artleknock Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 I am hireing a boat for a fortnight next May and am thinking of cruiseing the Warwick ring. I have heard that Birmingham has more canals than Venice. If I decide to go through the centre of Birmingham do I need to keep a sharp eye on maps or are the canals well signposted so a novice like me will not get lost. I am not worried about the locks, my wife is a dab hand at them while I handle the boat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave moore Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 You should have no problems at all....I've boated the system for half a century and have yet to get lost! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuthound Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 If you use Canalplan to plan your route, not only will it tell you how long it will take, but you can enjoy a virtual tour, so you can see what the junctions look like before you start your trip. http://canalplan.eu/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Booth Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 You will be OK, enjoy your holiday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmr Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 Try to plan your schedule so that you can spend a night in Birmingham, its not the best city (and I was born there) but the area around the canal is absolutely fantastic. Do study the area on Google Earth beforehand, its a navigational nightmare, there's even a roundabout and try to include the Ickneild port Loop, its up for redevelopment so its unique charm will soon be lost. ..................Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john6767 Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 If you are doing the Warwickshire ring then even going through the centre of Birmingham you only skirt the edge of the BCN, but if you have two weeks then you would have time to explore the BCN a bit further if you wanted to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmr Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 If you want to get a quick taste of the BCN, and if you like beer and "proper pubs" I would suggest spending an easy day going up to Wolverhampton on the New main line, Beer and cheap food (or even better a cheese cob) in the Great Western, then returning to Birmingham on the Old main line. ...............Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 1 hour ago, dave moore said: You should have no problems at all....I've boated the system for half a century and have yet to get lost! I get lost inside the damn boat. After a few days, I forget which end is which Richard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bearwood Boster Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 (edited) 46 minutes ago, RLWP said: I get lost inside the damn boat. After a few days, I forget which end is which Richard Senile ??? * That's my husband's excuse... Edited October 7, 2017 by The Bearwood Boster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRP Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 1 hour ago, artleknock said: . . . I am not worried about the locks, my wife is a dab hand at them while I handle the boat Joke. Right? If not, why not take advantage of the opportunity to let the little woman build up her confidence steering the boat in and out of the titchy locks, while you do all the running about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 4 minutes ago, The Bearwood Boster said: Senile ??? * That's my husband's excuse... It's because Tawny was built as a symmetrical hire boat, so she has the galley in the middle flanked by a table each end, then a bathroom each end, then a bedroom each end. That's my excuse Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timx Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 Birmingham yuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac of Cygnet Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 8 minutes ago, Timx said: Birmingham yuck I hope this remark is treated with the contempt caution it deserves. Our first canal boat holiday over 30 years ago started from the centre of Birmingham and I've been hooked ever since. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Lewis Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 (edited) 12 hours ago, artleknock said: I am hireing a boat for a fortnight next May and am thinking of cruiseing the Warwick ring. I have heard that Birmingham has more canals than Venice. If I decide to go through the centre of Birmingham do I need to keep a sharp eye on maps or are the canals well signposted so a novice like me will not get lost. I am not worried about the locks, my wife is a dab hand at them while I handle the boat Am currently in Venice and can confirm that their canals have nothing on Birmingham Edited October 8, 2017 by Tim Lewis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuthound Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 8 hours ago, Mac of Cygnet said: I hope this remark is treated with the contempt caution it deserves. Our first canal boat holiday over 30 years ago started from the centre of Birmingham and I've been hooked ever since. Have a greenie. My first canal holiday was what is now known as the Warwickshire Ring on a "Camping Boat" in 1973. Got me hooked and turned me into a canalcoholic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Booth Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 37 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said: Am currently in Venice and can confirm that their canals have nothing on Birmingham I prefer St.Petersburg where I was last week. Very affordable housing and great ballet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-M Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 9 hours ago, Timx said: Birmingham yuck A really helpful contribution. If you don't like the Birmingham canals at least explain why. I really enjoy boating around the BCN and cover many miles of it every year. Some parts can have their difficulties but that is part of the attraction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Booth Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 9 hours ago, Timx said: Birmingham yuck Please explain why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Vectis Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 9 hours ago, Timx said: Birmingham yuck I take it from this remark you won't be an entrant in the BCN Challenge any time soon then? 4 minutes ago, Laurie.Booth said: I prefer St.Petersburg where I was last week. Very affordable housing and great ballet. But do these places have anything to compare with the Wellington, the Post Office Vaults, the Great Western or Batham's beer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Pegg Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 8 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said: I take it from this remark you won't be an entrant in the BCN Challenge any time soon then? But do these places have anything to compare with the Wellington, the Post Office Vaults, the Great Western or Batham's beer? Point of order. The Great Western is in Wolverhampton and Batham's is in Brierley Hill. It is actually the city of Birmingham rather than the BCN as a whole that has more canals than Venice. Of course that includes quite few miles on the GU, Worcs & Bham, and Stratford that are not part of the BCN. The beer though is better in Brum than Venice and if you think a hire boat is expensive try a gondola. JP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Booth Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 11 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said: I take it from this remark you won't be an entrant in the BCN Challenge any time soon then? But do these places have anything to compare with the Wellington, the Post Office Vaults, the Great Western or Batham's beer? Hi, When I say I prefer St. Petersburg, I meant that it is better than Venice, give me Birmingham everytime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john6767 Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 Just now, Captain Pegg said: Point of order. The Great Western is in Wolverhampton and Batham's is in Brierley Hill. It is actually the city of Birmingham rather than the BCN as a whole that has more canals than Venice. Of course that includes quite few miles on the GU, Worcs & Bham, and Stratford that are not part of the BCN. The beer though is better in Brum than Venice and if you think a hire boat is expensive try a gondola. JP But Birmingham/BCN beat Venice on both counts, Birmingham has more miles than Venice, the BCN has more miles than Venice (by a long way). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
system 4-50 Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 What proportion of Venice's canals are really rivers/estuaries? Some of them seem too wide to count. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuthound Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 What the Venice canals really need is a decent flight of locks, something like Farmers Bridge. Not sure where they would lead to though, possibly the top of the Opera House? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac of Cygnet Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 10 minutes ago, system 4-50 said: What proportion of Venice's canals are really rivers/estuaries? Some of them seem too wide to count. Well strictly speaking of course Venice is built on about 100 islands in a lagoon, with the water between them canalised, and some, but not many, specially dug out, if that's what your definition of a canal is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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