Monday 19 August 2013

Big Trip -- planning

This time next week we'll have started our Big Trip for the year.  In fact, we'll be coming the end of the first leg.  We're going to use the bank holiday weekend to get a bit of a head start, then go back to work for a few days, before setting off again at the end of that week.


Our first target is to get to the Braidbar open day on 7 September.  From there we'll go to Bugsworth, then down into Manchester and on to Anderton.  We'll take the boat lift down onto the River Weaver, then the Manchester Ship Canal to Ellesmere Port.  This bit has taken a bit of organising, as the Ship Canal Company requires various paperwork, CRT has to be asked to work the locks at either end, and the local council has to swing a bridge for us.  We'll also need the weather to be reasonable that day.

Once that excitement is over, we'll go down the Shroppie, along the Staffs and Worcs to Great Haywood, then return via the Trent and Mersey, the River Soar, and the Leicester Section of the Grand Union.

Canal Plan reckons it's 443 miles and 275 locks.  It's a mix of waters that we're very familiar with, some we haven't done for several years, and some that are completely new to us.  We can't wait!

7 comments:

Halfie said...

Sounds teriffic - especially the Ship Canal bit. Have a great trip.

James said...

I reckon we may bump into you somewhere north of Loughborough, of course in the same time we would have only gone about fifty miles and forty locks :-) - have a great trip!

nb AmyJo said...

Hi Adam,
As I live in Chester would love to catch up with you when you get here to hear how you organised the trip on the Shipping Canal.

Chris and I want to do that trip in AmyJo some day so if you could give us a few pointers we would be really grateful.

Neil Corbett said...

Very envious. It sounds like a great route. Hope the weather holds for you.

John and Louise said...

Looks like a great trip. We'll keep following your progress and hope we can manage to meet you at some point.

Adam said...

We'll keep a look out for Lois Jane and Blue Moor!

Steve, keep an eye on the blog and by all means come and find us. Hopefully we'll be able to tell you whether the organisation was worth it.

Yvonne said...

We should be up on the Macc by 5th September so if you see us pop in for a brew and a gossip.
Yvonne & Roger
Fizzical Attraction