Mooring on K&A around Newbury

[nicknorman]

So Jeff and I are finally going to be able to do a long trip, hoping to get to Bristol via Thames and KandA, which we've never done before. One slight snag, I have to come home for 5 days in the middle. At a very rough estimate it looks like we'll be around Newbury, which has fairly good links to Heathrow for me to fly home. So my question is, where is a good place to moor for 6 days or so in or near Newbury? Jeff will be staying on the boat but he wants to be safe without being right out in the sticks somewhere. Is that part of the KandA very busy in summer, mooring-wise?

[billS]

Try Frouds Bridge marina for a short term mooring. It's about a mile walk from Aldermaston station. There are also two small marinas in Newbury itself which might be able to help. 

[nicknorman]

1 minute ago, billS said:

Try Frouds Bridge marina for a short term mooring. It's about a mile walk from Aldermaston station. There are also two small marinas in Newbury itself which might be able to help. 

Thanks, although I was thinking more of towpath moorings - ie free!

[Nightwatch]

There are a couple of marinas in Newbury that may fit you in. On-line you can moor nearer to the town. Some years ago you could moor adjacent to the park. Probably CRT have spoilt that by putting up silly signs with restrictions. You can also moor just above Newbury Lock. 

Thatcham was once a good mooring spot. Has a rail service also. We haven't been on the K&A for about thirteen years. We are heading that way now via the Thames from Oxford. Want to be in Newbury about middle of August. Well look out for you.

Martyn n Margaret.

If Jeff is to remain onboard that increases your options. Opposite Greenham Island are on-line moorings.

Kintbury has a rail station. A couple of pubs.

[ditchcrawler]

10 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

There are a couple of marinas in Newbury that may fit you in. On-line you can moor nearer to the town. Some years ago you could moor adjacent to the park. Probably CRT have spoilt that by putting up silly signs with restrictions. You can also moor just above Newbury Lock. 

Thatcham was once a good mooring spot. Has a rail service also. We haven't been on the K&A for about thirteen years. We are heading that way now via the Thames from Oxford. Want to be in Newbury about middle of August. Well look out for you.

Martyn n Margaret.

If Jeff is to remain onboard that increases your options. Opposite Greenham Island are on-line moorings.

Kintbury has a rail station. A couple of pubs.

And if I remember its near a sani station and quite a length of mooring but only 48 hr.

[MtB]

Plenty of nice-to-stay towpath mooring at Hungerford by the church. An a 1/4 mile walk to the paddington line station. Or same applies at Great Bedwyn. And Kintbury. 

I'll take you bellringing if you like!

[ditchcrawler]

There are moorings between Newbury Marina and the A339 along the park

[Nightwatch]

At Kintbury rather than be near the sani station you could moor just 'other side of first bridge to the east.

 

5 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Plenty of nice-to-stay towpath mooring at Hungerford by the church. An a 1/4 mile walk to the paddington line station. Or same applies at Great Bedwyn. And Kintbury. 

I'll take you bellringing if you like!

Quasimodo, name rings a bell.

Where are you residing now Mike? Came past Forge Farm today. The fields looked busy but the moorings didn't. Greggs moorings at the top of Claydon looked a little neglected. Didn't see Gregg. I have exchange a number of emails with him recently.

 

Martyn

[MtB]

4 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

At Kintbury rather than be near the sani station you could moor just 'other side of first bridge to the east.

 

Yes. Possibly the very best mooring on the whole of the K&A!

[Nightwatch]

Inadvertently let the cat out of the bag. Tut!

[MtB]

5 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

At Kintbury rather than be near the sani station you could moor just 'other side of first bridge to the east.

 

Quasimodo, name rings a bell.

Where are you residing now Mike? Came past Forge Farm today. The fields looked busy but the moorings didn't. Greggs moorings at the top of Claydon looked a little neglected. Didn't see Gregg. I have exchange a number of emails with him recently.

 

Martyn

 

I'm CCing on the K&A

[Nightwatch]

Is that what I asked? I knew you were CC'ing. 

[MtB]

3 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

Is that what I asked? I knew you were CC'ing. 

 

Yes !

Here:

11 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

Where are you residing now Mike? 

 

[Nightwatch]

Hairsplitting is soooooo yesterday Mike. 

I guess you're CC'ing towards the western end in the Devizes eastwards area. We'll see you eventually. There's no hiding!

[Tacet]

There are good towpath moorings above either of the two locks (85 and 86, I think) in Newbury - and you shouldn't have great difficulty finding a nice one, particularity if you are prepared to accept second-best and move on when a better chance comes up.

For some reason, possibly due to the weir, mooring in the park, in the central part of the pound between the two locks, doesn't seem to be the done thing for any length of time.

The railway line and the canal run close together along this stretch - so there are several options.  Whilst moorings in the best spots are can be busy, I can't see it being a problem particularly if Jeff is happy to shift the boat a few yards if you can't find a prime space for 6 days in the first instance.

 

 

[MtB]

22 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

Hairsplitting is soooooo yesterday Mike. 

I guess you're CC'ing towards the western end in the Devizes eastwards area. We'll see you eventually. There's no hiding!

 

That's it, you've pinned it down! That's exactly where I am

[nicknorman]

Ok thanks for all the tips chaps. Yes I can see that it doesn't have to be Newbury since there are several other stations along the way. I guess it's a matter of homing in on a suitable place - when we get nearer we'll have a better idea of where we'll be when it's time for me to depart.

[dogless]

When we were on the K&A, Jane had to abandon me for a week (I say had to, but she probably enjoyed it).

She left me at Pewsey (change at Reading) and I very much enjoyed shuffling up and down the long lock free pound to Devizes and back. Felt like a proper single hander

Rog

That is single hander boater of course.

[Guest]

Kintbury, Hungerford, Great Bedwyn, and Pewsey all give you good options for trains, buses, shops and a post office (Bedwyn, with really good bread!). Give us a wave as you cruise by, hope you enjoy your trip.

[Drayke]

Lots of places you can moor up on the K&A, just sometimes getting close to the bank can be a problem, long plank needed.

[ditchcrawler]

21 minutes ago, F DRAYKE said:

Lots of places you can moor up on the K&A, just sometimes getting close to the bank can be a problem,  

With a Hudson

[MtB]

On 12/07/2017 at 20:58, F DRAYKE said:

Lots of places you can moor up on the K&A, just sometimes getting close to the bank can be a problem, long plank needed.

 

That's a good point. Nick and Jeff will find the rough towpath moorings we all speak so easily of a bit of a culture shock. Bow three feet form the bank and stern six feet out, and gangplank through the fender growth and fixed to both the boat and the bank are de rigeur around here.

[nicknorman]

1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

That's a good point. Nick and Jeff will find the rough towpath moorings we all speak so easily of a bit of a culture shock. Bow three feet form the bank and stern six feet out, and gangplank through the fender growth and fixed to both the boat and the bank are de rigeur around here.

How do you fix the gangplank to the boat and bank?

[MtB]

On 12/07/2017 at 21:22, nicknorman said:

How do you fix the gangplank to the boat and bank?

 

I have a 9mm hole drilled through a lip on each side deck with a D shackle inserted so I can tie the gangplank to the boat with a cord fixed to one end of the gangplank. The gangplank has a 35mm hole drilled through the bank end through which I hammer a maureen steak.

[Boat&Bikes]

I wouldn't worry Nick( I imagine your not) we went along the K&A last month to Bristol. Was brilliant and lots of decent mooring. Left our boat in Newbury Marina. Did pay but owner there did say boats often get left on towpath opposite Marina without problems arising. Ian.