Are you looking for an unusual gift idea this Mothering Sunday?

Something more original than flowers or chocolates?

A present for a mother who loves the canals?

If your mum, wife, or gran is a lady who enjoys narrowboating, or dreams of getting afloat, then consider getting her a book revealing the quirks and charms of parenting on board.

#NarrowboatBooks #WaterGypsies #Annie Murray #NarrowMargins #MarieBrowne #RamlinRose #SheilaStewart

When my children were young we lived on board a narrowboat, so I loved seeking out stories about mothers on canal boats; and it was even better if they were true to life.

Water Gypsies by Annie Murray

The historical novel, ‘Water Gypsies’ by Annie Murray is a sequel to ‘The Narrowboat Girl’, but I was told that the canals do not actually feature that much in the first book, so I went straight for the sequel. Water Gypsies begins in 1942 and describes a series of tragedies that befall the heroine, who is tormented by a miserable past! The story follows Maryann, her husband and children as they live and work on their canal boat, the ‘Esther Jane’.\

Narrow Margins by Marie Browne

In contrast, Marie Browne’s ‘Narrow Margins’ is a modern tale of a family aboard, trying to make a new start after losing their IT company and large house when Rover went bust. They moved their children and dog onto a ramshackle narrowboat called ‘Happy Go Lucky’ and taught themselves about narrowboat life and boat refurbishment as they went along. She has since written several sequels about their family’s adventures afloat. This is a fun read that details the challenges of living aboard a ‘fixer upper’!

For Better For Worse, For Richer For Poorer

I also enjoyed reading ‘For Better For Worse, For Richer For Poorer’ by Damian and Siobhan Horner. This husband and wife team wrote a memoir about leaving their careers and lives ashore, to travel the French canals with their two young children. Told in two voices, this mid-life crisis story follows their journey on an old fishing boat.

Ramlin Rose by Sheila Stewart

However, my favourite book about mums on board is ‘Ramlin Rose’, by Sheila Stewart. Recommended to me by another live-aboard mum, this book reveals the details of day to day life for a hardworking family in the cargo-carrying canal age. Sheila Stewart had wanted to interview a Banbury boatwoman and write her biography, but ended up compiling a number of true stories into a fictional life story. As so many boaters were illiterate back then, there is no autobiography written by a boatwoman. So this is the closest thing you will get to a mother’s perspective of parenting on board, while working the boats. Although the days were long, and the work was hard, and sometimes dangerous, there was a good sense of community. When the men went to canal-side pubs, they’d be moored alongside other families, and while the women minded the children on board they could catch up with their temporary neighbours moored next door.

“’Spite of all you hears about ‘drunken boatwomen’ most of ‘em was content of ‘n evenin to loose their chaps orf to the pub while they stayed tied to their kiddies and the cabin. It was a chance for Mum to catch oop on her chores ready for mornin and catch oop with news of the Cut with the women moored alongside.”

• ‘Ramlin Rose’, Sheila Stewart

If reading narrowboat books gets your mother in the mood for boating, then a family boat trip on the Cambridgeshire Waterways could be just what you are looking for. Why not plan an unforgettable day-trip to our hire boat base in March? The whole family can have a go at steering the day boat, and spend some quality time together. Boating is an activity that suits all generations, and you can include a picnic, a pub lunch or some fish and chips in your day out.

In 2022 the Mother’s Day falls on Sunday March 27th, and the Fox boating season begins in April. If you book a day-trip now you could surprise your mum with this idea on Mothers Day. Read more: The Ultimate Mother’s Day Surprise

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Photo credit: Deposit photos

The post Five Surprising Mothers Day Gifts for the Narrowboat Mum appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

At the time of writing the UK is in coronavirus lockdown, and everyone except keyworkers have been asked to stay at home. If you are safe at home and looking for new books to read, you may like these three suggestions, which are real-life accounts of families living on boats. 

Whether you are an experienced boater, or new to narrowboat holidays, true stories of families on board are a wonderful glimpse into the practicalities of boating life. I lived on a narrowboat for six years with my husband and two young children and wrote a blog about it called The Real Life of a Narrowboat Wife. At that time I was interested in reading stories of other parents who had chosen a life afloat, to see how their experiences compared with mine.

Ramlin Rose

My favourite book at that time was Ramlin Rose, by Sheila Stewart. The author interviewed several boatwomen who were born and bred on horse-drawn boats, and recounted their experiences as seen through the eyes of a fictional boatwoman, travelling on the Oxford Canal through the Great War, the Depression, the Second World War and the decline of the canals. The harsh reality of raising a family while working incredibly hard and long hours is captured in this poignant account. There are several books about the history of the cargo carrying boats that were once and essential part of Britain’s transport system; but this is a rare account of the lifestyle from the point of view of the women. The details of their daily lives, shopping, cooking and parenting while steering a boat, are fascinating to read.

Narrow Margins

As cargo-carrying boats faded into the history books, the canals started to become a place for leisure cruising and holidays, and living aboard became a lifestyle choice.

