What a fantastic programme. The series have just got better and better as they chart the progress through failing old age of two very likeable people. It's touching, it's emotional, and it's a model or how to progress through your later years. And I am a sentimental old bugger.
When I was on strike in 1984/5 I took to entering competitions as a pastime ( free to enter ones ) & I entered one in the Sheffield Telegraph , which resulted in me winning a week on a narrow boat. I took the holiday after the strike & we started on the Grand Union canal at Nantwich . I did not know what to expect & we had two young kids but it turned out to be brilliant & the kids loved it. The main thing is, if I had not have won the holiday I would never have tried this kind of holiday & would have missed out on a very enjoyable experience
Mate, he is just as bad when he is sober ! We have met them on our travels on our boat and they are a fantastic couple , also their sons are great too. We live on our boat and it really is a great way to live your life.
We love the programme, never miss an episode. Fantastic couple, both really accomplished actors in their own spheres, no one will forget Pru as Sybil. It's brilliant, we've loved watching every episode, amazing how much wine Pru gets through ! Sad to see her deteriorating Dementia but they're living life to the full in the time they have left and good luck to them for many more years. Long may they live to canal boat together !
MadMark have you ever been on the Chesterfield canal from Shireoaks to Kiveton? Umpteen locks to navigate through woods and countryside, a very scenic stretch.
Each series has you thinking "well, surely that must be their last one" but they keep coming back to do another one. I've seen them all and you can't fault them. I know it's probably got limited television appeal, especially with the cooking/dancing/jungle trash that fills the schedules, but it's a brilliant production. PS Having mentioned cooking there is one good exception - Rick Stein. His cooking travelogues are superb.
Never miss any of those either. He's excellent at what he does but oh my, he was a complete unmitigated disaster on Saturday Kitchen where it's live TV. He was floundering like a landed fish and had to be supported through. It was a cringe worthy performance. But his Travelogues are superb.
When I was 40, I decided to walk the Pennine Way, whilst I still could. Part of the route uses the Leeds - Liverpool Canal. I was amazed to find that I was no longer the slowest traveller on the route and I could not think why anyone would be satisfied with progressing at a pace slower than walking pace. I also used part of the Rochdale Canal, although that is not on the proscribed route. I quite enjoy walking canals. It takes all the worry out of navigation and I have walked literally hundreds of miles upon them in my ramblings around the UK.
I don't think the speed would be an issue if the canal is going through beautiful countryside. Somewhere flat and featureless at 4mph must be a bit boring after a while, but I suppose canal boaters would say that doesn't matter to them because, in the words of The Family Dogg, "It's just a way of life...." I tried it once, taking out a hire boat from Upper Heyford in Oxfordshire. It was a very pleasant day's boating going one way, through a few locks, and then turning around and coming back. That was a few years ago, and never tried it since but I should.
No mate, we never got that far on the canal. We bought our first narrowboat from West Stockwith (at the Trent end of the Chesterfield Canal) but although we did travel a little way up the canal we never went very far. We have been saying for a couple of years now that we should go back and do the whole of the canal, maybe next year.
