American Couple Reacts: UK Canal Boat/Narrowboat Trip! FIRST TIME REACTION! WE ARE IN LOVE!!
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- American Couple Reacts: UK Canal Boat Trip! Our VERY FIRST TIME Seeing & Learning About Canal Boats! This video led us to A LOT of talking afterwards! We are ready to pack our bags and rent a canal boat!! This is so beautiful and relaxing! This episode takes us on a tour of a Canal in Wales and it looks like the absolutely perfect trip! Picturesque views, quaint towns and pubs, to the community that is narrowboat life! We are jealous and this is definitely now on our bucket list! Join us and let's cruise along together to see the beauty and feel the troubles of everyday life melt away if only for a few minutes.
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This video led us to A LOT of talking afterwards! We are ready to pack our bags and rent a canal boat!! This is so beautiful and relaxing! This episode takes us on a tour of a Canal in Wales and it looks like the absolutely perfect trip! Picturesque views, quaint towns and pubs, to the community that is narrowboat life! We are jealous and this is definitely now on our bucket list! Join us and let's cruise along together to see the beauty and feel the troubles of everyday life melt away if only for a few minutes.
If you enjoy this video, please click the Like button. Thanks for watching!!
Hope you can visit the canals here in England as soon as possible.
Hi ladies. The reason we have canals here was because they were built around the time of the industrial revolution. They were not initially for pleasure, they were built for such as transporting coal from the mines to factories and other similar kinds of duties.
This period pre dated the motor car so obviously other mass transit methods were needed for bulk transport of things like coal to keep the factories going.
It’s my dream to one day own a narrowboat and gently tour the entirety of the UK’s canal network.
Please do your research before hiring a boat as there are quite a lot of things to consider that aren’t an issue in normal everyday life.
RUclips channel Foxes Afloat is an excellent channel documenting their time living on a narrowboat. I strongly suggest you check them out!
m.ruclips.net/video/YoStoPel_WA/видео.html
Check out the myriad of canal boat vlogs on You Tube.
Some of the best are....
Foxes Afloat.
Cruising The Cut.
Country House Gent.
Cruising with Alba.
Narrowboat Adventures, to name but a few.
Also, if you do fancy a looooong holiday (sorry vacation! Lol) then it may be an idea to buy a boat and then sell it again after your hols are finished?
You may even make a profit on the boat and as such, have a free boating holiday!!!
There is so much more to canal boats. Widebeams, cruiser sterns, the list goes on. Prices have rocketed for a new boat with some over 250k.
You can tell they aren't English, we would have had the kettle on in the first 5 minutes 😋
Haha!!
Five whole minutes without tea, more like 2 minutes lol
everybody knows that you need a brew before any sort work commences. Its the un written law!
I just love this comment ❤ it's so so true.
A very British comment
My wife was from Michigan and when she first came over to Britain, even just as we left Paddington Station, one of the first things she said was, "Oh my God, it's so green!". I miss her. She passed away in 2019.
Its 21 years since my wife died i still cry now and again, but it does get better over time but you never forget
All the best Philip. RIP your wife.
Obviously there's green places in every country but I'd recognise the British countryside anywhere. Its just a specific kind of green that you don't really get anywhere else outside of rainforests.
It must be so hard being the one who is left behind. I've been with My partner since I was 13yo....so 27 years! Everything reminds me of him. I feel for You mate, I really do. She would want You to find happiness wherever You can, I know I would. ❤ from 🇦🇺
@@pascalswager9100 Thank you for your kind words. 27 years! Beautiful!
That is some honour for a Canadian to say our scenery is beautiful 😍
Canada has some beautiful parts, but huge distances between them.
We were in Canada in September,train through the rockies. Unbelievably beautiful. 🥰
If they had gone North instead of South it's even more beautiful, I was lucky enough to be able to walk this section of canal most days during lockdown.
If you want the green, you've got to have the rain!
Canada is massive compared to the UK
Ive lived on a narrow boat, cruising for 20 years. Its toil in the winter, when i wake up i can see my breath in the air. Its not for the faint hearted but its a life of freedom and beauty. I’ll be on here for ever.
Consider getting a sleeping bag suit. They're great if your staying/living somewhere without central heating or can't afford to put it on. Bought mine 3 years ago for £100 (It's a selkbag 6G) and it's paid for itself almost ten times over in the money I've saved in heating.
Also great if I go camping or on caving trips, as many of the huts we stay in have been empty for a while and so are very cold. They're also incredibly sexy - well for anyone with a Michelin Man fetish!🤣
They're splash proof rather than waterproof, so you'd need a proper waterproof over the top if it was raining and you're at the tiller.
