leighton Buzzard another 2.

Came up from Aylesbury at the end of last week and had to fill 3 pounds ahead of me above Gudgeon Stream lock - luckily, a CRT chap came along and filled the completely empty top pound as well. Low water levels below Slapton and between Cosgrove and Stoke Bruerne.

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37 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Its just as well you are not hurrying as Milton Keynes is 4 hours on tickover and Leighton Buzzard another 2.

Came up from Aylesbury at the end of last week and had to fill 3 pounds ahead of me above Gudgeon Stream lock - luckily, a CRT chap came along and filled the completely empty top pound as well. Low water levels below Slapton and between Cosgrove and Stoke Bruerne.

Thanks for your comments Matty, I thinking a plan B is required.

Cheers

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Not entirely sure what it is you're asking about, as, if time is not an issue, just enjoy your cruise.

But if it helps at all, we set off from Braunston, down the GU in March, and had a terrific cruise, arriving for a booked week on Rembrandt Gardens in mid May. We are currently at Cosgrove on the return trip, although we did visit Aylesbury on our way north.

The GU is surprisingly quiet, and we have rarely had another boat to do the many locks with.

There are stretches which clearly require dredging work, and the Aylesbury arm is particularly shallow. C&RT have been regularly adjusting water levels around Berkhamsted, but we have been caused no specific problems. We are 2ft 4ins draft.

The GU is a terrific canal, we love it. Hope you enjoy your trip.

Rog

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55 minutes ago, dogless said:

Not entirely sure what it is you're asking about, as, if time is not an issue, just enjoy your cruise.

But if it helps at all, we set off from Braunston, down the GU in March, and had a terrific cruise, arriving for a booked week on Rembrandt Gardens in mid May. We are currently at Cosgrove on the return trip, although we did visit Aylesbury on our way north.

The GU is surprisingly quiet, and we have rarely had another boat to do the many locks with.

There are stretches which clearly require dredging work, and the Aylesbury arm is particularly shallow. C&RT have been regularly adjusting water levels around Berkhamsted, but we have been caused no specific problems. We are 2ft 4ins draft.

The GU is a terrific canal, we love it. Hope you enjoy your trip.

Rog

Did give you a beep on Thursday but nobody home.

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There's always the potential that in a year (such as this one?) of below average rainfall some canals may struggle, and I gather the Oxford summit is more vulnerable than most places to the problem. But CRT have reservoirs and some back pumping so will probably be able to keep all the main canals open for navigation in a difficult year. If you have plenty of time for your trip I wouldn't worry, just go with the flow (or lack of it!). Certainly in normal times boats of 3 foot depth or more get up and down the GU without much trouble, the NBT will be taking a loaded pair of coal boats down to Brentford in August. Saying that, we did run aground in the middle of the channel near the Birmingham end of the GU at Catherine de Barnes last year although the water level was normal, that problem was due to a build up of silt which was probably many years worth of rotted leaves, as it was in a tree-lined cutting.

What is the current state of water supply this year? So far I've only heard of the problem on the Upper Thames mentioned on this site. Does anyone have a good link?

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2 hours ago, Peter X said:

...

What is the current state of water supply this year? So far I've only heard of the problem on the Upper Thames mentioned on this site. Does anyone have a good link?

This page holds monthly reports on reservoir holdings. There's a  bit of commentary at the end of the June 2017 report.

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/our-work/managing-our-water/reservoir-watch

 

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