Stock: gardening on canal boat flowers

Living on a narrowboat offers a unique and often idyllic lifestyle that can have significant, positive impacts on both physical and mental health. Your floating home can provide a tranquil and peaceful environment, far removed from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It can also present its own set of challenges.

Physical activity

Narrowboat living might involve a greater level of physical activity. Tasks such as tying up to moor, lifting supplies and working the locks require strength, flexibility, and balance. So, it’s important to balance physical effort with relaxation and avoid overexertion.

Added to these challenges, working and living in the confined space of a narrowboat can make it challenging to maintain good posture and ergonomics. Consider this when choosing or replacing your fixtures and fittings, using ergonomic furniture where possible. Taking regular breaks to stretch and move around, is even more important than when living on land, where movement is less restricted. If amenities are limited on your narrowboat, tasks such as emptying a cassette toilet, might also require more physical effort.

Healthy diet planning

More planning may be needed when thinking about sourcing healthy food. With limited space for storage, and restricted access to nearby shops, it’s good to buy smaller portions of fresh produce and prepare meals from scratch. This can lead to a more balanced and nutritious diet. Try some tasty ideas from the Narrowboat Chef:

credit: narrowboat chef creme-brulee

credit: narrowboat chef fruit smoothee

credit: narrowboat chef Marsala Poached Pears

Savoury

www.narrowboatchef.com/recipes/savoury-recipes/

Sweet

www.narrowboatchef.com/recipes/sweet-recipes/

Narrowboat Gardening

You may even consider growing and preserving your own food, if you have the space. Roof gardens to grow vegetables and plants are a joy to see on narrowboats. Gardening presents some fun challenges with use of space, drainage what will grow best in a minified environment. Generally all plants need to be potted, fixed pots on the deck or hanging baskets tied to the handrail. Growth should be planned around the seasonal weather changes and boat maintenance. Primroses & hyacinths make colourful flowers on a boat they look their best January through to March. Strawberries are a great idea but may attract some flying guests.

Here is a lovely insightful guide to gardening on a narrowboat

www.awholeplottalove.com/gardening-on-a-boat

Carolyn Shearlock is a creative cruiser with over 17 years and 13,000 miles on boats. Her guide to a boat garden includes custom DIY designs for pots.

www.theboatgalley.com/diy-boat-garden

Canal boat’s website ideas to creatively style your narrowboat

Relaxation and peace of mind

 “spending time by water, and canals in particular, is good for your health and wellbeing”

The tranquil and peaceful nature of narrowboat living can significantly reduce stress levels. Being surrounded by water and the constant exposure to nature can create a sense of calm and relaxation. Studies have shown that spending time in nature can reduce stress and improve mood. One study created by researchers at King’s College London revealed that spending time by water, and canals in particular, is good for your health and wellbeing. Data was gathered from an app that measures people’s experiences living in rural and city environments

The Urban Mind App

If living alone living aboard a narrowboat can sometimes lead to feelings of isolation, especially in remote areas. However there is a strong sense of community among narrowboaters and visiting local towns and villages or keeping contact via online social media communities such as the Narrowboat Owners Facebook Group you can maintain a sense of belonging.

Other mental health boosts include practising, yoga or mindfulness or relaxation from reading or listening to music. Establishing a daily routine can also help you feel more grounded.

Local GP registration

You are entitled to register with a G.P., even as a continuous cruiser of no fixed address. You can register with any GP in your local area as a temporary resident, as long as they have space for new patients. By understanding the potential challenges and planning proactive steps to address them, you can enjoy a fulfilling and healthy lifestyle living aboard your narrowboat.

Trial your Narrowboat life

If your interested in living on a narrowboat then why not take a Fox narrowboat for a 2 week holiday and really experience the day to day exploration, wellbeing and chores!