I’ve lived on board for same amount off time and it’s not as easy as people believe, you have to love the way way of life & especially nature
I can see my breath now, even with the central heating on. Crappy 1930's house, with a raised floor and a freezing cold space underneath the floorboards!
Used to live on a 34 footer behind Sale Sharks rugby ground at Brooklands, then moved to Stretford (more beer, less sherry) gave it up after 3 years due to being 6 foot+ and developing a lot of head scars. I just never learned to duck.🦆🤕 Worst thing i hit was an upturned 3 seater sofa...spotted the castors above water too late and had to replace my prop....came out like an oil slicked seabird🛢️🦆
I remember a program I saw where they had 8 couples on holiday. 4 couples got to keep devices, but 4 couples got the devices taken away for the week. The couple who had devices taken away lived it as they actually got to enjoy the views. I bet lots of people go on a ride round a once in a life time thing, but then watch RUclips.
My Mum was born on a boat along with her 8 brothers and Sisters .
They were pulled by horse , and two boats linked together . Boat and butty . The accomodation was the size of two small garden
sheds .
The number on pubs on the canals is because the horses needed to be stabled overnight .
My Grandfather owned his own boat and it was decorated with the traditional Artworks .
My Mum learned to steer by age 5 and on longer tunnels the horse went over the top whilst the strongest
"legged "
their way through the tunnel by laying on a plank port and starboard and walking along the side walls propelling the boat .
Very hard physical work .
My Aunts and Uncles were not called up during the war as working the narrowboats was a reserved occupation as these boats were the semi trucks of their day .
Many of the families were related so to not confuse peoples names as there might be more than one person called Richard Smith . People would be refered to by what their boat carried .
So tales of Dick Salt and Tommy Coffee used to make me giggle as a child as my Auntie was catching my Mum up on the news .
My Grandparents boat was The Daphne and The Juniper .
My Great Uncle Ben Smiths boat is preserved in Ellesmere Port Boat Museum not far from Liverpool .
My Auntie went to visit as an elderly lady and slightly deaf she walked around going that would not go there .
The enthusiasts had rescued The Gifford but did not know how things were laid out or why . ?
They invited my Aunt back when they heard she lived aboard the Boat as a child and that Aunt Lizzie was very houseproud and also the best china would never be stored like that as the line to the horse sometimes snapped and it would have been flung onto the floor and been in pieces .
People had little room for belongings so those that they had were cherished .
My Grandfathers horses were called Dolly and Jim . A young horse was trained alongside a more experienced one to show it the ropes .
Young horses were headstrong and sometimes spooked and snapped lines . Expensive for the Canal Boatman as
they were cotton spun and pure white . Too many broken lines and the Profit for the trip was lost .
Feel free to use any of the boat names here in this feed .
Wish now I had recorded the living history . Some places did so but my Mums older Sisters and Brother could spin a yarn .
I guess that and the instruments Accordian and (violin) Fiddle was a fun way of spending the night in a canal side pub .
👍 Thank you for that insight into the 'real' working boats of the past. If you don't already, write stuff down as you remember it.
Wow - that was so interesting. Thanks so much.
I lived on a 50ft narrowboat for just over a year many years ago. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The community is awesome and helpful (we all helped each other). I saw incredible wildlife (kingfishers, deer, foxes running along the roof, so many memories). It's tough and a bit frontier living in the winter and you need a well-insulated boat to get through it, plus a good solid fuel fire. I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity.
Yep,my home was a 50ft narrow boat 6 foot 10ft wide, Ilved for there for only 2 and a half years, I loved seeing urban wildlife turtles included ('flushed down the toilet') the rabid dog owners, lots of great fantastic people with amazing stories why they want to on the canal but the 2nd Winter froze me out, everything froze, on boaord water, the canal & even my own urine!! I decided I was not good enough to be a canal person, but it's an experience that everyone should have
We rented out first narrow boat in 1988 on the Cheshire ring,it was the best holiday ever. It became a regular holiday choice for us over the years, loved the pace. We took my mum to the canals in wales a few years later, watching this brought back some great memories, mum loved it and for her 80th birthday we hired two boats and surprised her with a family holiday. She has dementia and has sadly gone into a care home and every time we get out the holiday snaps of that holiday she always smiles even though she doesn’t really remember it, I do and she loved it with her kids, grandkids and great grandkids with her.
Living in Birmingham we are surrounded by canals (more miles than Venice). Travelling at 4mph gives you a totally new way of looking at life.
