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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Amazing things to do, Canal Blog, Featured articles

Photos: top Prickwillow Museum, bottom The Babylon Gallery Ely

As the summer holidays come to an end, parents are buying new uniform and stationery and getting ready for the autumn term. If this summer has been all about the staycations, confined to daytrips in your local area, you may be yearning to book a family narrowboat break for next year.

The Fenland waterways are not only a great place for a canal boat holiday, but they’re also full of interesting and educational places to visit. Here are five lessons you could learn on a family narrowboat adventure.

Technology

Learn about the history of how the Fens were drained. Fenland water pumping technology started with wind pumps, then steam engines were introduced, followed by diesel engines.

At the National Trust’s Wicken Fen Nature Reserve, you can moor up at the end of Wicken Lode, see how the Fens used to look before they were drained, and visit the last working wind pump. There’s also a traditional fenman’s cottage and a chance to explore the natural history of the area with nature walks.

Stretham Old Engine and Engine House is five miles south of Ely and its tall chimney is easy to see from a distance. It can be reached by boat from the Old West River. Stretham Old Engine is the last survivor in the southern Fenland of over 100 steam-powered pumping stations applied to fen drainage in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The steam engine is only run on certain days, so check the website in advance before you travel. https://strethamoldengine.org.uk

History

The Prickwillow Engine Museum is on the River Lark with a convenient mooring nearby. This museum showcases some of the region’s finest examples of restored diesel engines. It’s also within easy reach of Ely, with a spacious café, and attractive walks nearby. They have special event days listed on their website. https://www.prickwillowmuseum.com

You may also like: Are Museums Ever Fun? The Answer Might Surprise You

Art

There are impressive art galleries to explore in Peterborough, Ely and Cambridge. There are also several small, independent galleries around Peterborough sourcing original work in a variety of mediums, from talented artists. Ely’s visitor moorings are close to The Babylon Gallery and while you’re in Ely you can also visit The Stained Glass Museum at the cathedral.

University of Cambridge

An academically themed boat trip wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Cambridge. It is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world’s fourth-oldest surviving university. Wander among the stunning architecture of the various famous colleges and be inspired by walking in the footsteps of the many notable alumni, including eminent mathematicians, scientists, politicians, lawyers, philosophers, writers and actors. Many Nobel laureates, Fields Medalists, Turing Award winners, heads of state, and prime ministers have been affiliated with Cambridge as students, alumni, faculty or research staff.

Oliver Cromwell studied at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. His house in Ely is now the Tourist Information Centre and sometimes offers family fun days. The house has been refurbished to show how it may have looked during Cromwell’s lifetime. There are eight period rooms and the kitchen dates from around 1215.

Narrowboating

This is an unconventional skill not taught at school; but learning to steer a canal boat and operate a lock is a fun outdoor activity. Steering a holiday boat on the Fenland waterways may seem daunting if it’s your first time, but at Fox Narrowboats we have qualified instructors that will give you full training during the boat handover. If you’re new to boating you may like: 3 Skippers Tips to Start Steering a Holiday Narrowboat

These five lessons will appeal to students of all ages, but this rich combination of history and art can be balanced out with lazy days cruising the boat, soaking up the benefits of being close to nature, grabbing a cake in a country tea room or mooring for dinner at a cosy waterside pub. It’s the perfect way to absorb a bit of culture, without doing any studying or going back to school.

You may also like: 5 Family Goals You Can Achieve on a Narrowboat Holiday

Ready for your family canal adventure? Try booking a daytrip or a narrowboat holiday now. Check availability here.

Hey! Are you new here? Click ‘Blog’ (top right) and look for ‘Follow Blog’ in the right sidebar to receive more insider knowledge about canals and narrowboating. (We never share or sell email addresses, we’ll only be sending you our local, insider knowledge, every two weeks.)

 

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Featured articles, Pubs & restaurants

swan on the river pub ely

As the Covid-19 restrictions were lifted in England on July 19th 2021, there are now no limits on social contact, meaning people can meet inside or outside with as many people as they want. This will give holiday makers far more choices of places to visit on the Fenland waterways.

