I'm putting together the accounts of all our canal trips. Have a look, you should find something to interest you - and keep looking, as I'll be adding more pictures both new and old. I've just finished adding the details of our 2011 trip which took us to Boston, where we explored the newly opened Black Sluice Navigation as well as some of the more distant parts of the Witham Navigable Drains, after attending the amazing South Kyme Festival, before crossing right over to the other side of the country and temporarily becoming a ship on the Manchester Ship Canal. After that we went back down to Gloucester and returned via the newly restored Droitwich canals to explore some more of the Birmingham Canal Navigations. Once again it was a fascinating trip.
To help you find your way around this site as it continues to grow, as well as the comprehensive index (which I added last year) you will now see a new navigation bar at the top of this page as well as on our home page. This navigation bar should help you to find any one of our journeys, as well as taking you directly to many of the more spectacular places that we have visited.
The improved way of displaying the pictures, which I introduced earlier this year, seems to have been successful so it will remain as a permanent feature of every page. Don't forget that the top and bottom of every page also includes a link to a slideshow of that page's pictures on my Flickr site.
You can still look below for the list of all our recent trips, as well as some reminiscences of boating in the 1940s, of the River Shannon and the Norfolk Broads in the 1960/70's, of the canals in the 1970's, and all our trips on Thistle from 1987-1991 including our spooky encounter with the Kidsgrove Boggart at Harecastle.
After many years of hiring since the 1960's we bought "Thistle", an old Harborough hire-boat with a highly varied and highly chequered history. She had been declared to be a sunken ship, then when she really did sink she was lifted up and cut in half. Now you can read her fascinating story for yourself. We loved her dearly, and in four years she took us all over the country, including trips to Llangollen, London, Lechlade, Leicester, and across the Leeds & Liverpool canal as well as plenty of places that don't begin with a letter "L" such as Chester, Stratford-on-Avon, and the Curly-Wyrley around Birmingham. Now she has a new lease of life, having been beautifully restored.
In 1991 we commissioned Stoke-on-Trent Boat Building to build our new boat 'Keeping Up': steelwork, woodwork, fittings, the lot (except the curtains. Stoke-on-Trent didn't do curtains). You can read all about her construction and see the pictures that we took at every stage of the work. She is 67 ft long, built of top-quality steel with a half-inch thick base plate, and painted the same distinctive red-and-black design that 'Thistle' had become so famous for. With a 42hp Duffields Perkins engine she performs magnificently and at the time of writing (2011) she has taken us almost 20,000 miles all over the country.
The picture shows 'Keeping Up' on her home mooring at Milton Keynes, just south of our home at Milton Keynes. The National Waterways Festival was held at MK in 2001; I've captured some of the sights and sounds of the working boats for you to enjoy.
We are members of the Aylesbury Canal Society and keen followers of the Mikron Theatre Company .
Here is a list of our canal trips on Thistle and Keeping Up. We have a detailed log of all these, as well as our hire-boat holidays since 1980, and all the interesting ones will appear on this site eventually. There are plenty of pictures included, but please note that to save space and minimise download time, these have all been stored at a slightly reduced quality- if you would like a full-quality copy of any of the pictures - or if you have any other comments - please e-mail me.
Milton Keynes - Newark - South Kyme - Witham Navigable Drains - Boston - Black Sluice Navigation - Manchester - Anderton - River Weaver - Manchester Ship Canal - Chester - Llangollen - Gloucester - Droitwich - Black Country Museum - Hawne Basin and Gosty Hill - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Northampton - Peterborough - Middle Level - Denver and the Relief Channel - St. Ives - Bedford/Kempston - Rivers Lark, Little Ouse, and Wissey - Denver - Ramsey - Peterborough - Northampton - Braunston - Oxford - Lechlade - Brentford - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Limehouse - London - River Thames - Oxford - Reading - Newbury - Devizes - Newbury - Reading - Oxford - Lechlade - Oxford - Braunston - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Stratford on Avon - Gloucester - Macclesfield - Whaley Bridge - Huddersfield Narrow Canal - Standedge Tunnel - Rochdale Canal - Manchester - Wigan - River Weaver - Llangollen - Montgomery Canal - Birmingham - Wyrley & Essington Canal - Oxford - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Leicester - Nottingham - Newark - Boston - Torksey - West Stockwith - Chesterfield Canal - Torksey - Newark - Nottingham - Fradley - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Great Haywood - Shroppie - Llangollen - Montgomery Canal - Shroppie - Stourport - Gloucester - Stourport - Birmingham - Milton Keynes
