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Canal Planner and Summer Holidays


The Grumpy Triker

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Following the advice of many on here I've used the Canal Route Planner endlessly but one question popped up

 - I know they use a date I supply to start the journey but does it build in holiday traffic loads?....I have planned and replanned endlessly and now have my primary plan with some back-up stop offs.

If I am doing Nantwich to Llangollen and return with a stop-over ....hoping I find moorings in holiday season......given a newbie type pace, muppet value lock operation and holiday traffic.....realistically should I plan for 3 days each way?....or more or less?

I'm leaving Nantwich mid-August.

Edited by The Grumpy Triker
Critical Spellings
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I don't think they take holiday traffic loads into account. I think it is a simple distance/locks/speed calculation.

3 days each way should be fine, but that does not give any time for a stop-over, or time to stop if you see anything of interest, and to me is too rushed. Canal trips are not the motorway but the back lanes, to be done gently with time to stop.

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Personally I think that is a bit ambitious for a first cruise. We recently did a 6 day return trip from Audlem (just south of Nantwich) along the Llangollen and only got as far as Whitchurch. OK we didn't cruise over 4/5 hours per day but there's was a lot of holiday traffic and some people at Grindley Brook locks we spoke to had a 2 hr wait just to enter the first lock. My advice would be to go at a slower pace and enjoy!

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36 minutes ago, Graham Davis said:

I don't think they take holiday traffic loads into account. I think it is a simple distance/locks/speed calculation.

3 days each way should be fine, but that does not give any time for a stop-over, or time to stop if you see anything of interest, and to me is too rushed. Canal trips are not the motorway but the back lanes, to be done gently with time to stop.

Thanks for that ....I've got a full day in the middle as a stop-over in addition to the 3 days each way.....but blimey...a 2 hour wait at Grindley!?....not even gone anywhere by then:blink:

It isn't first cruise but is first one for a little while, actually on the point of queuing .....I can't remember the stacking system, do you go alternate either side or just know your place?

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I totally agree with Nick D. Having cruised the Llangollen several times, it being one of my local canals,  I would not expect to cruise from Nantwich to Llangollen and return in under a fortnight if I wanted to enjoy the trip at a leisurely pace. Having said that I have spoken to hire boaters that have done it in 6 days, but cruising for 15 hours per day. In August you can expect to have to queque at most of the locks which can add a considerable amount of time to your journey. Don,t forget to lift your fenders before entering Hurleston bottom lock. Sorry if this all sounds a little negative but better to just take it easy and really enjoy your cruising.

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2 minutes ago, The Grumpy Triker said:

Thanks for that ....I've got a full day in the middle as a stop-over in addition to the 3 days each way.....but blimey...a 2 hour wait at Grindley!?....not even gone anywhere by then:blink:

It isn't first cruise but is first one for a little while, actually on the point of queuing .....I can't remember the stacking system, do you go alternate either side or just know your place?

First one on my own boat :)

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1 minute ago, RAM said:

I totally agree with Nick D. Having cruised the Llangollen several times, it being one of my local canals,  I would not expect to cruise from Nantwich to Llangollen and return in under a fortnight if I wanted to enjoy the trip at a leisurely pace. Having said that I have spoken to hire boaters that have done it in 6 days, but cruising for 15 hours per day. In August you can expect to have to queque at most of the locks which can add a considerable amount of time to your journey. Don,t forget to lift your fenders before entering Hurleston bottom lock. Sorry if this all sounds a little negative but better to just take it easy and really enjoy your cruising.

OK so that changes everything as was working on the website estimates and allowing for short days.....2 weeks is not an option as heading elsewhere afterwards so that would affect timings - I'd allowed a 2-day slack at the end of the trip before the next phase which was the chill-out phase, but to need 7 days on top of the 7 planned means it is a no no sadly.

Just now, The Grumpy Triker said:

OK so that changes everything as was working on the website estimates and allowing for short days.....2 weeks is not an option as heading elsewhere afterwards so that would affect timings - I'd allowed a 2-day slack at the end of the trip before the next phase which was the chill-out phase, but to need 7 days on top of the 7 planned means it is a no no sadly.

Much appreciated RAM

....would always look to lift fenders at departure.....is this one a squeeze though?

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If I you do 8 hour days then 3 days each way would do it, although you may need to add queuing time to that and do longer if you get held up.  It is up to you  how to use your boat, and at this time of year it the weather is decent you can easily do 10 hour plus days if you want to.  II that is the trip I wanted to do I would put the hours in to do it, but it is your choice!

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I agree with John, if you want to go to Llangollen then do the trip. Plan for your three days each way but you may need to make an early start or longer days if you are held up significantly. When we last did the trip about 10 years ago we did Preston Brook to Llangollen and back as a 10 day trip but we like to boat daily and not just do a few hours every other day.

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I agree with John and Rob. The way I boat is to work out where I want to go and do the hours necessary. If the going is slow then I end up doing more hours. You meet more people and have the chance to look around a bit more when you are waiting. Only down side is less time in the pub.

What's the worst that can happen? You turn round half way through your available time and don't get to the end. Not a disaster and no reason not to give it a go. Just crack on and see what happens.

JP

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Canalplan is spot on for September to Easter, it doesn't have an algorithm for shaky rivet protecting Hudsons ,selfish IWA shinys who lock alone  or once a year forgotten how to go anywhere boaters and other factors that may occur in high season.

