Narrowboat Travels in Springtime England

Everything about this vacation week exceeded our expectations. After hearing for years that England was cold and foggy, we encountered the grandest springtime weather imaginable. Every day was beautiful. Along the canals we found wild flowers in bloom everywhere, and each species of waterfowl had brand-new babies to show off.

We met many people who owned their own canal boats, some for holiday use and some for daily living. All were friendly and eager to lend a couple of tourists a helping hand when we needed it. Whenever possible, we shared access to the locks and shared the work involved in transferring our boats from one level to another.

During the day, we cruised the canals at 2 to 3 mph, stopping occasionally to explore a village or eat at a pub in a marina along our way. We took lots of pictures of the countryside we passed, some of which we imagined unchanged for hundreds of years, while some was as modern as tomorrow.

When we were planning this vacation, we worried about our ability to handle the boat and the locks. We found that with a little practice, we were soon feeling like we had done it all our lives. We cooked onboard and found it no more difficult than cooking at home. We were even able to prepare meals while underway. The boats are so well equipped, all you need to bring is your food and your camera. They’ve thought of everything else.

The first night, feeling a little insecure, we moored in a small town area next to other boaters. By the second night, we felt quite comfortable tying down along the banks of the canal wherever we were when dusk arrived. Since all traffic on the canals ceases at twilight, we slept peacefully through the night.

We spent 5 days and nights on the canals and returned to the marina for the last 2 days and nights so we could spend time with two email friends who live in Manchester and who had come to Nottingham for a day to meet us in person and show us around. We visited Nottingham Castle and ate at Ye Olde Inn to Jerusalem, which claims to be the oldest pub in England.

We had a wonderful vacation experience and would encourage everyone to try this once. With the exception of knocking a stool overboard and having to recover it, everything went perfectly.

Quick Tips:

The best information we found to prepare us for this vacation was on Canaltime’s own website at www.canaltime.com. Take time to read as much of the information there as possible. They have done a very good job of preparing guests for a unique vacation. They even provide a link to the British Waterways’ site at http://www.britishwaterways.co.uk/ .

As the custodian of Britain’s canals, they provide all sorts of material, from history to environmental policy. Their maps will give you an insight into the routes available from Nottingham Castle Marina. Just don’t plan on traveling any great distances in a week. At 2 to 3 mph, you won’t get far, especially with such beautiful and interesting scenery along the way. Remember that you will be operating the locks along the waterway yourselves. They do slow you down, but it makes for a much more interesting travel experience than you normally would have. You will have to put up a refundable security deposit and will be charged for diesel fuel when you first check in. Don't forget to bring a pair of work gloves that fit.

Best Way To Get Around:

To get to Nottingham Castle Marina from the United States, fly to London, England, and arrive at Heathrow or Gatwick Airport. From either, you can take a train into London and then take the underground railway. Every station has maps posted, and the railway people are very helpful. You want to get to St. Pancreas Station, where you board the train to Nottingham.

When you get to Nottingham, you have a choice. You can grab a cab (recommended) for a 5-minute ride to Nottingham Castle Marina, or you can walk along the canal for about 30 to 40 minutes with your luggage, as we mistakenly did. Once at the marina, you won’t need wheels of any kind for about a week, as you will be aboard your floating home, a 45-foot long canal boat. During the week, you will pass through small villages where you can moor and walk around if you like (recommended). At a speed of 2 to 3 mph, Nottingham is the largest city you’re likely to encounter in a week’s travel on the Trent-Mercy Canal. If you return to Nottingham to have a look around, as we did (highly recommended), there are many wonderful sights within easy walking distance of the marina.

My wife and I were the only two people aboard the boat for our week of vacation. We became the crew. Our narrowboat, the Maid Marion, was 45 feet long and 6 feet wide. The inside was built like a modern-day camper. In the front of the boat we had a fixed double berth with a small dressing table, a small corner wardrobe, and a small amount of storage space under the foot of the bed. Moving to the rear, the next area had a private bath with a sink, a toilet, and a very small tub with a shower. Alongside the bath was a narrow passageway connecting the front bedroom with the kitchen/galley in the middle of the boat. The kitchen was well equipped with a refrigerator, a stove with four burners and an oven, a microwave, and a sink. All the necessary dishes, pots, pans, and cutlery were there. To the rear of the kitchen was the dining area, which could comfortably seat four adults for a meal. With the table removed and attached to the wall, the dining area can become a double berth.

I believe the quarters are a little small for four adults but large enough for two adults and two smaller children. It was ideal for two adults. The boat comes with a television, radio, and CD player. Reception varies by location, so you may want to bring along a book or some cards, games, etc.

Before starting out, a staff person at the marina demonstrates how to handle the boat and how everything works. They even have a video you are required to view before navigating on the canal. The boat has a diesel motor and comes with a full fuel tank that holds more than enough fuel for a week's cruising. We stopped once during the week to add more fresh water. The boats are kept in excellent condition, and everything worked perfectly for us.

