Newbury - Henley
Locks 24 Miles 28
Our third season with
Gallinago starts with a classic cruise to Henley which is
one of the Thames most beautiful and elegant riverfronts.
This is a four day cruise to entice people who would like a
spring short break; it will give you a taste of both canal
and river cruising.
The first two days can be
very active for walkers and ‘lock wheelers’ as we have
plenty of locks and lift bridges to work with a good towpath
all the way along the Kennet and Avon canal. The latter part
of the cruise, when we join the majestic river Thames,
provides quite a contrast, with wide wooded reaches and
pretty well kept Lock Keepers cottages, like Sonning and
Shiplake.
Time should be allowed on the
last day to explore Henley and in particular the Museum of
the River and Rowing, with exhibitions on all aspects of the
Thames, including one on The Wind in the Willows to take you
back to childhood.
Henley has a small station
with a good service for connections from Reading and London.
Alternatively, you could stay on, and link this with the
next cruise to Oxford for an extended cruise on the Thames
to make an 8 night holiday.
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Henley - Oxford
Oxford - Henley
Locks 15 approx. Miles 28 approx.
These very accessible
short breaks cover the middle, and possibly the most
popular, section of the River Thames. From the vantage point
of the wheelhouse you can enjoy the stunning scenery of the
Goring Gap and enjoy entering the picturesque riverside
towns of Henley, Wallingford and Abingdon the quiet way – by
water.
If you enjoy walking
then there are opportunities to walk to Dorchester with its
fine Abbey and antique shops or up the steep hill to
Whittenham Clumps for splendid views across the Thames
Valley.
Herons, Kingfishers,
Buzzards and even Red Kite can be seen from the river, while
in Abingdon which is an ancient Market Town, the old part
still has beautiful Alms Houses and a Priory.
Of course there are
also the start / end points of Oxford and Henley to explore,
both of which are well served by public transport. Indeed,
with so much to see and do you may consider staying locally
before or after your cruise; alternatively, if you want more
than a short break you could link two of our four night
cruises together to make a more comprehensive eight night
cruise.
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Henley - Windsor
Windsor - Henley
Locks approx. 8 Miles 22 approx.
These
shore breaks on the river Thames have a busy schedule to
allow time to see both Windsor Castle and the elegant
riverside town of Henley.
One of my favourite
‘reaches’ of the Thames is through Cliveden woods, where the
steep wooded bank comes down to the waters edge giving a
very secluded feel to the river. Near by we pass though
Boulters Lock made famous by the busy Victorian painting
with skiffs, launches, boaters and flowing dresses galore.
We will discuss where
you may like to visit en route, but our suggestions include
Cookham, home to the Stanley Spencer art collection. Marlow,
another elegant town with a fine suspension bridge, church
and park or perhaps a hidden riverside pub – an angler’s
delight, lined with glass cases of stuffed fish! There is
certainly a lot of contrast for a short break.
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Windsor - Oxford
Oxford - Windsor
Locks 23 approx. Miles 67 approx.
This is the classic river
cruise between the two historic cities of Oxford and
Windsor, incorporating all the famous waterside towns and
villages plus the rural splendor of the Thames Valley. We
highly recommend this, particularly if it is your first
Thames cruise, as it has all the essential ingredients that
make the Royal River so varied and interesting.
Both Oxford and Windsor are
essential stops on any tour in England and time will be
allowed to see Windsor Castle and the historic collages of
Oxford. If you ask him nicely, Derek may take you to some of
the quieter spots in Oxford, where he lived for a couple of
years, off the normal tourist trail.
Over years of traveling along
the Thames, we have found some hidden gems off the usual
navigation and quiet places to moor and explore on foot,
including Dorchester and Cliveden. We can also include
energetic walks up to Wittenham Clumps with panoramic views
over a large area of the winding Thames Valley. The Thames
Valley is a haven for wildlife; kingfishers, Great Crested
Grebe and Herons can be seen in abundance and near to
Wallingford we sometimes see Red Kite, owing to a breeding
program near by. The Lock Keepers do their bit to enhance
the river with well kept cottages and gardens.
Some of the smaller
towns and villages we should visit en-route include:
Henley, which is of course home of the
famous regatta. We recommend you visit the new Museum of the
River and Rowing as well as the charming town itself.