However, at Fox Narrowboats we are keeping our safety measures in place. We will be asking that customers continue to wear a mask in reception and for boat handovers. Hand sanitiser will be available for all staff and customers, and our triple clean boat procedures will remain in place, as we want to do everything that we can to keep our staff and customers safe.

Once you are safely underway on your narrowboat holiday you may be looking at your guidebook and deciding where to stop for lunch. One of the great joys of travelling by boat is being able to moor up at a waterside pub or restaurant for a meal. So here are three of our favourite waterside dining establishments to visit now that restrictions have lifted.

The Swan on the River 

You may recognise The Swan on the River, Littleport from the 2021 University Boat race presentations at the finish line.  You will find this pub on the River Great Ouse and you can visit their own mooring, or the Environment Agency moorings opposite, and enjoy some good pub food, including ham hock terrine, rack of ribs or gammon steak. There’s a lovely atmosphere, great service from friendly staff and dogs are welcome. The outdoor seating area is lovely in the summer months. Cruising from our hire boat base to The Swan on the River will take you about 18 hours as a return trip.

The Swan on the River
1 Sandhill,
Littleport,
Ely
CB6 1NT

http://www.swanontheriver.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/swanontheriverpub

Crown Lodge Hotel

The Moorings Restaurant at the Crown Lodge Hotel in Outwell is just a short walk from Outwell Boat Basin.  From Crown burgers to waffles, and for breakfast or Sunday roasts we recommend advanced booking, (01945 773391).

At The Moorings meals are created from locally sourced ingredients, and they are proud of their AA Rosette, which is awarded to restaurants that stand out within their local area. Their afternoon tea has been awarded ‘Best in Norfolk’ by the EAT Norfolk food and drink awards. You’ll find this picturesque countryside hotel on a stretch of the historic Well Creek waterway, so if it’s an early afternoon tide at Salter’s Lode you could stop for a breakfast at Crown Lodge on the way.

Crown Lodge Hotel
40 Downham Road,
Wisbech,
Outwell,
PE14 8SE

https://www.thecrownlodgehotel.co.uk

The Crown Lodge Outwell | Facebook

The Cutter

On the River Ouse in Ely you can also visit The Cutter. There are great river views here, with an outside seating area where you can eat, whilst watching canal boats meandering along the river. They sometimes offer live music in the beer garden. The Cutter serves pub classics like fish and chips, fillet steak, burgers, sausage and mash and Sunday roasts, with locally sourced ingredients. They also offer sandwiches and bar snacks.

The Cutter
42 Annesdale,
Ely
CB7 4BN

http://www.thecutterinn.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/thecutterinnely

If you can picture yourself cruising down the river looking for a country pub to stop at then have a look at our holiday narrowboats for hire. Our 2022 season is now open for booking and specific boats for some months are already busy.  If you book and pay for your 2022 holiday now you can also avoid the hikes in the VAT rate scheduled for 30th September and 30th March.

Hey! Are you new here? Click ‘Blog’ (top right) and look for ‘Follow Blog’ in the right sidebar to receive more helpful holiday tips about the Fenland Waterways. (We never share or sell email addresses, we’ll only be sending you our local, insider knowledge, every two weeks.)

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Booking budget tips, Canal Blog, Featured articles, Narrowboaters knowledge

2 fox narrowboat holiday boats

Are you looking for a family holiday with a difference?

Beautiful scenery and quality time together?

Want to explore new places and learn to work a lock?

A narrowboat holiday could be just what you and your family need. When you arrive at our narrowboat hire base you will be given full training in boat handling, before setting off on your own adventure. Here are our top tips for enjoying your family holiday.

  • Know Your Canal Etiquette

Our staff will teach you the basics, such as ‘drive’ on the right, and use your horn before going around blind corners. We will also advise you to keep to a leisurely three or four miles an hour, and slow down when passing moored boats. But before you arrive you could also read some basic boating tips on our blog. Do You Make These Three Boating Mistakes?

  • Choose Your Route

Fox Boats staff can help you to decide upon a route, but you may also like to look at the options online: Fox Boats Routes. Even if you have never navigated a lock before you will find it is manageable with two adults on board. Older children may enjoy helping with locks and mooring the boat, you just have to make sure they understand all of the relevant safety information. Sometimes there is the opportunity to share a lock with another boat, which means the work can be shared between the two boat crews.