Just down the road from you Smethwick I live right by the canal.
…and it stretches right through the Black Country.
I’d agree with the woman/partner that it takes some getting used to. If you’re on the move, there’s a certain amount of stress, especially going through the locks. And if you need to ‘eat out’ a lot then you need to plan well ahead. If not, then you need to plan your larder well. If you don’t mind all that you’ll be in heaven.
Living in the Black Country, so many canals used to walk into Birmingham on the tow path.
As a fellow Brummie I am constantly reminded by other people around the uk that we have more canals than Venice 😂
Try the M42 Froday after 3pm... 4mph feels like a dream
Hi and love this. Travelling on the canals is like visiting a completely different country - slower, relaxed, friendly. The trick is to moor up near a pub every evening :)
Excellent tip!!
easier said than done these days especially in the summer.
@@TheNatashaDebbieShow hey Natasha and Debbie hope you are both well could you please react to the top 15 irn bru adverts please the videos on RUclips it's less than 20 minutes p s another great video🏴👍😁.
Too right ladies! Don't waste time looking at beauty through a lens, your lovely eyes will take the best pictures. Although I do love watching your videos, your enjoyment is such a kind compliment; and its reminded me in my busy day as a healthcare worker, to stop, look around me and appreciate my little island home in the Atlantic. Love you both, and wish you many green field adventures, fresh tea and double rainbows.❤
I owned a river cruiser for 14 years and its the most relaxing experience, the rivers and canals of the UK are just so wonderful.
Have you experienced or seen the rats that live along the tow paths?
@@justmeandmystove yes, it’s a natural environment, I’ve also seen rats in a city. Wherever you go you might see rats.
@@bobbralee1019 maybe but you're guaranteed to see them along the canal.
@@justmeandmystove They're guaranteed to be there in towns too, and I'd rather see them from a distance in the wild.
The rats will climb the rope attached to your boat to the tow path!! Before you know it you'll have an infestation!! Anyone who has issues with rats should know this!! Lol
I have to tell you, Natasha and Debbie, although this is beautiful lush green countryside, it is very typical and can be seen pretty much all over the country. There is way more striking and spectacular scenery than this dotted all over the coasts and mountains and valleys.
I went onanarow holiday on the Thames with my aunt uncle and two cousins some 40 years or so ago. And it was the best holiday I’ve ever had So peaceful no noise just the sound off the ducks and the surrounding countryside. Definitely go on a narrow boat holiday you won’t regret it Its a chance to unwind and forget the hustle and bustle of everyday life x
It's a perfect relaxing holiday, slowly moving along you get to see all the wildlife and can stop each night by a village and pub
britain has the most beautiful canal system we sometimes go to the canal and have a nice lunch at the pub at the edge of the water it's gorgeous thanks for covering this ladies your awesome 🇬🇧❤️
I used to go along this canal for weekends with my parents on a river cruiser (not a narrow boat) that belonged to some friends. I took it for granted as a child how beautiful the scenery is there. Boating is relaxing but also hard work when it comes to locks. But it’s so worthwhile….go for it!!
In regard to Debbie's question about paying for the water, if you have your own boat, you pay a yearly fee (basically you pay to use the canal) your water is included in this. It's like £500 a year, but ofcourse if you use proper moorings that come with their own water and energy points you'd pay more. If you rented a boat, the water fee would ofcourse be inclusive in the cost of the rental.
The annual license for the canals depends on the boat size. A 72’ is about £1300 per year.
I loved this! Let’s watch more of this together.
Before we got our own cruiser on the Thames, we hired canal boats a couple of times. The Severn and Avon ring would be good for Natasha. It goes through villages bu also towns like Stratford on Avon and Worcester so you can get off and sightsee. Some canal boat companies can provide bicycles which you put on the roof. Hiring a car as well as a boat would not be remotely possible on a holiday, quite often there are no roads nearby and parking would be a problem. I was totally useless at steering the boat I couldn’t get my head round putting the tiller the opposite way to that which you want to go. I operated all the locks while husband steered the boat. I definitely got the raw end of the deal but it’s good exercise! We’ve been boating for 50 years and still absolutely love it. Total stress buster. BTW you don’t park a boat, you moor it!! On board hair salon, brilliant idea Debbie.
It's fantastic to see UK canals and waterways given a new lease of life mainly by voluntary organisations.
I used to live near a canal and run with the dog on the tow path regularly. My dog became buddies with a dog owned by a boat owner so we became buddies too. It's a unique lifestyle and you can't help thinking back to the days when there were working boats. Families who worked them lived in the rear cabin 6ft 8"wide by 12 or 13 feet long!
