Navigating the canals

[ahconway]

I'm hoping to head north from London on the towpaths of the Grand Union Canal. I have a few of the Nicholson's guides that describe the canals largely from the boater's point of view.

Anyone done extensive canal navigation? Are there any large stretches that are closed to cyclists? Any recommendations?

[Stijn]

Are you planning to do this route by pedelboat? []

[ahconway]

quote:Originally posted by Stijn

Are you planning to do this route by pedelboat? []

The last time I piloted a pedalboat was in the canals of Utrecht, and I found it to be startlingly inefficient... thus, I will do it in my brand new Raven Adventure Tour, which I ordered just today! []

[Stijn]

Congratulation, nice one. I completely agree on the inefficiency of the dutch pedel boats, they are much  more fun if you take them out in a group and bring some buckets along. []

Enjoy and cycle straight.

Stijn

[Penfold]

ahconway,

Perhaps it may be worthwhile contacting British waterways(BW)

I'm sure they would be able to give advise on routes etc.

I don't think there are many towpaths unavailabe to cycles.

Penfold

[Brains]

We cycled along a sustrans route that follows the Kennett and Avon canal from Reding to Bristol in 3 days, about half the time on the towpath, the only problem we had was inpassable mud on one short section (well impassable on a Thorn nomad with semi-slick tyres and mudguards, the wifes MTB with knobblies and without mudguards was fine)

[Jeremy Smith]

I know only the section from Watford to Tring, and the towpath surface varies considerably along this stretch.  I live in Berkhamsted and often need to travel in to Watford, a distance of about 12 miles.  Thinking to avoid the main roads, I thought it would be a good idea to ride along the canal, so I tried it - once.  It was slow, so bumpy in places that it practically shook the fillings out of my teeth, and elsewhere so muddy that I fell off and narrowly avoided a nasty accident.

Personally, I would avoid the towpath.  It's a shame, because if the path was properly tarmacked (where is Sustrans when it's needed?), it would be an excellent way of getting more people to get out of their cars and commute by bike.

[lundon2210]

hello ahconway
it doesnt say on your message how far your planning on going on the G.U.C. but i can tell u for sure that the paths remain fairly good as far as M.K after that there a bit hit and miss, the main problem is that not enuff people cycle or walk along large sections on the towpath. which can make it difficult to ride along, as there not worn in enough. having said that, the last time i rode along the bit north of M.K. it was shortly after the foot n mouth problems. so that would account for it not being as well worn.
next summer im planning on towpath cycling from where i live in watford. all the way to manchester. cycling the G.U.C, oxford, coventry, trent n mersey and macclesfield canal. doing roughly 35 miles per day, and camping as we go. me being my girlfreind and me. yes, ive found a woman brave/daft enough to join me. 35 miles a day is a piece of cake along a smooth path. but when it gets rough for long periods of time, it can start to wear u down.
however, for keen canal cyclists, by far and away my best recomendation, would be whats known as the south pennine ring. starting at manchester, u follow the rochdale canal to the huddersfield narrow canal. which will lead u back to manchester. 67 miles, 198 locks, yes, its hilly. mostly good paths. R.C being slightly better paths. and the most fantastic scenary, you will have to remind yourself your still in england. slight problem of a 3 and a half mile tunnel that u cant get through. as cyclists are banned. dont ask me why. bit of a trek over the top. but again, fntastic scenary.
ok, im starting to waffle now, ive no idea if anyone will even read this. if anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask. as ive cycled many canals in england.
 Gary.

[Sprocket]

Gary,
Is that 3 1/2 mile tunnel the one that emerges at Marsden? I talked to a few local mountain bikers who claimed to have cycled it some years ago. Sounds a bit dodgy to me. Pretty sure that you would be better going over the top.

[lundon2210]

hello sprocket/nick
in reply to your question, yes its the one at marsden, known as the standage tunnel, the longest canal tunnel in britain. im not sure how anyone could have cycled it, owing to the fact that there isnt a towpath in the tunnel. same as most tunnels of any sizeable lenth. anymore questions about canal cycling please feel free to ask.
  Gary

[Sprocket]

quote:Originally posted by lundon2210

hello sprocket/nick
in reply to your question, yes its the one at marsden, known as the standage tunnel, the longest canal tunnel in britain. im not sure how anyone could have cycled it, owing to the fact that there isnt a towpath in the tunnel. same as most tunnels of any sizeable lenth. anymore questions about canal cycling please feel free to ask.
  Gary

Well I suppose the lack of a towpath would be a serious problem to anyone cycling the tunnel. I probably misunderstood them, or they were winding me up. I suppose the old time canal men would have laid on their backs and legged their boats through. sounds harder work than cycling.

[Steve H]

I live in Hemel Hempstead, and therefore, similarly to Jeremy Smith, know the section of the Grand Union from Hemel to Tring best, though I've been as far North as Milton Keynes on it on a few occasions, and as far South as the junction with the Regent's canal in London.  I agree with Jeremy - the surface is very variable.  Getting on towards MK, there are a few miles which are awful.  At the London end, ther are metal gates intended to keep motor-bikes off the towpath while letting cyclists and walkers through.  In fact, they're a pretty good deterrent to cyclists as well, and they come every mile or less.  If your bike is non-standard in any way, it may not go through the shaped gap without a struggle, and even if you're simply carrying panniers, as I assume you will be if you're touring, you'll have a struggle.
Also, while I use towpaths a lot, I have to say that after a while they get boring.  I'd combine them with other types of route if I was planning a tour.  Still, each to his or her own.

Off-topic a bit - great, fairly flat day-ride starting and finishing in Hemel Hempstead (or anywhere else on or near the route): To St Albans on minor roads, then along the Sustrans 'Alban Way' to Hatfield.  Across Hatfield to the start of the Sustrans 'Cole Green Way', which takes you to Hertford.  In Hertford, turn right from the end of the CGW, then left, and past County Hall. Straight across the town centre roundabout (not literally...), then right and through MacMullen's Brewery.  Follow cyclepath to the Lea Navigation towpath, then follow it all the way into London, until you get to the Hertford Union Canal, off to the right.  Follow that and the Regent's Canal and the Paddington arm of the GUC all the way across London until you get to the GUC proper (you have to leave the towpath a couple of times and ride a mile or so through London streets, but the route back to the towpath is fairly well-signposted in each case).  Turn right and follow the GUC North, all the way back to Hemel Hempstead.  You'll get seriously fed up with the afore-mentioned gates on the towpath, but most of the route doesn't have them.  Total distance, approx. 100 miles.

[lundon2210]

there is now a section on the british waterways website that gives u a rough idea of what kinda surface a canal towpath will be. it also tells u the bits your not allowed to cycle on. which is a complete mystery how they decide which bits u can and cant go on. some bits they say are to rough for cycling, therefore your not allowed on them bits. seems to me there gonna stay rough unless there used more. other bits have fantastic wide path idea for cycling, best example i know of is the leigh branch of the bridgewater canal. on the outskirts of manchester. yet your not allowed to cycle on this bit. my advice to anyone is ignore wether it says u can cycle there or not and do it anyway. its not like u get to many extreme cyclists on canal banks anyway. so were not gonna be any real danger to walkers or anglers. ok, i'll climb down off my soapbox for now. any commenst or questions on what ive said. please feel free to ask.
Gary.