  • Plan Where to Eat

You may want to plan in advance where you are going to stop. Some pubs and restaurants could require booking in advance. But every boat’s galley is well equipped for self-catering, so you can always keep some ingredients for a meal on board in case you decide on a spontaneous stop in the middle of nowhere. A route map will be provided with your hire boat. This will help you to find moorings and plan your journey. It also shows service points where you can fill the water tank if necessary.

  • Be Prepared

Take waterproofs and wellies for everyone. Occasional showers are a traditional part of the British summer and children love to splash in towpath puddles, or go off exploring on nature trail walks.

To find the nearest children’s playground to wherever you are moored check the website of the local borough council. The home page should have a link to leisure facilities and playgrounds; parks and gardens can usually be found in this section.

5)     Bring Entertainment

If the children are too young to help or don’t want to help with the locks then indoors they may enjoy jigsaws from The Inland Waterways Association or canal-themed books. For example, Muddy Waters are the canal based adventures of narrowboat characters, or look for the Rosie and Jim books by John Cunliffe.

Wi-Fi is available on all of our holiday hire boats. There is a 1.25GB allowance for short breaks and 2.5GB per week. However, this is mobile internet, so the connection cannot always be guaranteed. Any mobile device, laptop computer, tablet, mobile phone, or gaming device that has Wi-Fi as part of its hardware set up can access the Wi-Fi device on board the boat.  You won’t be able to stream movies, but all boats have a colour TV and a DVD player, so you could bring some DVDs from home. All boats are fitted with a 12v and 230v socket for charging mobile phones, laptop computers and camcorders.

See the full list of what’s on board.

And finally, have some simple safety rules for younger children, such as no running on the towpath, stay close to a grown-up and keep away from the edge.

Be prepared and you may find that discovering rural England at a lazy three miles per hour with your family by your side is a holiday memory to treasure.

You may also like: 5 Family Goals You Can Achieve on a Narrowboat Holiday

Ready for your family canal adventure? Try booking a daytrip or a narrowboat holiday now. Check availability here.

Hey! Are you new here? Click ‘Blog’ (top right) and look for ‘Follow Blog’ in the right sidebar to receive more insider knowledge about canals and narrowboating. (We never share or sell email addresses, we’ll only be sending you our local, insider knowledge, every two weeks.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Books TV online narrowboating, Canal Blog, Featured articles

hebden bridge yorkshire canal licenced

Are you a fan of TV’s Great Canal Journeys?

Have you enjoyed watching Kevin Shelley’s Travels by Narrowboat?

Are you an arm-chair narrowboater?

Then you’ll love BBC Four’s Canal Boat Diaries.

This series follows Robbie Cumming as he embarks on a 300-mile journey across the Midlands and northern England in his narrowboat. It’s a soothing video diary of one man and his boat, soaking up the scenery and visiting canal side towns and villages along the way. If you don’t have a boat yourself it’s the perfect way to sit back, relax and enjoy the narrowboat lifestyle, from home.

Robbie has previously done bar work, graphic design and illustration while travelling on his boat ‘Naughty Lass’. He says, “It’s my home, work space and transport, rolled into one.”

In the first episode Robbie says, “This program is all about showing you the real side of boating.” For example he has been living aboard without a fridge, and so he meets up with a marine electrician who helps him to install a 12 volt fridge on board. Later he is shown pumping out his sewage tank. But these moments of showing the gritty “real side” of boating are far outnumbered by the stunning, sunshiney scenery viewed as sweeping, stunning aerial shots.

At the beginning of the episode he tackles a tunnel in Staffordshire which is so low that he has to remove everything from the canal boat roof, and crouch down while steering it through! As he travels, filming the local scenery, locks and waterways, he shares canal facts and history. For example, he explains that snake bridges are ingeniously designed so that a horse can cross the canal without the line snagging. (Before engines came along all canal boats were horse drawn.) In Staffordshire he travelled some narrow canals with single locks, and really narrow tunnels, but his goal is to eventually explore all of the canals and navigable rivers in the UK.