Book a 14 night boat holiday

The post Narrowboat Healthy Life – Cooking Gardening Staying Fit & Peace Of Mind appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Read: How Winter Threatens to Damage Your Narrowboat – 3 Ways to Protect Yourself

So here are our top three tips for enjoying the winter months

1) Exercise

We all know that exercise can help to boost our mental health, so if you live near to a canal, running, walking or cycling on the towpath can offer a workout in the sunlight. Being close to nature can also lift your mood; not just the water and plants, but the busy ducks, swans, moorhens and geese can cheer you up. When you’re on a narrowboat holiday interesting exercise options are included, such as, operating the locks, walking between the locks, and pulling ropes and hammering pegs when mooring the boat up.

canal tow path cycling with family

2) Festivities

There are some happy occasions to look forward to in the winter. Halloween offers themed events, or paranormal investigations. This year Oliver Cromwell’s House offers some walking tours themed around ghosts and witches.

Oliver Cromwell House. Photo by Gwendraith at English Wikipedia

This offers special events and house tours throughout the year, and you can visit by boat when travelling on the River Great Ouse. Ely is claimed to be one of England’s spookiest cities. (Read more in The Spooky Truth About Cruising to Ely.) The strange and compelling landscape of the Fens, with their huge skyscapes, reclaimed marshlands and scattered and isolated villages can be very eerie at this time of year. Peterborough Museum, claims to have eight resident ghosts. They include a First World War soldier and a ghostly kitchen maid. This museum can also be visited by boat if you are taking the March to Peterborough cruise. This 12 hour return trip is ideal for a short break.

Fens Wetland. Photo by Sam Forson

It wouldn’t be winter in England without Christmas, including festive markets and a trip to church. The ancient architecture, candlelight, holly and ivy, and special services such as carols, advent, christingles and nativities can brighten up a dark day. If you’re planning a narrowboat holiday for next year check out Four Churches to Visit When it’s Not Even Christmas. Even Christmas shopping can be fun if your friends and family are into boating: Read Thoughtful Christmas Gifts for the Narrowboater in Your Life. Our local attractions usually host special Christmas events: Father Christmas will be at Wicken Fen Nature Reserve, and the Winter Lights at Anglesey Abbey offer a beautiful, sensory after-dark journey.

3) Plan Ahead

Nothing beats the winter blues like planning your next holiday though. A narrowboat holiday can be particularly good for boosting a low mood, as you can travel slowly through stunning scenery, under our spectacular Fenland skies, away from the noise of modern life. On a waterways holiday you may find that you are outside more than you would be on some other types of British holiday, getting that all important dose of daylight and vitamin D.

Outwell Fox narrow boat moored by the shops

You may also like: Feeling Stressed? 5 Ways This Unknown Village Can Soothe Your Soul

We are in no doubt that our narrowboat holidays can chase away the blues because of the great feedback we get from our customers. Check out the kind words we’ve received in our customer reviews.

So, if you want to go narrowboating next year, choose your favourite narrowboat and plan your ideal cruise. Fox Boats are ideally situated on the uncrowded east Anglian waterways, near Cambridge, Ely and Peterborough.

For more articles to boost your mood this winter, sign up for digital 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 sign up today!

The post Three Foxy Mood-Boosting Tips for This Winter appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

walking countryside fenland uk

A narrowboat holiday means travelling at a relaxed pace, because nothing ever happens on the canals in a hurry. So even when your holiday boat is moored up, and you’re exploring villages and towns on foot, you’ll want to be taking it easy. Our narrowboat hire base is in the heart of the Fenlands, known for its flat landscape, so it’s one of the best places in the country to walk or cycle. Free walking and cycling maps can now be downloaded from the Fenland District Council website, and printed versions can be collected from various local community outlets. These include some good tips of local places to visit. The maps that cover the areas near our local waterways are the March map and the Whittlesey map.

Fox Narrowboats is in a great position, in the market town of March, on the Middle Level Waterways, not far from the idyllic riverside villages of Upwell and Outwell. On a boating holiday beginning at our marina you can easily explore March, and then cruise on to Whittlesey.

