Canal Thoughts for 2013

A very Happy New Year to all those reading our blog

With Christmas now behind us we've given some thoughts to where we might travel with Leo in 2013.  This needs some thinking about to decide whether we buy a Gold Licence or stick with our CRT 'Canals and Rivers' licence.  Leo is presently moored in a marina just off the River Trent near Derby.

Leo hibernating for the winter

   Our plans at present are to cruise from there to Northampton either via the Rivers Trent and Soar, if there are no floods when we set off, and then via the Leicester Arm, or via Coventry taking in the Ashby Canal, if rain is the order of the day.  We may then drop down to the River Nene for a spell before heading down the Grand Union to London.  We want to cruise the Rivers Lee and Stort to the North of London which we were unable to fit into our travelling last year.

From London we will be going upstream on the Thames at least as far as Reading.  From here we want both to do the upper Thames from Oxford to Lechlade and to cruise the Kennet and Avon to Bath and Bristol.  We have talked about taking a pilot and going down the Avon to Avonmouth and up the Severn to the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.  More likely our nerve for this will desert us and we shall do a 'there and back again' on the K&A.

After these Southerly excursions we will head back Northwards and might leave Leo again on the Trent & Mersey in September or we just might go further North.  We are in the process (fingers crossed) of moving to a house in Knaresborough in Yorkshire and thinking about whether we should have Leo close to us (nearest would be Boroughbridge on a canal by the River Ure) or leave her in the Midlands to act as a stopping off point for travelling South.  We'll see and there is plenty of time yet to firm up on plans.

We really look forward to seeing some of the friends we met in 2012 out on the waters in 2013.  If we don't, then enjoy your own cruising this year and perhaps we'll meet next year.