Following on from Part 1 of this blog, our experiences did not deter us from using the canals despite all that happened. Therefore, the following spring, we began to look for another boat. After seeing quite a number of boats ,at various brokers and boatyards we opted for a 60ft boat called ‘Take Five’. In the end we bought it directly from a consultant at the JR hospital in Oxford where it was based on the southern Oxford Canal. We were very fortunate to find a new mooring at Lower Heyford, where David Dare ran his hire fleet from at that time. He and his staff we always very helpful and saw us through a number of ‘interesting’ maintenance issues – including a bad bout of diesel bug.

‘Take Five’

Our boat ‘Take Five’ enabled us, with gradually extending time opportunities, to explore the greater part of the network. This included from Tewitfield on the Lancaster, to Godalming and the Wey Navigation, from Crickheath on the Montgomery to Barford on the River Great Ouse. We eventually made it to the Rochdale and Huddersfield canals on several trips.

After nearly a decade with ‘Take Five’ we decided to treat ourselves to a new build boat and further adventures, nominally to celebrate our Golden anniversary. We called her ‘Alchemy’ – but that’s another story! The hull came from Tyler Wilson and the fitting-out was done by Stem to Stern in Stafford. Alas, another good name from the canal past no longer trading. The boat was finally handed over to us at the start of April 2017.

‘Alchemy’

We still have Alchemy and have again covered most of the system with her. Generally, it was over-wintered at Droitwich Spa Marina, which has served us very well. However, it was slightly to our surprise that this was about the nearest to us from Cornwall. Still typically three and a half hours drive!

A good choice of starts and finishes to each of our seasons was because there are three main routes from Droitwich to the rest of the network. These included the Worcester and Birmingham, up the Severn to Stourport or downstream to the Lower Avon or the Gloucester and Sharpness.

There were several years of having the River Severn in flood at the start of the boating season. This forced us to use the Worcs and Birmingham with the long stretch of locks at Tardebigge (at least 29 have to be done in one day). We began to look for an alternative long-term mooring and so we moved last year (2024) to Cropredy Marina, just north of Oxford. Thankfully, this was just in time as Tardebigge Top Lock currently has a very long closure pending a major rebuild of the lock walls.

Boating is a great leveler

For us, part of the attraction of spending a lot of time on a canal boat is the context. You have to be very aware of so many things that normally, for bricks and mortar folk, are taken for granted. This includes shopping, water, gas, electricity, sewage, rubbish disposal and so on.

We found out that using the waterways is a great leveller. Whether you have a very expensive wide-beam or a sparsely fitted tiny cruiser (affectionately named a ‘yoghurt pot’,) we all have to share the same water and the same locks.

I cannot recall any time when someone tried to pull rank (or fortune) to gain advantage on the canals. Of course, boaters are like all society, diverse, sometimes awkward but generally noticeably more friendly and interactive than in urban estates. There is no end of fascinating life histories to be listened to, perhaps interspersed or interrupted by locks, swing bridges or a prop full of plastic bags!

In 2021, during Covid, we felt that we wanted to be more ‘up country’. Cornwall, for all its attractions, is still a long way. We knew that frequent four or five hour car drives would soon be not sensible for us. In addition, almost all of the things in which we were both separately involved (yet another story!) were coming to a natural end at the same time. This led to us deciding to make a move whilst we could still cope with the physical requirements of moving, especially into a new property. That brought us to just a few metres from the Kennet and Avon on the edge of Devizes.

On to Chaplaincy

Early in 2022, we were walking the nearby towpath and I talked with a number of boaters moored there. We had known of the Waterways Chaplains for some years and Christine suggested that I might give it a go and so I contacted Sarah Hayes, at the time the Lead Chaplain for the South, and proceeded to do the training and probationary period.

So here we are. We still use our boat in the spring, summer and autumn whenever we can. This is despite there being various constraints (such as a growing number of medical appointments!). Our boating log book shows that our annual lock-mileage has slowly declined (as perhaps have we!). I walk the local towpath between Pewsey Wharf and Semington Bridge two mornings a week generally, almost whatever the weather. Last winter I did have to cry off once when I arrived at my planned start point and the only lay-by was under water!

Sharing Stories

I meet an endless supply of folk on my adventures who are keen to tell me their life stories. Contrary to my expectations, I find greater numbers of liveaboard boaters are content with the lifestyle, even happy with it despite the difficulties that the lifestyle presents.

As a chaplain, perhaps the most significant presenting issue is that of either outright loneliness or simply a recognition that they miss human interaction. If Chaplains do nothing else but address these needs then, in my limited experience, the time is well spent. The boaters may or may not get much out of it but I certainly do!

At the time of writing, the morning was a bright, sunny and unseasonably warm. I walked with Pip, my Hub Senior Chaplain on the Kennet and Avon Canal, who was determined to find out what I was up to, from Sells Green to the top lock at Seend. This is a stretch popular with long term liveaboard boaters and almost all of the 28 boats we passed were in this category. We talked to single boaters, families with small children, leisure cruisers and those who had hired from a nearby boatyard.

One conversation was with a lone angler which led to being told on the way back that he was delighted that his wife had joined him with refreshments! One or two walkers were out, but they were a bit sparser than I expected but also some cyclists safely passing us on one of the better stretches of towpath on the K&A.

Mud, glorious mud

Walking the towpath in summer and winter is very different. Obviously, the temperature impacts the willingness of folk to chat in the open air but then most people are here because they don’t mind that. What I do find most significant is the mud.

The section between Devzies and Pewsey is especially difficult. It has not been improved for the cyclists and for most of the winter is extremely muddy, slippery and uneven. Adding to this – the more boaters, the greater the mud! Many of those who like to comment on the canals seem to have a very ‘summer’ point of view. The impact on liveaboards to arrive home, or to set off in the morning, knowing that boots will be heavily caked and that trousers will need a good wash can only be understood by living the experience.(Ask me about Jack Monk to hear an extreme example).

However much you enjoy either the liveaboard life, walking or leisure cruising on the canals, it is best appreciated with a good sense of humour and an acceptance that the basic things in life should never be taken for granted. The opportunity to listen – to people, birds, traffic, weather, water – is pretty much the top of my list.

And that, too, is chaplaincy!