A few years ago, a book came
out entitled, 1000 Things To See Before You Die. I’d like to add another section to that book
and call it, 1000 Things to DO Before You Die. And, right
smack on top of that list I’d put: Rent
a Narrowboat and Cruise the Canals and Rivers of England. Kay, her husband
Tom and I did just that this past summer and I have to say, it’s something to
brag about. It takes an adventurous spirit (and skill!) to pilot those long, narrow canal
boats (they generally measure 6’across by 35’ to 60’ long) through
dozens of ancient locks that are barely wide enough to squeeze through.
I can’t take any credit for
that much courage—that belongs to my friends, Kay and Tom. About a dozen years
ago, they set out for an extended tour of England on their own. They are the
only people I know of who get full use of their time shares (they have two),
and used one for a week on a canal boat. Just the two of them! Tom, a former
pilot, is fearless when it comes to handling mechanical things and without
really knowing what they were getting into, decided “Why not?” It would
certainly be something to talk about after they got home. Well, the fact is, they
couldn't stop raving about it. It was an experience of a lifetime, they said,
and they would do it again in a heartbeat.
Finally, they decided that
time had come to relive that experience, prompted I’m sure, from my constant
harassment to “Take me! I want to go!” Another good reason for going would also
fulfill a promise to their granddaughter, Sutherland, who would soon turn 18
and graduate from high school. And, so the planning began.
(Left to Right) Captain Tom, and his 1st Mate, Kay,
Scullery maids and Swabbies, Sutherland and Barbara (me).
The Plan
Initially, our plans included
sailing from Worcester, located in the heart of England on the Severn River,
down to the Avon River. Once on the Avon, we would continue up to
Stratford-upon-Avon, then turn around and head back to Worcester. Our plans
changed when we realized that it was too far to go in a week and wouldn't allow
us time to see many of the places we had on our list to visit. We decided a better
plan would be to take the boat as far as Tewksbury where the Severn and Avon
meet. We’d stay there for a couple of days, then return to Worcester and dock
for the rest of week using the car to tour the Cotswolds, Oxford,
Stratford-upon-Avon, and Warwick Castle.
So, with maps and guide books
in hand, our trunk full of luggage and Tom at the wheel, we left London. Our
adventure had begun!
Our Home Base in Worcester
After checking in at the rental office, Richard was enlisted to orient us landlubbers. He escorted us down to our boat for the week, The Lindal Iron Ore, and gave us a quick tutorial on how to operate it. With classic dry British wit, he first held up a long, deadly looking tool, "If you need to push off from the sides of the canal, use the pointy end, and the hooky end is good for retrieving your line, or each other out of the water. Now, this moppy thing. Right. I think you all know how to use that!" After several more minutes of explanation to us obvious novices, I'm sure he just hoped we wouldn't pull out and have a wreck immediately.
Camping on the Canal: featuring Sutherland, the Scullery Maid,
and our mascot, Paddington Bear.
No Frills Camping
Our fine vessel, the Lindal Iron Ore, looked to be about 50 years old, however it was clean and well maintained. It proved to be no frills camping for sure, but we had everything we needed. After all, this was all about the adventure! We had a stove, apartment sized fridge, and a microwave but no oven, and it came fully stocked with pots, pans and dishes. We couldn't get the TV to work, but no one missed it. We'd brought cards, games and books to keep us occupied. Besides, most of the time, we hit the sack soon after dinner anyway, worn out after the long days of sightseeing.
Sleeping arrangements vary depending on the size of the boat, and ours could accommodate up to six people, four comfortably. Sutherland and I had a small but private area with two bunk beds, and Kay and Tom shared the "master en-suite" which consisted of a full bed and a compact, camper sized bathroom and shower.
Sleeping arrangements vary depending on the size of the boat, and ours could accommodate up to six people, four comfortably. Sutherland and I had a small but private area with two bunk beds, and Kay and Tom shared the "master en-suite" which consisted of a full bed and a compact, camper sized bathroom and shower.
We cooked at least one or two meals a day, which meant lots of dish washing. And, and water was a bit of an issue. We were warned to conserve it by taking navy showers and above all, not to drink it. We bought bottled water everyday for drinking, and we boiled the boat's water for 5 minutes to kill any germs to wash our dishes. In order to get hot water, Tom had to start up the the engine for at least a half an hour, but after that, we had plenty for four people waiting in line to shower. Bottom line, it's true RVing, British style!
“There Be Locks!”
“And, locks is women’s work!” jeered Captain Tom in his best Jack Sparrow impression from the “Pirates of the Caribbean”. Locks are what we got too--in spades--dozens of them in every size and shape! And, it was up to Kay, Sutherland and me to operate them all, by good old muscle power
“And, locks is women’s work!” jeered Captain Tom in his best Jack Sparrow impression from the “Pirates of the Caribbean”. Locks are what we got too--in spades--dozens of them in every size and shape! And, it was up to Kay, Sutherland and me to operate them all, by good old muscle power
"Ewwww, look! This crank thingy made my fingers dirty!Who has the Purell?"