A boat like a horse allows you to get close to nature and wildlife that you wouldn't usually see. I remember having a horse ride in North Yorkshire years ago wild rabbits, birds and a couple of foxes one evening ignore the horse and rider. It's the same on canals and boats.
Make a mistake in your car and you get a fanfare of honking horns. On a boat you'll get offers of help or a wave and a smile.
Enjoy your trip
You two are a breath of fresh air, such wonderful positivity. if you ever want to come over to England to do a Liverpool tour, we would be happy to be your guides.
Hello! Unlike a lot of your commenters on this video, I've never lived or vacationed on a canal boat. I'm living in Northeast Georgia, 90 miles East of Atlanta. This past Summer, I was working on a story and thought one of its characters would be more interesting and believable to the readers if I had them living on a canal boat over in England. So I started watching a dozen or more different boat vloggers on RUclips. I'd only ever seen the boat in movies or on TV, and then only as minor background set-dressing for the shows. I fell absolutely in love with life on the canals. The character living on a boat didn't work with the rest of the story, but the research left me with a wish to go buy a canal boat and live out my retirement years on the canals. Probably never happen because all my family and most of my friends are here in the US, as well as the fact my book collection would take up about three narrowboats just to tote around! I have learned a few things about them, however.
You asked how much they cost to buy; about the same as a mobile home here in the US--with the proviso that the less you spend, the more restoration work you'd have to do. $40k to $50k would get you a pretty good boat you wouldn't have to toss another $20k into restoring to a livable condition.
Water & trash disposal; paid for in your boat license--roughly £1000 per year--which also pays for copies of all the keys to unfasten the anti-vandalism locks on the canal locks, water points, waste disposal sites, and the facilities to empty your toilet cassettes. Pump-out facilities for that type of toilet usually cost extra, involve more work on your part, and take more time than the cassette toilets. They've recently made compost toilets almost too much to bother having because you have to dispose of that compost to a farmer who wants it or something similar. There are incinerator toilets, but that increases the cost of replacing LP or propane gas tanks on the boat.
How long can you stay moored up and what restrictions are there as to where you can moor; A lot of places have either a 48-hour or a 14-day mooring--paid for in your yearly boat license. Other places you may have to pay whoever owns the land where you want to moor, or you have to stay away from because the owners don't want anyone mooring there. Permanent Moorings along the canal means either you own the land, or you pay the owner "lot rent" whether your boat is there or not. Then there are marinas--sort of like mobile home/trailer parks here; you pay a monthly fee for the dock-space, shore power hookup, water hookup, and perks like access to pay-as-you-go on-shore laundry facilities, restaurants, shops, etc. Think "if a trailer park was actually a gated-community Country Club" sort of deal.
Cost of living is somewhat cheaper than owning & living in a house, except for marina living.
Continuous cruising is far cheaper than a marina, but you have to move the boat a few miles when your 2-day or 2-week mooring time is up. Lots of the boat vloggers break down cost of living on their vlogs once a year or so--they'd have more exact numbers than I, because I'm just averaging what many of them have said in their vlogs. Boat insurance usually runs about £200+/- per year. Boat safety inspection every 4 years or so. Re-blacking costs about £1000 every two to four years--that's pulling the boat out of the water & into a drydock, pressure washing it, repainting it with (basically) tar, and replacing the little zinc plates that keep you boat from leaching its steel hull away through a natural process similar to electroplating. Hey, that's chemistry, I understand it, but I don't know how to explain it very well, LOL!
Vacation rental of narrowboats? Absolutely doable. Liveaboard? Absolutely doable, but easier if you have had experience living in a camper, mobile home, or college dorm. Or been in the military, I suppose. I hope I've been helpful, but really, just watch a variety of canal boat vlogs and make up your own minds. I'd love to do it myself, but I likely never will because I'd have to give up too much to do so.
The zinc plates are called sacrificial anodes and literally sacrifice themselves through galvanic corrosion protecting the hull of the boat.
I'm watching this again from our holiday apartment overlooking Portminster beach.... as wonderful as it looks
Great video ladies, from the start I was enthralled with the relaxing beauty of this journey. Can’t wait to try this myself, hopefully with a bit of fishing along the way . Thank you Natasha and Debbie, thoroughly enjoyable video with lovely reactions from you both 👍🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸
After half a day - the pace of lufe slows down - to a really relaxing holiday
My wife and I have lived on a narrowboat for 8 years and we love it! Everyday on the boat feels like a holiday. Living in the countryside away from large towns and cities is the main attraction for us. We have a Labrador who loves boat life too.