Abingdon, an ancient market town with rare
Alms Houses around the church.
The twin villages of Goring and
Streetley which nestle either side of the river in the
beautiful wooded ‘Goring gap’.
Cookham – home of the Sir Stanley Spencer
paintings collection.
Clifton Hampden,
Sonning, Wallingford
etc etc….The river has so many delights to offer both scenic
and historic we can not list them all, why not come and
explore them with us!
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Windsor - London
London - Windsor
Locks 11 Miles 44
For a 4 night short break
this cruise covers a long distance on the river Thames,
including the tidal Thames between Teddington and Limehouse
in London’s Docklands.
You will be able to visit
Hampton Court Palace and make the royal journey on the
tideway viewing Tower Bridge, The Houses of Parliament and
Big Ben, the Tower of London and more modern attractions
including The London Eye and Millennium Bridge.
Limehouse, in the rejuvenated
London Docklands is close to Canary Wharf and is served by
the Docklands light railway for easy access to central
London and Greenwich Maritime Museum.
Windsor should need no
introduction, the Castle is one of the country premier
attractions, and rightly so. Eton, however on the opposite
bank to Windsor is often overlooked, but is a charming town
based around the famous boys’ school with its beautiful
chapel – well worth exploring.
Longer days boating on these
cruises mean this will not be as leisurely as some of our
short breaks, but they are certainly packed with excitement!
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Henley - Lechlade
Lechlade - Henley
Locks 26 Miles 73
These Thames cruises,
including the head of navigation, high in Gloucestershire,
allows us to see two very contrasting aspects of the River
Thames which may be considered to have four sections, Tidal,
Lower, Middle and Upper Thames.
The town of Henley epitomizes
the middle section; the river is fairly wide, with rolling
hills all around and beautiful houses and gardens dotted
along the banks. Also in this middle section the river
wanders through other splendid towns, Goring, Wallingford
and Abingdon, all worth exploring.
Above Oxford we enter the
Upper Thames; it is suddenly a small river, quieter and
isolated with water meadows either side. There are no more
towns, just small settlements including Newbridge, Radcot
and Kelmscott. Ancient low arched bridges occasionally cross
the delightful river and locks here are not mechanised as
further down river, which somehow leads a more intimate link
with the lock keepers who tell us about the otters and red
kite in their area.
Oxford is where Emma was
borne, so we both have an affinity to this small city, which
is more like a town, a walk around the collages is a
definite delight.
Kelmscott Manor was the home
of the artist and craftsman William Morris and this is truly
one of the best small manor houses in England. William
Morris designs are still popular today and you can see many
examples of his work on Gallinago from the wall coverings to
the curtains. Hopefully the house will be open when we are
near because it is a special place to visit.
Lechlade is a charming
Cotswold town of great character, but the real attractions
of the cruise are the tranquility of the upper Thames and
not forgetting a visit to Oxford, perhaps England’s finest
city.
This is the Thames of ‘Wind
in the Willows’ fame, and probably my favorite stretch of
this major English river. One of the overnight stops we will
try and work in is down the weir stream at Shifford lock,
with only Kingfishers and Wagtails to keep us company. The
area also has lovely place names, including Rushey Lock and
Tadpole Bridge, very evocative of this quiet reach.
As Lechlade is a small town
without a rail station, we can arrange transport to/from
Swindon rail station which has good connections to all
areas.
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Henley - London
Locks 19 Miles 66
This is a classic river cruise from the
middle Thames to the very heart of the capital city on the
tidal Thames, taking us through the history book of England.
Henley is easily accessible from all
areas including London, Heathrow and Gatwick airports via
Reading station. It is well worth arriving in Henley early,
to leave your luggage with us, so you can explore the town
and the extremely interesting Museum of the River and
Rowing.
This is the very elegant Thames,
alternating between green water meadow and grand riverside
dwellings in fine towns. One of our favourite reaches on
this part of the Thames however is through the steep wooded
valley at Cookham and Cliveden, before we reach Boulters
lock and then go on down to Windsor. In Windsor you can of
course explore the Castle and royal apartments and perhaps
stroll across the river to Eton.
