A BIBLIOPHILE ON THE CUT The following is a list of bookshops we have come across over the last few seasons, it is broken down by waterway, with appropriate moorings given. If you have suggestions for others to add, please email me. The list is not fully comprehensive and is solely compiled by H & H. The company still continues but no longer directly operates hotelboats. H & H now trades as a consultancy and training company, provide a unique range of services to the Inland Waterways, Marine Tourism, UK Hospitality and Mediation sectors . To find out more please click on this link H & H Training and Consulting Services This list was updated in August of 2007. As a Bibliophile I have listed good second hand bookshops as hunting through them for bargains –or canal books- is one of my passions, and a few other oddities of non-food shopping on the sister pages. I have also included some ordinary bookshops and some places of bibliophile interest away from the cut. Please try to support the local and independent shops found near the Waterways or to coin the IWA phrase, use them or lose them! Remember books make good ballast and insulation. I hope it will assist you in your holiday route planning. THE TOP TEN CANAL RELATED BOOKSHOPS? Stoke Bruerne: The Canal Museum has the largest range of waterways books in the UK; they try to keep all titles in print! The staff are very helpful. Occasional damaged stock bargains. Llangollen: Bibliophile highlight is the huge 2nd hand bookshop in what was the town’s cinema, over a 1950’s original cafe, very extensive range, perhaps the best on the cut. However it is very expensive with most books almost as much as new and rather unhelpful staff! Devizes: Opposite the Town Hall is d’Arcy Books a large cheap excellent second –hand bookshop, with very good wildlife books selection. Nearby is the excellent remainder bookshop Bailey’s Book Bargains, top quality current paperbacks at bargains prices well worth a visit, has some Inland Waterways titles. Leamington Spa: Portland Books, 7 Campion Terrace. Open only Thursday-Saturday, large 2nd hand bookshop 20000+ books. Also has a second shop in the centre of Leamington which sells a mixture of remaindered and 2nd hand. London: Waterstones at Simpsons, Piccadilly, one of the largest and most pleasant bookshops in Europe. Helpful staff, cafes open late, lots of areas to sit and read in comfort, bliss! Foyle’s, Charing Cross Road, large and chaotic, it has quite a large Inland Waterways section on the 2nd floor. Ask for help the staff are very knowledgeable. Some 2nd hand books in the basement. Nantwich: Bookthrift Oxford: see below Manchester: on approach ramp to Piccadilly Station, a specialist transport bookshop, mainly railways but some canal books.  BOOKSHOPS BY WATERWAYS ASHBY CANAL Market Bosworth: Moor by Br 42 where there is also a water point. 15 minute uphill walk to town centre. Small bookshop in town square, don’t miss the fascinating clock shop. A real unspoilt gem of a small market town. RIVER AVON Tewkesbury: Moor on Visitor moorings above the Lock; see LANT lock keeper, and -water point/ rubbish disposal. 5-10 minute walk to High Street. Non-food shopping is very good, and make time to see the huge Abbey. Pershore: Moor on Visitor moorings or below New Bridge: 5-10 minute walk to High Street. Pershore is also very good for Second Hand Bookshops and has a very large number of Pubs. Stratford upon Avon: Moor either in the Basin, the Canal or on the extensive River Moorings. Non-food shopping is excellent, but very hectic, with lots of Tourists. Two-second-hand bookshop opposite each other on Street BIRMINGHAM CANAL NAVIGATIONS Birmingham City Centre: Moor at Sherborne Wharf or outside The National Indoor Arena. Very extensive non-food shopping, including several Malls and Department Stores. Also pedestrian friendly city centre, walk via ICC. Jewellery Quarter is also worth a visit. We have had no problems mooring here but it is noisy at weekends, avoid mooring outside nightclubs or pubs and make sure the boat is secured before leaving it. WALSALL CANAL Walsall: safe moorings in the basin behind the new museum, you are at the top of a long High St, with all the usual outlets. Books available from the Art Gallery BIRMINGHAM AND WORCESTER Worcester: Moor by Lock 4 on the Commandery Visitor Moorings, 5 minutes to the main shopping street. Several chain bookshops in the town centre including Otakkers. Non-food, very extensive range of shops. Royal Worcester has a large factory outlet shop. COVENTRY CANAL Coventry: Moor on the excellent and safe visitor moorings in the Canal Basin, 5 -10 walk over footbridge to town centre. Non-food shopping is excellent, including several Malls and big Department Stores. Waterstones near the Cathederal. Don’t leave without visiting the very moving Cathedral and the extensive Museum of British Road Transport, which has a good book/gift shop. Fradley Junction/Lichfield: Moor on visitor moorings; no local shops so take taxi to Lichfield- approx. £5 each way. The Canal Shop at the boat yard sells a few canal books and guides. GLOUCESTER AND SHARPNESS CANAL: Gloucester: Moor in the amazing Gloucester Docks. 