He visits a still-working Victorian Pottery that looks like the set of Peaky Blinders, and travels the Harecastle Tunnel, which takes 40 minutes and is dubbed the ‘Scarecastle Tunnel’. The throbbing engine echoes loudly in the darkness, but originally there was a towpath for the horses passing through this tunnel. This programme shows what little random adventures one can have while exploring England by narrowboat. Robbie discovers ancient canal-side mile markers that look like gravestones, he pays his respects at Ian Curtis’s grave, (lead singer of Joy Division), meets the locals in village pubs, explores Macclesfield, and rises to the challenge of cooking on board with whatever he can find, having not seen a shop for a while.

It’s a pleasure to watch the spectacular scenery and sunshine, drifting past aqueducts, coloured narrowboats and green fields, all accompanied by relaxing music, and a likeable, easy-going presenter. Robbie thinks the Peak Forest Canal in Derbyshire has to be one of the most scenic waterways.

So could he ever go back to living on land?

“I don’t think so… This is my lifestyle now. I’ve had to adapt to it. I think I’d miss it if I gave it up.”

Is this the most relaxing programme on TV right now? Ease into your sofa, lose yourself in the landscape and see for yourself.

Watch Canal Boat Diaries on BBC iPlayer. Or catch up with Robbie on his YouTube channel.

You can also help to fund Robbie’s travels around the canal system and increase the quality of his narrowboat ‘voyagelogs’ by supporting him on Patreon. He now makes around two videos a month, each one taking over 20 hours to make filming, researching, editing, voice overs and writing and recording his own music. The Canal Boat Diaries are not only his passion but thanks to the viewers, are now his source of income.

Ready for your own canal adventure? Try booking a daytrip or a narrowboat holiday now. Check availability here.

Hey! Are you new here? Click ‘Blog’ (top right) and look for ‘Follow Blog’ in the right sidebar to receive more insider knowledge about canals and narrowboating. (We never share or sell email addresses, we’ll only be sending you our local, insider knowledge, every two weeks.)

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Featured articles, Narrowboaters knowledge

canal boating mistakes 101 instruction

Are you completely new to narrowboating?

Is there a right and a wrong way to tie the ropes?

Can cruising at three miles per hour ever really be dangerous?

Don’t worry. A few pro tips can stop you from making some simple mistakes on your first narrowboat holiday. Here at Fox Narrowboats we have qualified instructors that will give you full training during the boat handover. That means you won’t be the ones on the water making these three boating mistakes.

“We took March Adventurer out to Whittlesey and back on Saturday (four adults and two small children). It was a great day, the team at Fox’s was very accommodating and the driving tutorial made the whole thing a doddle (mostly!). Had a fab time, and would highly recommend it to anyone!” – Laurence Weetman (Customer reviews)

  • Your Crew Are on the Roof!

Although the boat maybe travelling slowly you should always think ahead: So line the boat up for bridges and locks well in advance. Don’t allow your crew members to sit on the roof, because bridges and overhanging tree branches can take you by surprise, even when cruising at a leisurely pace. If your shipmates want to go to the other end of the boat while the boat is underway, just ask them to walk inside the boat; they shouldn’t walk down the gunwales while the boat is underway. Did you know, the gunwale is the top edge of the hull of a boat and on a narrowboat is often only the width of a person’s shoe? Originally this was called the “gun wale” on a sailing warship. But before the invention of guns, in the 15th century a “wale” was just the name for a plank on a boat. So a nautical “wale” has come to mean the plank running around the top of the sides.

  • You’re Mooring Too Fast!

Take it easy when you’re canal boating. Slow right down just before you want to moor the boat, and keep it parallel to the bank. A crew member at the bow (front of the boat) can carefully step off the boat, holding the front mooring rope. Jumping from the boat to the bank is not really advised because if you slip it could cause an injury. Meanwhile the steerer can stop the boat by putting it into reverse gear. If there is a mooring ring or bollard where you want to moor you can use this to help steady the boat by looping the front rope around it.

To moor up point the tiller towards the bank and use the engine to gently bring the back end in, then stop the boat by putting her into reverse gear.

  • Your Rope’s in the Way!

A crew member or the steerer can then step off the back deck with the aft rope and pull the boat into the bank. Secure this rope to a ring, bollard or mooring pin, then take the line back to the boat’s back deck to secure it around a mooring cleat.

