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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Featured articles, Historic sites

wartime canal boat regents Canal dock grand union canal

On Armistice day you may be surprised to learn that cargo-carrying narrowboats were an important part of England’s war effort, and that many women volunteered to steer these boats when the boatmen were called up to fight. In her memoir The Amateur Boatwomen, Eily Gayford used her war time journals to write about her time training all-woman canal boat crews during the Second World War.

Read more: Secrets of the Amateur Boatwomen

So, on this day when we think of those who gave their lives, think also of the working boaters who kept our canals carrying essential cargo throughout the Second World War.

Next weekend The City of Ely Parish Council and Royal British Legion Branch invite all people in Ely to join them at the Cathedral on Sunday 14th November 2021 for a spectacular and moving service, as well as a march through town, parade and Act of Remembrance in the Market Square. All services at Ely Cathedral are open to everyone. Thousands of people visit Ely Cathedral every year and visitor tickets can be booked in advance. Cathedral tours include behind the scenes access to the cathedral’s unique Octagon Tower, the West Tower and the Monastic Buildings dotted around the cathedral grounds. During the year the cathedral also hosts various events such as storytelling, talks, fairs and concerts, so check their website if you’re planning a Fenland narrowboat holiday next year.

A narrowboat cruise from March to Ely takes nine hours, and Ely Cathedral can be seen for many miles across the surrounding Fens.  A tour of the Octagon tower on a fine day offers some stunning views.  A top tip when visiting Ely by boat is to visit midweek when the visitor moorings are less busy.

You could also visit Ely Museum, a bright and friendly local history museum, located in the Bishop’s Gaol in the centre of the historical city. The museum takes you on a journey through time from prehistory to the twentieth century. Last weekend Ely Museum welcomed the teams from Khaki Devil and Great War Huts, who are leading experts on the British Army during the Second World War for a living history day.

If you’re visiting Ely by boat you may also like to see Oliver Cromwell’s House which has been refurbished to show how it may have looked during Cromwell’s lifetime. The beautiful Stained Glass Museum is also in Ely Cathedral and displays an inspirational collection of stained glass, from medieval to modern.

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

Our narrowboat holidays in the Fenlands are a wonderful opportunity to get lost in the past, wandering around quaint villages and market towns, and travelling like the boatmen of yesteryear. If you want to take your own nostalgic canal journey next year check availability now. We have some great holiday deals to enjoy.

If you enjoy reading about the Fenland waterways 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.

Image: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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

witch craft scene

Are you intrigued by England’s legends and mysteries?

Want to discover local folklore on your narrowboat holiday?

Got any Harry Potter fans in your family?

This Halloween, read on to discover the witchy history of Cambridgeshire’s Fens.

The Cambridgeshire Fens were one of the last places in England where people still believed in witchcraft. Even in the mid-twentieth century Fenland communities remained isolated, and some ancient traditions survived. Historically local people were more vulnerable to environmental illnesses, such as malaria, than the rest of the country, because of the unusual environment.

Witch Hunting in Ely

In the 1640s, Sir Matthew Hopkins, known as the Witch Finder General, was extremely active in the Fenlands.  His witch-hunts were generally targeted at older, single women who supported themselves using traditional methods instead of relying on men as others did. In the Fenlands, women were more than three times as likely to be tried for witchcraft and magic.

Matthew Hopkins’ methods for finding witches were  known to be ruthless and cruel. In 1646, Hopkins was found guilty of using torture to force confessions, then less than a year later he died from tuberculosis. Some historians speculate that he was accused of and trialled for being a witch himself.

Ely, the cathedral city at the heart of the Fens, was the place where anyone locally accused of witchcraft would be brought to trial. The city was the centre from which Hopkins’ associate John Stearne completed the last stage of the notorious seventeenth century witch-hunt.

Visit ancient Ely by canal boat: March to Ely is approximately 18 cruising hours, return trip.

Witch Hunting in Cambridge

The Museum of Cambridge is a quaint 17th century museum and tea room. The museum’s collection contains over 20,000 objects reflecting the social history of Cambridge and Cambridgeshire and is extremely varied, from Giant’s boots to nut crackers, vacuum cleaners to folklore objects. The collection has been shaped by those who have curated and cared for it.

One of the founders, Catherine E. Parsons (1870-1956) donated 143 objects in just the first year and continued to add to the collection throughout her time as Honorary Curator. She wrote many pamphlets on local life in the village including, ‘Notes on Witchcraft’. Originally given as a lecture to the Cambridge Antiquarian Society, it was then published by the society in 1915.

