Narrowboating: my eco-friendly summer holiday

Katya Johnson

13 August 2013

Narrowboat holidays offer the perfect excuse for an out-of-city break, plus they save the planet on nasty flight emissions. Gorgeous, green and not too expensive - kids love them too I hear.   

The Kennet & Avon Canal

I am gearing myself up for a trip to Bristol down the Kennet and Avon canal next month. It may not be the quickest way to get to the West Country but I am sure it will be the most scenic. The journey takes us from London to Reading via the River Thames, then 87 miles along the Kennet and Avon canal to Bristol. The route will pass through West Berkshire, the Cotswolds and Bath. It should take two weeks to complete.

Living history

The 200-year-old London to Bristol branch is just one of many possible routes offered by the extensive British canal and waterways system. Looking at the spidery red and blue veins of the navigable waterways map yields some interesting findings.

Did you know that you can go all the way from London to Lancaster by narrowboat? Or that the longest consecutive flight of locks in the UK (30) is at Tardebigge on the Worcester and Birmingham canal? In Scotland there are sections of canal that don't join up to any others, like the remote Highland Crinan Canal.

In the past, canals were vital for transporting heavy goods and raw materials. So looking at the canal map is like looking at the A-Z of the Midlands industrial revolution: Coventry, Manchester, Nottingham, Milton Keynes. This is what makes any journey on canal routes so special. By cruising along these former trade and transportation routes you are partaking in living history.

Learning curve

I bought my first narrowboat one month ago. Our first mission was to bring it back to London from Egham, Surrey. Easy, I thought, looking at a map. That should take us three days.

A month later and we've still not arrived at The River Lee.

But somehow I don't mind. With boating that old truism - that it's more about the journey than the destination - is more appropriate than ever.

And it's been a steep learning curve. In the past month I have learnt the difference between manual and electric locks, navigated tidal and non-tidal rivers and tied anchor knots. I have experienced aqueducts first-hand and learnt how to use a windlass.

The same crash-course awaits every would-be boater. My advice would be to steel your nerves against spiders and locks. Get used to the idea of rationing food, electricity and toilet visits. Other than that, what are you waiting for? Find out where your nearest narrowboat rental spot is and take to the river. 

Katya Johnson
Publishing and New Media