For all you landlubbers, the "crank thingy" is called a windlass, a detachable crank that operates the winding gear (the other greasy thing beside me). The winding gear allows the locks to either fill or empty with water. The water level then allows boats to either be raised or lowered in order to connect it to the canal in which it's headed.
After the water has reached the proper level, the gigantic paddles, or gates must be hand operated on the smaller locks in the canals.
(Kay and Sutherland are waiting to open the paddles here to allow our boat to sail on.) We learned the hard way to wait until the water is completely filled or drained before putting our backs to them. If you wait, they move surprisingly easy!
Five locks in a row! Oh, joy!
At a lock along the way, I met one of the many volunteers who help manage the waterways and locks for the Canal and River Trust. She asked where I was from and then asked why we chose to rent a canal boat. When I told her our story, she beamed, "How brilliant! I think it's just wonderful you Americans have chosen to do something so traditionally British! I'm proud of you! How absolutely wonderful!"
Everyone we met along the canals was extremely nice and helpful. Even the "gongoozlers", people who make a pastime of watching us hopeless landlubbers trying to cope with the locks, sometimes jumped in to help us move those enormous paddles.
I really didn't know what to expect. I dreamed of a relaxing ride through gorgeous scenery and quaint villages, and yes, a few locks. I, indeed, got all of that and more! Even the canal leading out from Worcester to the Severn River is beautiful; the ancient locks are tiny and the scenery spectacular!
The canals of Worcester.
Captain Tom had no trouble maneuvering these tiny locks
with inches to spare on either side.
Captain Tom had no trouble maneuvering these tiny locks
with inches to spare on either side.
Originally, the canals were constructed to transport
goods across the country. The narrow
boat, built in the 18th, 19th and 20th
century, was designed to fit the confines of the canals and bridge holes, which
had to be at least 7’ wide. Pulled by horses along a towpath, it was a
slow and laborious process, but languid at the same time, allowing plenty of
opportunity to stop at a pub along the way for a brew or two.
The canals now are primarily for recreational use, with more and more people living in their narrowboats. We met several of these folks; many are retired older couples and their pets. And they, like our RV counterparts, form a community and support group for each other. All I can say is, it’s a nice way to live!
The canals now are primarily for recreational use, with more and more people living in their narrowboats. We met several of these folks; many are retired older couples and their pets. And they, like our RV counterparts, form a community and support group for each other. All I can say is, it’s a nice way to live!
Who says you have to leave your
garden or your pets behind?
garden or your pets behind?
Entering the Severn River
This huge lock at Diglis Basin, gateway to the Severn River, is thankfully manned
so we girls didn't have to open this one!
so we girls didn't have to open this one!
Sights Along the Severn River
Does it get any better than this??
On our journey down the Severn River, we docked our boat for lunch
at The Swan Hotel. I think I had a steaming bowl of homemade soup
and crusty bread. Good pub food!
and crusty bread. Good pub food!
Captain Tom and his First Mate, Kay
***A special thanks to Kay and Tom for many of the photos shown in this blog!
Next time: The Many surprises of the Town of Tewksbury!
Barbara, my daughter and grandson and I lived on a longboat in Stratford-u-Avon in 2005 for a week. We traveled only 4 miles (13 locks each way), but it was a terrific experience. We did it because it was offered as a choice on my daughter's time share, of all things.
ReplyDeleteI know! We used my friend's timeshare for this trip too. Great way to experience something so unusual and something one can brag about for years!
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DeleteBarbara, I see my comment from 2015 listed as Unknown, but now have to add to it--about piloting those long boats. What looks easy definitely is not because they steer from the rear. I gave it a try, but after swinging wildly from side to side of the canal, decided to turn over piloting duties to my daughter, who (as a firefighter) had experience driving a fire truck from the rear. I accepted the "grunt" work of raising and lowering the canal gates instead. We didn't discover until our return trip the following morning the trick of filling the lock ahead with water so the boat could sail smoothly through without backing up and detaining those behind us. Joanne Walen
ReplyDeleteHi Joanne! So good to hear from you! And, thank you for describing just how difficult "steering" one of those canal boats can be! My friend, Tom, did a fabulous job piloting ours. He made it look easy and I know it wasn't. I too was only happy to do the greasy "grunt" work! We are so fortunate to have had such a unique and one-of-a-kind experience.
ReplyDeleteGrown-ups or solid swimmers just wear it during real sailing action, while youngsters wear PFDs for longer timeframes.
ReplyDeleteThanks for you comment, Elezebeth. You sound like you know canal boating! It made me laugh because I kept wearing the life jacket when everyone else didn't bother. But, I knew I was capable of doing something stupid like tripping over something causing me to fall into the canal and unglamously flopping around like a hooked fish. Just playing it safe!
Delete(Originally sent on Dec. 22, 2021) I'm certainly very happy to read this blog site posts which carries plenty of helpful data, thanks for providing such information.
ReplyDelete