The museum is a Grade II listed 16th century former coaching inn. This historic timber-framed building was also once a domestic dwelling. Its layout has evolved over time, developing it’s eccentric character, with winding staircases and uneven floors.

If you’re on a boating holiday in Cambridge next year check out the museum’s events page for dates of local walking tours.

This October half term a professional storyteller is offering a series of free Spooky Storytelling. Read more eerie Halloween tales from Cambridgeshire on our blog.

Visit charming Cambridge by canal boat: Ely to Cambridge is about five hours narrowboat cruising each way.

Witch Hunting in Peterborough

Escape Peterborough is a fun and challenging activity for groups of up to six people. There are 11 different escape rooms, and your team have 60 minutes to get out. One of the rooms has a theme of the school of witchcraft and wizardry, with a classroom full of tricks, puzzles, challenges and spells. You must solve them all to escape the grasps of the evil professor and graduate with a distinction!

You may also like to try a guided ghost hunt at Peterborough Museum, which claims to have eight resident ghosts. Read: How to Hunt Fenland Ghosts, Even When it isn’t Halloween.

Escape to Peterborough by canal boat: March to Ferry Meadows Country Park is a 12 hour return trip, ideal for a short break.

For more haunting ideas to add to next year’s holiday plans, sign up for email 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!

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

ely cathedral visited by great canal journeys

Gyles and Sheila are back on our screens, and in case you missed it you can catch up with their Great Canal Journey to Cambridge and the Fens by watching episode one of series 13 on All 4.

Actor Sheila Hancock and author and presenter Gyles Brandreth took over presenting the show in November 2020. (Read TVs Great Canal Journeys Has Two New Skippers). They were narrowboat novices at that point, but have since taken to cruising and steering canal boats with heart-warming humour and enthusiasm.

At the beginning of series 13 they started their journey in the town of March, where Fox narrowboats are based, and travelled along the old course of the River Nene to visit Emneth, then south down the Great Ouse to Ely Cathedral, and finished their trip in Cambridge, learning about the poet, Rupert Brook.

Early on in the journey Sheila was seriously impressed by the Fenland scenery; she loved the spaciousness of the panorama, “It’s all sky!” They learned that the sea level is still rising in the Fens, so it is inevitable that large areas, previously reclaimed from the sea, will eventually be underwater once more.

There were some pretty views of the village of Upwell before they arrived at Emneth to visit the vicarage. This was once home to Reverend Wilburt Audrey, author of the much-loved Thomas the Tank Engine books. The Reverend died in 1997 but Gyles and Sheila were invited in to chat to his daughter about the inspiration for the popular books.

Back on the River Ouse Gyles and Sheila were stunned by the view of Ely Cathedral across the Fens as they approached Ely. Ely was once an island, before the draining of the Fens, and the cathedral dates back to the 11th century. The inside of the cathedral is huge, and gloriously impressive. The programme showed the unique octagon lantern tower before a segment where Ely Cathedral Boy Choristers practiced their medieval Plain Song. The cathedral was built on the site of a monastery, founded by Etheldreda, a local Anglo Saxon princess. This episode explains that it may have taken one hundred years to build the current version of the cathedral.

Back on their canal boat, inspired by their visit to the cathedral, Gyles and Sheila had a thoughtful conversation about faith, god and their own mortality. It was fun to watch their affectionate friendship as Sheila teased Gyles about his fashion sense, and his habit of name-dropping celebrities’ names.

South of Ely the two friends met an artist and tried landscape painting. Although they both lacked confidence in their abilities they had a go anyway. In Cambridge Kings College “oozes history” said Gyles. It’s alumni include Rupert Brook, who in 1914 wrote the patriotic poem ‘The Soldier’. Gyles and Sheila checked out previous hand written drafts of the famous poem. Then they had cucumber sandwiches and tea at the vicarage, discussing the poet, who had tragically died aged only 27.

Finally Gyles and Sheila ended their trip by drinking Pimms in the sunshine, in an ancient meadow moored on the River Cam.

A cruise from March to Ely takes nine hours, and then Ely to Cambridge is about five hours cruise. Of course you can travel at your own leisurely pace and stop somewhere overnight along the way.

If you want to take your own great canal journey next year check availability now. We have some great holiday deals to enjoy. And you can order sandwiches and other treats to be waiting on board for you from Glam Grazing.

You may also like: How to Experience Some Great Canal Journeys from Your Own Home

If you enjoy reading about the Fenland waterways 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.