Below Windsor we cruise past Runnymead,
where the Magna Cata was signed by King John then further
downstream we reach Henry VIII favourite Palace, Hampton
Court. From Teddington we join the tidal Thames, past Kew
Gardens, Richmond, and through The Boat Race course before
we enter the busy Pool of London. At this point it is hard
to know where to look next as the sights come thick and fast
– The Tate Modern Gallery, Houses of Parliament, Westminster
Bridge, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, The Tower of London,
H.M.S. Belfast – to name but a few!
We turn off the busy river into
Limehouse Basin, now rejuvenated and a very smart
residential area adjacent to Canary Wharf. With the
Docklands Light Railway close by, access to anywhere in the
capital, or across the river to Greenwich is very simple.
This is a very full week that would
suit anyone, from home or abroad, who would like to see some
of the historic sights; we can fit so much in such a short
time, yet at a civilised river pace!
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London - Tonbridge
Tonbridge - London
Locks 15 Miles 80
The cruises through the
Thames and Medway Estuaries have been a big success in the
last two seasons, so we are again offering these adventurous
cruises, unique to Gallinago amongst Hotel Boats. By ending
/starting the cruises in Tonbridge in Kent we also cover the
river Medway to the head of navigation, a delightful and
surprisingly rural river.
We plan for the best
possible weather and sea conditions for the day we make the
passage from London to Chatham on the Thames and Medway
estuaries; but unlike normal river cruises, there is always
a calculated possibility of choppy waves in the Thames
estuary.
The outward passage
starts and the inward passage ends at Limehouse Dock, a
rejuvenated and now fashionable mooring close to Canary
Wharf and the Docklands Light Railway, which gives excellent
regular access to all parts of London and also to Greenwich
Maritime Museum.
The highlights of the
tidal Thames in London include The Dome, the imposing Thames
Barrier and big ships from Tilbury and Gravesend. It is an
exciting passage in the wheelhouse watching progress on the
G.P.S. and following the course on the charts, gauging our
timing to allow for the correct tidal passage up the Medway
Estuary.
We will, on both inward
and outward journeys, lock into Chatham Marina to allow time
to visit the Historic Dockyard. It is one of the best places
we have visited for years, I spent the whole day there and
still didn’t see all the wonderful exhibits – probably
because I spent a long time in the ‘ropery’ studying rope
making and splicing in the rope walk, an amazing building
half a mile long!
Once we are off the
tidal section we join the tranquil river Medway at Allington
and after cruising through Maidstone the river truly becomes
isolated. There are quite a few locks (hard work for all!)
and more kingfishers and woodpeckers than I have seen
anywhere. At Farleigh there is an ancient stone bridge in a
steep valley flanked on either side by Oust Houses, where
hops were dried. The river meadows provide peaceful and
isolated moorings in the summer. Very little habitation
encroaches on the riverbank until we reach Tonbridge, as the
meadows flood in the winter. Tonbridge is a small market
town that boasts a good rail service to Maidstone and onward
to London and all other areas.
As you can see, these
are very special cruises, in an area not visited by hotel
boats until we first went in 2006; indeed there are no other
hire or hotel boats available on the Medway.
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Tonbridge - Tonbridge
Locks 20 Miles 60
Tonbridge is a Kent Market
town dating back to the 13th centaury when the castle was
built by a ford in the river. Tonbridge is well served by a
small rail line to Maidstone, and has direct trains from
London Waterloo. A limited amount of car parking may be
available in the town, which may be helpful as this is a
return trip – please discuss this further with Emma if
required.
Within the weeks cruise we
will visit Chatham Historic Dockyard, either by boat, if the
tide is favourable, or by courtesy transport. This is the
best museum I have visited for a long time. The building
half a mile long where hawsers and ropes were made for
England’s fighting ships in Nelsons time is worth the visit
in itself. Then there’s a submarine, a sailing ship, a
destroyer and Lifeboats etc etc all to be explored.
Because the Medway is prone
to floods in the winter, dwellings stay well back, which
makes this a secluded river with probably the biggest
population of Kingfishers I have ever seen and we constantly
hear, if not see, woodpeckers.
