Your Floating Hotel on the Canals and Rivers of the UK

News about Reed Boats in 2007.

November 2007.

We are now installed back in Warwick for the winter having just spend a couple of months on the canals of the Midlands.

We started off with a trip from Warwick to Birmingham and back to Warwick. We went up via Lapworth on the Northern Stratford to Kings Norton, then we followed the Worcester and Birmingham into the centre of Birmingham. We then returned to Warwick via Farmers Bridge, Ashted and Camp Hill locks. This section was a fascinating trip it was only the second time I had ever come out of Birmingham this way and the first time with our pair of boats. It was a fascinating run and one I am quite glad I have included twice more next year. It is urban canal yet very fascinating in it's own way. Part of Farmers Bridge is shown in the picture on the right.

On this trip we once again seemed to get a gathering of butties ! As we came under the narrow bridge to moor at the top of Farmers Bridge locks we meet Nuneaton and Brighton, historic working boats now restored and operated by the volunteers of the Historic Boats Trust coming the other way. There was an interesting bit of juggling to get us all past and then we spent the night either side of this bridge. Just across the way was a modern butty moored as well.

We went then down the Grand Union to Aylesbury. The arm was opened just days before we went down it having been closed due to Blue Green algae for a short while. (If it had still been closed we had planed to turn around at Marsworth and arrange taxi rides to Aylesbury for our guests.) We then came back through Braunston and down the Southern Oxford.

On the Southern Oxford we managed to 'arrange' entertainment for the guests. On the way down to Oxford as we moored on the River Cherwell just above the lock off the river. At breakfast time Brighton and Nuneaton came down, this was the third time we had meet them this year. As the lock was in use they tied up both boats on the outside of us and I was able to buy coal off them before helping them to work down the locks. You can see these lovely boats in the picture on the left.

Then on the way back up we happened to be at Grants Lock at the right time and were able to stop and watch BW crane in a dredger. We even had a chair on the bank for one guest who could not stand for long.

We then arrived at another lock just as a tug boat was about to work down a mud boat. So off got most of the guests again to see how this was done and to help out with windlasses the tug driver who was on her own.

Back to Braunston, right over the Leicester summit again and back to Braunston yet again. Foxton was a lot quieter in October than it was in August! We then made our way to finish off our cruises for the year down at Warwick.

During our autumn cruising we achieved another first for us. We successfully catered for a guest who was almost blind and had to bring with him his golden retriever who helped him. Is this the first time a hotel boat has accommodated a guide dog? This was an advantage of being a motor and butty pair that if any of the guests were not able to cope with a dog then we would be able to keep them and the dog on separate boats. However our other guests this cruise enjoyed making a fuss of this lovely dog.

We are now moored at Warwick for November and December, them we will cruise over New Year, ending up at Tardebbige wharf ready for dry docking. If you fancy three days afloat over New Year there are still some places.

Newsletter for February / Newsletter for March / Newsletter for May / Newsletter for July / Newsletter for September

Newsletters for 2004 / Newsletters for 2005 / Newsletters for 2006

If you have any questions then do ring us on 07977 229103
or email us at martinreed@reedboats.co.uk