About the NE states in America - if one knows what to look for - a person may happen on to the vestiges of long gone canals and the occasional lock. Often motorways run parallel, with the mostly filled in channels looking more like common ditches. Abandoned tow paths often give away the true identity, as does the consistently level grade and straightness of the structure. I’ve gotten somewhat absorbed at times driving and tracing along the old canals, I’ve almost ended up in one lol! Sort of hallowed ground I think. Lovely video David. Cheers!
The "dogs dangleys" house was an empty shell when I first knew it in the late 70s, I was a volunteer at the time on a trip boat for the disabled and went oast every week. Over the years I watched that house transform. I want it!
I do enjoy grand pieces of civil engineering as much as I enjoy nature and countryside. The Forth Bridge, for example, is breathtaking in photos, I'd like to see it in person some day.
I seem to remember that I was just leaving the plough and I saw a man on a narrow boat with a camcorder. I recognised the boat but just couldn't put my finger on it. Well I have now!
The shed with a "Boat House" is in fact the chain ferry! Used it last Saturday - £1 per person, 50 Pence per dog. Did not pay until I was on the other side ....
I am greatly impressed that you used the term "in situ". I never denied that you lacked intelligence, just impressed with terminology from my group. I guess that's why I love your show so much. I hope you don't mind, I am a Texan and love this.
Another excellent blog entry. Nice to see Ratcliffe on Soar power station, I've been past it myself today (though I was on the M1) and it always brings back memories of my time at Nottingham Uni 30+ years ago. I was doing an Electrical & Electronic Engineering degree and we had a 'day trip' out to Ratcliffe and were taken round the inside of the station - a fascinating place. It looks big from the outside but inside the scale of the machinery was even more impressive.
Great to see you had a less frantic entrance to Zouch cut. We entered from the lock end last Easter in a howling crosswind (storm Kate) and were immensely grateful to enter calmer waters after a harrowing chug up from Kegworth.
Hi David, so glad you're "on the move" again after the winter break. The vlogs are really interesting and your narrative adds to the experience. Only someone with journalistic training could come up with the titles for the vlogs- they bring a smile to my face. Keep them coming. Gary/ Perth Australia
Enjoying your trip immensely. Critical Convergence: is when vessels and vehicles come together at the most dangerous time. If you watch the world around you, it happens all the time. Boats separated by miles meet at a narrow point or a bridge or cars driving on meet roads on a hill or a curve. Sometimes there's an accident, most times there's not.
The dogs dangles? I, as an American have been enthralled with British humour since I was a kid in the Seventies. Dogs dangles. That is a new one for me. I always learn new things from your show.
This brings back memories of my travels on the A6 / A52 between Derby and Loughborough on Thursday nights to see my friends. The `Mansion House` located between the two canals (under East Midlands airport flight path ..) is near a superb Pub called The Owl. I lived in Derby for 21 years and know that area very well. Thanks for bringing back the memories!
"This kind of thing really is the dog's danglies" lol!! Really made my day... absolutely love your videos, keep them coming. Watching with envy. Just need to convince my wife!
You're right to be concerned about that mansion right under the flight path. East Midlands is the UK's postal flight hub.... very very busy at night!! Great video as always! :-)
Another lovely film. Thank you David. The two old locks were very interesting. No effort has been made to remove them - just fill them in, gates and all.
I was riding my bike on the Calder and Hebble navigation today and stoped to take a picture of some new lock gates what have been installed recently and saw a warning for the cill and a maker on the side of the lock to obv keep your boat beyond to avoid hang up, I was unsure what a cill was so I'm glad you have cleard that up, it's a double lock with a substantial drop between water levels so the cill makes sense there is a lock keepers cottage and A disused freight yard called Healy mills is opposite next to the river what it's parallel to the canal,the section of canal is called "the long cut" as it goes on for some miles before joing the calder again at Wakefield.
Hiya David, great to see more of the UK. I agree with you, those chimneys add rather than take away from the landscape. Majestic! Good to see the fix on the weed hatch holding up. Definitely sounds like a pace to store illicit drugs lol Anyway, kettle's on, Earl Grey beckons ;-) Take care xx
Another relaxing vlog. So much in fact I nodded off and had to go back. Hopefully by now your weather is warmer. Ours is still wet and cold. See you next time.