I have followed your channel for a couple of years but this is my first comment - love you two for your enthusiasm on so many different subjects!
I live near the Kennet & Avon Canal (kind of London to Bristol). It became disused 1950s-80s, and was not maintained. The locks were broken, companies were building pontoons across, and there were plans to fill it in and turn it into a road. Then John Gould came along....he transported coal on a boat and knew the law. He smashed through the pontoons on his boat...and successfully campaigned to get the canal restored. Today, it's a popular 'slow' holiday (5mph speed limit on canals!).
I'm Welsh and live in North Wales and never take it for granted. Even when it chucking it down with rain for sometimes a week at a time.
Great review, as an English man, Wales is just stunning. Another fantastic place to go boating is on England’s Norfolk Broads. Plus there’s a pub/restaurant every few miles! 😉. If you’re city people, some rural pubs in England often have quirky food hours. Just stock up well. In terms of sailing the boat, yes it appears intimidating at first but you pick it up in seconds. I love boating. Coming from London I can just let off all the stress. Folks are all very friendly and will help you mooring up, chatting and sharing local info. It’s easy to hire boats, they do vary in quality, but you’ve got all the online reviews to check! x
This might look perfect but canals are usually very busy in the summer months. They didn't have to open/close any bridges or tackle any locks (which you can wait your turn sometimes hours to get through). Often you can only moor a boat for a maximum of 24 hours before having to move on. There are areas close to large towns were you wouldn't wish to stop overnight. Robbie Cummings, who has a RUclips channel, was sleeping on his boat when someone tried to break in. Unfortunately it can be quite stressful and it's not all plain sailing!
It is relaxing, it is special and it is unique and different. It’s awsome , Iknow you will both love it
The UK’s about the same size as Oregon. We’re relatively small, but by sheep on a tandem we’re disproportionately influential… 😂
Also, there are always two rainbows 🌈; they must just happen here more lol seeing as we seem to get sunshine and piss showers at the same time relentlessly… 😂😂😂
Great video as always, guys. Thanks.
✌️❤️🏴🇬🇧🏳️🌈 xxx
Further to seeing your Clovelly post - an Uncle built wooden minesweepers at Blackmores yard in Bideford during & just after WWII. He took his skills to Braunstone then, building what turned out to be the last wooden narrowboat built in England (The Raymond). Every summer of my childhood I went to stay with them, spending all my time playing around the boatyard & canal. He became a boss at the yard where fibreglass & steel boats were then built. He donated his tools & boards (pieces of wood with the angles scratched on needed to build a craft) to Stoke Bruerne waterways museum.
I already live on a narrowboat named Whole in the Water. I work from my boat and live on it all year round. It's great.
You don't understand locks, I'll explain them simply for you, the locks are there so the canals can go over hills. They are closed sections with gates on either end. You let water into the lock to raise the boat to a higher waterway and let water out of the lock to go downhill. They are operated by a windlass that you keep aboard the boat. There are many windlasses in the bottom of the canals that people have dropped by accident. Always have a spare.
A canal boat holiday is one of those Great British adventures not to be missed, the various canal trusts have done a astonishing job of restoring these treasures, I grew up in the 60/70 playing in and next to theses canal, weed filled with abandoned boats and shopping trolleys and many lest savoury things, one of the reasons I never get sick, if I can survive a swim in the “cut” I can survive anything. Great videos, here’s to many more. Maybe one on the Outer Hebrides where I now live. Go girls, per mare per Tarrum.
Harrison Ford made the UK papers when he was near Llangollen in North Wales on a narrowboat. My young friend, currently aged 8, and I have walked along the Bridgewater canal litter picking, watching ducks and squirrels.
Well done you guys. My wife and I had part ownership of a 62 ft narrow boat for six years. The boat was owned by 12 couples, we each had the boat for one month of the year. For the most part it worked very well, keeping costs down, but it did have its drawbacks. That aside I think that you get it, It is not a normal holiday, still good, and great fun and interesting, when you have to work the locks it can be hard work and you need to have a level of fitness. Please come for a holiday, the slow speed is part of it, we all need to slow down in life and relax a bit more, on this holiday you have to. Great show, we love your support and the way you see us in a positive way. Thank you. Xx 😊
lovely video, I am a liveaboard boater in UK and whilst it can be hard work and I know the life is not for everyone, I will never leave the waterways
When I was a little girl we used narrow boats for Sunday school trips. I lived in an area where we had loads of canals.
