TIME AND TIDE

When Shaun Wall decided to tackle a river challenge in a Springer, there was always time to plant his spriner in the mud and put the kettle on for a brew...

BOATERS BEWARE

Comprehensive research and a eye for detail may help you avoid the pitfalls when purchasing a boat but buyers will still face challenges, says liveaboard Emma

A MATTER OF TASTE

Warty skin covered in toxins keep toads alive...mostly

Winter Warmers

Cherries aren’t cheap...but Helen Tidy found a surprising way to beat the cold

Tackling A Tunnel

With cabin lights lit and torches at the ready, Emma headed into the darkness and was hugely relived to see daylight after a her noisy adventure in the dark

Here Be Dragons...

Victoria Holtam’s quest for the perfect portable food is never done. This month, she tries to combine a number of favourite snacks in to one crispy creation

Taking The Lead

In our second instalment on the benefits of modern battery technology, Andy Burns looks at the details of installing LiFePO4s on narrowboats

Cream Of The Crop

Young pigeons – squabs – thrive on their mothers’ milk to join the largest group of wild birds in Britain, observes Pip Webster

Old Canal, New Thinking...

As the Chesterfield Canal approaches its 250th birthday, there have been some interesting new ideas regarding overcoming the challenges of getting the last eight unnavigable miles reopened – involving tunnelling, building a boat lift and an ambitious opening date…

A Family Afloat

With room for eight, this is a big boat and with diesel-electric propulsion which provides the best of both worlds on the water

It's A Proper Job

The pursuit of perfection is the driving force behind Norton Canes Boatbuilders so the latest creation was bound for tick all the boxes for its new owners

Techno Prisoners

Patience, perseverance (and tiresome trips to Currys) got silver surfer Judie Surridge connected

Deck The Decks

With space on board at a premium, festive frills are trimmed down

Me & My Boats - Network TV

Continuous cruiser Robbie Cumming and his boat Naughty Lass are the stars of a new series which captures the varied life of a liveaboard on our waterways

Waterside Wildlife - Nature's Calling

With a flick of the head, snails are cracked open against a stone anvil...useful when the ground is too hard to find eathworms

Call Of The Clan

After plenty of planning, it was time for a journey back to Emma’s roots across the border and a family wedding in Scotland was a bonus

Rain And Shine

With the holidays over, it’s back to the books for Emma and as her classroom on the cut experiences every type of weather

Staying Afloat

They’re diversifying down and the farm and the result is a successful marina and narrowboats for sale with a third currently in progress

Leeds & Liverpool Canal The Yorkshire Side

In the first part of a two-part feature on the longest of Britain’s three trans-Pennine canals, we follow the eastern length as it climbs through impressive staircase locks past mill towns and moorland scenery to the summit

The Walled City

Revelling in a day of Roman history, Daniel Parry moored in the basin at Chester and struck out to indulge his passion for all things from the past

Get Your Feet Wet

When boat life takes its toll on your skin, it’s time for some pampering, says Helen Tidy

Boating Groups Have Their Say

As the Canal & River Trust’s boat licensing review gets underway in a series of discussions with national boating groups, we asked for their thoughts on the way forward

Loud Cuckooland

You can blame the male bird for that haunting chant, explains Pip Webster

Silence Is Golden

Solar power was the only option for liveaboard couple striving for complete sustainability.

Powering To The Future

If we said the batteries on this Braidbar cost £15k (and that’s just for three) you’d probably think it’s a misprint, but it isn’t and there’s a good reason why so much has been spent on them.

Fit To Travel?

With all the physical demands of narrowboat life, David Johns should be like an athlete but there’s the call of canalside cafés.

Dam The Water...

With lowish levels being a concern this year on some canals the reservoirs have come under scrutiny – but it’s not just too little water the engineers worry about.

Peak Forest And Ashton Canals

One end is in rural Derbyshire, the other in the heart of Manchester, but both canals form a vital link in the Cheshire Ring – and some attractive cruising, too.

Testing The Waters

Thinking about taking your boat to France? It’s worthwhile exploring its waterways and lifestyle first – and a trip makes a great break.

Putting Plans Into Practice...

There are some impressive plans for restoring the Derby Canal – including a remarkable boat lift – but the Canal Trust now believes it’s on the point of turning them into physical progress.