CruisingTheCut Splendid. The sun finally came out today after a week of rain. I love the sun. I've been dog sitting and have caught a Lovely upper respiratory infection from walking the dog 3x a day in it on top of tree pollen allergies. We are not amused with this croupy cough and faucet nose. Time for herbal tea.
@@CruisingTheCut By the way, thanks to your channel, my wife and I are thinking about booking a trip to the UK so we can rent a narrowboat. Thought you'd appreciate that.
Lovely to see you up my neck of the woods and braving the terrors of the River Soar! Is there any chance you might do another montage of your trip? It's just that I'd like to see a bit more of your journey through Loughborough and the neighbourhood. Never been on a canal boat so I'm enjoying your vlogs enormously and I look forward to seeing lots more.
I'm loving going through the back catalogue, very companionable viewing. I'd be really interested to understand what the daily start up procedure is for a narrowboat, before you can actually get moving? If you've already shown this, I'm sorry - happy to be pointed in the right direction....
I don't think I've shown it specifically, or if I have, I don't recall which video. But: check engine oil level, check belt tightness, check water level, give the stern greaser a twist - and you're off.
How can we contribute. I would happily support your channel because I enjoy your product. I have no need for a mug or tshirt....but would absolutely send something to say...Thanks. Just tell me how. Is there a way...other than patron?
The only schemes I've got going are the merchandise (would a friend like one, if not you?), the Amazon (UK) affiliate links in the video descriptions - buy anything via that link, not just the product linked to, and I get a commission, or Patreon. Oh, and being sure not to skip any adverts that play.
When you told us about skipping the ad and commissions paid I ALWAYS let them play for subscribed channels. It is a shame that Patreon doesn't allow one time donations. We will figure it out.
I suppose it can be done, albeit crudely, by signing up at whatever level of contribution you choose, letting one billing cycle go by (start of each month) and then cancelling but I grant you that's a bit fiddly.
The lovely little wooden house with what you called a boat house alongside is the newly installed Normanton Chain Ferry! I'm surprised you didn't see the sign. It's lovely 😊
I bet it is, just thought you might like to know as it has an interesting history, when you go through Zouch one of the original ferries is moored at the back of a house 😊
Another nicely done video! I've watched every video from #1. I first saw you on a TV interview. Your a very impressive, interesting, capable person. keep up the good work. Thanks much!
Greetings from Canada! If you haven't passed Alerwas yet... You might do yourself the favour of stopping in at Peter Coates Butchers. I so wish we had a place like that close by. It's been 3yrs since cruising the T&M and watching you makes me miss it so. We'll be back in 2018, but not soon enough for me! Lovely vlogs, keep up the fantastic work.
I rather like the power station, and while overall I agree the canal system is nicer and cleaner away from cities,we all want power so I try to be balanced. Thank you for such an intriguing series.
Good evening David, Just going back through some of your old vlogs - just one question though - at 1:22 doesn't your friends boat look very low in the water at the back?
