Relaxation's the key on our glorious canals

This scenic Northamptonshire village, as well as being a busy canal junction and marina, boasts a number of decent spots for a pint and a bite, including a chippy, if you fancy it.

- BY PHIL SMITH

We ate at The Boat House, a large Marston's chain pub, which did us proud, starving as we were after a trip down the motorway and a few hours crewing a boat.

Bright and early next morning we headed north along the Oxford Canal, fuelled by bacon and sausage sandwiches as we chugged gently along the cut. The youngster, Tom, just short of 10, was now tall enough to see where he was going when steering, so he had a go and took to it very well, although he still had to be supervised as his concentration sometimes wandered, and with it the boat.

The reluctant crew member then had a go, and surprised herself and us by quickly getting into the swing of it.

So much so that in pretty short order she declared a canal trip to be the holiday she'd been looking for.

For someone bored on the beach, say, this was ideal - something to keep the brain and body occupied but not too taxing. Relaxation that kept the noggin busy enough to stop it thinking about work, for example. Job done!