The energetic will be
rewarded with good walks to Yalding and around the ancient
bridge at Farleigh, set in a deep valley with Oast houses
for drying the famous Kent hops. At Yalding there are some
delightful Organic Gardens, part of the Henry Doubleday
research Association. There are examples of 18 different
gardens through history including a Tudor Knot Garden,
Victorian Artisans Glasshouse and a modern low water garden.
All are managed using the latest organic gardening methods
and we can sometimes buy fruit, vegetables and flowers grown
there. Emma visited last year with some guests and
thoroughly enjoyed it; we all enjoyed the French beans and
beetroot she brought back!
A hidden gem we found in 06
was the stained glass windows of All Saints Church in
Tudeley, designed by Marc Chagall. It was a three mile round
walk on one of 2006’s hottest days yet all said it was
worthwhile – that’s impressive!
If you do require retail
therapy there is always Maidstone, but we prefer the quieter
moorings at Allington lock and some of the isolated places
en-route. From somewhere near Maidstone we can arrange
transport to Leeds Castle a delightful place in a beautiful
setting, or in Maidstone itself there is an interesting
Carriage Museum near to the Archbishops Palace – the 14th
Century residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
I am sure you will be
surprised and delighted by the River Medway and surrounding
area – we were.
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London - Reading
Locks 22 Miles 75
Our starting point in
London, Limehouse Dock, is one of the rejuvenated areas near
Canary Wharf. It is easily accessible from all the London
stations via the Docklands Light Railway, or Limehouse rail
station.
From Limehouse basin we
lock down onto the tidal Thames for our upstream passage to
Teddington lock. During the first hour upstream, you son’t
know where to look next, there are so many famous sights. We
pass under Tower Bridge, pass the HMS Belfast, the tower of
London, the Houses of Parliament, London Eye to name but a
few of the famous landmarks. Then the river becomes quieter
as we pass through Richmond, Twickenham and Kew until we
leave the tideway at Teddington Lock – so much excitement
and this is only the first day of the cruise!
There will be time to
visit Hampton Court and Windsor Castle en-route, plus we
have beautiful scenery, especially through one of my
favourite reaches at Cliveden and Cookham. There are
delightful riverside towns to visit including Marlow, and at
Henley there is the museum of the river and rowing to
explore.
We have further pretty
reaches through Wargrave and Sonning where the river winds
around numerous islands, or ‘eyots’ as they are known of the
Thames before we reach our destination of Reading.
Reading is not the most
attractive of towns, but from a practical point of view has
excellent rail and coach links to all parts of the country
including Heathrow Airport.
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Reading - Devizes
Locks 56 Miles 53
This is primarily a canal
cruise, on the Kennet and Avon Canal, therefore the
wheelhouse will be folded down to get under the low bridges
and the locks are a tight fit for our barge Gallinago. We
are the largest vessel to regularly cross the canal.
So, this is a fun cruise,
especially suitable for active people who like working the
many locks and lift bridges. With an average of one lock per
mile it is certainly a busy cruise, plus with a continuous
towpath it is a walkers delight – you can walk the whole
route.
From rather dubious
beginnings in the busy town of Reading, the Kennet and Avon
soon blossoms into a green corridor, alternating between
river navigation and canal as we pass through Aldermaston,
Thatcham and Newbury. The last town we see until Devizes is
Hungerford, which is a delightful regency styled prosperous
market town, and we are less than half way through the week.
From here on, we have
continuous delightful countryside. The villages of Bedwyn
and Wooten Rivers are worth an amble around – and a visit to
the thatched pubs – but otherwise we see only isolated
settlements as we wind through Savernake Forrest and the
Marlborough Downs. Chalk horses are carved into the Downs,
some testament to the ancient habitation of the area which
has many Iron Age settlements.
Devizes is a delightful
Wiltshire market town, much loved by the poet John Betjeman;
we will point you to some hidden alleyways and buildings
worth seeing. Devizes is of course home to the famous Cean
Hill flight of Locks – probably the most spectacular flight
in the country – you must take the short walk along the
towpath to see it.
The only drawback of Devizes
is its lack of public transport (probably why it is
unspoilt) so we provide courtesy transport to Bath rail
station which has good connections for your onward journey.
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Devizes - Bristol
Locks 49 Miles 51
The special highlights of
this cruise are the Caen Hill locks, an extended stop to see
Bath and our final port of call – Bristol Floating Harbour,
home of the S.S. Great Britain.
