TIM HARFORD EXPLORES - A FOOLS PARADISE?

A short break in early spring is just what we needed, the question was, "what?". As a group of twenty-somethings a trip on a narrowboat is not a break we would normally consider. The group was to consist of two couples who spent four days on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. The boat was available for us to collect on Saturday afternoon. After arriving at the boatyard we were shown to our narrowboat, and given time to unload the car and stow it all on board. The Karen was a four berth boat (two doubles) with a separate kitchen dining and living area. We were all surprised how much space there was on board. Before we set off we spent a little while chatting to the boatyard staff about where we should go. They provided us with a map and highlighted good spots to moor overnight and, most importantly, where the local drinking establishments are.   Once we had become acquainted with the inside of our craft it was time for a tutorial from the boatyard staff on how to use all the facilities on the boat. We were taken through the daily maintenance of the engine, the heating and, most importantly, the toilet. Once the lesson was over we were ready to get underway. The yard was quite busy with lots of other boaters getting ready for their trips, but we had a member of boatyard staff on board to help manoeuvre the boat into the first lock - No 22. Having never been on a narrowboat before we were surprised at the size of the locks; there cannot have been more than a couple or inches either side of the boat. This was going to take some precision driving! Our tutor had done this many a time before though and had us working together like a well oiled team. It was the first of many locks and went very smoothly.    Once we were clear of the first lock we chatted to our on-board expert about the rules of the 'road'. For a complete novice it sounds like an awful lot to remember but everything was contained in the skipper's manual for us to read through at our leisure. Just under a mile later our boatyard tutor had deemed us to be of a suitable standard to be left on our own. He had us manoeuvre the Karen close to the towpath; a split second later he was off with his bike over his shoulder. With a wave and a nod he was on his way back to the yard to pick up his next set of beginners. That was it, we were on our own, four new boaters left in charge of a 60ft boat.

Without our guide watching over us, the mood changed. We poured some drinks and sat in the late afternoon sun as we motored towards our destination for the evening. Within a few minutes we were all on the go again. Our first lock on our own, it was all hands on. Three of us worked the paddle; and gates whilst the fourth eased the Karen into the lock. The lock was the first in a flight of five so we were busy for about an hour, and by Lock 18 we were fairly confident with handling the boat. Each of us had a go at steering and working the locks. The last lock of the day was some way off so it was all aboard for a half mile motor.   Through Lock 17 it was time to pour some more drinks and get a few miles behind us before stopping for the evening. Droitwich Basin was busy with visiting boats as well as a number of narrowboats permanently moored along the canalside. We decided that we would carry on past the Eagle & Sun and go on to the Fir Tree which was about 2 miles further on just the other side of Dunhampstead Tunnel. This was another new experience for the four of us and although only 230 yards long it felt like a lot more! The Fir Tree fed and watered us well, just what we needed after a hard afternoon on the water. Back on the boat we had a quick nightcap and then to bed. Sunday morning and we were all up early, keen to get under way. We performed all the daily checks and started the engine. We decided that we would find a spot in the morning sun to have our breakfast. Bacon butties on the deck left our heads clear again we were on our way, onward to Worcester.
The sun shone all day and when we were not working the locks we were walking along the towpath or relaxing on the roof. Having said that though, there was not a lot of time to spend sitting chatting. Every few miles there was a lock or two to keep us occupied. We stopped just above Lock 16 at a small village to buy some much-needed supplies - it's amazing how much bread you can go through making bacon sandwiches!   The Offerton locks are a flight of six which kept us busy for most of the morning. The countryside was quite pleasant as we motored passed small villages and old farmhouses with horses grazing in the fields by the towpath. The Sunday league rugby clubs were all out that morning with the first teams playing on one side of the canal and five or six junior games being played on the other.   Just outside Worcester the land is used more for small industry with areas of housing in between. The last few locks had one set of paddles locked down so progress was a little slower. We were informed by one of the local residents that they were locked to prevent flooding further down the canal which had been a problem the summer before when the canal is much busier.   As we entered the city of Worcester we dropped one couple off at the Cavalier pub where they had parked their car the morning before, having the misfortune to have to be back at work on Monday. Only a matter of a couple of hundred yards more and we were at our overnight mooring place, the Viking Afloat boatyard.   A tricky bit of reversing got us into place inside the compound, to which our trusty British Waterways key would allow us free access.    It was a beautiful evening for a wander into the city centre, so we set off along the canalside to the river Severn. From here it is possible to go upstream to Stourport and thence to Wolverhampton and a circular cruise back to our base. Worcester has a pretty centre, with a cathedral as well as all the other attractions. With our stomachs rumbling though it was time to get back to our boat and eat. An early night was in order as Monday was going to be quite demanding with just the two of us left to make our way back.  Once again we awoke to another beautiful day and after reversing the boat through the boatyard to fill up with fresh water we were on our way once again - back though the outskirts of town and out into the rolling countryside.   Working all those locks was not as hard as we had expected, our pace had slowed but that was not a worry as we knew that we could make it back to base the following day. We arrived early evening at the Tiberton mooring where we had planned to spend the night.  There are two pubs on the canal side, the Bridge and Speed the Plough, the former of which was our chosen eating place. A pint of good beer in hand, the only decision remaining was which steak to go for: 8,16 or even 32oz! After opting to go for the middle size, with chips, and forcing down a healthy portion of treacle pudding, we staggered back to our beds ready for the short motor back home.   We easily made it back by 2pm which was the time we agreed to have to Karen back at her yard. We considered going past the boatyard for a short distance before returning. This plan was soon halted after we checked the map and saw that after Lock 24 there are around 30 locks in a flight without a turning place until the top!

All four of us thoroughly enjoyed this short break and we will definitely be back on the waterways of Britain again. It's a relatively cheap way to really get away from the rat race as a young person and spend a few days going at a much slower pace. The boats are very spacious and extremely well equipped. If we had chosen to we could have catered for ourselves without any problem on board. The lure of someone else doing all the cooking (and washing up) was too much though and pubs are spaced at convenient distances to allow you to have an easy days motoring between them.