February and March trips, to Yardley Gobion and Napton
An autumn trip down to Aylesbury
Milton Keynes - Hatton - Birmingham (heritage weekend) - Wolverhampton - High Offley - Great Haywood - Stone - Fazeley - Braunston - Market Harborough - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Leek - Froghall - Stourport - Gloucester - Sharpness - Tardebigge - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Thrupp - Ashby Canal - Milton Keynes
Foxton - Hillmorton towing Black Bottom Girl
Milton Keynes - Paddington - Brentford - Teddington - Reading - Newbury - Reading - Lechlade - Beale Park National Waterways Festival - Opening of Jubilee Junction - Oxford - Braunston - Stratford - Evesham - Stratford - Birmingham - Fazeley - Ashby - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Leicester - Nottingham - Newark - Lincoln - Boston - Kyme Eau and the Witham Navigable Drains - Lincoln - Newark - Nottingham - Fradley - Ashby - Milton Keynes
Anderton lift - River Weaver
Stourbridge - Birmingham - BCM - Tardebigge - Worcester - Gloucester - Sharpness - Gloucester - Tewkesbury - Stratford-upon-Avon - Birmingham - Lapworth - Birmingham - Fazeley - Hawkesbury - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Ashby - Fradley - Stoke-on-Trent - Anderton - Middlewich - Chester - Barbridge - Llangollen - Monty - Autherley - Kidderminster - Stourbridge
The opening of the newly restored section of the Wendover arm at Little Tring by David Suchet
Milton Keynes - Braunston - Oxford - Braunston - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Braunston - Hawkesbury - Fradley - Great Haywood - Stourport - Gloucester - Bristol - Devizes - Reading - Hampton Court - Reading - Lechlade - Oxford - Braunston - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Northampton - Peterborough - March - Denver - Ely - St. Ives - Godmanchester - Bedford/Kempston - Cambridge - Rivers Lark, Little Ouse, and Wissey - Denver - Ramsey - Peterborough - Northampton - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Braunston - Warwick - Lapworth - Birmingham. Towing Birmingham - Lapworth - Warwick - Braunston - Milton Keynes - Tring - Rickmansworth Return to Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Braunston - Oxford - Lechlade - Maidenhead - Oxford - Braunston - Hawkesbury - Market Bosworth - Fazeley - Fradley - Nottingham - Newark - Nottingham - Leicester - Market Harborough - Crick - Milton Keynes
Pictures of the 2001 ACS Party, the 2001 ACS boat-lift, and the 2003 ACS Party
Pictures and sounds from the 2001 IWA National Waterways Festival at Milton Keynes
Crick - Foxton - Shardlow - Fradley - Great Haywood - Stoke-on-Trent - Caldon Canal - Froghall - Leek - Stone - Great Haywood - Autherley - Wolverhampton - Gas Street - Lapworth - Warwick - Braunston - Crick
Stoke-on-Trent - Fradley - Fazeley - Spaghetti Junction - Ashted - Knowle - Warwick - Braunston - Crick - Milton Keynes
Stoke on Trent Boat Building
Milton Keynes - Braunston - Warwick - Lapworth - Stratford - Tewkesbury - Stourport - Autherley - Great Haywood - Stoke-on-Trent
Milton Keynes - Northampton - Cogenhoe - Northampton - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Braunston - Hawkesbury - Fradley - Nottingham - Newark - Keadby - Stainforth - Leeds - Skipton - Wigan - Worsley - Preston Brook - Middlewich - Stoke-on-Trent - Fradley - Hawkesbury - Braunston - Milton Keynes. Including a close encounter with Kit Crewbucket.
Milton Keynes - Tring - Rickmansworth - Tring - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Braunston - Hawkesbury - Fazeley - Birmingham - Autherley - Hurleston - Llangollen - Hurleston - Chester - Autherley - Wolverhampton - Curly Wyrley - Spaghetti Junction - Fazeley - Hawkesbury - Braunston - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Crick - Foxton - Market Harborough - Kilby Bridge - Foxton - Crick - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Braunston - Hawkesbury - Fradley - Great Haywood - Autherley - Stourport - Stourbridge - Hawne Basin - Dudley - Gas Street - Spaghetti Junction - Fazeley - Hawkesbury - Braunston - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Tring - Hemel Hempstead - Tring - Milton Keynes
Leighton Buzzard - Braunston - Warwick - Lapworth - Brummagem - Rudderless Lapworth - Warwick - Braunston- Milton Keynes
Leighton Buzzard - Braunston - Oxford - Lechlade (trout at the Trout) - Oxford - Braunston - Leighton Buzzard
Hawkesbury - Braunston - Milton Keynes - Aylesbury - Tring - Leighton Buzzard
Brentford - Leighton Buzzard - Brentford - Teddington
Weedon - Braunston - Hawkesbury - Fradley - Nottingham - Leicester - Sawley - Fradley - Hawkesbury - Weedon
Great Haywood - Fradley - Hawkesbury - Braunston - Warwick - Knowle - Spaghetti Junction - Fazeley - Fradley - Great Haywood
Leighton Buzzard - Crick - Foxton - Market Harborough - Foxton - Crick - Leighton Buzzard
Leighton Buzzard - Crick - Foxton - Market Harborough - Foxton - Crick - Braunston - Warwick - Braunston - Leighton Buzzard.
