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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Featured articles, Get healthy
kind permission Jan Pickles

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

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by Paula SyredPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Guest & customer articles, Uncategorized

Fox Narrowboats mooring customer and waterways campaigned John Revell shares his account of his recent campaign trips.

‘Olive Emily’ built by Fox Narrowboats and the Old Bedford River

In 2006 the Environment Agency (EA) piled the entrance to Welches Dam Lock near Chatteris. John Revell, owner of ‘Olive Emily, (built by Fox Narrowboats and moored at Foxes Marina) describes the latest campaigning cruise to draw attention to its continuous closure 11 years later and to reinstate a historic route to the Middle Level and beyond.

In November 2017 ‘Olive Emily’ managed to navigate the Old Bedford River from the tidal sluice at Salters Lode to the current head of navigation at Welches Dam lock. Although the Old Bedford is　a statutory navigation first opened in 1637 it remains difficult to access and little used. The only way into the Old Bedford now is via a tricky tidal channel.

A successful trip along the Old Bedford took place in April involving 3 narrowboats, ‘Lily May’ (also built by Foxes and owned by Chris Howes), ‘Ever After’ (Jeff Walters) and myself in ‘Olive Emily’. EA advised us beforehand that it would have been better to make the trip in May.

A second successful trip was made in July by 2 boats (cruiser ‘Marie II’ and ‘Olive Emily’) but on this occasion　 EA strongly advised us to either cancel it or postpone it for 4 months until the scheduled weed cut had taken place in　October.　Therefore I notified EA in October that I wished to navigate the Old Bedford during November. The dates of 13 and 14 November 2017 were confirmed and Chris Howes (‘Lily May’) and Jeff Walters (‘Ever After’) offered to join me in their boats.

On 13 November all three boats locked out of the Middle Level lock at Salters Lode into the tidal Great Ouse. I then attempted to enter the narrow tidal channel leading to the Old Bedford sluice. This looked hopeless because it had not been dredged and was badly silted up. To make matters worse, there was a sand bar right at the entrance with only 3″ of water covering it. Ducks might have been able to enter the Old Bedford ‘on the level’ but I couldn’t.

I therefore turned the boat round and started to dig a channel to the Old Bedford sluice using the propellor in reverse gear. This was repetitive and time consuming but worked and I was able to enter the non tidal river still in reverse just after the tide turned. Chris and Jeff were less fortunate and were unable to follow me which was very disappointing for all concerned including the many onlookers.

Amongst those watching was David Mercer from Project Hereward

Olive Emily and Crew picture Eddy Edwards
reversing out of the tidal channel picture Eddy Edwards
Welches Damned Lock 14 Nov 017 picture Eddy Edwards

 

We then set off for Welney and moored overnight outside the Lamb and Flag, a short distance from the single guillotine gate which had been raised by EA for this journey. The Lamb and Flag is a great pub with local Elgoods beer, excellent food, fine old photos, large stuffed fish in glass cases, accommodation if we had needed it and a real fire.

At 8 am the next morning we headed off for Welches Dam lock 6 miles away. This is an attractive location with a fine lock-side cottage close to the extensive RSPB Ouse Washes nature reserve. It looked particularly good in the autumn light and we received a warm welcome from one of the residents.

'Olive Emily' digs out a channel watched closely by 'Lily May' in the main river. picture David Mercer
The tide is beginning to turn as 'Olive Emily' nears the tidal doors and the non tidal river beyond. John Revell helming, Peer Le Fleming using the pole. picture David Mercer
A muddy 'Olive Emily' waits in the non tidal river to see if the other two boats will be able to join. Unfortunately this did not happen. picture David Mercer

Welches Dam lock remained completely impassable as it has been since 2006 and once again I had no alternative but to turn round and head back via Welney (but missing out the pub this time) to the Old Bedford sluice at Salters Lode. Fortunately, leaving the Old Bedford proved far easier than entering, perhaps because I had already laboriously dug a channel on the way in.

Following discussions with the Middle Level Lock keeper and a member of EA’s Navigation team I reversed ‘Olive Emily’ a short distance into the tidal channel at low water. This enabled them to shut the tidal doors behind me and for ‘Olive Emily’ to rest on soft mud just outside the sluice. Soon after the boat　lifted on the incoming tide and I then reversed into the main tidal river and then (in forwards) re-entered Salters Lode and the Middle Level.

