 January 2005 Christopher Locke talks about his narrow-boat holiday travelling to Worcester. We went with Black Prince Holidays, who offer a wide choice of luxury narrow-boat holidays from their six UK bases. All their boats have quiet water-cooled engines, central heating, an airing cupboard, shower or small bath, modern flushing macerator toilet, cooker fridge, TV, radio and a CD player. Bed linen, towels, soap and all the essentials are also provided. The boat engines are all quite new and tend to be very reliable and, other than minor daily checks, there is little to worry about mechanically. Should there be a problem, Black Prince Holidays run an emergency ser- ice and will send someone out day or night. |
Looking for a healthy outdoor holiday and love the tranquillity of rivers and canals? Then a narrow-boat holiday could be for you. Having been on a number of boating holidays on the Thames as a child, I was curious to have a go in a narrow boat on the canals.
Four of us started our long weekend break at Stoke Prior, near Bromsgove, Worcestershire, and our goal was to cruise down the canal to the River Severn, visit Worcester Cathedral, which is on the banks of the river, and cruise back again.
Stocked up with food, warm clothes, CDs and a large quantity of alcohol (for medicinal purposes of course), we picked up our narrow boat. It was a four-berth boat with two double bedrooms, a bathroom with a shower and flushing toilet, a kitchen/dining area and a lounge.
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bsp; At the front of the boat was a small outside seating area and at the back, a large seating area from where you steer. Modern boats are designed to be comfortable and all have mod cons - even the beds tend to be 6' 3" long, although they can be narrow. Our trip was relaxing and great fun and we made it to Worcester Cathedral with ease, rarely cruising for more than five or six hours a day. Each of us took turns in steering and we managed to fit in several meals at riverside pubs.
On a narrow-boat holiday, there is a kind of forced relaxation as you chug along at three or four miles per hour nodding at the odd fisherman, or trying to decipher his sign language if you are going a little too fast. You usually encounter a flight of locks every 10 or 15 minutes - the boating highlights of the day.
The camaraderie when you meet other boaters is delightful. If you have a problem, they are always willing to help and happy to share a glass or two of wine or beer when the sun is over the yard-arm (usually at around 9am).
If you have children, they will love it as there is so much for them to do and older children will probably take over. They love driving the boat, under supervi- sion of course, and each lock is a real adventure for them, with all that jumping on and off the boat, throwing ropes and winding the locks.
You can hire anything from two to ten-berth boats so it can be a great family holiday or relaxing break with a few friends.
If it's your first boat trip, I would recommend going with three or more adults as the extra pairs of hands will be very helpful while you are honing your boating skills.
If you are worried by the thought of steering such a large boat or managing the engines - don't be. You will be given a training session before you are let loose and you'll soon see how easy it is and how quickly you learn.
If it's the locks that worry you, rest assured that they are not as difficult to operate as you may think. Firstly, you are travelling at a very slow speed and, if you are on the canals, the locks are quite small. Secondly, the locks typically only hold one narrow boat at a time so you don't have the added worry of bumping into other boats, as can be the case on the large locks on the Thames.
After a little practice, you will be able to guide your boat in and out of the locks without bumping into the sides and, if you do bump them, only your pride will be dented as the boats are very robust and have fenders on each side to soften the blow
You will be comforted to know that most canals are only three to five feet deep so if you have the misfortune of falling overboard, which is rare, all you need to do is stand up and walk to the side
I think the biggest danger is being dazzled by the paparazzilike barrage of flashes from your dear friends as they photograph you looking like a half-drowned puppy.
All boats provide life jackets, which weak swimmers and children are advised to always wear when on deck.
If you live near a narrow-boat depot, most companies are happy for you to have a look at a boat before you book - just give them a ring to arrange it.
Not all the stretches of canals are scenic as canals were built for commercial use and are often routed through the industrial parts of towns and cities, so get advice from the cruise companies before you choose your route.
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