Image Stock Lic: 414097358

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Featured articles, Navigation articles, Towns & villages

Our hire boat base in March is ideally situated for exploring the Middle Level by narrowboat. This is a fascinating interconnected waterway which will take you through the idyllic riverside villages of Upwell and Outwell on your way to The River Ouse and Cambridge. Alternatively if you are travelling west you can head towards the River Nene and Peterborough. Or you could just explore the Middle Level at a leisurely pace, and enjoy big skies, wind farms and kingfishers.

We asked a few boaters, where do you like to moor on the Middle Level? These are just some of their suggestions.

Upwell and Outwell

Upwell and Outwell are two villages that run either side of the Well Stream, and so give you the feeling that you are cruising down the middle of the road! There are various visitor moorings here, operated by the Well Creek Trust. Amy of historic narrowboat Willow likes the moorings by the church in Upwell because of the lovely edible plants. It is also an opportunity to find out about the Wisbech to Upwell tram which used to operate in these parts.  See if you can find out which children’s story book is based on this tram?

Glady Dacks

Glady Dacks Staithe on Well Creek is a lovely mooring just west of Nordelph. It’s on the left between Upwell and Nordelph.

Angle Bridge

Just south of Angle Bridge on Bevill’s Leam is a “wild” mooring, meaning not an official visitor mooring. There is therefore a bit of clambering needed here. Angle Corner Bridge is on the Twenty Foot River between Old River Nene and Angle Corner on Bevill’s Leam: a broad canal.

Some of the wild moorings on the Middle Level have a 45 degree bank and a lot of reeds to negotiate. But if the visitor moorings are busy on a sunny summer weekend you may find yourself looking for a wild mooring, for which you may need to use a gang plank to get to the bank. However, the solitude of a wild mooring can be so idyllic; and a much needed chance to really get away from it all.

Benwick

Carol Sargent says, “We have hired quite a few times from Fox’s. This year we did the Middle Level ring. Benwick is amazing. Love going through Upwell and Outwell to the church moorings. It’s a lovely quiet waterways.”

Leaving the link route at Flood’s Ferry and heading towards Ramsey, there are visitor moorings at Benwick and Ramsey, at the end of High Lode. The public mooring in Benwick, has only room for one boat, but it has convenient piled sides, concrete top and bollards, which is easier to negotiate than a wild mooring. Stop here for the pub and shop.

Woodwalton Fen

Woodwalton Fen is a beautiful nature reserve and wetland site west of Ramsey, recognised for its wildlife. It provides a refuge for thousands of species of Fen animals and plants, many of which are found nowhere else in the country.

Ramsey is a town at the end of the Middle Level Navigation, on Ramsey High Lode, a broad canal running from Ramsey (which is a dead end) to the Old River Nene.

If you’re cruising towards Ramsey there is a mooring just under the second bridge, and a village shop with a pub there. Ramsey is four hours cruise from Fox Narrowboats marina, and is also home to the Ramsey Rural Museum. Check their website for the current opening times. https://ramseyruralmuseum.co.uk

You may like to read more about the history of the Middle Level here: Middle Level. Our narrowboat holidays can be taken as a week, weekend break or midweek breaks. Check availability today: Middle Level Narrowboat Holidays.

You may also like to read: Secrets of the Middle Level Waterways

We are indebted to boaters Simon Judge, Amy-Alys Tillson and Carol Sargent for help with this article, who were kind enough to let me know their favourite moorings on The Middle Level.

If you enjoy reading about the Fenland waterways 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.

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Featured articles, Fox boat builds

Does your boat have a distinctive bow?

Do other boaters ask you, “What number is it?!”

Are you proud to know the history of your boat?

Then you may be the owner of a Charlie Fox narrowboat! Charlie Fox boats can be recognised by a distinctive stem post, which is the fore post of the boat that forms the apex of the bows. The V-shaped nose is something that other Charlie Fox boat owners look out for, when spotting one another on the waterways.

Some Fox boat owners share a niche interest in Charlie Fox Narrowboats. Our family boating service was established in 1952 by boat builder Charlie Fox. In 1977 we also became a hire boat fleet and by 1981 we had moved into our current purpose built marina. We now build one or two boats per year for our hire fleet. We also provide maintenance, boat stretching and other boatyard work.

After five years we sell off hire boats, which are quite sought after, and for which there is a waiting list. We also sometimes build new boats on commission; one was even built and exported to be used in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA, as a trip boat.

Every Charlie Fox boat is numbered, with the number welded into the water tank access plate at the front of the boat. So if you spot a Fox boat out on the waterways, you can ask the steerer what number it is.