I am pleased to have made 3 trips along the Old Bedford during 2017 and I look forward to the day when the ancient route connecting the rest of the waterways system via Welches Dam Lock (continuously closed by EA since 2006) and Horseway Channel (also EA managed and unnavigable) is fully restored. Re-opening this route would reinstate a cruising ring which includes some of the oldest waterways in the country.

 

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Featured articles, Fox boat builds
March Mole River Ouse

March Mole River Ouse

How long have Fox Boats been building boats?

What is so distinctive about a Charlie Fox Boat?

How many were built and where are they now?

A select few narrowboaters on the English waterways share an exclusive and niche interest in Charlie Fox Narrowboats. Our unique family boating service was established in 1952 by the enigmatic 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, which now has moorings for 200 craft. The company was renamed Fox Narrowboats Ltd in 2004.

Charlie Fox boats are recognisable by the distinctive stem post, which is the fore post of the boat that forms the apex of the bows. Some however, have had it cut off, or in the case of a boat built for a customer, left off at their request. This V-shaped nose is something that other Charlie Fox boat owners look out for, when spotting one another on the waterways.

We now build one or two boats per year for our hire fleet. After five years we sell off hire boats, which are quite sought after, and for which there is generally a waiting list. We also sometimes build new boats on commission, so there are now approaching some 200 Fox boats in existence. Three Fox Boats were originally built for St. Johns Ambulance, and are wheelchair accessible. Samuel Slater was built as a millennium project and was exported to be used in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA, as a trip boat.

Each Charlie Fox boat is numbered, with the number welded into the water tank access plate at the front of the boat. Curiously, there are two boats with the number 80. Some Fox Boat enthusiasts like to see how many of the boats they can spot and what their numbers are.

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). So far he has traced over 100 of the 121 built so far. He gathers information from fellow boaters, a boat listing site on the internet, and by keeping an eye out when cruising; he also has an interesting collection of related letters and photos. (I have Peter Ekins to thank for several of the interesting facts included in this article.)

About a year ago Peter sold March Mole to Tina Catling, and the boat is now in York. Tina was kind enough to supply these photos of the interior, and of March Mole moored at the meeting of the Rivers Ouse and Nidd near Nun Monkton. The previous owners told Peter to remember his boat number, as you would get people asking. On his very first cruise with March Mole, that actually happened, much to the delight of those enquiring. Their boat was called Herbal Second Boat.

Chris Howes, now a mooring customer at Fox’s marina, was moored at Berkhamstead a couple of years ago when Peter approached him wanting to know the production number of his narrowboat to add to his now growing spreadsheet of Fox-built boats. Chris and Christine’s boat is now called Lily May, having been repainted and renamed by Paul, the previous owner, (renamed after his mum). She was built 2007 and named Swift Fox. She spent her first five or six years as a number of the Fox hire fleet, Paul bought her around 2012 and Chris and Christine bought her in 2015.

When Sarah Hacker met her future husband in August 2004 one of their first dates was a few days away on the family narrowboat, Aqua Roma, built by Charlie Fox in 1976. This sparked a passion for narrowboating and an interest in Fox Boats which lead her to contact Peter Ekins. March Mole is the direct sister of Aqua Roma. Peter was kind enough to supply his list of boats, and Sarah and her family continue to look out for Fox Boats on the waterways.

In 2014 Sarah managed to track down Fox Boat Ambassador, on the Ouse at Ely, which she had considered buying at one point. You can read the narrowboat adventures of Sarah’s boating family at her Narrowboating Chick blog.

Zoe Louise McPhilbin ‎contacted Fox Narrowboats on Facebook to say that she had welcomed R Squared to her family in May 2016, and in 2017 she was returned to her given name, a different Swift Fox, (no. 87.) Fox’s re-use names; for example there have been several Fox Hunters. Zoe absolutely loves her boat, which is still in great condition.

Rena and Chris Owens now own Vermuyden, moored at Golden Nook moorings near Chester, and Foxhunter (no.19), is also moored at Golden Nook Farm. She has been Craig Sheaf’s home for five years, and is undergoing a major refit at this time.

Shellfen 2 is currently moored at Swanley Marina on the Llangollen canal at Nantwich, and is owned by Rachel Elizabeth.

Betty G. Fillingham bought Alley’s Mist a few years ago, and said that it was a lovely boat and she would not hesitate to buy another if she wanted another boat. She thinks it was previously called Grey Fox. She sold it to a woman who wanted to live on it permanently. Betty says, “She was the most beautiful boat, newly repainted, all fully equipped and I wish I could have kept it.”