10 minute walk past the Prison to the city centre. One of the warehouses sells second-hand books, antiquarian in the Cathedral precincts, also Breatrix Potter Books at the “Tailor of Gloucester”. Don’t miss the BW owned National Waterways Museum; large waterways book section in their gift shop, the Cathedral and the Glorious Gloucester’s Regimental Museum. GRAND UNION CANAL: LEICESTER BRANCH: Crick: Moor by Br 13- On-on offside by Edwards Restaurant- 10 minute walk to village centre. Village junk shop sells some books. The Red Lion Pub is well worth a visit, thatched Free House, real Ale good food. Market Harborough: Moor in the new basin, Water point/ pump out 10-minute walk to town centre. Second-hand books in shop behind the Church. Very attractive unspoilt Georgian Market Town, with lots of Independent traditional shops, Antiques Market on Sundays several bookstalls. Leicester: Moor on the Floating Pontoons by West Bridge, safe for overnight moorings; 5 minute walk to the city centre. Several bookshops, also stalls selling cheap paperbacks in the covered market. Loughborough: Moor outside the Albion Pub. 10 minute walk to town centre. Ottakers book shop opposite cinema Birmingham City Centre: Moor at Sherborne Wharf or outside The National Indoor Arena. Large Waterstones in Broad Street in a converted Bank Building. Very extensive non-food shopping, including several Malls and Department Stores. Also pedestrian’s city centre, walk via ICC. Jewellery Quarter is also worth a visit. We have had no problems mooring here but it is noisy at weekends, avoid mooring outside nightclubs or pubs and make sure the boat is secured before leaving it. Warwick: Moor in Saltisford Arm (fee) or by Cape Locks -Water point. 10 minutes walk uphill into Town centre. Three different second-hand bookshops- mainly antiquarian- in the long steep High St, also several stores in the Antiques Market. Try the Warwick Bookshop, 11 Jury Street. There is also the David Mellor studio for fine quality table and kitchenware, near the wonderful Church. Royal Leamington Spa: Moor by Br 39 on visitors moorings safe at night but noisy. The main mooring is very close to the town centre, 5-minute walk to the High St over the Leam Waterstone’s beside the Shopping Mall. Good second-hand bookshops : Portland Books, 7 Campion Terrace, very large 2nd hand bookshop open Thursday-Saturday. Also several bric-a- brac antiques shops that sell books. Braunston: Moor on visitor moorings. Two water points, 10-15 minute walk uphill. The Lock Shop at the bottom lock has the best Canal ware range and lots of second hand canal books and new prints. Nb Mabs opposite thee Waterman’s pub sells paperbacks and jigsaws. There are also three Chandlery shops and three selling canal souvenirs. By the Lord Nelson Pub, Nelson Cottage Craft Shop has good quality turned wooden bowls and ceramics, and sells coffee. Weedon: Moor on the embankment by the church, 5-10 minutes to Lower Weedon, down steep and slippery stairs. The Junk shop sells books. The large Antiques Centre and several Antiques shops, in the Upper Weedon side have book sections. Weedon also boasts 7 pubs! Stoke Bruerne: Moor on the Visitor Moorings. The Canal Museum has the largest range of waterways books in the UK; they try to keep all titles in print! Occasional damaged stock bargains. Northampton: Well worth the effort of the Rothesthorpe Locks. Moor on the River Nene above the 1st Lock, but through South Bridge. Several second-hand bookshops, plus a large Waterstones, two bookstalls for pulp paperbacks in the market. Northampton has an attractive city centre, with good shopping and an excellent Museum with the largest Shoe Collection in the World! Can be rowdy on weekend evenings. Leighton Buzzard: Visitor moorings at Tesco. Town centre 10 minutes from Br114. Water point is just through the bridge. Two second-hand bookshops in the town centre. Aylesbury: Moor at the very friendly Aylesbury Canal Society at canal basin, safe overnight. Town centre 5 minutes. Aylesbury is a very pleasant town well worth the detour down the locks, if you