Royal Canal

Pigeon Reaper

I'm heading down the Royal Canal this weekend for the first time with a group from the Yacht club. Are there any sights we should stop to look at? In a moment of madness I've decided to forgo an engine leave the proper boat and rough it in a sea kayak. If you see a small Flotilla heading towards the Shannon feel free to wave.

bovis

Where you starting from and how far you planning to go?

Pigeon Reaper

We're starting from Dublin docklands and going as far as the shannon.

bovis

Fair play to you. The stretch called the long level after kilcock is meant to be very impressive - particular around the hill of down.

Couple of good links here:
Places to stop: http://www.iwai.ie/forum/read.php?1,28970,28999#msg-28999
Barges coming other way: http://www.iwai.ie/forum/read.php?1,29180,29969#msg-29969

Good luck with your trip. Post here afterwards and let us know how you go. Would love to try it myself in my canadian canoe.

Pigeon Reaper

There are a few doing it in Candian Canoes too. I'm hoping to throw some of the heavier gear into one of motorboats doing the same trip. The plan is to move along at the same pace as the motorboats as we'll catch up at the locks. The long level is where the plan will probably fall apart.

bovis

Well? How did it go? Any advice to others thinking of trying it (in canoes also)?

Pigeon Reaper

We managed to finish it on Tuesday. We brought wheels for the canoes and kayak to help with porting around locks which proved very useful. We could lock through with larger boats if we felt lazy but it was quicker to port.
Some of the guys also loaded some of their camping gear onto some of the motorboats and went on ahead paddling as it turned out we could hold a higher average speed. The 12th lock burst and delayed the rest of the flottila by about a day. This meant that some of the guys had no camping gear or clothes. The average distance per day was too high for comfort so I'd reduce this if going again. About 15-20 miles would be a nicer pace.
There is also a need for more toilets and stopping points put into the canal to make it more attractive to tourists.I can also say to avoid the bar at Thomastown harbour. Everywhere else was excellent.
There's also a distinct lack of places to get food along the route but this will probably change as more people use the canal. Some sections are very shallow and the motorboats touched bottom but this again will be rectified as more use the canal. I'd recommend doing the trip if you get a chance as the canal is still very quiet compared to the Grand.

Also if packing for a canoe or kayak look at what you've packed and get rid of anything that doesn't have three uses. Every kilo you leave behind will help alot.

WaterRat

Well done. Sounds like a great trip. Any plans to do it again or make it an annual event? I would love to do it in a kayak.