Over the years, we have made friends with people we have met during our travels and kept in touch by email since then. It is rarer that we make friends via e-mail and later get a chance to actually meet them in person in their native country. Part of our excitement in visiting England was caused by our having the opportunity to do just that. We told our friends we were going to visit England and would call them when we were there. When we called their home in Manchester, they suggested that they drive to Nottingham two days later, pick us up at the Marina, and see the local sights with us. They arrived punctually at noon after an eighty-one mile journey from Manchester.

Number one on our list was the legendary Nottingham Castle, but our hunger dictated a change in plans. Discovering we had yet to experience British pub food, they led us to Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, the oldest inn in England, established in 1189 AD. The menu was very extensive and moderately priced. We chose fish and chips, British bangers, and mashies and peas. The food was good, but lest we forget, it is a pub, after all. There were over 100 ales to choose from, but they look at you a little funny when you ask if you can have it cold. For those of you with children, or a disliking for alcohol, they offer all the popular soft drinks and milk, ice tea, hot tea and coffee. The food was better than we expected, and the locals made us feel very welcome.

Over the years, the Inn, which is cut into the hillside below the castle, has added more rooms until it now has three levels and an outside patio. One of the rooms is devoted to an ongoing dart tournament where enthusiastic fans noisily support their favorite players. We took our time eating and visiting with our friends before heading out to see the Castle and the rest of Nottingham. If you visit Nottingham, have lunch here and see the castle above.

When we passed by this small museum the first time, it wasn't open. On our way back to Nottingham Castle Marina, we had better luck. The lady who takes care of the museum said she was bored at home, so she came down to open the museum for a couple hours. Housed in a small warehouse, we found examples of clothing, tools, lacework, dishes, and photos of what life was like 100 years ago, when many made their living by hauling goods on the canals. Families would live on their narrow boats year-round. Only a small part of the boat would be dedicated to living space, since most of the space had to be used for cargo.

We had a very pleasant time visiting with the museum caretaker, who had a wealth of knowledge and was anxious to share it with anyone who took the time to stop. We were glad we had. There was no charge, but they recommend a £2 donation. It was well worth it.

Having only seen Hollywood’s version of Nottingham Castle, we were surprised and temporarily a little disappointed to instead find the first Duke of Newcastle’s Ducal Palace sitting atop Castle Rock. It seems that the first castle on the site was a wooden structure built by William the Conqueror in 1067. Then, in 1170, Henry II rebuilt the castle in stone, making it the principal royal fortress in the area of England known as the Midlands. In 1194, during Robin Hood’s time, Richard The Lionhearted recaptured the castle from his brother John. Castle Rock has man-made caves and tunnels dating back to medieval times that can be toured, along with King David of Scotland’s dungeon and the old wine cellar. The steep steps are difficult, if not impossible, for the ambulatory impaired. Beneath the castle is a tunnel referred to as Mortimer’s hole, because in 1330, it was used by supporters of Edward III to enter the castle and capture Roger Mortimer, lover of Queen Isabella, who was the wife of Edward II and mother of Edward III. Mortimer was executed, by hanging, for the murder of Edward II. In 1485, King Richard III, the current occupier of the castle, was killed in battle by Henry Tudor who became King Henry VII. Nottingham Castle was sold by King James I to the Earl of Rutland in 1622. King Charles I began England’s Civil War in 1642, when he raised his standard outside the castle walls. The Nottingham Castle was destroyed by Colonel Hutchinson in 1651 and was never rebuilt. In 1663, the land was bought by William Cavendish, First Duke of Newcastle, who began construction of a prospect house, which was completed after his death by his son, in 1678. The Ducal Palace was looted and internally gutted by arsonists, in 1831, in protest to the then Duke of Newcastle’s opposition to parliamentary reform. The Duke left the building unrepaired for 45 years as a rebuke to the people of Nottingham. Architect Thomas Chambers Hine was appointed in 1875 to adapt the prospect house into a building suitable for use a museum and art gallery. Finally, in 1878, the Prince of Wales and the people of Nottingham celebrated the opening of the first municipal museum and art gallery outside of London.

Today the Castle houses Nottingham’s Decorative Art and Fine Art collections, the "Story of Nottingham" galleries, the Sherwood Foresters Regimental Museum and exhibits from local artists and internationally-renowned artists. During the year, the grounds are used to host the Shakespeare Festival, the Robin Hood Pageant, and other historical re-enactments. The café on the ground floor is open from 10am until 4pm and offers access to the East terrace with its’ panoramic views of Nottingham. Castle tours are free weekdays from 10am-5pm in the summer and from 10am-4pm in the winter. On weekends and bank holidays, the cost to tour is adults Ł2, children Ł1, and families Ł5.