But never put a mooring pin across the towpath, as the rope would then cause a hazard for passing bicycles or walkers. It’s a good idea to make your mooring ropes go outwards at about 45 degrees from the ends of the boat.

However, you don’t need to know any fancy nautical knots to moor up; before you set off we’ll show you a useful and easy knot to do. The show-round and training with our qualified instructor can take around an hour at the start of your holiday. Narrowboating is a skill that anyone can pick up, and it’s also great fun to learn.

More questions about boating? Check out our FAQs.

You may also like What’s it Like to Actually Steer a Narrowboat?

And 3 Skippers Tips to Start Steering a Holiday Narrowboat

If you feel ready to give it a go, try booking a daytrip or a holiday. Check availability here.

Hey! Are you new here? Click ‘Blog’ (top right) and look for ‘Follow Blog’ in the right sidebar to receive more helpful holiday tips about the Fenland Waterways. (We never share or sell email addresses, we’ll only be sending you our local, insider knowledge, every two weeks.)

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Books TV online narrowboating, Canal Blog, Featured articles

 

Does modern life stress you out?

Ever wanted to sell your possessions and live on a boat?

Would you enjoy the narrowboat lifestyle?

grand union canal narrowboats

In 2017 Kevin Shelly quit his ‘bricks and mortar’ lifestyle, bought a canal boat, and set out to explore 2,500 miles of the UK’s inland waterways. He began to document his lifestyle change with videos that became increasingly popular. There are now six seasons to watch (40 episodes) with a seventh series on the way.

So began an amazing journey, not just around the canal network but also within Kevin. Episode by episode narrowboat life transformed him from an exhausted man, to someone well-rested and contented. There’s something very soothing about watching Kevin narrate his gentle travels; letting the viewer absorb the feeling of travelling slowly through nature. Viewers relax as Kevin enjoys the simple pleasures in life, such as a canal-side pub, or the odd bacon and egg sandwich. The series portrays the laid-back spirit of discovering new places by boat, while Kevin learns about narrowboat life. If you’re new to narrowboating it’s a chance to get the feel of what it’s like. If you’ve been boating before it’s an enjoyable way to imagine yourself back on the water.

On Kevin’s Maiden Voyage in episode one he travels along the Leicester Branch of the Grand Union Canal, and more recently in season six he re-visited Northamptonshire’s waterways by ascending the Foxton flight, of 10 locks again. This reminded him of the very beginning of his adventure when he first bought his narrowboat, ‘Aslan’. Our narrowboat hire base is ‘next door’ to Northamptonshire in nearby Cambridgeshire.

The Grand Union Canal stretches 137 miles from London to Birmingham, and the Northampton Arm branches off to the east at Gayton Junction. Here there are 17 narrow locks as the canal descends to join the navigable River Nene. Cruising in this direction a narrowboat would eventually pass through Wadenhoe, Oundle, Fotheringhay, and Peterborough; all of which can be easily visited by hiring a boat from Fox Narrowboats. (See Fox route 4 Peterborough to Fotheringhay.) The River Nene is one of the quieter UK rivers, and a great place for a relaxing boating or fishing trip.

What’s different about Travels by Narrowboat is Kevin’s dry sense of humour. He is unpretentious and sometimes quirky, when musing about whatever and whoever he encounters along the way. This programme shows us, at a gentle pace, the parts of England that only canal users get to see; the old bridges and canal locks, ancient villages, and natural wildlife. Kevin Shelley is the antidote to our shiny celebrity culture. If you want to watch an ordinary man follow his dream, work a lock, make a curry or repair an engine this is the down to earth TV show you are looking for.

If you’d like to float down a canal with Kevin and enjoy the sights and sounds of England by narrowboat you can watch Travels by Narrowboat on Amazon Video or on Vimeo on Demand.

Travels by Narrowboat blog

If you want to take your own travels by narrowboat this year check availability now. We have some great holiday deals to enjoy this summer.

To be notified with new holiday information as it changes, sign up for updates from this blog. (We never share or sell email addresses – your details are safe with us.) Just look for ‘Follow Blog’ in the sidebar on the right and we’ll send you stories, tips and advice about narrowboating around the Fens in 2021.