We hired a boat from Sawley on 2nd April planning to get to Market Harborough and back in the week - pushing it a bit. The forecast was good, we were told that in low water the Soar is no problem but if it pours down then it is a different story, as you pointed out. All well until we hit Leicester. From 10:30am onwards there is heavy all day drinking at certain locks - I was later told that I should have moored outside Leicester then set off at 7:30am clearing the city by about 9:30 - it is an unusually dedicated all day drinker who has started by 9:30 apparently. At Aylestone lock the fun really started, well to be honest we never got there. 200 yards out we were approached by a friendly WPC and told to stop and come no closer. This gave me the chance to use both the anchor and the gang plank - how many boaters can say they have used both the gang plank and the anchor on their second trip - re the anchor, just make sure the rope is not wrapped around your leg before you chuck it in - no I did not do this but it occurred to me how easy this would be to do. From our anchored spot we could see a taped off area ahead, an ambulance that was parked and in no hurry and, equally ominously, a forensics tent. After a while we approached the taped area and spoke to the WPC again, she could not tell us anything but said that she expected the lock to be closed for 24 hours - the 'occurrence' has taken place alongside the lock she said. Ambulance in no rush, 24 hour forensics, no evidence of an arrest at that point - we and other locals, also turned back that we spoke to drew the same conclusion - 'yep, someone has snuffed it' - a local dog walker stated in a resigned tone. Time to practice our reversing skills. We had to reverse nearly 200 yards. Hard to steer reversing up river, in the end we steered with the pole, this gave the impression of total incompetence to onlookers - then again there weren't any, they had all bid a hasty retreat as we were trying to do - but reversing steadily with the occasional prod with the pole proved effective. So we headed back and did the Erewash which was a real treat. The Aylestone lock experience has spooked my Mrs though, 20 minutes earlier at Aylestone and we would have found the ...... or worse still we might have witnessed the ......., which would have made us very inconvenient people in the perpetrator's eyes. How did you or anyone else find the Leicester locks from later morning onwards? Mike
David Had you been on your own on the Soar with the double locks, would you have used the risers provided to rope onto to keep the boat from moving all around? We just looped the rope around the top of the lock mooring ball (There must be a correct term for this, I am pretty sure that mooring ball is not it!) as there was two of us, so one on the boat. Solo boating on double locks looks like it would be more involved than with single locks. Mike
I probably wouldn't, because I wouldn't have been on the boat to hold the rope. I usually use one side paddle only and this pushes the boat against the opposite side and holds it, if you're careful. Plus the normal rope up top.
Well that's a good question. The locks in the Midlands (centre of England) are narrow (7 feet beam) so no widebeam craft can fit. The wide locks on the canals are double that so most widebeam craft would go through. You do get some river-only widebeams that are just too big (or have too deep a draught) to go on the canals.
There's an electric lock at Sawley, so have your key ready if there's no volunteers. They sell quite a few boats at Sawley marina, worth having a walk round to have a look, decent restaraunt too. You're in my neck of the woods now, I'm moored at Crockers Marina aka Chapel Farm.
About the NE states in America - if one knows what to look for - a person may happen on to the vestiges of long gone canals and the occasional lock. Often motorways run parallel, with the mostly filled in channels looking more like common ditches. Abandoned tow paths often give away the true identity, as does the consistently level grade and straightness of the structure. I’ve gotten somewhat absorbed at times driving and tracing along the old canals, I’ve almost ended up in one lol! Sort of hallowed ground I think. Lovely video David. Cheers!
The "dogs dangleys" house was an empty shell when I first knew it in the late 70s, I was a volunteer at the time on a trip boat for the disabled and went oast every week. Over the years I watched that house transform. I want it!
"...this kind of thing is really the dog's danglies." A new British-ism for me to spring on my friends!!!
6:17 "a real boaty sort of boat" it is precisely that kind of pithy eloquence that I subscribed for 👏
"A pylon en-route to its fill of megawatts."
Most poetic. Thank you, David.
Lovely cruising day :) Loving going back re-watching the older ones. Still very enjoyable after many times watched :)
"This is the dog's danglies"... hahaha... this I why I watch every single vlog...
I do enjoy grand pieces of civil engineering as much as I enjoy nature and countryside. The Forth Bridge, for example, is breathtaking in photos, I'd like to see it in person some day.
Nice hair this morning David, lol.
I seem to remember that I was just leaving the plough and I saw a man on a narrow boat with a camcorder. I recognised the boat but just couldn't put my finger on it. Well I have now!
Was he giving it plenty of welly.
The shed with a "Boat House" is in fact the chain ferry! Used it last Saturday - £1 per person, 50 Pence per dog. Did not pay until I was on the other side ....
I am greatly impressed that you used the term "in situ". I never denied that you lacked intelligence, just impressed with terminology from my group. I guess that's why I love your show so much. I hope you don't mind, I am a Texan and love this.