I’ve enjoyed discovering the stories of these boats, they are so very well loved. Do 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.

Boat building is still an important activity at Fox Narrowboats, alongside maintenance, boat stretching and other boatyard work. To learn more about the life of Charlie Fox, check out this book compiled by his granddaughter Emily. Available here: Charlie Fox

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!)

PS: There’s still time to grab a Christmas gift voucher for a surprising family gift this year.

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Featured articles, Foxes News

london boat show fox narrowboats

Have you got any questions about narrowboating?

Want to chat to us in person?

Do you love looking at boats?

Then you’ll love the London Boat Show 2018! We will be exhibiting at the Boat Show this January, and we are taking our day boat March Adventurer. When we last exhibited at London it was back in 2000 when the show was still at Earls Court, and we’re looking forward to going again. The stand number is WC001B.

Fox Boats is very much a family business. Charlie Fox’s daughters (Paula Syred and Tracy Baxter) run the company and their husbands both work as boatbuilders. Paula first joined the company in 1986 to restart the hire fleet with just three boats.

At the Boat Show you can meet Paula herself on the stand, and Emily and Gerald will also be there for part of the time. We will be sharing information about our holidays, daytrips, mooring and marina services: Don’t be afraid to come and ask us about all things boaty!

The first London Boat Show was held at Olympia, before moving to the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in 1957. At Earls Court boats could be viewed afloat, in the venue’s pool.  The London Boat Show moved to ExCeL in 2004. It’s a lot of fun for anyone remotely interested in boats and boating.

This year’s world-famous show has been re-defined and re-imagined to make it better than ever. Visitors can climb aboard classic boats and modern yachts, browse the latest marine technology, and mingle with some sailing legends. There will be a variety of on water experiences and exclusive deals, with lots of retailers offering all things nautical. In fact there are over 300 exhibitors expected this year.

Lock and Waterside Pub

The UK is proud to have more canals than Venice, and offers stunning scenery to holiday makers on Britain’s waterways. Climb aboard a narrowboat at the show and imagine your next inland waterways cruise. Complete with a representation of a working lock, you can enjoy a drink at the lock-side pub while the children play in the garden.

So, whether you’re a seasoned boater, or want to experience something new on a fun day out, the London Boat Show has something for everyone. We would love to see you there. The show takes place from 10th to 14th January 2018. It was traditionally ten days long, but from 2018 will be five days long.

A standard day ticket is £20 but there are various concessions for children, families, groups, students and disabled visitors. ExCeL London is at Royal Victoria Dock, E16 1XL. (The best way to get there is using the Docklands Light Railway.)

If you enjoyed this article about the London Boat Show, 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, Featured articles

christmas gift boat hireAre you struggling to come up with a surprising 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 a narrowboat could be the unique gift you are looking for!

If you’d like to avoid tiring shopping trips looking for individual presents, why not treat the whole family to an unexpected boat outing? Our day hire vouchers for a trip on a narrowboat are for up to 10 people and make a wonderful Christmas gift.

Our marina, in the lovely Fenland market town of March, is surrounded by some of the most beautiful Cambridgeshire waterways. The navigable River Nene is ideal for pleasure boating. If you cruise east through the town of March towards the picturesque village of Upwell the journey will take you about six and a half hours. Alternatively if you decide to travel west you will pass Floods Ferry Marina Park and arrive at Ashline Lock and the town of Whittlesey.

Our self-drive day boat hire offers you the freedom to stop where ever and whenever the mood takes you, and you can let everyone have a turn at steering.

Our 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 complete with hob, fridge, sink, crockery and cutlery. There is enough room at the bow or stern so that everyone can be outside, and you can even bring your dog. We’re a family-run business offering a friendly service and are happy to answer any questions you may have.

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 for up to 10 people can be taken* any midweek day between Easter and 30th September, excluding bank holidays, for £175. Tuition and lifejackets are included and there is no extra charge for fuel. A day hire voucher for a weekend day is just £200.

You can buy the voucher now and use it when the weather is warmer; this will give everyone time to synchronise their diaries! (Beyond your budget? Get the family to chip in and agree to make memories together in 2018.)

Buy now: Day Hire Vouchers

We hope this voucher idea solves 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

Get more ideas – Unique Christmas Gifts – for the Narrowboater who has Everything.

PS. Never miss an article – 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!)