Each walking map offers a mini guide to the town. For example the March map mentions the disused buildings of March railway station, St Wendreda’s church, the local museum, and Fox Narrowboats; we are described as, “A modern marina situated in the heart of The Middle Level Navigation System on the outskirts of the town, strategically centred between Peterborough, Ely and Cambridge.” Grab a copy of this walking map from the council offices, the library or several other local outlets. The maps were funded by Cambridgeshire County Council’s Integrated Transport Block funding and created with input from local stakeholders and community groups, including March Vintage Cycle Club. The Whittlesey Walking and Cycling Map can also be download, or picked up at some local outlets in Whittlesey.

cycling route fenland countryside

Whittlesey is a historic market town on the very western edge of the Fens, near Peterborough. The town has a labyrinth of streets with a mix of architecture spanning several centuries. In the centre of the Market Place is the Buttercross, dating back to 1680; which was originally a place for people to sell butter and dairy goods. There is still a market in Whittlesey on Fridays.

To get to Whittlesey by boat turn right from our marina along the Old River Nene passing Floods Ferry and crossing the Greenwich Meridian. At Floods Ferry Junction the Old Nene forks left so take the right turn down Whittlesey Dyke. A navigation guide book is supplied with your boat, so you can easily find your way to Whittlesey, and the journey is part of Fox route 3. March to Ferry Meadows Country Park in Peterborough is a 12 hour return trip, and is ideal for a short break.

There are visitor moorings next to the leisure centre in Whittlesey, above Ashline lock. If you walk to the centre you could check out the restaurants and takeaways or top up with supplies from the various shops.

Continuing on Fox route 3 to Peterborough, the cathedral can be seen across the flat fields. If you then moor at Ferry Meadows Country Park you can walk to the city centre, for shopping, markets, the theatre and restaurants. However, you can also enjoy quieter, riverside walks, or make the most of the park for cycling. After exploring on foot or by bike, you may like to take a break at the café in the park.

So if you’re looking for a walking route to explore while on a Fox Narrowboats holiday just Download or pick up a free walking and cycling map!  Remember, walking can boost your mental health, so book yourself a narrowboat holiday, and be kind to yourself today!

You may also like: Five Things You’ll Love About the Middle Levels

Interested in narrowboating? For surprising and unusual tips and ideas for days out on the Fenland Waterways, enter your email address in the box in the right side-bar (‘Follow blog’) and we’ll send you articles direct to your in box.

Photo credit: Deposit

The post Exploring the Fens on Foot With Minimal Effort appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Navigation planning on a Fox day boat

With September just around the corner and the children back to school, why not take a mid-week day afloat for some relaxation?

Taking a day off to go messing about in boats will boost your mental health and create special memories with your loved ones. Get up close to nature and take photos as you travel at a leisurely pace through the Middle Level in Cambridgeshire. A typical return boat journey will take six or seven hours, so it’s a chance to really slow down. Go with a group of friends for an unusual hen party or stag do, or celebrate a special family occasion. Our day boats carry up to 10 passengers, and everyone can have a go at steering.

A short train journey from Cambridge or London, you will find us in the Fenland market town of March. If this is your first time narrowboating we will show you the ropes. We’re a friendly family-run business, so you can ask us any questions before you set off. You can either cruise east towards the picturesque villages of Upwell and Outwell, or west through Ashline Lock to Whittlesey.

Our colourful day boats are the March Adventurer and the March Explorer. Both boats have a seating area and a toilet, and you will find the galley on board complete with hob, fridge, and a sink. Each boat has a dinette, equipped with crockery and cutlery so you can make snacks and hot drinks as you travel. (Grab food at Sainsbury’s or Iceland, in March, or at the riverside village store in Upwell.)

For a special occasion order food from Glam Grazing by Gem and it will be in the fridge on board when you arrive. Choose from a traditional afternoon tea, a gentleman’s afternoon tea or a selection of graze boxes. The Sweet Treat Box is perfect for a birthday as it includes Prosecco and a selection of homemade, freshly prepared cakes. There is also a children’s afternoon tea and a gluten free option.

There’s enough room on the boat for everyone to sit outside, and dogs are welcome.

Read: Canal Boating With Your Dog: The Ultimate Guide.

If it rains there is a see-through cover at the front of the boat, or you could take shelter in a cosy country pub along the way.

Enjoy the views, the heritage and the wildlife as you cruise on the water. Day boating customers have spotted kingfishers and other birds, and animals grazing in the fields as they drift lazily through the countryside.  If you like to stay active you can walk alongside the boat sometimes, and help with the locks.