Do you mean you "never claimed I lacked" maybe?!! ;-)
I know it isn't but this feels like such a left handed compliment lol
Dah Dah Daah! will the impending strong currents sweep you to your doom, find out next time in Cruising the cut . love it.
Nothing like injecting a bit of drama and suspense!
the dogs dangleys lol. I put that one in the memory banks to use here in the USA
What a Legend Graham turns out to be waiving one of your mugs at you! :)
Indeed!
Another excellent blog entry. Nice to see Ratcliffe on Soar power station, I've been past it myself today (though I was on the M1) and it always brings back memories of my time at Nottingham Uni 30+ years ago. I was doing an Electrical & Electronic Engineering degree and we had a 'day trip' out to Ratcliffe and were taken round the inside of the station - a fascinating place. It looks big from the outside but inside the scale of the machinery was even more impressive.
That would be quite interesting, i think.
watching this peaceful video in lockdown at 1am eating peanut M&M's - life is good
Great to see you had a less frantic entrance to Zouch cut. We entered from the lock end last Easter in a howling crosswind (storm Kate) and were immensely grateful to enter calmer waters after a harrowing chug up from Kegworth.
I wouldn't fancy that at all!
Hi David, so glad you're "on the move" again after the winter break. The vlogs are really interesting and your narrative adds to the experience. Only someone with journalistic training could come up with the titles for the vlogs- they bring a smile to my face. Keep them coming. Gary/ Perth Australia
Thank you. More soon :-)
any time out side and one quickly discovers weather forcast are mostly crap... LOL
‘The dog’s danglies’ That’s a lovely Englishism!
I really enjoyed seeing the old locks in place. So interesting that they just filled them in leaving the gates in place. Thanks for including them!
I found them fascinating, like some post-apocalyptic relic!
Hello David. I'm throughly enjoying this tour. Thank you.
Good! Cheers
Interesting to watch your progress on the rivers. As always I enjoyed the update. Thanks.
Thanks Sylvia
Enjoying your trip immensely. Critical Convergence: is when vessels and vehicles come together at the most dangerous time. If you watch the world around you, it happens all the time. Boats separated by miles meet at a narrow point or a bridge or cars driving on meet roads on a hill or a curve. Sometimes there's an accident, most times there's not.
You can be alone for mile but get to a lock and suddenly everyone turns up!
Your puns!!!!! Very clever but very groan inducing!!!! :-)
That's what I like to hear!
cheers graham and wendy!! :-)
Another impressive stretch. You always make it seem effortless.
thx for the ride, i hope to go to the uk sometime . I live in texas usa, take care be safe!
Congrats on 100,000 subscribers!
Another great vlog, thanks. I liked the title but now I'm going to have that song in my head for the rest of the day so thanks for that too.
I can't get it out of my head either!!
Thumbs up! Lovely and very peaceful. Thanks from Vermont, US. ~Maggie & Dave
Cheers
I am not surprised that the gent was waving your mug, your vlog is fantastic! :)
Aww shucks, thanks
Another great video with breathtaking scenery. Can't wait for the next vlog. Cheers from London Ontario Canada 🇨🇦 the U.K. Little brother
Thank you!
The dogs dangles? I, as an American have been enthralled with British humour since I was a kid in the Seventies. Dogs dangles. That is a new one for me. I always learn new things from your show.
That's 'Dog's Danglies'
This is a toned down version of 'dog's bollocks.' That's 'testicles to you!
Thank you for sharing your amazing video, you are a excellent story teller
Thank you
This brings back memories of my travels on the A6 / A52 between Derby and Loughborough on Thursday nights to see my friends. The `Mansion House` located between the two canals (under East Midlands airport flight path ..) is near a superb Pub called The Owl. I lived in Derby for 21 years and know that area very well. Thanks for bringing back the memories!
Cheers Dean
Do you mean The Otter, Dean?
"This kind of thing really is the dog's danglies" lol!! Really made my day... absolutely love your videos, keep them coming. Watching with envy. Just need to convince my wife!
You're right to be concerned about that mansion right under the flight path. East Midlands is the UK's postal flight hub.... very very busy at night!! Great video as always! :-)
I slept like a log anyway!