Don't forget the ice cream boat.loved this video.
Thank you! I watch your videos and enjoyed this one more than most. This is where I live. We drove through PontyPwl ( Pont y pwl literally means Bridge and pool in English, Pontypool) and Goytre today on our way to a specific store and know this canal and this area well, I've also eaten in all of those pubs along the canal and that burger place. That canal used to go all the way to the city of Newport, delivering goods and coal to the docks, but is now blocked at Cwmbran, where they stopped and turned back.
Yes, it is beautiful.
reminded me of helping my mum and dad bring their boat back through the french canals, 26 foot cruising cataraman, some of thoughs locks were brutal 30 foot rise with us and two 250 foot ships lock filled in 5 minutes!
I live in Wales 5 miles from Pontymoil where they went and many moons ago I lived on a 70ft narrowboat for 6 months in Oxford. It was a totally different life and I've wanted my own since then. Just a note about how small the galley is - I made an entire sunday roast, (google it) without moving my feet. I'm talking roast gammon, yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, black pudding, seasonal mixed veg with gravy then sat at a table and chairs ON THE ROOF of the boat.
Side note, it was so quiet you could hear the fish scraping their sides on the boat hull to remove parasites on them - and you never had a fish dinner so fresh, bring your own rod and no-one can stop you.......
We all love you both Natasha vand Debbie ❤❤😂 xxx
I'm lucky enough to live in Wales, and not too far from the Brecon beacons where this vid is set. I certainly do not take the beauty for granted. It's gorgeous and so lush in greenery. Loving your content girls 👍👍
Hope you do come over and enjoy a narrowboat holiday and the slow pace is one of the most enjoyable aspects. My late father used to say its the quickest way to slow down. There are water points about every 5 miles and rubbish/recycling points every 10 or so. They are free for boaters to use as the costs are included in the annual boat licence which the hire boat company will have paid for. So basically you pay one upfront hire fee which covers all apart from groceries. Lots of North Americans come over for these holidays so the companies are used to catering for US folk many will include waterproof
Clothing and get groceries for you to start the holiday
We’ve been liveaboards for 10 years. If you are the kind of person that can do without material things, then it may suit you. You do pare your possessions to the minimum, as you are living in a corridor. But it is also very rewarding. Winters can be tough; the cut is frozen 2 inches and you’re out of water, you need to chop more firewood and you’re low on coal. You also need to be a mechanic, plumber, electrician, painter and carpenter. You can get by on less money, but you will be time poor, as there’s always a list of things to be done, and you always need to move every two weeks. But we love it (the kids have never known anything else).
I did the Norfolk Broads with my father back in the 90's, a little two berth cabin cruiser, we had a superb time.
My Grandfather has had many norrowboats in the past and i grew up going on holidays several times per year on them, and yes it is the most relaxing holiday, once you know how to use the locks, which are much easier than they actually look, there is no stress (you might be a little stressed on your first lock, but no need to be, just relax and take your time).
Needs to also be said, that you cannot eat out at pubs and restaurants for every meal, you have to do some cooking now and then, hense why there is a fairly decent kitchen on board.
The Norfolk broads is also a fantastic boating holiday- parts are much more commercial but in a good way - every few miles on certain parts are pub/restaurants- but plenty of out of the way tranquil place’s- can rent thatched cottages and day boats - some of Britains rarest wildlife can be seen and everyone is friendly and helpful ( fishing is great as well) and the scenery is fantastic- well worth checking out its Britains most popular boating experience.
I've done the narrow boating thing in England & it was fun. The thing us Brits do is plan our route around where the best pubs are & check their food times. Wales tends to have shorter opening times than England
I'll bet it's the initial few days which would be daunting, once you know what goes where/ how things work, it would become second nature.
I'm renting a house near Bala lake in Wales for a week next summer, can't wait.
Now I've seen this...canal boats the year after.😃
Love narrowboating. I hope you two manage to come and take a narrow boat trip. It's all about peaceful lifestyle; two points I often drive between in Middlesex which took 20minutes, I later travelled through by canal on the way to complete the 'London Ring' and the 20 minutes car journey now took most of a day!!!! So peaceful. When you return to normal life speed it's a bit of a shock.
we did the norfolk broads, it was the most relaxing holiday weve ever had. it was gorgeous!!
I do remember going on a holiday like that when I was very small - like 6 years old and it was really fun. As an adult - yeah - that looks so cool. I might have to plan one myself.
I remember you reacted to a video about the Norfolk Broads a while ago, and you loved the area. Canal boat holidays are very popular there. That would be a double like for you if you hired a canal boat in that region.