* check availability

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Featured articles

hello hows your day going

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by your busy lifestyle?

Too busy to stop and say hello?

Too reserved to catch eyes with a stranger?

Then look out for World Hello Day on November 21st, 2017! Anyone can get involved in World Hello Day simply by greeting ten people. This demonstrates the importance of personal communication for preserving peace. World Hello Day was begun in response to the conflict between Egypt and Israel in the Autumn of 1973. Since then, World Hello Day has been observed by people in 180 countries.

However, for some reason, when narrowboating, it’s easier to say ‘Hello,’ and our usual, introverted social conventions are left behind on the bank. We will nod and greet any other narrowboater, as we cruise along, and if we have the opportunity to share a lock we will tend to chat to a complete stranger, as we work together to operate the paddles.

I met this character once, and we were both boating alone. It was about eight in the morning and looking like drizzle. He had a denim waistcoat and long grey hair. He was bringing his boat down the lock. Mine was waiting on the bollards below the lock waiting to come up. He knew this before he saw my boat because of the windlass in my hand.

“Hello! It’s an early start for me,” he said.
I smiled and said,
“Where you headed today?”
“Oh, I just carry on going until I get fed up. That’s just the way I am me. That’s what I’m like.”
He crossed the lock gate, windlass in hand, and headed up to close the other gate.“Life is not a rehearsal you know,” he called across the lock, grinning. We worked the lock and he went on his way: Passing like ships in the flight.

I love those moments when suddenly everything seems simple. Just carry on going until you get fed up. I love the way you can discover morsels of wisdom from a conversation with a stranger. Have you ever heard a cliché, like, “Life is not a rehearsal,” but suddenly you hear it for the very first time? It was just an unexpected reminder to live in the moment. And for that moment, and for the next few locks, I did. I enjoyed the drizzle and the rain, the winding of paddles and the trees and the grass. I noticed the ripples on the water and a heron on a branch.

So, “Just carry on going until you get fed up,” was my thought for the day, because of a ‘Hello’ from a stranger.

To be honest, it’s World Hello Day every day on England’s canals and inland waterways. You never know who you might meet, and who might change your mind, or your mood.

Exchanging a simple greeting on World Hello Day, people around the world send a message to leaders, encouraging them to use communication rather than force to settle conflicts.

Come and say ‘Hello’ to us at Foxboats on our Facebook page; and let our boating photos inspire you to daydream about your next narrowboat holiday; the kind of holiday where you can just carry on going until you get fed up.

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Featured articles, Foxes News

narrowboat hire summer

Did you miss these seven surprising stories on our blog this summer? Did you read ‘Four Things You Don’t Expect on a Narrowboat Holiday’, or how two intrepid narrowboats overcome algae and other obstacles on the Old Bedford River? Starting from spring, here’s a roundup of the surprisingly true adventures we had during this year’s cruising season.

1) In April we welcomed Lee to the team, as our new marina operative. His work includes supplying diesel and pump-outs, mooring maintenance, site maintenance, boat presentation and boat bottom blacking. He is now starting his British Marine marina operative course: Staff Spotlight – Lee

2) In May we featured one of our more unusual cruises which offers four things that you don’t normally see on the English canals, including the world famous sluice that held back the sea from drowning most of Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. 4 Things You Don’t Expect on a Narrowboat Holiday

3) The boatbuilding and maintenance team were delighted to receive these kind words from Mike and Malena about the work undertaken on their boat over recent times. They also sent us ‘before’ and ‘after’ pics of their boat: Customer Testimonial of the Month June

4) During National Picnic Week in June, we offered three simple steps to the perfect waterside picnic. How to Use Your Canal Boat Holiday to Plan the Perfect Picnic

To get more surprising ideas of how to really enjoy narrowboating in the Fens 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!)

5) In July, two boats Olive Emily (built by Fox Narrowboats and moored at Fox’s marina) and the cruiser Marie II, successfully navigated the Old Bedford River from the tidal River Ouse at Salters Lode to the current head of navigation at Welches Dam lock. Non tidal access to the Old Bedford ended 11 years ago when the Environment Agency piled the entrance to Welches Dam lock, so it was wonderful to be able to cruise this ancient and attractive waterway once more. Waterways Campaigner and mooring customer John Revell tells the full story: Intrepid Narrowboats Overcome Algae and Other Obstacles…

6) On 19th July River Nene locals, Jan Pickles Price and her husband Haydn, launched a free online canal guide that’s based on Google Maps. The response was fantastic; they received over 100 registrations for the site on the first day: New Website Takes Canal Navigation into the Digital Age.