Another lovely film. Thank you David. The two old locks were very interesting. No effort has been made to remove them - just fill them in, gates and all.
Might be for archeological reasons.
What a wonderful cruise you have shown us over the last 8 Vlogs
I was riding my bike on the Calder and Hebble navigation today and stoped to take a picture of some new lock gates what have been installed recently and saw a warning for the cill and a maker on the side of the lock to obv keep your boat beyond to avoid hang up, I was unsure what a cill was so I'm glad you have cleard that up, it's a double lock with a substantial drop between water levels so the cill makes sense there is a lock keepers cottage and A disused freight yard called Healy mills is opposite next to the river what it's parallel to the canal,the section of canal is called "the long cut" as it goes on for some miles before joing the calder again at Wakefield.
Glad to have helped! Cheers
Three cheers for Graham ❤❤❤
Three cheers for Wendy ❤️❤️❤️
Amazing video (as always). I find it interesting to see what life is like on a canal
Thank you!
OMG, “the dog’s danglies!” 😂😂😂😂
Love it, many more please
Ta
Another brilliant vlog, also I like what you've done with your hair. So wild and handsome. Cheers!
I haven't done anything with it (which explains the "wild") ;-)
Hiya David, great to see more of the UK. I agree with you, those chimneys add rather than take away from the landscape. Majestic!
Good to see the fix on the weed hatch holding up. Definitely sounds like a pace to store illicit drugs lol
Anyway, kettle's on, Earl Grey beckons ;-)
Take care xx
You're the second person today to mention illegal drugs. I do not have a weed stash!! ;-)
very informative and well narrated as usual, thanks.
Cheers
Another relaxing vlog. So much in fact I nodded off and had to go back. Hopefully by now your weather is warmer. Ours is still wet and cold. See you next time.
It's been chilly but was superb today, lovely sunshine.
CruisingTheCut Splendid. The sun finally came out today after a week of rain. I love the sun. I've been dog sitting and have caught a Lovely upper respiratory infection from walking the dog 3x a day in it on top of tree pollen allergies. We are not amused with this croupy cough and faucet nose. Time for herbal tea.
I think you need something stronger than that ;-)
CruisingTheCut My dad would tell !e to take a shot of Brandy and go to bed. One problem... I don't drink.lol
I follow your journeys on google earth which greatly illuminates the territory. You certainly have a marvelous maze of canals and rivers.
We do indeed. Cheers
2:55 "the dog's danglies" I love the British. They have the most entertaining slang terms.
Strictly speaking, the phrase is "the dog's bollocks" but I used the more polite version :-)
@@CruisingTheCut By the way, thanks to your channel, my wife and I are thinking about booking a trip to the UK so we can rent a narrowboat. Thought you'd appreciate that.
Thank you for narrow videos I enjoy them travelling with you.
brilliant video again, some really nice houses along the river..looks like its time to save those pennies up XD
Or win that wretched lottery!
Enjoyed the scenery & narration
Thanks Ken
Enjoy my Sunday mornings with a cup of tea and catching up on your vlogs.
I've been shopping too and bought a great Cruising the Cut zip bag for my iPad mini. Thanks.
I think that's the first one of those to be sold!! Thank you :-)
Lovely to see you up my neck of the woods and braving the terrors of the River Soar! Is there any chance you might do another montage of your trip? It's just that I'd like to see a bit more of your journey through Loughborough and the neighbourhood. Never been on a canal boat so I'm enjoying your vlogs enormously and I look forward to seeing lots more.
I'm loving going through the back catalogue, very companionable viewing. I'd be really interested to understand what the daily start up procedure is for a narrowboat, before you can actually get moving? If you've already shown this, I'm sorry - happy to be pointed in the right direction....
I don't think I've shown it specifically, or if I have, I don't recall which video. But: check engine oil level, check belt tightness, check water level, give the stern greaser a twist - and you're off.
Another great video Thanks for giving so much! I know these are time consuming.
They really are... ;-)
How can we contribute. I would happily support your channel because I enjoy your product. I have no need for a mug or tshirt....but would absolutely send something to say...Thanks. Just tell me how. Is there a way...other than patron?