have children the towns Roald Dahl Museum has won awards. Ottakers bookshop in the town centre. The Canal Society is also very friendly Cheap Diesel if you join. Look out for the amazing variety of duck species to be seen below the bottom lock. Berkhamsted: Moor near lock 53. Two second-hand bookshops; one close to the canal in a side street behind Berkhamsted Boats. PADDINGTON ARM OF GU: London: Moorings are scarce but try Brentford, Little Venice or Limehouse Marina. You could also moor by Cumberland Basin just after the Zoo, about 10 minutes to Camden Town shops. Charing Cross Road in central London is the centre of the bookshop district; at the Tottenham Court Road end are four huge emporiums: Foyle’s, large and chaotic, it has quite a large Inland Waterways section on the 2nd floor. Ask for help the staff are very knowledgeable. Some 2nd hand books in the basement. Waterstones on two sites quite good but I prefer their flagship branch at Simpsons, Piccadilly, one of the largest and most pleasant bookshops in Europe. Helpful staff, cafes open late, lots of areas to sit and read in comfort, bliss! Only 10 minutes walk away across Leicester Sq. Borders, is large but rather soulless, opposite Foyle’s. Blackwells, on the same side as Borders. Below Cambridge Circus are a series of about 15, 2nd hand and specialist bookshops, including 3 branches of Zemmers Art Bookshops. If you carry on down past Leicester Sq, there are two pedestrians side streets with about 30 specialist Antiquarian bookshops for rarer or more expensive tomes, including several who specialise in prints and transport books. Other parts of London: Camden Lock Market, ideal for crafts and bric-a-brac can attract up to 1/4 million people at a weekend! It also has two good 2nd hand bookshops. Islington: Camden Passage, several Antiquarian bookshops. Greenwich: Large weekend book-fair, as part of the bric-a-brac market Hampton Court: Nautical Bookshop on the Hampton side of the River. National Film Theatre: Bookstalls beside the Thames under Waterloo Bridge. HUDDERSFIELD BROAD Huddersfield: Moor by Loco Lift Bridge on the Broad or by Sainsburys. The small chandlery in Apsley Basin sells some books, also chain branches in the town centre. LEE AND STORT Ware: Moor on the visitors mooring below the very pretty Environment Agency, Ware Lock. 2 minutes to High St. Second-hand book shops and good selections in the numerous charity shops. Hertford: Moor by the Old Barge pub, couple of minutes over the bridge into the attractive town centre. Ottakers in the centre. Several good pubs including the White Horse, the Barge and Sportsman; look out for the local brew McMullen’s LLANGOLLEN CANAL. Whitchurch: Moor in the Whitchurch Arm. 15-20 minute walk into the town centre. Whitchurch is an unspoilt small market town, with a steeply sloping High St, and some fine half- timbered buildings. If the winding hole at bridge Br 32 is silted up fill in a BW complaint card! Grindley Brook: Moor below the locks; the house beside the bottom lock has a shed, which sells remainder books. Ellesmere: Moor on the visitor moorings on the Arm, 5-minute walk to Town Sq. Small 2nd-hand bookshop- but very restricted hours. Ellesmere is like going back in time 25 years, to a real Shropshire Market Town. A weekly small market is held in the Indoor Market. Llangollen: Moor at the first available mooring and walk! 10 minutes downhill to the small High Street. Bibliophile highlight is the huge 2nd hand bookshop in what was the town’s cinema, over a 1950’s original cafe, very extensive range, perhaps the best on the cut. However it is very expensive with most books almost as much as new and rather unhelpful staff! Also; a small new bookshop in yard just off the High St, with good canal and walking sections. The antique shops and several New Age Incense emporiums also sell some books. The Steam Railway sells transport books and the Dr Who Experience has a gift shop- if you are afraid of the Darleks don’t forget you sofa. Llangollen is in a spectacular setting with sheer green hillsides and the amazing River Dee; spend time walking in the hills, riding the Steam Train, and the horse drawn boat rides. KENNET AND AVON CANAL Reading: Moor on the Canal Museum moorings; good general shopping and large Waterstones in the hideously ugly town centre huge new large shopping centre has just opened. Watch out for shopping trolleys near Blake’s Lock. Newbury: Moor above the West Mills Swing Bridge. Non-food, there is a good range of shops including two bookshops and a department store. Ottakers is near the Bridge, Kingsclere Old Bookshop, 2A George Street. Hungerford: