10 March 2009

Changing direction

The news that boaters will now be able to take their own craft through Standedge Tunnel, albeit with a BW man in attendance for when you chicken out at the pinch points, is a great fillip to our Pennine Ring cruise plans. I wouldn't have minded the 3 mile schlep over the top but it seemed such a shame not to be able to enjoy the full tunnel experience - not when you'd made all that effort to get there. Now we can get mucky aong with everyone else. Goody. However, it won't be this spring - it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind, so I've done a Mrs Slocombe and unanimously decided that the Pennine Ring will now feature as our autumn cruise. Which means that, at last, we get to go south!

My grand plan is to go into work/cruise mode during the last week of May (half-term) and so better position ourselves for a jaunt down to Stratford, returning up the cut to then dive down the Worcester & Birmingham. A quick river saunter to Stourport, a let's-get-a-move-on mosey up the Staffs and Worcester and a breakneck dash back up the Shroppie should see us pushing the holiday envelope to the max. But as we don't actually have to be back anywhere by any particular time, we could just flick over into work/cruise mode again and finish off at a more sedate pace - we'll just have to see how the mood takes us.

I have to confess that the Stratford/W&B thing is an itch that I've been needing to scratch for some time. I've never done the southern part of the Stratford canal and it's been well over twenty years since my dad and I did a couple of mega jaunts up and down Tardebigge. And yet it remains one of my favourite canals and repository of many happy memories. It's definitely overdue a revisit and despite previous plans to get down there, something or other has always put the kybosh on it. Fingers crossed that we pull it off this time. So that's June sorted. Now, can I squeeze in another week somewhere, she says, looking at her calendar? Mmm, Bugsworth in December maybe?

5 comments:

Nb Yarwood said...

You have done it again! With our Crick commitment out of the way we thought to head North, Liverpool beckoned, touch base with Greygal en route.. And where is Greygal and entourage; down South.
Lesley

Dogsontour by Greygal said...

Yes, I know, I'm good like that aren't I? Mind you, depends on which way you go north. Why not go via Brum and then I'm sure we could engineer a meet?

Anonymous said...

Yes, it's the distinctive sound of spring - the loud chorus of boaters planning their summer cruises - hey nonny nonny and merry sing cuckoo!
Sue

Unknown said...

Ditto Caxton's sentiments as we thought we'd head North beginning of June, after Norfolk committments, and catch you somewhere (carrot cake!). Howevever, South Stratford is utterly charming & perfect for those who love to walk - there's only about 4 miles where it's worth getting on the boat between locks.

Dogsontour by Greygal said...

I'm going to catch you all as we head back oop North and you head back down South...so that'll be a slice of Tibetan cake with Labrador frosting and a meet with two Carrot Terriers..No, that's not right...I think I'm getting confused due to inadequate intake of fats...

Indigo Dream, you are a cad and a bounder, sir. Chrome indeed.