fox narrowboats marina sunset moorings

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

However, some people live on their boats all year round. On our blog, Alice Elgie shares true stories of living afloat through winter with her husband and young daughter. She says there’s a trick to keeping the fire going all night, and that the boating community looks out for one another. When the canals and rivers freeze, it can be impossible to leave the mooring, but there are ways to work around the challenges.

Read: Narrowboating Through Winter

While you may not be able to hire a Fox narrowboat during the winter months, you can still use the canals and rivers to chase away the winter blues. If you live near an inland waterway, you may enjoy walking, running or cycling along the towpath, alongside the ducks and geese, with winter sunlight reflecting off the water. The post below also suggests attractions along the banks in Cambridgeshire that you can visit at any time of year.

canal tow path cycling with family

Read: Three Foxy Mood-Boosting Tips for This Winter

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. The good news is that being close to water and nature may help you to manage your stress levels. On a narrowboat holiday, you may find that you spend more time outdoors than you would on other kinds of British holiday. Whether you are relaxing on deck or in charge of the steering, there’s something lovely about chatting with a mug of tea in hand as you travel along.

Read: How to Beat the Winter Blues (With a Barge Pole!)

I spent 13 years living on canal boats, and during that time many of my friends were concerned that I was ‘roughing it’, imagining that I lived simply, without any modern comforts. People would ask me if it was cold in winter, and whether living aboard was a bit like camping. But nothing could be further from the truth: modern narrowboats are extremely comfortable. Find out about four surprising creature comforts you’ll find on a Fox narrowboat.

Read: Narrowboats: Is it Cold in Winter? The Answer Might Surprise You!

In her autumn diary, Alice describes walking along the towpath to collect drinking water, catching the occasional drift of a wood-burner coughing and spluttering its way out of hibernation, sending streams of grey-black smoke across the canal. She saw the poetry in a sky that merged seamlessly from cobalt blue at the top, through lighter blues, pale creams, yellows and oranges, to a deep red just above the darkened tree line.

Read: Autumn On The Water – Diary Of Living On A Narrowboat

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

Read: The Truth About Living Aboard A Boat: 3 Books You Should Read

So, while our narrowboats are ‘winterised’ until next year, why not snuggle up with a hot drink and read some of our winter-themed blog posts, as you dream of next year’s boating season?

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 send you our local insider knowledge, every two weeks.)

Peggy Melmoth is a writer who shares her memoir-style writing and poetry at Life, Locks and Literature.

The post Narrowboats and Canal Boating in Winter appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

(The Answer Might Surprise You!)

Have you ever wondered if it’s cold in winter, living on a narrowboat? I spent 13 years living on canal boats and during that time many of my friends were concerned that I was “roughing it;” imagining that I was living simply without any modern comforts. People would ask me if it was cold in winter, and whether living aboard was a bit like camping? But nothing could be further from the truth: Modern narrowboats are extremely comfortable. Here are four surprising creature comforts you will find on a Fox narrowboat.

1) Heating

Gas central heating is fitted on all of our boats, so being cold is not an option. While we don’t hire out the boats during the winter months, customers may like to use the heating during autumn or spring time holidays: The good old British weather can be a little unpredictable! The gas heating runs off of propane gas bottles that are supplied with the boat and are included in the price. You will notice wall-mounted radiators throughout the boat. (See the video below).

Upon your arrival you will also find the beds ready made up for you with freshly laundered sheets, duvets and pillow cases, so that your nights on board are always cosy and warm.

2) Entertainment

Although you might imagine a narrowboat holiday is the perfect time to go “unplugged” and recover from any smart phone addiction, you will actually find a 12v mobile phone charging point on every boat, plus WiFi and a USB charging point in the saloon! All boats are fitted with a 12v and 230v socket for charging mobile phones, laptop computers and camcorders.

You will also find a radio and CD player on board, a flat screen TV with DVD player, and a flat screen TV in the master cabin. So when you’re not out exploring the villages, towns and beautiful scenery you can relax in comfort on the boat.

3) Fine Dining

Don’t imagine that your meals on a boat have to go back to basics. The galley on board is fully equipped with a four burner hob, full sized oven, microwave, toaster, and 240v electrics. There is also a fridge with a small freezer compartment and beautiful Denby crockery, for serving up your culinary masterpieces. Just like at home you can order your groceries online and we’ll put them on board for you, ready for the start of your trip.

4) Mod Cons

Other surprising modern conveniences on board include a hoover and a hairdryer. All of our boats are fully equipped for your comfort during your holiday. Click here for a full list of what’s on board. The hire price also includes all fuels used (diesel and gas), VAT, car parking, towels and bedlinen.

Have a look around Silver Fox – a luxury narrow boat suitable for a family or a group.

Silver Fox – Narrowboat from Paula Syred on Vimeo

Winterised

Right now the planks and poles have been removed from our hire boats and we’ve started our winter maintenance. Some of the UK waterways freeze during the winter, so before they do we “winterise” our boats by pumping the bilges, emptying the water tanks and switching everything off. (Read more: How Winter Threatens to Damage Your Narrowboat – 3 Ways to Protect Yourself)

So, yes it is cold in winter on a Fox Narrowboat, but only because they are not in use! For a holiday at any other time of year they are well equipped for a warm and comfortable luxury break. We are now taking bookings for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Search narrowboat breaks.

PS. Want to know more about boats and boating? 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!)

The post Narrowboats: Is it Cold in Winter? The Answer Might Surprise You! appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.