Limited mooring on the offside below Hungerford Lock or between the lock and the Church swing Bridge. Hungerford is a major antiques centre with many shops, and also some traditional clothes shops. New books in small shop just off the High St, second-hand books as part of the antiques centre. Devizes: Moor between Devizes wharf and lock 50 Opposite the Town Hall is d’Arcy Books, a large cheap excellent second –hand bookshop, with very good wildlife books selection. For new volumes, the independent Devizes bookshop opposite the post office. Nearby is the excellent remainder bookshop Bailey’s Book Bargains, top quality current paperbacks at bargains prices well worth a visit, has some Inland Waterways titles. The small chandlery near the wharf sells some waterways books. The Canal Museum at the Wharf has a large waterways section- also sells ice creams! Non-food shopping generally is very good lots of antiques shops and several traditional outfitters. Bradford on Avon: Moor above the lock, 10- minute walk to the shops, lots of antique shops. Bath: Moor on the River Avon near the Station. Several good second-hand bookshops, try Patterson Liddle, 10 Margaret’s Building, Brook Street. For new try the large Waterstones Non-food is excellent and very extensive, shop till you drop. Nauticalia has a branch actually on Poultney Bridge. OXFORD CANAL Oxford: Moor above Isis lock on the Canal or above Osney Lock on the River Thames, 10-minute walk into City Centre. Shop before 10 am to avoid the tourist hoards! Oxfam has a large second hand bookshop, various other second-hand bookshops, try Thornton’s of Oxford, 11 Broad St. Bookstalls in the fleas market held near the bus station. Good new bookshops too, as you would expect of an academic centre; very large Waterstones, various branches of Blackwells dot the city centre, the Oxford University Press also has a large bookshop in this highly literal destination. The University Natural History Museum has the amazing Pitt Rivers Museum as part of it, which is a 19th century treasure house of stuffed display cases full of fascinating objects from around the world, definitely one of the oddest museums in the UK. Braunston: Moor on visitor moorings uphill walk to the village shops. For non-food shopping there are three Chandlery shops and three selling canal souvenirs. The Lock Shop at the bottom lock has the best Canal ware range and lots of canal books and prints. By the Lord Nelson Pub, Nelson Cottage Craft Shop has good quality turned wooden bowls and ceramics, and sells coffee. If you need ropes or fenders see Pete Flockhart, his workshop is in the Marina by the dry dock. Ivor Batchelor sells Derv and Coal off his nb Mountbatten by the Braunston Turn. Nb Babs sell paperback books and earrings moored opposite Waterman’s Pub. Hillmorton: Moor on visitor moorings below the locks, water point, rubbish disposal in the car park. The canal stores at the locks sells some canal books and a few basic supplies. Rugby: Moor by Br 58 for Elliot’s Field Retail Park 2 minutes, town centre 20 minutes walk uphill. Several new book shops in the town centre. Gilberts the makers of Rugby Footballs has a small museum, opposite the famous school where the game began. RIVER NENE Northampton: Moor on the River above the Lock, but through South Bridge. Several second-hand bookshops, plus a large Waterstones, two bookstalls for pulp paperbacks in the market. Northampton has an attractive city centre, with good shopping and an excellent Museum with the largest Shoe Collection in the World! Can be rowdy on weekend evenings. Well worth the effort of the Rothesthorpe Locks. Oundle: Moor above the lock on the weir stream- you will need to reverse in - 10-15 minute walk across a paved field path. Two second-hand bookshops on the High Street The Dragon Fly Museum is open at weekends and is well worth a visit. Peterborough: Extensive moorings in town centre- lots of hungry swans- water point and two free pump outs. A couple of new bookshops in the town centre. Do not miss the Cathedral-where Catherine of Aragon is buried-has its own bookshop  RIVER SEVERN Worcester: Moor on the River or on the canal by Lock 4 on the Commandery Visitor Moorings, 5 minutes to the main shopping street and several chain bookshops. Non-food, very extensive range of shops, Royal Worcester has a factory outlet shop. Tewkesbury: Moor on Visitor moorings above the Lock, see LANT lock keeper, water point/ rubbish disposal. 5-10 minute walk to High Street. Non-food shopping is very good, and do make time to see the huge Tewkesbury Abbey. Gloucester: Moor in the amazing Gloucester Docks. 