The only schemes I've got going are the merchandise (would a friend like one, if not you?), the Amazon (UK) affiliate links in the video descriptions - buy anything via that link, not just the product linked to, and I get a commission, or Patreon. Oh, and being sure not to skip any adverts that play.
When you told us about skipping the ad and commissions paid I ALWAYS let them play for subscribed channels. It is a shame that Patreon doesn't allow one time donations. We will figure it out.
I suppose it can be done, albeit crudely, by signing up at whatever level of contribution you choose, letting one billing cycle go by (start of each month) and then cancelling but I grant you that's a bit fiddly.
The lovely little wooden house with what you called a boat house alongside is the newly installed Normanton Chain Ferry! I'm surprised you didn't see the sign. It's lovely 😊
It's amazing what you don't see when you're peering at things through a two-inch camcorder screen. Cheers
I bet it is, just thought you might like to know as it has an interesting history, when you go through Zouch one of the original ferries is moored at the back of a house 😊
Next time...
Interesting to see the remains of the old locks. Thanks.
Cheers
David I like your videos thanks
Thank you
Another great vlog .. seems like a life-time away!
Thank you, it does!! Are you back aboard yet?
Nope not yet, next trip up the Trent to Nottingham. Keep you posted.
You would have to drag me out if that place. Haha. Love this.
:-)
good stuff another enjoyable vlog
Ta
Another great video 🙌 Like a kid in a sweet shop haha
Cheers
Another nicely done video! I've watched every video from #1. I first saw you on a TV interview. Your a very impressive, interesting, capable person. keep up the good work. Thanks much!
Thank you very much
Always a pleasure to watch!!!Cheers!
Thanks Ron
another great vlog,many thanks,looks like you will soon be in my neck of the woods,fradley junction.
Been there, done that now (vlogs are a little behind real time)!
these signs are just there to instill a sense of adventure and derring-do.
You seem to be mostly done with coal for electrical power in the UK, good work!
Excellent marketing David, the shot of the fellow brandishing his Cruising The Cut mug reminded me to order one, which I just did!
That's what I like to hear!! Thank you.
seeing the old locks was interesting
HA!!! We have moved from the Bee's Knees to the Dog's Dangleis!!! Hahaha Very good video thoroughly enjoyed the trip! as always Cheers and God bless
Cheers William :-)
The Inland Waterways Festival was held near that power station a few years ago.
They're holding it not too far from it this year, I think, up the Erewash canal.
I remember keg worth deep lock bit of a challenge when on your own going the other way.
Yes, I can imagine!
Great video as always
Ta
The nice new "boathouse" is actually the Normanton on Soar Chain Ferry, I think, although I've never seen it working.
Oh, that's the chain ferry?? Wendy had a go on it but I didn't realise that's what it was.
Lovely vlog
Cheers
Greetings from Canada! If you haven't passed Alerwas yet... You might do yourself the favour of stopping in at Peter Coates Butchers. I so wish we had a place like that close by. It's been 3yrs since cruising the T&M and watching you makes me miss it so. We'll be back in 2018, but not soon enough for me! Lovely vlogs, keep up the fantastic work.
Thanks. Long past Alrewas now :-)
"The dogs danglies." Hahaha
"Dogs Danglies"...I lol'd
6:19 “A real boaty sort of boat.”
-CruisingTheCut, 7 May, 2017
I rather like the power station, and while overall I agree the canal system is nicer and cleaner away from cities,we all want power so I try to be balanced. Thank you for such an intriguing series.
Good evening David, Just going back through some of your old vlogs - just one question though - at 1:22 doesn't your friends boat look very low in the water at the back?
Most likely they are at a water point , the water tanks are at the bow,, with petrol tanks at the stern, so most likely water tank was empty
Your vlogs are really making me wish Canada had invested in more canals...
Hindsight is a marvellous thing!
We hired a boat from Sawley on 2nd April planning to get to Market Harborough and back in the week - pushing it a bit. The forecast was good, we were told that in low water the Soar is no problem but if it pours down then it is a different story, as you pointed out.