Sunk as a ship, sunk as a restaurant, cut in half; what else can happen to her?
A few pictures and some reminiscences of boating on the River Shannon and sailing on the Norfolk Broads
No pictures but some fascinating trip reports from the late 1940s
Milton Keynes - Braunston - Hawkesbury - Fradley - Sawley - Leicester - Market Harborough - Crick - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Crick - Braunston - Warwick - Lapworth - Birmingham - Fazeley - Hawkesbury - Braunston - Milton Keynes
Crick - Braunston - Hawkesbury - Fradley - Stoke-on-Trent - Middlewich - Hurleston - Llangollen - Montgomery - Nantwich - Autherley - Stourport - Worcester - Tardebigge - Gas Street - Lapworth - Warwick - Braunston - Crick
Crick - Braunston - Hawkesbury - Fazeley - Perry Barr - Curley Wyrley - Walsall - Stourbridge - Great Haywood - Fradley - Hawkesbury - Crick
Crick - Milton Keynes - Apsley - Regents Canal - Lee & Stort (Hertford & Bishops Stortford) - Limehouse - Brentford - Apsley - Milton Keynes - Crick
Crick - Braunston - Hawkesbury - Fradley - Great Haywood - Stoke-on-Trent - Middlewich - Chester - Nantwich - Autherley - Stourport - Worcester - Tardebigge - Gas Street - Lapworth - Warwick - Braunston - Crick
Crick - Foxton - Leicester - Nottingham - Newark - Nottingham - Fradley - Hawkesbury - Braunston- Crick
Crick - Foxton - Leicester - Sawley - Fradley - Hawkesbury - Braunston - Crick
Crick - Napton - Aynho - Oxford - Lechlade - Reading - Shepperton - River Wey (Guildford & Godalming) - Teddington - Brentford - Apsley - Aylesbury - Crick
Crick- Hawkesbury - Crick- Foxton - Crick - Calcutt - Crick
Crick - Braunston - Hawkesbury - Fazeley - Gas Street - Old Main Line - Wolverhampton - Autherley - Norbury - Autherley - Stourbridge - Merry Hill - Wednesbury Old Canal - Ridgeacre Branch - Tame Valley Canal - Perry Barr - Fazeley - Hawkesbury - Braunston - Crick
Milton Keynes - Apsley - Milton Keynes -Crick
Milton Keynes - Northampton - Peterborough - Northampton - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Braunston - Hawkesbury - Fazeley - Spaghetti Junction - Gas Street - Tardebigge - Worcester - Tewkesbury - Stratford - Lapworth - Warwick - Braunston - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Apsley - Aylesbury - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Watford - Foxton - Leicester - Nottingham - Newark - Torksey - Lincoln - Torksey - Stockwith - Worksop - Stockwith - Newark - Nottingham - Shardlow - Fradley - Hawkesbury - Braunston - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Braunston - Napton - Braunston - Hawkesbury - Shackerstone - Coventry - Braunston - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Apsley - Regents Canal - Limehouse - Teddington - Reading - Oxford - Lechlade - Oxford - Braunston - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Braunston - Hawkesbury - Fradley - Stoke-on-Trent - Middlewich - Hurleston - Llangollen - Nantwich - Autherley - Stourbridge - Windmill End - Gas Street - Lapworth - Warwick - Braunston - Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes - Braunston - Hawkesbury - Fradley - Stoke-on-Trent - Great Haywood - Autherley - Wolverhampton - Black Country Museum - Gas Street - Lapworth - Warwick - Braunston - Milton Keynes
Rugby - Braunston - Warwick - Lapworth - Tardebigge - Worcester - Tardebigge - Gas Street - Spaghetti Junction - Fazeley - Fradley - Sawley - Langley Mill - Leicester - Foxton - Crick - Braunston - Rugby
Leighton Buzzard - Braunston - Oxford - Reading - Teddington - Brentford - Tring - Leighton Buzzard
Braunston - Hawkesbury - Fazeley - Spaghetti Junction - Tame Valley - Pudding Green - Soho Loop - Icknield Port Loop - Ouzel Street Loop - Lapworth - Warwick - Braunston
Rugby - Braunston - Warwick - Knowle - Spaghetti Junction - Gas Street - Wolverhampton - Autherley - Barbridge - Middlewich - Kidsgrove - Marple - Whaley Bridge - Marple - Kidsgrove - Stoke-on-Trent - Fradley - Hawkesbury - Rugby
Rugby - Braunston - Crick - Foxton - Market Harborough - Leicester - Sawley - Fradley - Market Bosworth - Shackerstone - Hawkesbury - Coventry - Rugby
Rugby - Braunston - Warwick - Lapworth - Stratford - Tewkesbury - Stourport - Autherley - Great Haywood - Fradley - Hawkesbury - Rugby
Can't remember this one at all, I'll have to work it out from the photographs!