Check out the stunning local scenery in this short video clip:

A mid-week break in September means you avoid the summer holiday crowds, and save money on the cost of boat hire. The autumn colours make the scenery quite idyllic at this time of year. The flat landscape allows you to travel under a panorama of big skies, perhaps passing through a mesmerising windfarm if you are headed to Outwell.

You may also like: 5 Memorable Things to See on a Day Boat Trip

There are some great offers available this September with some days reduced from £225 to £200. Search Day Boat Hire.

For more surprising and unusual tips and ideas for days out in Cambridgeshire, enter your email address in the box in the right side bar (‘Follow blog’) and we’ll send you articles direct to your in -box. (We never share or sell email addresses, this is just to send you our latest blog posts.)

Photo & Video Credit: Fox Narrowboats

The post Day Boat Hire: The Antidote to Stress appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Have you been experiencing anxiety?

Are you suffering from low-mood?

Have the events of 2020 left you feeling isolated?

You are not alone. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated many common mental health problems in the UK population, leading to concerns that there is currently a mental health crisis. The NHS, small community groups and national charities have all done their best to support anyone reaching out for help in 2020. But what can you do to support your own mental health and wellbeing?

Good mental wellbeing does not mean that you no longer experience life’s challenges or difficult feelings, but it does mean maintaining your inner resilience so that you can cope with life’s ups and downs as they happen. Here are five ways to improve your mental health in 2021.

Get Active

Taking a narrowboat day trip or canal boat holiday can be a fun way to take part in some gentle physical activity. Boat handling involves pulling mooring ropes, hammering mooring pins, and operating locks. Using a lock includes winding the paddles, pushing balance beams, opening lock gates, holding mooring ropes and sometimes climbing ladders. Between locks you may find yourself walking on the towpath, and when the boat is moored up you may enjoy longer walks, just for fun. Dogs are welcome on most of our hire boats.

Human Connections

If this age of social isolation has taught us anything, it is the value of our friends and family, and connecting with other human beings. Book a narrowboat trip with your family and support bubble this year, and take the opportunity to spend some quality time together. Boats can be hired for weekend, midweek or week breaks, as well as 10, 11 or 14 nights.

Connect With Nature

Spending time outdoors is widely recognised as being beneficial for mental and physical health. Exercising outdoors, or practicing mindfulness outdoors, have both been proven to increase wellbeing. Mindfulness is simply focussing your awareness on the present moment without judgement. Being around animals can also have positive effects. Nature improves mood and reduces stress. It can improve confidence and self-esteem, and improve your physical health by encouraging you to be more active. We hire canal boats near to Cambridge and Ely from our marina in March, Cambridgeshire. The Fenland waterways are a large network of rivers and canals packed with wildlife to enjoy.

Connect With Others

Helping others is a recognised way to improve your own sense of wellbeing as it shifts the focus away from ruminating about your own issues. If you love canals you could use the NCBA website to find your nearest community boating project and get involved. Local projects tend to facilitate access to the waterways for disadvantaged and excluded groups, promote social cohesion and protect the environment. Alternatively you could volunteer with the Canal and Rivers Trust or the Inland Waterways Association to get that feel-good factor that comes with helping others.

Take a Break

Enjoying the outdoors is a real benefit of travelling by canal boat. The activities needed to operate the boat and locks will help you to keep fit and active whilst also experiencing the stunning Fenland waterways. If towpath walking or jogging isn’t your thing, then boost your mental health with a creative hobby such as photography or painting. It’s not all about outdoor activity. A canal boat holiday is taken at a leisurely pace, and at the end of an active day enjoying life on the waterways you can sleep peacefully in a comfortable narrowboat cabin. Remember, self-care is a necessity not a luxury. So check our availability now for a narrowboat break this year. Search canal boat breaks.

Keep up with the latest news: Click ‘Blog’ (top right) and look for ‘Follow Blog’ in the right sidebar to get the latest helpful holiday tips in these changing times. (We never share or sell email addresses, we’ll only be sending you our local, insider knowledge, every two weeks.)