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Featured articles, Narrowboaters knowledge

skipper steering a narrowboat

Is it difficult to go round corners?

What happens if you run aground?

How do you turn a 70 foot narrowboat around?

Let us share zen and the art of narrowboat handling with you.

Steering a holiday boat on the Fenland waterways may seem daunting if it’s your first time, but at Fox Narrowboats we have qualified instructors that will give you full training during the boat handover.

Boat handling is such a fun skill and can be learned at any age, from childhood to retirement, which makes a narrowboat holiday a great experience for family groups.

“Great day, great staff, great boat. First time driving a narrowboat and going through a working lock. Great experience and it was all rather straight forward. Recommend it to anyone.” – Gary Poulter, customer review.

If you are new to narrowboating and canal boat holidays here are three expert tips to boost your confidence as a skipper.

Turning a Corner

The first thing that is different about “driving” a canal boat is that you can only really steer when you are in forward gear. Manoeuvring in reverse is pretty difficult.

Secondly, when turning a corner you will notice that the boat pivots around the centre of its length, which is different to turning in a car. As you turn, the stern (the back end) will swing around. Let the front go past the point where you actually want to turn, before turning the corner. The water is deeper on the bends of many navigations, so keep to the outside when turning a corner so that you don’t run aground.

Getting Unstuck

If you do run aground the best thing to do is gently reverse off of the place you have run aground, and away from the underwater obstruction. If you find you need to use the barge pole to help you as well, use it against the bed of the waterway, or against the bank, not against another boat. You may also need the barge pole when setting off, if moored in a very shallow part of the waterway.

Turning Around

If you’ve come to the end of your journey and want to turn to face back the way you just came, you will need to be on a wide part of the waterway. On narrower canals you may need to find a winding hole, which is a designated turning place. These will be indicated in your guidebook provided with the hire boat. First point your bow into the winding hole, or towards the non-towpath side of the navigation. Push your tiller hard to one side and have the engine in forward gear to slowly and gently turn the boat. If the turning space is tight you may also need to use the barge pole. When you’re far enough around, put the boat in reverse to position the boat into a place where you can move off into your intended new direction. Be wary of the edges of the canal which can sometimes be shallow, (except on the bends where they are sometimes deep!)

Our best tip is to think first, and do any manoeuvre slowly.

It may be hard to imagine if you are sat at home reading about it, but rest assured that when you get going, steering a narrowboat is easily learned. The boat handling training with our RYA qualified instructor can take around an hour at the start of your holiday.

More questions about boating? Check out our FAQs.

You may also like What’s it Like to Actually Steer a Narrowboat?

If you feel ready to give it a go, try booking a daytrip or a holiday now. Check availability here.

Hey! Are you new here? Click ‘Blog’ (top right) and look for ‘Follow Blog’ in the right sidebar to receive more helpful holiday tips about the Fenland Waterways. (We never share or sell email addresses, we’ll only be sending you our local, insider knowledge, every two weeks.)

 

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Books TV online narrowboating, Canal Blog, Featured articles

royal gunpowder mills plaque

Image: Gyles and Sheila travel the Lea Navigation, visiting the former Royal Gunpowder Mills and tackling their first manual locks before travelling up the Thames – Nov 2020. Credit: Deposit Photos 318706968.

Great Canal Journeys cruises forward into 2021 with the latest episodes following Sheila and Gyles exploring Staffordshire’s waterways. If you’re not familiar with this Channel 4 TV series, it follows Timothy West, Prunella Scales, Sheila Hancock and Gyles Brandreth taking spectacular canal journeys across Britain and abroad.

Tim and Pru both spoke frankly about Pru’s dementia during the series, which has been praised by Alzheimer’s Research UK. The programme became much more than a calming travelogue exploring beautiful scenery, as a touching portrait of the couple’s marriage began to emerge. It was a sensitive exploration of the trials and joys of growing older. It was both humorous, poignant and meditative. But after ten series of navigating the waterways of the world, Pru’s struggle with Alzheimer’s forced the couple to stop filming.

Will there be any more Great Canal Journeys?

In 2020 Channel 4 continued the series with two new presenters, actor Sheila Hancock and author and presenter Gyles Brandreth. Read: Great Canal Journeys Has Two New Skippers.