All well until we hit Leicester. From 10:30am onwards there is heavy all day drinking at certain locks - I was later told that I should have moored outside Leicester then set off at 7:30am clearing the city by about 9:30 - it is an unusually dedicated all day drinker who has started by 9:30 apparently.
At Aylestone lock the fun really started, well to be honest we never got there. 200 yards out we were approached by a friendly WPC and told to stop and come no closer. This gave me the chance to use both the anchor and the gang plank - how many boaters can say they have used both the gang plank and the anchor on their second trip - re the anchor, just make sure the rope is not wrapped around your leg before you chuck it in - no I did not do this but it occurred to me how easy this would be to do.
From our anchored spot we could see a taped off area ahead, an ambulance that was parked and in no hurry and, equally ominously, a forensics tent. After a while we approached the taped area and spoke to the WPC again, she could not tell us anything but said that she expected the lock to be closed for 24 hours - the 'occurrence' has taken place alongside the lock she said. Ambulance in no rush, 24 hour forensics, no evidence of an arrest at that point - we and other locals, also turned back that we spoke to drew the same conclusion - 'yep, someone has snuffed it' - a local dog walker stated in a resigned tone. Time to practice our reversing skills.
We had to reverse nearly 200 yards. Hard to steer reversing up river, in the end we steered with the pole, this gave the impression of total incompetence to onlookers - then again there weren't any, they had all bid a hasty retreat as we were trying to do - but reversing steadily with the occasional prod with the pole proved effective.
So we headed back and did the Erewash which was a real treat. The Aylestone lock experience has spooked my Mrs though, 20 minutes earlier at Aylestone and we would have found the ...... or worse still we might have witnessed the ......., which would have made us very inconvenient people in the perpetrator's eyes. How did you or anyone else find the Leicester locks from later morning onwards?
Mike
What an extraordinary experience. Very unlucky. We didn't see any evidence of all day drinking at the locks, it was all fine for us.
David
Had you been on your own on the Soar with the double locks, would you have used the risers provided to rope onto to keep the boat from moving all around? We just looped the rope around the top of the lock mooring ball (There must be a correct term for this, I am pretty sure that mooring ball is not it!) as there was two of us, so one on the boat. Solo boating on double locks looks like it would be more involved than with single locks.
Mike
I probably wouldn't, because I wouldn't have been on the boat to hold the rope. I usually use one side paddle only and this pushes the boat against the opposite side and holds it, if you're careful. Plus the normal rope up top.
Yet another great Vlog :)
Thanks Pete
"the dog's danglies"?!?!? Hahahaha! I Love it!
The dog's danglies .you do make us laugh
will the wide beam fit thru all locks or just on the river....nice video very scenic
Well that's a good question. The locks in the Midlands (centre of England) are narrow (7 feet beam) so no widebeam craft can fit. The wide locks on the canals are double that so most widebeam craft would go through. You do get some river-only widebeams that are just too big (or have too deep a draught) to go on the canals.
Love the hair!!!
Why has no one made a narrow boat simulator game? I'd buy it in a heartbeat!
Actually, I think there was one, I've seen a video of someone playing it. Sorry, can't remember the details.
sites.google.com/view/narrowboat-simulator/about
Thanks for the vlog, this is all too much, i do not know if i can wait until i retire before i get my narrow boat.
Yeah, don't wait. You never know what life has in store.
There's an electric lock at Sawley, so have your key ready if there's no volunteers. They sell quite a few boats at Sawley marina, worth having a walk round to have a look, decent restaraunt too. You're in my neck of the woods now, I'm moored at Crockers Marina aka Chapel Farm.
I'm well through Sawley by now - and not one but two volunteers sorted us! Didn't stop at the marina though.
Nice vlog mate! Keep it on! :)
Cheers
Really lovely seeing the tour............but only one complaint.......why didn't you take me with you?
"Alan's gone first and I slid gently alongside him"... LOL
"wait for it...".
Great video David. Essence of 'Tales of the riverbank', just short of Ratty and Co.
Thank you