The post How a Narrowboat Holiday Can Improve Your Mental Health appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Are you now setting goals for the year ahead?

Are you feeling really motivated to focus on your health?

Do you want to use this New Year to get back in shape?

Some time spent on the Fenland waterways could be just what you are looking for!

If you have ever begun a January exercise program, only to lose interest in it by February then you will know how important it is to choose an exercise that you enjoy. Combining your fitness practice with something you really like may dramatically increase your chances for long term success.

At the start of the year many people make new resolutions to begin a fitness practice, but only a few people will manage to maintain these new healthy habits. The secret is to develop an action plan, and make that plan fun.

You may want to check with your doctor that you are healthy enough to start a new exercise regime. Secondly, try to enlist some encouragement and support from your friends and family. Mental motivation is essential for those times when you may become discouraged, so think about the ‘why’ of what you are doing. Then check out these tips for getting active beside the waterways.

1) Walking.

If you live near a canal this can often be an oasis of relative tranquillity in a city. Try including a canal-side walk into your regular routine. On a canal boat holiday you can choose to walk alongside the boat while your crew member steers, and just jump back on board when you’re ready for a rest! Or take a longer, nature ramble when the boat is moored up. Pack a picnic and go off discovering the Fenland countryside. Like any other cardiovascular exercise, brisk walking boosts endorphins, which can reduce stress hormones, alleviate mild depression, improve mood and increase self-esteem. There are some lovely walks around the village of Wadenhoe. (See 5 Ways This Unknown Village Can Soothe Your Soul.)

2) Jogging on the Towpath.

If you feel like picking up the pace a bit the towpath can be a scenic running track, usually far from any noisy traffic sounds. The advantage of running on a towpath, or beside any man-made navigation, is that they are usually flat ground. You may know that the Fenlands are famously flat, so there will be no running up hills if you are exercising on your narrowboat holiday with us!

If there are a lot of locks on your journey you may find yourself ahead of your crewmates on board the boat and you may like to prepare the next lock for their approach.

3) Work the Locks.

To fill or empty a lock you will need to wind paddles with a device called a windlass, (included with the boat) and this can require some strength if the mechanism is stiff. First the boat must be temporarily moored up, by pulling in the ropes, and then you need to open and close the lock gates by pushing the balance beams. So there are plenty of opportunities to get active and burn calories at a lock. Let your crew mates know though, that there should be no running at a lock, because there is a danger of falling in, and they can be very deep.

Before hiring one of our boats you will be fully trained in how to steer it, and operate the locks, by one of our RYA qualified instructors. Why not join us for a day boat hire to increase your confidence, and get active for a day?

4) Mooring Up.

At the end of any journey offer to help moor up and you will find yourself hauling the boat towards the bank with a rope. If you are using mooring pins they may need to be banged into the river bank with a mallet, and this can also be quite a strenuous activity too. After an hour or two of walking, jogging, working the locks, mooring up and enjoying the scenery, you may find your heart to be pumping and your endorphins truly boosted.  It may even feel more like fun than exercise!

5) Rest and Recuperation

Of course a narrowboat holiday is not all about the cardiovascular exercise and stimulating workout. Moor up near any town or village to enjoy a well-earned rest in a riverside pub, or a cuppa in a country tea room. You deserve it!

If you’re looking for an unusual way to maintain your fitness this year, do consider booking a hire boat holiday or a day trip with us. We’re currently taking bookings for this year’s season. Will you join us on an adventure?

If you enjoyed this article about cruising your way into fitness, subscribe to our blog in the right sidebar; look for ‘Follow Blog’. (We don’t send spam or salesy type stuff – just interesting articles about boats and waterways!)

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

You may also like: How Narrowboats Can Help You to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions

You may also like: Why January is the Best Time to Book Your Hire Boat Holiday

The post How to Cruise Your Way into Fitness this New Year appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Is the Autumn weather making you miserable now?

Is the drizzle bringing you down?

Could you be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder?