In the first episode Timothy West gave the two novice canal boaters some basic training in boat handling. If you want to see what people love about this programme here are some ways to catch up with what you’ve missed.

Watch the Series

Many episodes are available to watch on Channel 4’s on demand streaming service. Great Canal Journeys. The first eight series have also been released on DVD, which you could find on Amazon or look for second-hand copies on eBay.

Read the Book

Timothy West tells the story of the couple’s life and travels, illustrated with beautiful photography in Our Great Canal Journeys: A Lifetime of Memories on Britain’s Most Beautiful Waterways. The book describes their careers as actors while recording their journeys along some of the world’s most scenic waterways. Beyond this, however, it explores with sensitivity how Prunella’s struggle with dementia has both changed, and yet failed to change, their lives together. It is a sometimes funny, sometimes moving reflection on love and life.

If you prefer to listen to the audio book it is read by Timothy West. The book and audio book are available in most good book shops. Great Canal Journeys – book.

What Next for Great Canal Journeys?

The new presenters have been well received by the British public. Sheila, 88, is an English actress and author, who trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before starting her career in repertory theatre. Gyles, 73, is a writer, broadcaster, actor, and former politician. He studied at Oxford University, before beginning a career in the media. Last year he also founded Poetry Together, bringing together young and old to connect over the joy of performing poetry. Despite the pandemic, schools and care homes still signed up in their hundreds.

Hopefully the easing of lockdown restrictions will allow Sheila and Gyles to record more episodes exploring the British canals. If you want to take your own great canal journey this year check availability now. We have some great holiday deals to enjoy this summer.

To be notified with new holiday information as it changes, sign up for updates from this blog. (We never share or sell email addresses – your details are safe with us.) Just look for ‘Follow Blog’ in the sidebar on the right and we’ll send you stories, tips and advice about narrowboating around the Fens in 2021.

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Featured articles, Holiday deals & special days, Towns & villages

canal boat moored river cam

Great news! We’re back open for boat hire, mooring customers and the workshop, and we’re looking forward to seeing some familiar faces, and meeting some new people this spring and summer (at a safe social distance!)

As the UK slowly began to ease out of lockdown our local river Great Ouse hosted the Cambridge boat race on April 4th. Cambridge won the 166th men’s Boat Race, and Cambridge also won the Women’s Boat Race, winning by less than one length. The race was moved from its usual residence along the Thames to Ely in Cambridgeshire due to Covid. Check out this guest post about the boat race channel, Sandall’s Cut. (If you’d like to cruise this route by narrowboat we recommend a four night break to comfortably visit Ely.)

So, as staycations are expected to go ahead, and we look forward to the reopening of pubs and restaurants, how can you best enjoy your post-lockdown freedom?

Take a Day Trip

Our day boats can accommodate your household and support bubble before 17th May, but when restrictions are finally eased a boat may carry up to 10 people. (Check current government guidelines.) There is lots of seating up front, so everyone can enjoy the scenery and wildlife as you cruise along with a mug of tea or coffee. You can even bring your dog.

Turn your day trip into a special occasion by pre-ordering a grazing box or traditional afternoon tea from Glam Grazing by Gem.  Her other catering choices include an antipasti graze box, a sweet treat box with prosecco, or a cheese lovers graze box and more.

Alternatively, moor your narrowboat outside J R Stott Fish & Chips in Outwell, to collect your supper, or stop at the idyllic moorings of Outwell basin. It is here that the Wisbech Canal used to join the Well Creek. The parish church of St Clement, Outwell is worth exploring while you are in Outwell.

Take a Holiday

Those three words that many of us have longed to hear! Our narrowboat holidays are an idyllic way to travel and explore Cambridge’s Universities, Ely Cathedral, or Ferry Meadows park. Relax on board our cosy narrowboats and discover the stunning Fenland countryside. It is hoped that May 17th will introduce significant changes to our everyday lives, as pubs and restaurants may reopen their indoor spaces. It is possible that holiday boaters will be able to meet inside – still following the rule of six or two household restriction.