When financial circumstances forced her family to downsize their home, author Marie Browne and her husband Geoff bought a 70ft ex-hotel boat called ‘Happy Go Lucky’ to live on. This funny, heart-warming story follows the family’s journey from Braunston, to Cambridge. After leaving the Grand Union Canal their adventure took them down the River Nene, through the Middle Level navigations and on to the River Ouse, before arriving on The River Cam. So the book contains great descriptions of some of the routes covered by Fox Narrowboats. Their lifestyle change forced them to downsize to a more minimalist lifestyle, and they learned how to live at a slower pace of life. Read more: 3 Things this Book Can Tell Us About Narrowboat Holidays

Mud

Mud is the story of the challenges of adolescence and grief, as a family move from a house in London to a Thames barge in Essex, and tackle a number of difficult life-changes. It’s a fictional account based on the experiences and recollections of the author, Emily Thomas. In this dark comedy, the family of seven assorted siblings and stepsiblings navigate their way through parental alcoholism, bereavement and loneliness, as told through the eyes of teenage Lydia. Uplifting and beautifully written in diary form, this charming, absorbing novel describes living through teenage emotions in the early eighties, on a leaky houseboat.

Books From Amazon

These three books are available to order from Amazon. Before ordering check Amazon’s latest delivery information and answers to frequently asked questions during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

If you’d like to try living on a boat with your family check availability now for your next narrowboat holiday. As the coronavirus situation continually changes you may like to contact us first, with any questions, before booking online.

If you enjoy reading about life on the canals 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.

The post The Truth About Living Aboard A Boat: 3 Books You Should Read appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

If you and your family love canal boats and narrowboating, take the pressure off of this year’s Christmas shopping and check out these unusual stocking fillers and gift ideas for your loved ones. We’ve done the research and all of these can be bought on line, so you can just sit back and relax with a lap-top while you’re Christmas shopping this year.

For the narrowboater who has almost everything, a thoughtfully chosen book is always welcome. The Imray canal guides are popular paperback books for river users planning trips along the Rivers Nene, Ouse, Cam and the Middle Levels; they make a great gift for your partner, dad or granddad. They contain maps for planning the cruises, details of moorings to stop at, and things to see and do.

Charlie Fox: Building a Legacy is a book that tells the life story of boat-builder Charlie Fox, founder of Fox Narrowboats. This will especially appeal to canal history enthusiasts and owners of Fox narrowboats. The design and build of one of Charlie’s boats is distinctively recognisable. There is even a Charlie Fox Boat Owners group on Facebook, where boat owners share pictures of their own boats and other ones sighted around the UK waterways.

‘Maidens Trip’ was first published in 1948 and is the semi-fictionalised story of Emma Smith and her two friends’ experiences of working on the Grand Union Canal during wartime. When boatmen were called up to fight, land-dwelling women were recruited to operate the boats. It offers an insight into the forgotten culture of the boat people, and the all-but bygone occupation of cargo carrying on the canals. This book will appeal to the women in your life who love boating.

‘Ramlin Rose: The Boatwoman’s Story’ by Sheila Stewart is my favourite narrowboating book. Sheila Stewart interviewed several women who were born, lived and worked on the waterways, and compiled their anecdotes into a fictional biography of a woman called Rose. It is fascinating to read about the practicalities of day to day life, and how the women managed to cook, clean, shop, birth and bring up babies, all while working the cargo boats. This book is a fascinating read if you are a mother, as it offers an insight into the challenges boating mothers faced in those days.

Do you remember the 1990’s children’s TV series, ‘Rosie and Jim’? Script writer and presenter of the programme, John Cunliffe, turned some of the episodes into children’s story books. John steered the boat ‘Ragdoll’, Duck sat on the roof, and Rosie and Jim learned about using locks and other aspects of canal travel. These books are a great introduction to inland boating for younger children.

Discover our local Fens navigations, back-waters, towns and villages with a DVD and enjoy the beauty of our Fenland waterways from the comfort of your own home. In From Source to Sea – River Great Ouse, Matt Hayes cruises down the Great Ouse on his boat with Fens expert Ernie Hall, and learns how the fens were created. Later, Matt fishes for Skimmer Bream. It’s then downstream to the City of Ely, to see the amazing Cathedral.

If you know someone who is planning a boating holiday next year this DVD may help them to decide what they want to see on their canal trip in 2020.

If you’ve already been on a narrowboat holiday why not get last year’s photos made into coasters, a cushion, a mug or a photo book? Fox boats holidays offer some stunning photo opportunities of watery sunsets, Fenland skyscapes and quaint, ancient villages.

The Christmas Gift That the Whole Family Will Love

Are you still struggling to come up with a gift idea? Do you wish your family spent more time together? Want to get the kids away from gaming, and the adults away from their smart phones?

Then a day out on the waterways could be the unique gift you are looking for! Our day hire vouchers for a trip on a narrowboat are for up to 10 people and make a wonderful Christmas gift. (Get an idea of what you might see on your day out, in this short video clip: Day boat hire near Cambridge and Ely.)

A day boat hire trip can be taken any midweek day between Easter and 30th September. Tuition and lifejackets are included and there is no extra charge for fuel. You can buy the voucher now and use it when the weather is warmer; this will give everyone time to synchronise their diaries! You could ask the whole family to chip in, and agree to make some memories together in 2020.

Buy now: Day Hire Vouchers

We hope these ideas solve some of your gift buying problems, and we wish you a very happy Christmas from everyone at Fox Narrowboats.

You may also like – Day Boat Hire: The Surprising Alternative to Punting in Cambridge

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The post The Ultimate Canal Boater’s Christmas Gift Guide appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.