You are not alone! The extended Brexit deadline means that the depressing political debates are still ongoing a General Election is looming, and the nights are drawing in now, the clocks have gone back. These are gloomy times. Has scientific research shown that booking a narrowboat holiday can lighten your mood? Probably not. But it still may be fun to choose your favourite narrowboat and plan your ideal cruise for next year.

The exact cause of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) isn’t fully understood, but it’s thought to be related to reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter autumn and winter days. While your winter blues may not have the severity of this mental health condition, the NHS suggested lifestyle changes may help anyone suffering with a low mood. It is recommended to get as much natural sunlight as possible, exercise regularly and manage your stress levels.

If you live locally to a canal, a walk along the towpath can provide you with sunlight and exercise, even if that sunlight is struggling through the grey October clouds. Exercise doesn’t have to be intense, or a huge effort; a simple walk in nature may lift your mood. Even if you live in a city the canal towpath can often be a source of serenity, away from the bustle of traffic and shops. You may even find ducks, swans and geese on the canal. Being close to the water and nature may help you to manage your stress levels.

On a narrowboat holiday you may find that you are outside more than you would be on some other kinds of British holiday. Whether you are relaxing on deck, or in charge of the steering, it’s very pleasant to be chatting with a mug of tea in hand as you travel along. A narrowboat holiday also comes with interesting exercise options included, such as, operating the locks, walking between the locks, and pulling ropes and hammering pegs when mooring the boat up. A holiday is obviously a good way of managing stress levels, because a break from your day to day life can be so rejuvenating. However, a narrowboat holiday can be particularly good for relieving stress, as you get to travel slowly through stunning scenery, under our spectacular Fenland skies, away from the noise of modern life. Exercise, spending time in nature, and practising mindfulness are all effective ways of managing stress.

You may like: Feeling Stressed? 5 Ways This Unknown Village Can Soothe Your Soul

Foxboats are ideally situated on the uncrowded east Anglian waterways, giving you the best opportunity to get away from it all. Whether it’s the tranquillity of Ely Cathedral, the grandeur of Cambridge’s colleges, or the meandering natural beauty of the River Nene, we feel that our local waterways can beat the blues in a way that no other navigations can!

Read: The Four Navigations That Make All Other Waterways Jealous

Where else can you visit art galleries, museums and churches and explore England’s history at Oliver Cromwell’s house? Go shopping in Peterborough or visit a traditional Farmer’s Market. Have a traditional cream tea at The Old Barn Tea Rooms in the riverside village of Wadenhoe, or visit the Stained Glass Museum in Ely.

You may also like: 10 Ways to Chill When you Hire a Narrowboat

We’re pretty confident that our narrowboat holidays can chase away the blues because of the great feedback we get from our customers. Check out the kind words we’ve received in our customer reviews.

Still sad? Start browsing our holiday boat availability for next year, and plan how to get to your happy place!

For more articles to make you smile, sign up for digital 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 sign up today!

The post How to Beat the Winter Blues (With a Barge Pole!) appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

What are the most popular New Year’s Resolutions? The most common resolutions often revolve around exercise, health and weight loss, saving money and spending more time with family and friends.

At the start of every New Year, many people set new goals but only a few actually go on to achieve these. The secret to achieving your goals is to actually develop an action plan about how you are going to achieve them.

SMART Goals

To create an effective New Year’s resolution plan, try using the SMART Goals acronym. It stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Sensitive. Check your goal against each of these criteria to improve your chances of success. For example, specify how much weight you want to lose, and consider if it is achievable within the time frame you have planned.

For me, to make it realistic I think it also has to be exciting. Making the journey fun and interesting can keep you motivated, particularly at times when you become distracted or discouraged. If you’re someone who loves boats and waterways try these narrowboat-themed suggestions to make this your best year ever.

Fitness Goals

Have you ever begun a January exercise program, only to abandon it by February? Would you like to increase your chances for long term success? The answer could be to combine your fitness practice with time on the waterways, to maintain your enthusiasm! (Before beginning your planned exercise regime check with your doctor that you are healthy enough to start the activity you have decided on.) If you live near a canal you can try walking or jogging. With Fox Narrowboats you can build up your strength by working the locks and mooring up the boat. Here are seven ways to get active on the inland waterways.

