This week, after months of trying, we completed our journey down the Rochdale Canal. It was the only one of the three trans-Pennine canals we had yet to navigate. It has been a passage that has taught us much about the benefits of physical effort, determination, and making up our ownminds, making our own decisions.Continue reading “Make your own choices”
Tag Archives: travel
A different view of our week wending and working our way from ‘up north’
We are now halfway along the length of the Rochdale with 44 locks and 16 miles of the canal still to go. Then it’s onto the Bridgewater, Trent & Mersey, Coventry, Birmingham & Fazeley, Coventry, North Oxford, Grand Union, and Leicester Line to our ultimate destination… a little way to go (191 miles and 143Continue reading “A different view of our week wending and working our way from ‘up north’”
Changing course
Einstein is alleged to have said many things, among them: “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” Our whole floating life is about change – about fluidity of movement, plans, scenery, locations, and work. This week that’s become more relevant than ever, as have the facts that we don’t always have a carContinue reading “Changing course”
Totally swamped
Exhaustion, relief, elation, achievement, fear and pride all in one week – a veritable tidal wave of emotions has swept us along. A week ago we were moored at Gunthorpe on the non-tidal River Trent waiting to leave to head towards the tidal Trent. We had our anchor at the ready, our lifejackets on whateverContinue reading “Totally swamped”
Sink or swim?
Sink or swim is the refrain running through my head…along with waving or drowning. Our plan to beat the stoppages blocking our route to the Rochdale Canal has given us insights and challenges beyond our expectations. We’ve made our way across the country from west to east and are now moored in Nottinghamshire, on theContinue reading “Sink or swim?”
Frustrated, stuck and keen to be part of a solution – but how?
There is only one way to go right now for us, and that’s retracing our steps – literally. We are currently moored some yards from the junction of the Macclesfield Canal with the Peak Forest Canal having come up the Macc this week. Our aim was to head down the Peak Forest Canal via theContinue reading “Frustrated, stuck and keen to be part of a solution – but how?”
Twists and turns but bearing up
Another week, another set of new experiences, new views, new challenges and new knowledge. Life afloat may be many things, but boring isn’t one of them. Last weekend we took ourselves part way up the Middlewich Branch off the Trent and Mersey, in part because we could, and we wanted to keep moving. We wentContinue reading “Twists and turns but bearing up”
Locked into a communication cycle & going nowhere?
Years ago I ran a higher education Master of Arts degree in communications. This week has brought home to me again just how vital good, clear communication is to us all. In the mass media we’ve seen again the resulting maelstrom of rumour and speculation that takes off when hard facts are not communicated clearly.Continue reading “Locked into a communication cycle & going nowhere?”
Wonder is wonderfully inspiring
Sometimes I wonder how I manage to get up in the mornings, and other times I marvel we manage to get anything done at all, such are the myriad distractions on offer but to be able to wonder, to marvel at something created by man or nature can be truly breath-taking and inspirational. We’ve encounteredContinue reading “Wonder is wonderfully inspiring”
Managing the stresses and strains of travelling
Managing stress applies as much to the seemingly laidback life on a boat as it does to bricks and mortar, 9-5 working, or travelling across the country in other ways. This week has seen us travel from Barlaston to Anderton, a voyage of 34 miles and 41 locks through the heart of the Potteries, undergroundContinue reading “Managing the stresses and strains of travelling”
Pickingupducks 