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Canal
Trip - May 4th to 7th 2012 (Bank
Holiday)
Does
anyone fancy a slightly different
weekend away? We've walked along
them enough times so thought we
would offer the chance to spend a
weekend using them as they were
first intended (albeit without
the horses and heavy industrial
loads!)...We are making plans to
spend the early May bank holiday
weekend cruising along one of
England's beautiful and historic
canals, on a barge (of course!).
The
final choice of canal and barge
can only really be determined
once we know final numbers, as
most boatyards only have a couple
of larger barges (and the bigger
the boats the cheaper it will
be), and different barges
obviously occupy different
numbers. So we need to first get
an idea of what interest there is
for this trip... focusing on
canals within a 2.5 hour drive
from Northampton, there are a
couple of options:-
Option 1
- Location of possibly the Oxford
Canal (south part) near Oxford
itself, or the Kennet and Avon
canal, with their pretty villages
and scenery. A cost of
approximately £140-160 per
person, for three nights
accommodation (Fri-Sun),
including fuel, car parking,
damage waivers and breakfast and
lunch food. For a barge for 10-12
people the bathroom ratio would
be 2 toilets and 2 showers on
board. For this price the
boatyards appear to be the more
popular locations.
Option 2
- Significantly cheaper cost of
approximately £80-90 per
person, for three nights
accommodation (Fri-Sun),
including the same items as
above, but location likely to be
less 'sought after', (but depends
who you're asking!), e.g. the
less popular parts of the Oxford
canal, or less touristy canals
such as those nearer to
Northampton, or even rivers, but
still in many cases with the
expected features of locks,
canalside pubs etc and still with
nice villages and scenery. The
bathroom ratio is more likely to
be 1 shower for 10-12 people but
still two toilets (although we
will have all day to get showered
as going nowhere fast!).
All
barges will have a kitchen,
different combinations of double
and single bunks, bedding
provided, and toilets and
shower(s) of course! Cheaper
barges do not provide towels.
They also offer free parking from
where you collect the boat.
If
you're interested in this trip,
please contact Mel and Andy, and
please say what factors are most
important to you i.e lowest
price, better facilities on the
boat, the 'prettier' stretches of
canal, any canal but no rivers,
or don't mind!
Depending
on responses it may obviously
only be possible to offer the
most popular choice(s) as the way
forward... I'm looking to make a
booking in the next few weeks for
anyone that would like to do
this, so please can you let me
know if you're interested in the
next fortnight. Numbers may be
limited due to making up a full
barge / barges. A deposit of
approx £15 would be needed
in the next 6 weeks, with the
final balance needed around Feb
next year.
For
further info see:-
Canal
Junction
Canal
Holidays
If
Interested Contact
Andy &
Mel
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