Budget Goals

A holiday may be one of your biggest expenses when organising your finances this year, but making time to unwind is important both for improving mental health and maintaining close relationships. New Year is a good time to start planning ahead, to make sure you get the best boating holiday deals for this year. From booking early, to booking on line, here are five ways to save money on your canal boat holiday.

Family Goals

New Year’s Resolutions are so often about what you want to achieve personally; but have you thought about setting goals as a family this year, and agreeing to spend more quality time together?

A narrowboat holiday is a chance to take time out from the stresses of everyday life and focus on time with your loved ones. The easy-going calm of the waterways can very quickly create a different mind-set, for all generations.

From a digital detox to your own private boat party here are five simple ways to bring your family closer together on a narrowboat.

So if you want to get fit, save money and spend time with family check narrowboat availability here, and make this year’s goals specific, measurable and achievable!

The post How Narrowboats Can Help You to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Where can you go to unwind and reconnect your mind, body and soul? (Hint: it’s in nature.)

Head to the Fenland waterways, where the skies are big and the boats go slow!

National #RelaxationDay is every August 15^th, reminding us that rest and self-care are so important for our mental and physical health. This Relaxation Day why not slow down, take it easy, and read these suggestions for how to unwind? Whether you’re out on a day boat trip, or with us for a narrowboat holiday, here are 10 ways to chill out on a narrowboat.

1) Steer the Boat.

If it’s your first time boating, don’t worry. Our qualified instructors will give you training during the boat handover. By the time you leave our marina you will feel relaxed about steering a narrowboat.

We find our local canals to be much less crowded than others; which makes boating here a truly relaxing experience. (BBC Countryfile presenter Adam Henson described the Fenlands as “a hidden gem,” in the Ely Standard.)

2) Turn off all Electronics.

With ongoing concerns about smart phone addiction and technology dependency in modern society, we are beginning to recognise the benefits of going “unplugged” and reconnecting to the natural world once in a while. Don’t panic though – Wi-Fi is available on all of our boats, which also have in-car chargers and 240v power supplies. So you can reconnect your electronics again any time you feel the need to!

3) Walking Outside.

A good old fashioned country walk is a classic way to unwind. Towpaths and footpaths are ideal for nature lovers and ramblers. Enjoy the unique Cambridgeshire countryside by walking alongside the boat as you approach a lock. Or take a longer stroll when your boat is moored up.

“Take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints.”

4) Sit in Nature.

Whether you’ve rambled to the middle of nowhere and are sat meditating under a tree, or have decided to do some cloud-gazing while sitting comfortably on the back deck; absorbing your natural surroundings is a lovely way to relax. Watch out for flora, fauna and waterfowl and leave your troubles behind you.

5) Meander Around Town.

Peterborough, Ely and Cambridge offer plenty to see and do when you are off exploring away from the boat. Smaller places like Wadenhoe, Upwell and Outwell are great for a picturesque wander around too.

6) Go to a Farmers Market.

The Fenland’s rich black soil is some of the most productive in the country offering a wonderful variety of crops. The traditional markets scattered around the Fens are a great source of fresh local produce. Here’s a quick guide to market days in our various local towns.

7) Go for a Coffee Break.

After all that walking through markets and towns you may want to take a break. From The Old Barn Tea Rooms in Wadenhoe, to the trendy cafés of Cambridge, there’s a choice of places to relax with a coffee.

8) View Some Art.

In Ely you can visit Babylon Art Gallery on the Waterside, and The Stained Glass Museum at the cathedral. Ted Coney’s Family Portraits in Ely is an unusual pop-up gallery which opens on Sunday afternoons. In Cambridge you will be spoilt for choice with an impressive range of collections at Fitzwilliam Museum, Kettle’s Yard, Ruskin Gallery, New Hall Art Collection, and Byard Art Gallery. If you are travelling on the River Nene there are several art galleries to see in Peterborough.

9) Write Postcards.

Buy your postcards in the galleries, market towns and ancient streets of the Fenlands, and then amble back to your boat to write some good old fashioned postcards. A handwritten note is so much more personal than a Facebook status or an email. Have fun with posh pens, different colours or glittery gel pens, and relax as you reflect on your day and connect with loved ones.