7) Over the summer we welcomed many families to Fox Narrowboats for holidays, short breaks and day boat hire, dragging the children away from their TVs and tablets, and into the great outdoors: Canal Boats: The Antidote to School Holiday Boredom

However, the summer is definitely over now and the poles and planks have been removed from our hire boats. We’ve started our winter maintenance jobs, and bookings are already coming in for the 2018 season so there’s plenty for us to be getting on with. If you’re curious to know how we ‘winterise’ a narrowboat check out our 3 basic steps to help you protect your narrowboat or canal boat from the cold.

If you want to join us for an awesome day out, or a week on the waterways next summer check availability here: Book Narrowboat Hire Online.

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Amazing things to do, Canal Blog, Fayres & local events, Featured articles

 halloween fenland ghosts

Do you enjoy cruising along through the countryside on a narrowboat?

Are you happiest when you’re far from the sights and sounds of modern life?

Do canal boats inspire you to imagine bygone days?

For some, the attraction of a canal boat holiday is a taste of a simpler life, reminiscent of yesteryear, and our Cambridgeshire hire boat base is the ideal starting point for exploring old market towns and the romance of England’s “olden days”. But in these five Halloween stories the past catches up with us in the form of ghostly hauntings…

Local Spooks

A narrowboat is the stealthiest way to travel if you are planning a paranormal investigation in Cambridgeshire, and our local area is surprisingly haunted. This article describes some of the ghosts you might see around March and the Fenland waterways: How to go Ghostbusting with a Narrowboat.

Ghostly River

After leaving our hire boat base in March and heading through the Middle Levels you’ll join the River Ouse at Salter’s Lode. You may expect cruising the beautiful River Great Ouse to be quite peaceful, simply absorbing the local history, folklore and architecture. But in this article, we reveal what the local boaters won’t tell you: three anecdotes from the past that could affect your serene impression of the tidal Ouse. Read about the murdered ghosts of Southery and the hanged men of Littleport in this article: The Spooky Truth About Cruising to Ely.

Eerie Events

In 2015 these six local attractions offered various Halloween themed events, from ghostly tours to the Cambridge Pumpkin Festival. Many of them are taking place again this year, and they will show you just how much there is to see and do around the Fenland Waterways: Six Halloween Events Every Fenland Boater Should Know About

Then, in 2016 these Fenland Halloween events gave us even more unusual ideas of places to visit, so that we could create haunting holiday memories to die for! 3 Spooky Reasons to Visit the Fens on a Narrowboat Holiday.

Ghost Stories

In times gone by, long before there were narrowboat holidays, I imagine that working boatmen may have gathered their families around the cabin stove on All Hallow’s Eve, and told ghostly stories by lamp-light. Here are seven creepy towpath tales to share beside the fire this Halloween: 7 Chilling Canal Ghost Stories for Halloween.

If you fancy haunting the canals yourself next year, be brave and check availability here to plan your next narrowboat holiday! Cambridgeshire and the Fenland Waterways offer history, heritage and culture at all times of the year.

For more haunting ideas to add to next year’s holiday plans, 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!

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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Featured articles

talk like a pirate day holiday


Ahoy! 3 Fine Holiday Tips for Talk Like a Pirate Day

Do you enjoy a good pirate movie?

Fancy making your next canal boat trip one to remember?

Want to add a fun theme to your day boat trip?

Then look no further than International Talk Like a Pirate Day for some inspiration! This spoof international public holiday was dreamt up in the USA in 2002, when John Baur and Mark Summers suggested that everyone in the world should talk like a pirate, for one day. The one and only reason for this day is that, “Talking like a pirate is fun. It’s really that simple. It adds a zest, a swagger, to your everyday conversation.” Their website contains links to pirate glossaries, translators, name generators, music, events, festivals and more. My favourite phrase that I’ve found so far is the insult, “You son of a biscuit eater!”

Here are three ways that adding a pirate theme can improve your narrowboat holiday or day boat trip.

1) Act Like Kids

Have you ever set goals, as a couple or as a family, promising yourselves to spend more quality time together? Talk Like a Pirate Day is a good way to encourage grown-ups to let loose and enjoy silly, fun activities. So get a few cheap props together and dress as pirates on your next narrowboat trip. Acting like kids is just one of the 5 Family Goals You Can Achieve on a Narrowboat Holiday!

