In March, we set off for what was supposed to be a seven week cruise – aiming to take in some of the northern waterways which are out of reach in shorter trips. Plans were a bit fluid because some routes had been affected by flood damage, and others had winter works which hadn’t been finished on time. But we were aiming for Liverpool, and would also either visit Skipton or tackle the Standedge Tunnel.
When we set off, the Coronavirus was something which was badly affecting other countries, but had barely begun in the UK. How quickly everything changed.
Saturday 14 March
This was day eight of our trip, and while there had been some panic buying reported from supermarkets, with loo roll and pasta becoming like hen’s teeth, the world was still relatively normal. We climbed the five locks in the flight at Stoke-on-Trent, and moored outside Middleport Pottery, where the steam engine was running, sending clouds of steam up the outside of the building. We queued up for our tickets without anyone thinking about how far away they were from the person in front, we wandered around the pottery’s shops, and had lunch at the café. The only signs that anything was different were very visible cleaners around the site, and people being careful what they touched. We moored for the night at Westport lake.
Sunday 15 March
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HIGH AND MIGHTY
Acorns make the perfect store food for jaysâ larders
TAKING THE PLUNGE
Why Chris and Sarah Atkin will never forget tying the knot
LABELLED WITH LOVE
Helen Tidy enjoyed one weekend moored next to The Beer Boat ... simply the perfect solution to collecting bottle tops for her next project
MIDDLE THAMES
In the second part of our guide, we follow the Thames upstream from Reading through the steep sided Goring Gap and quieter countryide to reach Oxford
THE GOOD OLD DAYS
Robert Davies recalls childhood memories of a popular holiday destination and uncovers a reminder of the golden age of canals
FIT FOR PURPOSE
Terry Hibbard from Harworth Heating offers his expert opinion following our feature on onboard stove safety
BUCKING UP...
We join Waterway Recovery Groupâs first canal restoration working party in six months - as WRGâs volunteers help the Buckingham Canal Society get the project back on track after lockdown
ART ON THE WATER
Graphic artist Katie Ruby lives and works on 32ft narrowboat Poppy
GO WITH THE FLOW
What makes a boat truly stand out from the crowd? Sometimes you just need a little finesse and a taste for adventure
A GLASS HALF-FULL AT BUCKBY WHARF
Tim Coghlan raised a glass on the Grand Union Canal as The New Inn reopened to the relief of regulars