Trip Group : 1990s Canals
- Canals 1990 - Ireland G Canal
After many years trying, we finally made it to Ireland, hiring "Celtic Queen" from Tullamore. Unfortunately, all I had was a mini-Instamatic camera, and the pictures are very poor.
- Canals 1991 - Ireland G Canal
We returned to Ireland in 1991 doing a similar route to 1990, but making it as far as Portobello at the top of the locks down to Ringsend in Dublin. After returning to Tullamore we took a bus & train trip to Limerick before returning to England. I apologise for the poor quality of the photographs, which were scanned direct from the negatives: if I can locate the prints, I shall re-scan them.
- Canals 1992 - Leicester & 4 Co
The first of what has become an annual 2-week cruise each October saw us hiring "Oak" from Middlewich for a figure-8 tour via the T&M to Fradley Jn, then via Fazeley & Braunston before turning north along the Leicester Arm of the GU. After doing the Erewash Canal, we returned via Gt Haywood and the Shropshire Union.
- Canals 1993 - Ireland G Canal
Another spring visit to Ireland, this time getting as far as Bagenalstown on the River Barrow.
- Canals 1993 - 4 Co & Caldon
For the 1993 2-week tour we again hired "Oak" from Middlewich for a cruise that started round the "Cheshire Ring" and visited Froghall before continuing south to Wolverhampton, then via the "Twirley Wyrley" to Anglesea Basin before returning north on the Shroppie.
- Canals 1994 - Ireland G Canal
A memorable canal holiday, including a run down the Circle Line of the Grand Canal into Ringsend basin and a spectacular failure on the Barrow 2 miles from the nearest road. On leaving Borris Lock the boat rode over a submerged rock and the engine air-locked. After we had got the boat into the bank, we then had to walk the 2+ miles through the woods to Borris to find a pub and phone. It was raining, and Borris is on the top of a long hill, with all the pubs around the church at the top.
- Canals 1995 - Sharpness
For the 1995 canal holiday we returned to Middlewich Boats and hired "Oak" and "Sycamore" for another fortnight. This time we went all the way down to Sharpness via the Staffs & Worcs, returning via The River Avon and Stratford. This trip was notable for Peter Baxter-Ludlow (PBL) bringing along a Belgian acquaintance he had met earlier that year in Nepal. This gentleman had taken Peter's farewell comment "If you are ever in England, do come and look me up." literally and turned up on his doorstep shortly before he (Peter) was leaving to join us in Evesham. Unfortunately the delights of Sparkbrook and Bilston proved too much for him to comprehend, and he was always referred to as "The Bemused Belgian".
- Canals 1996 - Ireland S-Erne
The 1996 canal holiday was perhaps our most ambitious ever (possibly other than the 1982 "Big Ring" tour). We hired from Tullamore and took 2 9'-beam boats up the Shannon and across to Lough Erne and Enniskillen.
- Canals 1997 - 4 Co & Ashby
Back to Middlewich for this holiday, and the last trip with "Oak" and "Sycamore". Notable for being Denise's first canal holiday, in the company of Adrian's tug "Splendid", we went via the T&M and Coventry canals and up the Ashby cut. We returned via Braunston and Birmingham. We suffered two major breakdowns with "Sycamore", re-christening her "Sickagain", which rather spoilt what was otherwise a very enjoyable holiday.
- Canals 1998 - Boston
In 1998 we took 2 boats from Shire Cruisers from Sowerby Bridge (Halifax) to Boston, passing near to New York on the way!
- Canals 1999 - Ireland G Canal
Ireland beckoned again, and we took "Celtic Queen" out for the last time, right down to St Mullins and across to Shannon Harbour. Notable for wall-to-wall sunshine, this has so far been our last trip to Ireland.