2) Be Prepared

At the very least you’ll want to bring some sea shanty music along with you. I recommend Admiral’s Hard, a 7-piece folk band offering shanties and traditional maritime folk songs. (Our boats are equipped with a CD stereo, and are fitted with a 12v and 230v socket for charging phones and laptops). You could also bring a bottle of rum, and some clothes to dress as pirates or mermaids. Invent new names for yourselves and make some pirate flags. Bring cheap jewellery and fake coins to make some pirate treasure and hide it on board the boat somewhere. Check out our top tips of what other extras to bring along when you’re boating with kids: Don’t Go On a Canal Holiday Without These 5 Kids Essentials.

3) Cruise Like a Celeb

Swashbuckling pirate of the Caribbean, Kiera Knightly, allegedly rented an East London canal boat in the summer of 2010. She was then sometimes seen taking a towpath walk through Hoxton with her partner. When a famous star wants to get back to nature, a narrowboat holiday is the perfect way to escape the paparazzi. A select few famous people have already discovered the secluded peace and quiet of England’s canals and waterways. Read more: How to Holiday Like a Celebrity Without it Costing a Fortune

International Talk Like a Pirate Day is on 19th September, every year. If you want to expand your vocabulary beyond “Shiver me timbers”, “Avast!” and “Pass the grog!” check out this informative video: Talk Like a Pirate.

If ye wants to check that a worthy vessel is available for your next adventurous voyage, click here me hearty: Search narrowboat holiday dates.

And if ye be wanting day boat hire on the Cambridge river network for a group of up to 10 salty sea-dogs (and yes, you can actually bring your dog!) Click here: Day Boat Hire.

  1. PS. Don’t miss out on more fun holiday ideas from the Fenland waterways: Sign up to get articles straight to your inbox, in the sidebar on the right.
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by Tim MarrowPosted on Posted in Canal Blog, Fayres & local events, Featured articles

fenland organic food

Do you like to shop local?

Do you prefer to eat organic?

Do you enjoy browsing farmers markets?

Then you’ll love British Food Fortnight! It is the largest yearly, national celebration of British food and drink, and is organised each autumn at the same time as harvest festival. It was created in the aftermath of the Foot and Mouth crisis, because although there were many food schemes, projects and events taking place across Britain, there was not yet a leading event to bring them all together and create national awareness at the same time.

Since its establishment in 2002, British Food Fortnight has become the perfect occasion for those who work in any area of food and drink, to unite and advocate the advantages of buying and eating local, British produce. This year British Food Fortnight runs from 23rd September to 8th October 2017.

A canal boat holiday is the perfect way to combine stunning English countryside with wholesome local food. If you’re planning a last minute narrowboat holiday in the Fens you might catch Cambridge Food Garden & Produce Show on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th September 2017. Entry is free and you can browse a wonderful range of arts, crafts, food, drink, homewares and lifestyle stalls, plus try classes in baking, jams and pickles, or flower arranging. There is also an all-day programme of cookery demonstrations from well-known foodies and chefs, including Ian Cumming BBC Bake Off Finalist and Saira Hamilton BBC Masterchef Finalist.

A canal boat cruise to Cambridge and back can take you several days if you really slow down and enjoy life, stopping at villages and towns, restaurants, pubs and shops along the way.

Organic Fenland Food

We are blessed with a diverse range of local crops in the Fens, ranging from wheat and barley, to potatoes, carrots and sugar beet, plus sprouts, cabbages and cauliflowers. The Fenland’s rich black soil is some of the most fertile in the country. Fresh and reasonably priced fruit and vegetables can be found at farm shops and roadside stalls, selling whatever is in season.

There are many traditional, local markets that you can visit by boat, in March, Thrapston, Oundle, St Ives, Ely and Cambridge. See here for the different market days of individual Fenland towns.

You can celebrate British food at any time of year. When you join us for a Fox Boats holiday or day trip, why not bring along a cream tea, or fish and chips? If you’re coming in the autumn try serving pumpkin soup, with local breads and speciality cheeses. As you cruise the waterways, shop in local butchers, greengrocers, farm shops and markets that source locally. They might be able to tell you a little about the person who produced the food you are buying. Even when you are shopping in supermarkets you could make a special effort to seek out British food. Discovered something tasty? Post it on social media using the hashtag #LoveBritishFood.

If you’re planning a last minute narrowboat holiday in the Cambridgeshire Fens you can save money by booking online.

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