Two relatively short, relatively low-profile canals, linking the majestic Pennine waterways with the much-boated cruising rings of the midlands. Both flirt decorously with the Peak District, with stone walls, handsome trees, and grand green hills overlooking the canal. Both have…
Monthly Archives: August 2013
Guest post: David Walker
Press release from Further Education Lectures (University of Cambridge Canals’ Association) No. 35. Anal Retention in the Canal Dimension The world of cod psychology was shaken to its foundations recently with the emergence of a new phobia – fear of…
Posted in Guest Posts, Life Aboard
Boat cuisine – red braised pork
Our little gas cooker is lovely, but the heat never gets high enough to cook a really satisfying stir fry. So I put my wok and my copy of Fuschia Dunlop away with deep regret. And then yesterday I realised…
Posted in Boat Cuisine
Boat cuisine – A tale of two tarts
Once upon a time, about two years ago on a normal Monday night, I decided to make Nigel Slater’s chicken with cream and tarragon. A superb dish. This requires chicken, cream and tarragon. The first two ingredients were easily procured;…
Posted in Boat Cuisine
Council of war
Felucca set off from Yelvertoft in April. She headed north then west, over the top of Birmingham and down to Worcester. That wasn’t the end, nor the beginning of the end, but perhaps the end of the beginning. We sailed…
Wonders: our journey so far
The really keen followers of this blog (hi mum!) will have noticed that we have managed to visit six out of the seven wonders of the inland waterways on Felucca since April. We didn’t really set out to do a…
Posted in Wonders of the waterways
Wonder #6 – Standedge Tunnel
Waterways pioneer Robert Aickman nominated the tunnel as one of his seven wonders, but in my opinion he really should have given the prize to the whole Huddersfield Narrow Canal. It’s an engineering marvel, and beautiful too. The tunnel is…
Posted in Wonders of the waterways
An A-Z of the waterways
The language of the cut can be a minefield, littered with jargon, in joke, traditional terminology and neologism a-plenty. I’m sure there are many worthy tomes that can teach you to ditch port and starboard in favour of on-side and…
Guest post – Sophie
[Ed’s note: written over a week ago, half-way through her stay with us, but only posted now because of a perfect storm of poor internet reception and sloth. Sorry Sophie!] I am two-thirds of the way through my week aboard…
Posted in Flora and fauna, Guest Posts
Sex and the Pennines
Once upon a time, a big, beautiful, bright red boat named Felucca came to the Pennines. In typical fashion, she hooked up with the Leeds and Liverpool, falling hard for its expansive scenery, its charmingly wide locks, its hot pork…
Posted in Cruising log, Wonders of the waterways
 | Richie jones on The Severn Estuary |
 | Frances on What’s in a name |
 | Peter Beatty on The Severn Estuary |
 | Sue Jones on I guess you’re wondering… |
| I guess you’re… on Canal boat maintenance for beg… |
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