A narrowboat holiday is done at your own pace, you decide when and where to go and where to moor your boat. Our narrowboat holiday breaks can be taken as a week, weekend break or midweek breaks. The boats are comfortably fitted with all mod cons and if you’re new to boating we’ll show you the ropes.

Safety

We have a number of Covid-19 safety measures in place. Some of our boat handover procedure is now on video and we undertake triple cleaning between hire customers.

Read more: Holidays 2021: Narrowboat Staycations to Go Ahead

If you’re ready to plan your adventure on the Fenland waterways Check the boat you want is available now.

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Image: Deposit 253862888 danjmh

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by Paula SyredPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Ely & Cambridge, Fayres & local events, Guest & customer articles

Today as the river Great Ouse hosts the boat race we are fortunate to have a guest post from David Goode Fellow and Praelector of Wolfson College Cambridge regarding the boat race channel on the river Great Ouse.

Cambridge Oxford Boat Race on Ely Ouse Course 2021My friend, and fellow former Senior Proctor (though a year or two before I was Senior Proctor!), Gordon Johnson, asked me to write a few words about the bit of river — Sandall’s Cut — that is hosting the boat race this afternoon, as it also did in 1944. Here are those few words, which I hope you’ll find interesting.

I thought it’d be helpful to overlay a modern map with some reasonable approximations of old courses of some of the Fen rivers, which I’ve colour-coded for convenience. Red shows the course of the Ely Ouse from around 1110 to 1830.

Green shows an old course of the Little Ouse before it was diverted north. No one is entirely sure when that happened. In the Middle Ages, the old Ely Ouse and the old Little Ouse joined roughly where indicated, and then flowed off to the northwest towards Outwell as the Wellenhee (from where Welney gets its name) along what is now the mouth of Littleport Boathaven, and on to Wisbech.

The yellow course is the old course before the river was diverted in the early twelfth century to run through Ely and allow stone to be brought from Barnack Quarry in Northamptonshire, along the Nene to Wisbech, Wellenhee to Littleport, and on to Ely on the red course, to build the cathedral.

This red course via Prickwillow is the one we’re interested in today. Sandall’s Cut, the course used for the boat race, is the long, straight section you can see connecting the two open ends of the old red course.

Before drainage began in the seventeenth century, Wisbech was a sea port on The Wash. Cargo was unloaded there onto smaller boats, which took the Wellenhee across to Littleport, where it was reloaded onto yet smaller boats for the circuitous and difficult journey via Prickwillow to Ely, shown in red.

At some point in the Middle Ages — dating is very difficult, maybe in the fifteenth century, but could possibly have been a bit earlier — a cut was made to connect Lynn (later King’s Lynn) with Littleport, Wisbech’s importance faded, and the once-mighty Wellenhee became a backwater, before finally being bisected by Vermuyden’s Bedford Rivers in the seventeenth century.
Most cargo now came up river from Lynn directly to Littleport in large vessels, but there it met with a problem.

This old, natural, course between Littleport and Ely was too shallow and unreliable for navigation — often too dry in the summer and too boggy in the winter — which is why Sandall’s, or Sandy’s, Cut was dug between 1828 and 1830, offering almost straight navigation on a canalised new river more than 100 feet wide and, at the time, 20 feet deep.

It’s said that some 20,000 navvies dug the cut over two and a half years, all by hand, of course, in those days. The Cutter Inn in Ely took its name not from the boats called cutters, but from those men who cut their way through Middle Fen and Padnal Fen to shorten and straighten the river, and who presumably liked a pint or two at the end of a hard day’s work!

Sandall’s Cut opened in 1830, and there was now a quick, reliable, deep, straight channel, suitable for larger boats, between Littleport and Ely, and river trade flourished.
Well, it didn’t flourish for long. Within twenty years, the railway connecting Ely to the south with Cambridge and London was extended north to King’s Lynn, and from 1850 cargo could travel directly from the docks at Lynn to London on the same day.

Sandall’s Cut’s heyday was short, which is why we’re left today with an impressive four and a half mile long, deep, wide canal that took nearly three years and cost a fortune to cut, connecting two quiet Fenland towns in the middle of nowhere!

If you wish to cruise this route by narrowboat you can check out our holidays and short breaks we recommend a 4 night break to comfortably visit Ely.

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