Peter Ekins has a list of Fox boats which he has been putting together since he bought March Mole (no.26) in 1995, which was one of Charlie’s first hire boats, (c1978). Although he has now sold March Mole, he still likes to gather information from other boaters, and he looks out for Fox boats on the canals. March Mole is now owned by Tina Catling. There is a Facebook group where Fox boat owners can keep in touch and look out for each other. So where are they now?

Claire Warhurst now owns number 38, Fair Winds. She is a live aboard and the boat is based at Overwater Marina on the Shropshire Union. She’s now 51ft and Claire has had her for two years.

Johnny Ballantyne has had 49ft Ruth, number 82, for the last 12 years. She is currently based at Prestonbrook on the Bridgewater canal.

Mr Toad, No 58, was bought by a new owner, in June this year. She had been with the previous owner since 2004, lately in Wisbech and prior to that with a couple in Kempston.

The Lark Ascending, was also bought by a new owner earlier this year. She is moored at Snaygill Boatyard on the Leeds and Liverpool canal. Her number is 123 and she was built in 2018.

Bishop Farewell, No 112, from Peterborough Club was spotted cruising this week near Water Newton on The River Nene.

Flying Fox is currently for sale, and was recently spotted on the Tring Summit, Grand Union canal, near Cowroast marina. She is 62 feet, built in 2003 with a cruiser style stern. She has a fixed double and an L-shape dinette which converted also sleeps two.

A few miles north of Cowroast, March Mole, number 26 was recently seen at the bottom of the Marsworth flight. She was built in the 1970’s for the hire fleet. Fox’s re-use names; for example there have been several Fox Hunters, and more than one Swift Fox.

You can read more stories of these much-loved boats in our previous article Charlie Fox Narrowboats: Where are They Now?

If you own a boat built by Charlie Fox swap pictures and stories in the Facebook group: Charlie Fox Boat Owners Group. and let us know about your own boat by commenting on our Facebook page.

If you enjoyed this article about a piece of boating history, 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!)

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Ely & Cambridge

Cambridge

George and the Chocolate Factory – Open Cambridge

This is a free children’s workshop. Discover the story of George Cadbury, a Quaker entrepreneur poor housing of workers in factories across Birmingham. There will be exciting storytelling, craft and of course some chocolate! The event is suitable for under 12s.

Info & booking

Spies, Lies and Double Agents

This is a paid walking tour that runs on multiple dates that uncovers Cambridge spying from the earliest days to recent. Walk along quaint Cambridge street and unearth how the Tudor monarchs made the university a Spy HQ with code cracking and undercover agents. Churchill called the Cambridge code-breakers “the geese that laid the golden eggs.”? Then there’s James Bond, Miss Moneypenny the Big Five, and much more…

Learn more

Robot Club

At the Makespace Cambridge on 16 Mill Lane, the robot club gathers on the 2nd Saturday of every month. It’s for beginners to pros. All you need is a love of Robots. If you have one then bring it along to work on or show off.

Ely

James Marsh Flights of Fancy
12th May – 31st Aug 2021

James Marsh is a painter, illustrator, designer and author, best known for his striking album covers for new wave band Talk Talk. Hypergallery will present a pop-up exhibition at Haddenham Arts Centre, featuring Marsh’s most interesting album and singles covers published in large scale format as exquisite limited edition prints.

Escape Room at Oliver Cromwell’s House
Sat 22nd May 2021 – Sun 31st Oct 2021

Have you ever fancied yourself as a detective? Here’s your chance to solve ‘The Curious Case of Curator Chadwick’

Search for clues, solve puzzles and discover the whereabouts of the cryptic Curator. Here is part of the plot! It’s 1910 and the Vicar of St. Mary’s Church has rented the Tithe Room out of the Vicarage to his dear friend, Curator Cornelius Chadwick. After a few weeks, he mysteriously disappears!

More info & booking

The Great Family Explorer Hunt, Trails and Crafts
Fri 23rd Jul 2021 – Tue 31st Aug 2021

Interactive family trails will be running throughout the summer, certain days will include craft activities. No need to book. There are adult entrance fees but children go free.

https://stainedglassmuseum.com/holidayactivities

 

For more events in Ely

http://www.visitely.org.uk/whats-on/

For more events in Cambridge

https://www.eventbrite.com/d/united-kingdom–cambridge/events/

Please note that some of these events are not accessible from our local waterways, they are however great things for mooring customers to visit when on their boats with accesibility to a car. Fox Narrowboats provide canal boat holidays and day boat hire. To check availability visit our booking page.

 

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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

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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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