Though Devizes is a
delightful Wiltshire Market town, it is poorly served by
public transport, so we provide Courtesy Transport from Bath
rail station to Devizes – Emma can provide all the details.
Twenty Nine locks in just 2 ¼
miles make Caen Hill locks the most spectacular flight in
the country. When I first saw this flight it was derelict,
so to see and be able to use the flight as it falls steeply
down the hillside gives me a big thrill. Though Emma and I
are capable of working Gallinago through the flight
ourselves, we always appreciate assistance from the
passengers!!
Bradford-on-Avon is another
attraction on this canal, often called a miniature Bath,
owing to its lovely architecture, built on the sides of the
steep valley. From here the canal also clings to the side of
the Avon Valley, changing sides by crossing the river on two
splendid aqueducts at Avoncliff and Dundas. This is another
beautiful stretch with the views alternating between pretty
woods and steep valley.
The canal’s entrance to Bath
is very elegant, landscaped in a regency style with bridges
built of the famous Bath stone. Another flight of locks,
this time only 6 but including the deepest wide canal lock
in the country, take us onto the River Avon where first we
will go upstream the short distance to Pultney Weir for a
very central mooring to explore Bath. Having seen the many
sights of this ancient City we will turn downstream to
Bristol.
With deeper water we now make
good progress through Saltford and Keynsham before turning
into the feeder canal for Bristol Floating Harbour in the
centre of the City where the harbour and surrounds have been
rejuvenated to make a major tourist attraction based around
the S.S. Great Britain. Water taxis in the harbour make
access to all parts of the city easy and Bristol has good
rail and coach links to all parts of the country, for your
onward journey.
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Bristol - Gloucester
Locks 16 Miles 75
The main highlight of this
cruise must be the tidal passage of the River Severn between
Bristol and Portishead and then onwards to Sharpness. Very
few hotel boat passengers will ever have the chance to
participate on a cruise up the Severn estuary, which has the
second strongest tidal surge in the world (second only to
the Bay of Fundy in Canada).
When making the passage
between Portishead and Sharpness we take a Severn Pilot
aboard to guide us through the complicated navigable channel
up the River Severn. There are only three Severn Pilots, and
we have met them all now during our passages in 06 and 07.
They are all great company and a mine of information on the
local area and this fascinating tidal passage.
There will of course be time
to see Bristol Harbour, including the S.S. Great Britain,
and then the delights of Gloucester Docks. You may like to
take the short walk to Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust which is
situated on marshland between the river Severn and the
Gloucester & Sharpness canal. Another gentle walk takes you
to the site of the Thames and Severn canals junction with
the river Severn. Just a little further up the canal, the
attractive village of Frampton-on-Severn boasts an enormous
village green – half a mile long by 100 yards wide. While on
the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal we may also be able to
arrange a visit to the privately owned Berkley Castle, a
fascinating place with many historic connections.
If time, tide and weather are
kind to up then we may even have a chance to travel above
Gloucester at least as far as one of our favourite pubs at
Ashelworth Quay.
We plan for the best possible
weather and sea conditions for the day(s) we make the
passage from Bristol to Portishead and then Portishead to
Sharpness; but unlike normal river cruises, there is always
a calculated possibility of choppy waves in the Severn
estuary. Please talk to us before booking, about the
suitability of this special cruise for you.
For your onward journey,
Gloucester has very good rail and coach links to all parts
of the country.
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Gloucester - Bidford
Locks 18 Miles 65
The restored Gloucester Docks
and now one of our favourite destinations, with so much to
see and do around the docks before you even venture up into
the City and the Cathedral, so time will be allowed to see
such delights as the Waterways Museum.
This is quite a full week’s
cruise, mainly because we first head south downstream on the
Gloucester and Sharpness canal to Slimbridge, and Peter
Scott’s Wildfowl Trust which is situated between the canal
and the tidal river Severn. Other delights on the canal
include the village of Frampton-on-Severn and an interesting
walk along the remains of the Stroudwater canal from Saul
Junction.
After viewing Gloucester
Docks we head up the river Severn to spend a night on the
moorings for one of my favourite pubs at the small riverside
settlement of Ashleworth Quay. Here there is just the
picturesque pub, an ancient church, manor house and tithe
barn. The pub sells a fine selection of local Ciders and
Perry, and is a good chance to hear the local
Gloucestershire accent.