10) Watch the Stars.

Say goodbye to light pollution and moor your narrowboat somewhere quiet and rural. Get comfortable and allow your thoughts to clear as you begin to connect with nature. Stargazing can alleviate stress and increase happiness. Have you ever thought that while looking at the stars, you’re actually looking at the past? The stars are millions of light years away so by the time their light reaches us, they may not even exist anymore…

If you feel you’d benefit from some relaxation days on a narrowboat check out our Narrowboat Hire Special Offers.

You may also like: Feeling Stressed? 5 Ways This Unknown Village Can Soothe Your Soul

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The post #RelaxationDay: 10 Ways to Chill When you Hire a Narrowboat appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Kind Permission: Jan Pickles

Do you believe in New Year’s resolutions?

Have you ever begun a January exercise program, only to abandon it by February?

Would you like to increase your chances for long term success?

The answer could be to combine your fitness practice with time on the waterways, to maintain your enthusiasm!

Before beginning any kind of exercise program, first check with your doctor that you are healthy enough to start whatever you have planned. Mentally you are more likely to succeed if you have confidence in your exercise ability and receive encouragement and support from those closest to you. It’s also a huge advantage if you have chosen something you enjoy, like being close to boats and waterways.

Here are seven ways to get active on the inland waterways.

1) Work the Locks.

As you approach a lock as part of a crew you may be the one to leap to the bank holding a rope and haul the boat in, then tie to a bollard. To fill or empty the lock you will need to wind paddles with a simple device called a windlass, and some of these mechanisms can be quite stiff! Then there is opening the lock gates by pushing the balance beam. Some can be quite heavy and require you to put your back into it. Before hiring one of our boats you will be fully trained in how to steer the narrowboat and operate the locks by one of our RYA qualified instructors. Your instructor will not let you begin your narrow boat holiday until he is fully confident in you being able to handle the boat.

2) Lock Wheeling.

Traditionally, when cargo was carried on the waterways, this meant going ahead of the working boats, up the towpath to set and prepare the next lock ready for the boats’ arrival. This was often done on a bicycle, but some people still call it lock wheeling if you charge ahead on foot. On all holiday narrowboats, apart from Silver Fox, we can offer a cycle rack to carry two cycles.

3) Bow Hauling.

This is not something that is often done these days unless you have a butty (a boat without a motor). But you may sometimes see traditional cargo boats or hotel boats working as a pair; motor and butty. Occasionally manoeuvring the boats requires pulling the butty by hand, on a rope, to get in or out of a lock for example. Bow hauling is not recommended for the inexperienced boater, but it is certainly a strength-building exercise for those who undertake it as part of their job!

4) Walking.

Take a picnic and ramble away from the beaten track (towpath) across buttercup meadows to discover ancient villages. Or walk alongside the boat while your crew member steers, and hop back on for tea and cakes when you need to refuel.

5) Jogging on the Towpath.

The towpath is such a picturesque running track, usually far from any noisy traffic sounds. If there are a lot of locks you may find yourself well ahead of the boat and need to wait for the others with a cool drink in a waterside pub.

6) Mooring Up.

As well as leaping off with a rope and hauling the boat towards the bank, this can often involve using a mallet to bang mooring pegs into hard ground. This is great for releasing any repressed anger by bashing that peg on the head!

7) Barge Poling off the Bottom.

This is not so common if the canal is deep enough, but you may occasionally get caught on an underwater obstruction and need to push the boat off using a barge pole. This is done by standing on the roof of the boat.

Caution!

Several of these suggestions should not be attempted for the first time without proper training and supervision. But if you’re looking for an interesting way to get fit, do consider booking a hire boat holiday or a day trip with us.

We’re currently taking bookings for this year’s boating season. Will you join us on an adventure?

If you enjoyed this article about fitness on the canals, subscribe to our blog in the right sidebar; look for ‘Follow Blog’. (We don’t send spam or salesy type stuff – just interesting articles about boats and waterways!)

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

The post 7 Ways to Achieve Your New Year’s Fitness Goals on the Canals appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.