TIME TO EXPERIENCE A NARROW BOAT IN SCOTLAND:
It all started on a Hurtigruten Sailing to Svalbard from Bergen about year ago. A mutual friend introduced us to a couple who were on this Hurtigruten sailing with us. We arranged to share a dining table with them. Great folks and we had a very nice time together. Over our many great dinner conversations they mentioned they had hired a narrow boat and sailed some of the canals in the UK. We were very intrigued and did some research when we got home, the result is this up coming trip. I have not mentioned their names on purpose so as to protect the innocent. I do believe they are headed on another narrow boat trip in the future.
With the help of our newly made friends and research we decided hiring a narrow boat from Black Prince Holidays (https://www.black-prince.com/). Black Prince Holidays is award winning and the reviews are stellar.
They have several bases from which one can hire a narrowboat to sail the canals of the UK. We chose Falkirk Base in Scotland for our narrowboat hire. One reason was to experience the Falkirk Wheel, another reason was the canals out of the Falkirk Base (Union Canal and the Forth & Clyde Canal) have few locks and the ones that are there are manned for you. This is also a suggested as a good place for those new to narrow boating.
We have hired a Princess 2 Signature boat for our first sailing. The length is 47’ which I feel will be advantageous to become familiar with handling.
Edward of Woodstock became known as the ‘Black Prince’ as he lived a legendary life.
Following is from the Black Prince Holidays website:
“Born in Oxfordshire in 1330, Edward grew up as the quintessential medieval prince. The son of Kind Edward III, he was schooled in the duties of both a soldier and a knight from early childhood. He was instructed in the codes of chivalry and was an avid jouster and at just sixteen years old he won ‘his spurs’ (his knighthood) after leading his first successful battle at Crécy in northeast France in 1346.
He is most famous for his victories against the French in the Hundred Years War, winning back towns and cities including a famous battle at Poitiers where he took the French King prisoner. Further honour was bestowed upon him when he was awarded the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest European order of chivalry, and the third most prestigious honour after the George and Victoria Cross in England.
Edward died aged just 45 in 1376, just one year before his father so never ascended to the throne. He was buried in Canterbury Cathedral, where his surcoat, helmet, shield, and gauntlets are still preserved.
The nickname of the Black Prince is thought to derive from his coat of arms, consisting of three ostrich feathers on a black background which would have been visible at his jousting matches and on the battlefield. It’s thought that he also had a black shield and possibly black armour (although some think that it is more likely that the bronze armour of his effigy in Canterbury Cathedral turned black over time!).
The legend of the Black Prince is documented through history, mentioned in the works of Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and also showcased in films such as ‘A Knight’s Tale’.”
Now I want to return to Canterbury.
In the 1920’s the canals were a main lifeline for the transport of cargo and coal across the UK. Then the narrow boats were pulled along by horses and were essential and popular until the rail system made them impractical. Many of the canals fell into a state of disrepair until roughly the 1960’s. Since then the canals have been restored and there is a thriving business of holiday goers hiring narrow boats for a disconnected holiday.
What is a narrow boat you may ask? She comes fully equipped with a galley, bedroom and a full bath with shower. There is a black water holding tank and grey water is discharged into the canals. Best to think of a RV on the water.
She is controlled by a tiller on the aft deck and propelled by a diesel engine. The speed limit on the canals is 4 MPH.
Along the canals there are visitor moorings where one can moor for usually 48 hours. There is a set of mooring pins (stakes) that can be used to moor along the canal.
We had originally hired the boat for 10 days and then decided two weeks would be better so as not to be rushed.
Our plan (subject to change) is to start in Falkirk and travel East to Edinburgh on the Union Canal. Then back track to Falkirk and take the Forth & Clyde Canal to Glasgow and return to Falkirk.
Yes our plan has changed due to low water in the Forth & Clyde we will not make it to Glasgow.
The locks along this route are manned by volunteers from the Scottish Canal. This will make the few locks we need to navigate easy.
I have handled many different small craft and am aware this will be different but hope to pick it up quickly and not fall victim to the gonggoozlers. A gongoozler is a person who watches narrow boaters to see the struggle.
We will be doing a good bit of our own meal preparation and will make a pub stop or two or three for evening meals.
Our plan is to just go with the flow. We are expecting the weather to be cold and wet. We will be stopping at some interesting sites along the way, so stay tuned.
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