Hotel Narrowboat

Fond farewells were behind me, but as I travelled south I had plenty of time to think back to my weeks in Llantwit Major. Not only did I see plenty of both new and familiar places, spend quality time with my family, I also caught up with some fascinating residents of my mum's street. Muriel, now 98, lived next door to my mum. On the other side lives Mr Thomas, also mid 90 s, and across the road Bron, 94, who I had also got to know years ago. Muriel, who in the past years has shrunk to one of the tiniest people I know, is hilarious. She told me that a younger friend does her shopping and some gardening for her, but I found out that Brenda, the friend, is actually 90! While I was in LM, Muriel fell all the way down her stairs, was able to crawl back up to bed and took a taxi to hospital the next day for a check up. Only bruised! What resilience.

 So, after a train trip of lovely memories, it was time for my next wonderful week on the Rivers and Canals of England. Luckily for me, the weather looks settled, albeit cooler, for most of the week, which certainly enhanced the experience. 

On arrival in Reading my taxi driver seemed intent on dropping me off at the Reading Festival which was happening at the other end of the street to where the Duke 3 was moored. Luckily, I convinced him that the festival was definitely not for me. What a contrast - the festival with its 100,000 visitors, who were flocking to fields with row upon row of brightly-coloured tents, to camp packed in like sardines, in noisy, bustling and probably dirty conditions after a few days. 

Compare this to the 70-foot narrowboat with Neil there to welcome me on board, where he and his crew member Taff would look after just me and only two other passengers, Rosie and John, for the week. 

Of course, I can't forget to mention Neil's most loyal and inseparable friend, a black spaniel named Henry. Since my last cruise, he has become a far less boisterous, crazy hound, probably due to the fact that he had a slipped disk two years ago. He still loves to follow Neil to work the locks, but he no longer tears around dropping sticks into the locks! 

 I last travelled on the Duke and Duchess, but this time I am on Duke 3, Neil's new boat. It only has three cabins, all ensuite, though the ensuite and bedroom area are unbelievably compact.  However, everything is there, but it's possibly the only part of the trip I do not enjoy as much as all the other aspects of the trip, especially as I fell out of the narrow bed one evening! 

Everything else is perfect. We are looked after so incredibly well. The food is amazing, from a full breakfast ( I enjoy freshly picked blackberries with my muesli) , to morning and afternoon tea with freshly cooked biscuits and cake respectively

 

 to a light lunch always with a salad and fruit salad, to the grand finale 4- course dinner with wine in the evening. 

 

 The first day and a half we were on the River Thames. I had imagined that we would travel through a very built up area for some considerable time, but after passing the crowded festival fields, we quickly found ourselves between fields, forests and residential areas with luxury mansions and very attractive marinas, complete with terraced pub. 

Towpaths are not a feature of the River, whereas you invariably find them on the canals. 

 The boat can move much faster on the River Thames and locks are manned, so generally faster . Luckily, at this stage, start of the trip, we were not having to burn off too many calories.

Our first night was spent in the middle of nowhere on the Thames. It seemed incredible to think that we were in such a densely populated area of England, with nobody around us. There was not a sound apart from the birdlife! What a brilliant introduction to our cruise. As well as the many ducks, Canada and Egyptian geese, aggressive though majestic swans and many herons, we saw several kingfishers - a sudden flash of turquoisy blue and red, diving into the water from a narrow branch above. 

The twilight sky was simply stunning, like a black and white photo, and the next morning was just as remarkable, as we set out along the river.

The locks all have a lockkeeper's cottage. which is certainly a very great perk of the probably not-so -well-paid job. Some of the lockkeepers have a great sense of humour, as this lockkeeper definitely had.

 

 There were also some very beautiful murals on some of the bridges

So, after the first day on the river, it was time to explore the southern end of the Oxford Canal.

Here, there are many opportunities to see rowers/paddlers from the various Oxford university clubs out practising. 

To avoid leaving the trip twice the size, Rosie and I made sure to walk as much as possible on the wonderful towpaths beside the canals.

On the canals, walking speed is generally compatible with the boat/lock speed, so it's perfect for hopping on and off the boat at locks or bridges. 

What a wonderful experience this is on board. It is so restful to be gliding along the still water, either through the most lush green vegetation imaginable

or through areas of golden fields

past hedgerows thick with the most delicious blackberries (a welcome extra to my muesli) and elderberry, hops and sloe (all great for the home brewer!)

or through occasional hamlets with pretty cottages. 

Narrowboats often line the canals. I love their innovative names, paintings and rooftop gardens.

 Many people make their narrowboat their permanent home, some in unusual places. 

 

We did stay at a very quirky mooring next to a pig farm, named the Pig Place. Although the lady owner was rather grumpy, we certainly enjoyed the balmy evening pre-dinner drinks on their supercomfortable sofas by the river, after being entertained by watching a sow and her piglets. To get rid of these ever-feeding piglets, she simply wallowed in her mud bath, so they could not feed!

 Marinas or boatyards are colourful affairs, and there are some great signs along the way.

 

One might think that life would get boring just wandering along a canal, but the scenery is constantly changing, as is the canal. At 'the Summit' (I loved the thought that we had reached the summit, like intrepid explorers, and yet this is actually a dead-flat aread where there is no need for locks) the canal meandered crazily following the contours of the land, whilst in another area we went through a dead-straight stretch of the canal, where a tunnel had previously stood.

Due to water shortages, the two large flights of locks had restrictions, so we made sure to be as close as possible to the top lock at Napton Lock, to get away in the morning as early as possible. We woke to a very mystic and beautiful morning.

 Busy days at the locks. We certainly had plenty to enjoy on the Oxford. I must admit, I was rather lazy, especially knowing that John was very keen to work on the locks.

We were nearing the end of the trip, sadly, but not before stopping for lunch after the Flight of locks at Napton. What an idyllic setting for our last lunch by the side of the canal - a delicious omelette with Bubble and Squeak (requested by us the previous evening, in order to use up a very tasty cabbage dish and mashed potatoes).

I will be sad to leave this simple, but oh-so-restful lifestyle. I will certainly miss the hundreds of bridges and locks of all shapes and sizes. I believe we started at bridge no 246, the end of the Oxford.

 

So, after 92 miles and 52 locks, we arrived in Braunston, our destination,

 to moor for the last time on this trip. Henry was very upset, not because his guests were leaving, but because he had found a ball and insisted on letting it roll back into the river, despite passers-by very kindly stopping to retrieve it for him!

  Our farewell captain`s dinner was scrumptious! Thanks so much to Taff and to Neil for their amazing culinary delights and to John and Rosie for their great company! 

I hope to be back in 2024!