I heard that Harrison Ford took a canal boat holiday in the UK some years ago!
They also used to push boats through tunnels using feet, two people would lay on top and push with feet. The correct term was called legging it, unfortunately it lead to quite a few deaths. The cool thing about these boats is there are pubs that you can anchor your boat and pop in for lunch before moving on. Some people actually live on these boats and travel up and down the country.
Lovely reaction both, you are more than welcome to visit all your admirers & friends in the UK x
Canals also go through big cities, like the one I live in, and loads of people use them for walking, or cycling along the towpaths.
Along the way , you meet swans, ducks, and other wildlife.
When I was at school 50 years ago and being close to a canal basin we had a project to restore an old narrow boat. I left school before it was finished but on it's maiden trip to London( about 100 miles away) it broke down and had to be towed back by another boat!
My narrowboat venture is worth a look. A full-time on a narrowboat man. Cruising, fixing,
maintenance .been checking him out for a long time. He has a mourning where he can stay during the winter.
My boss sold her house for a narrow boat about 5 years ago and she still loved it. Yeap they are cheaper than houses but still about 100k. Monmouthshire is absolutely stunning. I love in Bristol it’s close by. Go there a lot. You definitely must visit it. Awesome video as always
Got to say this brought back happy memories as a child in the 80's my parents sold up and bought a canal boat to live on the canals. I remember going to school at 5am in the morning and having to remember where they were going to be at the end of the day.
Amazing memories, thanks for the video. 👍👍
The regular railway services began in 1825 the system expanded rapidly in the 1830s. It continued expanding in the 1840s, but that's not when it began. It did progressively supplant the canal system for the movement of bulk goods, but some commercial traffic on parts of the canal system continued as late as the 1960s.
I used to have a boat on the canal. As soon as you step on the boat the motion of the water automatically chills you out. It also a great leveller it doesn't matter how small or large your boat we're all equal if you have a problem someone will stop and help you. Now I need to go and buy another boat.
I've been following Downie's channel for years. He's a really fine youtuber. Yes Marmite and Debbie of course you should come to the UK. Make it happen!
My aunt lives on a canal boat in the summer she goes to visit her daughter her husband and grandkids in Spain so we are lucky enough to use it for two weeks in summer it’s beautiful
Yes you can moor the boat up anywhere along the towpath for up to 14 days. However there are some areas with limited days due to popularity. I’ve had the greatest holidays ever on a narrow boat.
It's a great way to see the country at a sedate pace, we had narrow boats for a while
My wife and I owned our narrow boat for 5 years and it was great. We were still working at the time and as majority of canals were up north it took 5 hrs to drive to her and 5 hrs back. We used her for holidays and even long weekends. She was 55 feet. It can also be a big hole in which to poor your money. To hire a 60 ft boat is around £1600 to £ 3000 plus fuel levy. This for one week. John in Dover
If you want a really relaxing boating holiday you need to checkout the Norfolk Broads. There are no locks to worry about on the Broads, the main thing to think about is tides in some areas.
Everyone is welcome in Wales but you two are more than welcome. : } Croeso.
ladies, when our beloved Queen passed away, there was a double rainbow over buckingham Palace and Balmoral. So beautiful.
may and june are the best times to come. Climate is good and all the plants and flowers are in bloom.
Goytre, where they are is 5 miles up the road from me. Believe me, we never take our surroundings for granted. I love Wales.
I’ve done a canal boat trip and it was awesome! I love you ladies! 😊
You would love living on a Narrow boat I did for about 6 months loved every minute of it . I was Born in a house right next to a Canal in Glasgow Scotland that’s where I learned to swim .
A few pointers: Water is free throughout the entire canal system. Although a key is required to access the tap. (sorry, faucet). You may have noticed the tunnel did not have a towpath. In this instance the towing horses would have been unhitched and taken around to the other end of the tunnel. The boaters themselves would have 'legged' the boat through by lying down sideways and walked along the walls. (Yes honestly). The boats are built strong enough to withstand collisions with the sides and with other boats. However, collisions between boats are rare as the boats create a pressure wave ahead of themselves which acts as a buffer when two passing boats get too close. Narrow boats are 6' 9" wide and up to 72' long. They are not that difficult to handle (actually, the longer the easier to handle) but it is the sheer physicality of a day's hard graft especially when progressing through many locks that is so tiring. But mentally, immensely relaxing. Like MARMITE, you will love it or hate it.
