Narrowboat holiday this summer

[letsgomaths]

My DH and I are planning to do a 4-day narrowboat trip this summer (we've wanted to do so for a few years), and we think it's one of the safer options for this particular summer, just in case our glorious leader pulls the rug out from under many people's plans this summer. We've never done it before, does anyone have any tips or experiences?

Following, would love to do this!

Pick a route with few locks. They are a faff especially with 2 and can cause bottlenecks on busier stretches. You will probably progress slower than you may expect. Pubs may or may not be open so try to be self sufficient. 4 days hire can cost almost as much as a week.

Learn how the locks work and don't go over the cill and slow down when passing moored boats.

My PIL regularly go on narrow boat holidays and the things they have mentioned are;

Choose your route carefully. Some routes have more locks than others and can be very busy which will mean lots of waiting around. You will want to take most of your food with you, but it might be worth being aware of place you can buy food along the way if needed. Pubs are usually an option, but best not to rely on them for obvious reasons.

try and buck the trend whereby the man is the captain and the women has to do all the running around at locks!

Have you watched the narrowboat programmes with Timothy West and Prunella Scales? They don't do them any more due to Prue's ill health but there's also recently been a couple with them handing over to Gyles Brandreth and Sheila Hancock as newbies

www.channel4.com/programmes/great-canal-journeys

There's loads of them on the catch up service and you'll probably pick a lot up from that as they often mention the things that can go wrong. I think there might also be a website or app that tells you the nearest pubs, supermarkets etc to each mooring point.

Open canal map app has some amenities marked nearby the canals. Sometimes it has stoppages on it too but its not always up to date so check the CRT website.

Ah, I love the locks and those little windy-uppy bridges. I’m always the first to leap out, windlass in hand. You can’t beat a good aqueduct, too.

They’re great for walking on the towpath (while the other drives the boat) with or without a dog.

Take plenty of food and warm clothes, would be my advice.

If it is your first such holiday, I agree with a place with few locks.

The stretch near market Harborough is very central and I can personally recommend the pubs at Foxton. I've never personally been on one for a holiday, too slow for me, but friends own a boat on that stretch.

If it rains really hard you can get waves breaking on the standing water on top of the boat. Was interesting but rather wet.

@mootymoo

The stretch near market Harborough is very central and I can personally recommend the pubs at Foxton. I've never personally been on one for a holiday, too slow for me, but friends own a boat on that stretch.

You've got to like locks though if you're going to Foxton. Although the flight is managed by Lockkeepers and will assist your passage. Lunchtime, Friday Jazz at the pub in Foxton has much to recommend it, assuming we are at that stage by the time of your holiday OP!