10 minute walk past the Prison to the city centre. One of the warehouses sells second-hand books, Antiquarian books in the Cathedral precincts, also Breatrix Potter Books at the “Tailor of Gloucester”. Don’t miss the BW owned National Waterways Museum; large waterways book section in their gift shop, the Cathedral and the Glorious Gloucester’s Regimental Museum. SHROPSHIRE UNION CANAL Market Drayton: Moor by Br 62, Water point, card operated pump out. Ten minute walk past the school into the town centre, small second hand bookshop. Audlem: Moor by the Shroppie Fly Pub, water point. The waterside Audlem Mill Shop is also worth a visit and has one of the biggest canal books and canal ware selections in the country. Nantwich: Moor near Br 92, water point on offside.10-15 minute walk along Welsh Row to the town centre. Two new books shops in the town centre, one in a magnificent half-timbered building, Bookthift is a very good value and friendly remainder books shop, with a large range. Also a small strange second hand book shop in Welsh Row. Nantwich is very attractive town, like a mini Chester, and well worth stopping for a couple of nights. The Black Lion and the Odd fellow’s Arms, in Welsh Row, are both very fine pubs. Chester: Moor by Br 123E, which is right in the town centre. There are several second hand bookshops, including specialist Oxfam Book Shop near the Cathedral. For new, Waterstones in the rows, General shopping is very good in Chester, Lakeland Plastics have a branch full of gadgets you never knew you needed! Don’t miss out on walking the walls. If you have children Chester Zoo is one of the finest in the UK. The tranquil cathedral is very close to the suggested moorings. SOUTH STRATFORD CANAL Stratford upon Avon: Moor either in the Basin, the Canal or on the extensive River Moorings. Two good antiquarian bookshops opposite each other just along from the market square. Non-food shopping is excellent, but very hectic, with lots of Tourists, shop before 11am. Lakeland Plastics have a branch. Shakespeare Trust has a large bard related shop. Wilmcote: Moor by Br 59, 10-minute walk. Don’t miss Mary Arden’s House -Shakespeare’s mother- of which there are two! Shakespeare Trust has a bard related shop. RIVER THAMES Mooring can be very hard to find and expensive on the Thames. Windsor and Eton: Moor on the Windsor side, lots of swans to feed. Good general shopping including some food shops, 15 minute walk from the moorings, very busy with tourists in the summer. Various bookshops in the shopping streets Henley: Extensive visitor moorings but avoid the Regatta in July. An attractive but smugly prosperous town, good general shopping including food shops and several Antiquarian bookshops. Visit the large new museum of Rowing and the River Thames, which also sells books in its gift shop. Note some of the most expensive pubs anywhere on the planet! Reading: Moor on the busy Tesco moorings, good general shopping in the hideously ugly town centre New large shopping centre the Oracle, has just opened straddling the K & A, has a Waterstones. Cheapest diesel on the Thames at the boat yard upstream of Tesco, also only water in Reading! Oxford: Moor above Isis lock on the Canal or above Osney Lock on the River Thames, 10-minute walk into City Centre. Shop before 10 am to avoid the tourist hoards! Oxfam has a large second hand bookshop, various other second-hand bookshops. Bookstalls in the fleas market held near the bus station. Try Thornton’s of Oxford, 11 Broad St. Good new bookshops too, as you would expect of an academic centre; very large Waterstones, various branches of Blackwells dot the city centre, the Oxford University Press also has a large bookshop in this highly literal destination. The University Natural History Museum has the amazing Pitt Rivers Museum as part of it, which is a 19th century treasure house of stuffed display cases full of fascinating objects from around the world, definitely one of the oddest museums in the UK. TRENT AND MERSEY CANAL Stoke on Trent: Moor by the Black Prince Marina, 10- 15-minute walk into Hanley where the shopping is good. Waterstones in Hanley Centre. Most of the Potteries have factory outlet shops and there is a special bus to link them. Stone: Moor where you can, as it is always busy here. Second hand book shop Fradley Junction/Lichfield: Moor on visitor moorings; no local shops so take taxi to Lichfield- approx. £5 each way. Canal shop at the boat yard sells a few canal books and guides. RIVER TRENT Nottingham: Moor near the Castle Marina. Large Waterstones in the town centre.http://www.hindandhart.co.uk/Site/hindandhart/Home.htmlshapeimage_2_link_0