I can guarantee that I would be up before the dawn and cruising as soon as I would be able to and that is a dream that would be paradise for me
Another comment here (from magloyd4907) mentions a UK TV series called "Great Canal Journeys" in which a famous acting couple, Prunella Scales and her husband, Timothy West. They did quite a few programmes around the UK canals. One of the prettiest canals journeys they did was on the Kennet and Avon Canal, starting in Bath and travelling through Wiltshire - some of the most beautiful countryside in England. Whilst on one of their canal travels, Pru (Prunella) has her hair done in a floating hairdresser's canal boat.
Thanks for this episode, i really enjoyed it. Love to hear all your comments ❤
Ooo...your canal boat name. I can just see "Uncle Sam" cruising up and down the British canal system. 😍
Enjoyed this immensely 👍🏻 I've walked the canals but never travelled on a long boat .
Long distance ‘internal’ movement of goods was originally by sea. Port to port. Then canals allowed internal travel. A lot of them. Then the railways were built, replacing the canals…
Hey, I lived on a narrow boat on the cut for 6 years. I'd never buy another house again, but I'd live on a boat.
I'm old enough to appreciate your comments re: documenting stuff. Live your life, don't waste it archiving for a non existent future audience.
I have walked on the tow path through Birmingham, you miss all the traffic and noise of a City in a different world through and underneath the buildings. I did get lost because of the number of canals! but discovered so much. Canal walking is relaxing as is boating.
There are most definitely hair-dressers living and working on the canals .... along with all other trades.
It's always stressful when you are learning the ropes. After a few days you get your meal times organised, the boat operations organised ... and so on. I think you need at least 2 weeks, preferably longer, so you get to see more of the canal system, and slip into a relaxation mode.
For "patio" use "beer garden."
Also "Free House" means its privately owned, rather than being owned by a brewery. So it can stock beers from which ever supplier/brewery they prefer. Also means you are more likely to be served by the actual owner, rather than just a manager. Which imho leads to a more personal service (just my experience having worked in both types!!)
When I was six years old in 1940, Miss Lee the head Mistress of my School used to serve us "Marmite" sandwiches whilst we were down the shelter whilst the Battle of Britain raged overhead!. I will never forget those sandwiches or the Battle! I can still see her now!
They used to propel the boats when the horses couldn't get under the tunnels they used to propel the boats laying on their backs by their feet.
My family is related to the famous Irish 'Navigation engineer' bought into the Midlands to build the canals and railways.
He married a family relative who was in the service to a rich family.
The less of a rush you are to get anywhere, the more you'll enjoy it. Just bathe in the delightfulness of where you are now, and live for the moment. We rush around so much these days, and we don't appreciate things as a result. Try going slower than the limit, you'll thank me.
Having done a canal trip .
My advice is do your research as the quality of boat varies alot.
Some are old and have very loud old single cylinder engines .
The grand union is popular as its wide so two way traffic passes easily.
The Bisworth tunnel is easy to navigate and fun.
However the locks are double width so heavier to operate.
Its quite popular to buy a narrow boat and just move home for a change of weather and scenery at different times of the year👍
Natasha you are an awesome person not Marmite at all, you and Debbie remind me of my Aunties so much and thats why i watch you guys. you are genuine people not over the top or exagerated. thanks for being you. keep up the great content.
A friend of mine who was fishing on the Staffordshire canal when a American gentleman came past on his boat and ask him where the nearest pub was and that gentleman was actor Harrison Ford. Love and peace from Wolverhampton England
Some of the more popular canals get packed in the summer with boats, so not so relaxing.
And you have to queue to get through the locks.
Its also easy to get grounded as the water is shallow, or get weeds in the propeller.
Really enjoyed this video, Wales is indeed beautiful. I live fairly close to the Basingstoke Canal, in the South of England but I don't think it's anywhere near as lovely. I remember seeing it, as a child, in the mid to late 60s and it was in a sorry state, choked with weeds but it has now been restored, I'm glad to say.
Over here one of the loveliest canals is the Kennet and Avon canal running from Bath to Newbury .
Perfect for you if you fly in to Heathrow .
It is so beautiful around the Bath and Limpley Stoke area I know you two would fall in love with it . I live near Bradford on Avon which has quite a few lovely pubs and great supermarkets nearby.
Also you said you were a photographer and hair stylist , you will see boats with professions on - like an ice cream parlour , hairdresser , plumber , florist. Wood carver Photographer, cafe on boat , etc
Before motors narrow boat owners would lay on their back and using their legs to propell the boat forward. That's why the bridges are so low. Other wise heavy horses wets used to tow the boat with ropes.hence the paths are called tow paths.