Tewkesbury sadly hit the
headlines in 2007 with freak summer floods, but it is
certain to have recovered by next August, so we can enjoy
the beautiful Abbey and historic buildings. This is where we
join the river Avon, very pretty, small river, which passes
through the vale of Evesham and Pershaw. There are numerous
small locks we work ourselves and its whole course is rural
as it meanders through the Garden of England.
Pershaw is a delightful
Worcestershire market town with an impressive town squire
and its own imposing Abbey, while Evesham is a prosperous
large town, owing its wealth to the fertile Avon Valley.
Another remarkable fact of
the Avon is that it is very well run by a charitable trust
which was responsible for restoring the navigations from
dereliction, an incredible feet and a story in itself.
Our destination, Bidford-on-Avon
is the quintessential pretty riverside village, with its
ancient arched stone bridge that sadly restricts our further
progress up river the short distance to Stratford-upon-Avon.
We can still visit Stratford however; Emma can arrange
transport for sightseeing or visiting the theatre – please
do ask for further details.
Transport for your onward
journey should be planned from either Stratford-upon-Avon or
Evesham, both of which are well served with rail links and
Stratford also has National Express Coach Service. We will
provide courtesy transport to either location.
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Bidford - Worcester
Locks 18 Miles 65
This cruise covers the
river Avon, as described in the previous cruise description
and then we have a choice of cruising area. We could go all
the way up the river Severn to Stourport, where the
Staffordshire and Worcestershire cabal basin is, or
alternatively, we can do downstream through Gloucester to
Slimbridge and the other delights of the Gloucester and
Sharpness Ship canal.
Which ever direction we
choose between us, there should be time to visit
Upton-upon-Severn and of course the delights of Worcester
including the Royal Worcester Porcelain Factory and
magnificent Cathedral.
Worcester is very well
served by public transport to all areas having two rail
stations – if you need advice for this or any cruise
concerning travel to or from the boat, please do not
hesitate to ask.
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Worcester - Gloucester
Locks 13 Miles 65
The River Severn is Britains
longest river, starting in the Welsh mountains, carving a
steep valley between England and Wales. Throughout history
it has occasionally brought flood waters down from the Welsh
mountains, and then just last summer freak amounts of rain
fall reminded everyone in the Severn Valley just what a big
river it is.
All is well now, and the
aftermath has left no permanent scars on the river.
Worcester Cathedral has seen many floods in its long history
and Worcester Porcelain was built on higher ground; these
are just two of the many sights to see in this fine city.
From our central mooring in
Worcester we first head upstream to the head of navigation
at Stourport-on-Severn and the canal basin of the Staff’s
and Worcs’ canal. Just outside Stourport at Lincomb lock
there is a high sandstone escarpment, a feature of the area
(as featured on this brochure front cover!) then at Bevoir
lock there is an old Cider House Pub.
Heading downstream below
Worcester now, we call at Upton-upon-Severn, a very
attractive riverside town, mainly Georgian in style, and
then we cruise on to Tewkesbury to view the famous Abbey.
Gloucester Docks are now a vibrant area, many of the old
warehouses have been restored and some now house the
National Waterways Museum – or if you need more
ecclesiastical buildings there is Gloucesters fine
Cathedral.
The Gloucester and Sharpness
Ship Canal was always enjoyable when we visited in the past
with our narrow boats, but with the high hedges and banks it
was not easy to view the green Severn Estuary – now with
Gallinago’s high wheelhouse we have panoramic views of the
area. There are lots of opportunities for walking, and many
places to explore. Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust is well worth a
visit, and then we recommend two exploratory walks, one
through Frampton-on-Severn, an elongated village with an
extraordinary village green half a mile long, another along
the remains of the Stroudwater canal.
If time allows we hope to
arrange an excursion to Berkeley Castle, which has been
lived in by the same family for nearly 900 years. It was
here that King Edward II was murdered and where the Barons
of the West gathered before Magna Carta. Passengers in 2007
raved about the castle, so we have decided to somehow fit it
into the already busy schedule!