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59 minutes ago, john6767 said:

If I you do 8 hour days then 3 days each way would do it, although you may need to add queuing time to that and do longer if you get held up.  It is up to you  how to use your boat, and at this time of year it the weather is decent you can easily do 10 hour plus days if you want to.  II that is the trip I wanted to do I would put the hours in to do it, but it is your choice!

Cheers John, Rob and Cap'n Pegg

I did think after that maybe I give it a go and if times are way out then we can turn back, I will head that way again but this time was a prelude to chill time....thank u all:cheers:

55 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

I agree with John, if you want to go to Llangollen then do the trip. Plan for your three days each way but you may need to make an early start or longer days if you are held up significantly. When we last did the trip about 10 years ago we did Preston Brook to Llangollen and back as a 10 day trip but we like to boat daily and not just do a few hours every other day.

See above but many thanks

44 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

I agree with John and Rob. The way I boat is to work out where I want to go and do the hours necessary. If the going is slow then I end up doing more hours. You meet more people and have the chance to look around a bit more when you are waiting. Only down side is less time in the pub.

What's the worst that can happen? You turn round half way through your available time and don't get to the end. Not a disaster and no reason not to give it a go. Just crack on and see what happens.

JP

See above but many thanks

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2 hours ago, The Grumpy Triker said:

 actually on the point of queuing .....I can't remember the stacking system, do you go alternate either side or just know your place?

At Grindley Brook during normal hours it is down to the lock keepers. Generally they operate something like 3 up then 3 down dependent on traffic.They will advise when you get there.

We did it last month from Audlem to LLangollen without thrashing it. 4 days each way plus a two day stopover in the basin. Was very busy between Ellesmere and LLangollen.

Edited by jam
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Last time I came back from Llangollen we were 14th in line to go down at New Marton, just under a 3 hour wait, it was August, but it's not just Grindley that can cause significant delay.

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9 hours ago, Tim said:

Last time I came back from Llangollen we were 14th in line to go down at New Marton, just under a 3 hour wait, it was August, but it's not just Grindley that can cause significant delay.

I guess that hire boat changeover day has a big impact on traffic at certain points - if that is Friday am hoping I may get lucky, will see how it goes, if we're going to struggle then I'll just adjust our plans and chillax down the Shropshire.

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Forgot to ask - what is the etiquette at lift and swing bridges, if another boat is in sight but not real close do you go through and close, go through and leave open if you think they will follow or wait til they get closer and then go through together?

I guess with the latter you could be there all day on a busy canal

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If they are close enough I would hold the bridge and let them through and assume they will do the same at the next one. If they aren't that close I would close up and carry on. If there are multiple boats then I might rethink but if you have unlocked with your keys then it is either close it in front of someone or wait for somebody to come and swap keys with you.

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48 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

If they are close enough I would hold the bridge and let them through and assume they will do the same at the next one. If they aren't that close I would close up and carry on. If there are multiple boats then I might rethink but if you have unlocked with your keys then it is either close it in front of someone or wait for somebody to come and swap keys with you.

One of those where the distance is important, good point about alternating didn't really think about that.

just run the full trip through at an hour a day on canal Planner so will know On second evening whether to turn around or keep on to plan. The full trip almost works at 5hrs a day and I am going to be aiming to travel the cut for longer than that each day...just got the boat so not spending my life in towns....I bought it to get on the water away from civilisation :D.....equally not rushing anything and keeping all plans as.....well they're sort of guidelines really;)

I have 15/16 days to do Llangollen and then down the Shropshire so think I have some queuing time built in, especially as expecting to be a leisurely pace but happy with longer hours on some days.

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4 hours ago, The Grumpy Triker said:

I guess that hire boat changeover day has a big impact on traffic at certain points - if that is Friday am hoping I may get lucky, will see how it goes, if we're going to struggle then I'll just adjust our plans and chillax down the Shropshire.

You need to aim to be in Llangollen Sat/Sun or Sun/Mon to avoid the bulk of the hire boats.

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21 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Moor below Grindley Brook overnight and walk up to the pub, The Horse and Jockey. 

Sounds like a plan:cheers:

20 hours ago, john6767 said:

You need to aim to be in Llangollen Sat/Sun or Sun/Mon to avoid the bulk of the hire boats.

Which sorta works but may eat into my steam train ride plans :)

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31 minutes ago, The Grumpy Triker said:

 

Which sorta works but may eat into my steam train ride plans :)

Don't the trains run every day this time of year, so it would not matter which 2 nights you have in Llangollen.  Last time we were there was Sun/Mon nights and we went on the train on the Monday.  Well worth going on the train.

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Just now, john6767 said:

Don't the trains run every day this time of year, so it would not matter which 2 nights you have in Llangollen.  Last time we were there was Sun/Mon nights and we went on the train on the Monday.  Well worth going on the train.

Very true...but I was only stopping a night to do the train but needed to get back underway Sunday, so if I get delayed arriving Friday into Saturday then the length of the delay is the only delimiting factor.

As some have suggested I maybe being hopeful to do the Swanley Bridge to Llangollen and back in a week azt this time of year....it will be suck it and see....can't work my 86yr old Dad too hard on the locks by doing 12hr days :)

It is all down to progress next Wed/Thur as the real holiday is planned heading south to Gloucester from Nantwich from the 23rd Aug.

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