We have a very central
mooring in Gloucester, which has good transport connections
for your onward journey.
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Gloucester - Bristol
Locks 16 Miles 75 approx
This cruise is
similar to the route Bristol to Gloucester which we do
earlier in the year, and as with all the cruises involving
an estuary, the weeks schedule will depend on tide times and
suitable weather between Sharpness and Portishead and then
Portishead to Bristol Harbour.
The cruise will
obviously include the delights of Gloucester Docks with the
National Waterways Museum. We should also be able to find
time to walk to Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust, accessible from
the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal and explore some of the
delightful villages en-route. Once in Bristol there are
endless maritime delights including the S.S. Great Britain
and the replica of The Matthew. All areas of Bristol are
made accessible by the very handy water taxis in the
floating harbour.
As we emphasise for
all our cruises that include a tidal passage, there is
always the possibility choppy waves, though we endeavour to
choose the best possible weather window and will take the
advice of the professional Severn Pilot who will accompany
us for the tidal passage. This is a fascinating cruise and
one of the skippers’ favourites.
Both Gloucester and
Bristol are well served by public transport from all areas
of the country, making joining and leaving as easy as
possible.
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Bristol - Bath
Locks 12 Miles 22
This Autumn short
break has an emphasis on visiting the many attractions of
both Bristol and Bath in the quieter season.
Besides the splendid
ship the S.S. Great Britain and its museum, in the
rejuvenated floating harbour of Bristol, the city itself is
vibrant and exciting and there are good walks to Clifton
Suspension Bridge for views down the steep Avon Gorge.
The river between
Bristol and Bath is a quiet backwater with very pretty
wooded reaches, and little habitation coming down to the
river. Once in Bath, our very central mooring at Pultney
Weir has one of the best views of the city, with the weir
and famous bridge lit up at night and reflecting on the
water. It is also good for access for exploring the City’s
many delights. Bath is of course one of England’s most
elegant cities, built from the famous Bath stone throughout
its long history.
On the last day of
your cruise we ascend 6 canal locks, including the deepest
wide canal lock in the country; they takes us onto the
Kennet and Avon canal for our final mooring with panoramic
views across the city. Both Bristol and Bath have very good
rail and coach connections to all parts of the country,
making joining and leaving the cruise as simple as possible.
September is
invariably a dry month, and with the trees beginning to
change colour this is my favourite time of the year.
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Bath - Devizes
Locks 43 Miles 20
With 43 locks in 20 miles in 4 days I
can’t really describe this as a short break! If however you
want lots of activity with the boat, this is the cruise for
you. Though it does not allow much time to explore away from
the Kennet and Avon canal to Bath and Bradford-on-Avon it
can be great fun assisting Emma and I through the many locks
and swing bridges, which are continuous all the way to
Devizes.
Caen Hill flight is the longest wide
flight in the country and is a stupendous sight climbing up
the steep hillside from the Avon Valley. Of course, if you
have more than just 4 days to spare, you could link this
with cruise number 27 to make an eight night cruise and
enjoy more of the Kennet and Avon canal.
Bath has good rail and coach connections
for all areas, so at the end of this cruise in Devizes we
provide courtesy transport back to Bath, in this way you
many be able to purchase return tickets for the train or
coach.
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Devizes - Hungerford
Locks 24 Miles 25
Our last short break of 2008 takes us into
October, but though the days are shorter now, the weather is
often crisp and dry, and with our Aga on board you will be
warm and comfortable.
We provide Courtesy transport from Bath
rail station to Devizes to make joining the cruise as easy
as possible, Devizes is a delightful town, but has little
public transport.
The cruise starts across the Marlborough
Downs on a very isolated section of the Kennet and Avon
Canal. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty where
only very small villages like Honey Street and Pewsey Wharf
border the 15 mile pound interrupted by only the occasional
swing bridge.
If you are a walker, there is a good
towpath all the way, except for our only tunnel during the
season – Bruce Tunnel which takes us under Savernake
Forrest.
There are pretty Wiltshire villages to
explore including Wooten Rivers and Great Bedwyn, and a fair
number of locks, so this can be a very active cruise if you
wish. Our destination, Hungerford is a splendid Georgian
style, Berkshire market town, there are good transport links
to Reading and Paddington for all areas of the country.
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