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Canals and Capers
@canalsandcapers · 4.39K subscribers
Hello, we're Andy & Eric and we're from Chester in the United Kingdom. A few years ago we fell in love with the UK's canal network. Following years of hiring, last year we had a crazy idea and decided that after Andy's retirement in January 2026, we would start the search for our very own narrowboat to call home, sell up our house and move onto the canals to live. This is our story. From holiday boat, to searching…— in their own words
17ports charted
165nm on the chart
32episodes
The vessel Ripple · Narrowboat
Logbook 32
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A privilege to carry a very special narrowboat cargo. Gailey to Penkridge.
Penkridge Staffordshire, United Kingdom
This week we head from Gailey to Penkridge, but not before we take possession of a very special cargo that will remain onboard with us for a few days....and we were so honoured to be asked to be custodians of this.
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Blooming marvellous: We're stuck again on Narrowboat Ripple
Gailey Staffordshire, United Kingdom
After a tree scuppering our progress last week, this week it's the turn of a broken lock gate. I think we just need to embrace this as part of boat life.
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Narrowboat Ripple is stopped in her track....and we are grumpy!
We always said that we would vlog the good and the not so good of our new boat life. This week we head from our little mooring paradise to Coven via Autherley.
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Narrowboat decisions: To moor or not to moor!
Brewood Staffordshire, United Kingdom
This week we head to Brewood (pronounced Brood - no idea why!) The question of narrowboat flowers raises its head again - and a moored narrowboat covered in flowers gives Eric some inspiration and Andy a reason to roll his eyes!
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Narrowboating tales | A plane crash, a bomb, and some shocking DIY.
Wheaton Aston Staffordshire, United Kingdom
Join us this week as we leave Gnosall and head towards Wheaton Aston.
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Narrowboat pubs, poles and hairy men! | Shebdon, Norbury Wharf, and Gnosall.
Gnosall Staffordshire, United Kingdom
This week we find our way to the Anchor inn, a proper boaters' pub which is like the land that time forgot. It really is a tiny bar with a big history. We pass through Grub Street cutting and the infamous (or is that famous?
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Home alone on Narrowboat Ripple: Will Eric survive the weekend? What will he get up to?
Shebdon Staffordshire, United Kingdom
With Andy away for the weekend, Eric is left to fend for himself on Ripple for the first time. With a plea not to sink her or blow her up, how did he do? Was it the peace and quiet he thought it would be?
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We have to move our narrowboat | Cruising through Woodseaves cutting
Tyrley Locks Shropshire, United Kingdom
We can't stay here for ever - we have loved Market Drayton but our water tank is very nearly empty so we have to go in search of a top up.
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Boat Tour: Inside our narrowboat home | Welcome onboard Narrowboat Ripple.
After months of requests, here it is. The tour of our narrowboat home. Just how have we been been able to fit our lives inside a 57' foot log tube of steel?
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Ghost caught on camera? And a huge Narrowboat upgrade for Ripple.
Market Drayton Shropshire, United Kingdom
It's a spooky one this week. Join us for a twilight exploration of what is reputedly one of the most haunted spots on the UK canal network - Betton Cutting.
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Narrowboating the Audlem Lock Flight and moorings we can't... well.....moor at!
Adderley United Kingdom
We can't put them off any longer, we need to clear 18 locks today from Audlem to the top of the Adderley flight.
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It happened! Our Narrowboat sunset dream was finally realised. We're free!
Hack Green Cheshire, United Kingdom
Join us this week a we enter yet another heatwave that the UK's crazy weather is throwing at us right now.
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Our Narrowboat life Q&A
You'll need the kettle on and a biscuit or two for this one! We were inundated with questions so even after whittling them down we just about crammed them in to an hour.
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Narrowboating to what is officially the nicest village in the UK!
We off again on the Bridgewater canal. Today we're heading to the village of Lymm, officially (according to The Times) the nicest place to live in the UK.
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The Bridgewater canal on Narrowboat Ripple...but don't mention the breach!
Dutton Lock Cheshire, United Kingdom
We're leaving Canal and River Trust waters this week and heading onto the beautiful Bridgewater canal.
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Bramble Cuttings: The Perfect mooring on our narrowboat home?
Bramble Cuttings Cheshire, United Kingdom
An early start this week to get us through Middlewich before the winds get up. We're heading for Bramble Cuttings - we think it's one of the best moorings out there.....what do you think? And why is Big Lock so big?
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Narrowboating through the salt of the earth | Swan attack, tiny canals and amazing women.
Venetian Marina Cheshire, United Kingdom
We all need salt - on our chips, on our roads, and in our blood! And thanks to the mid-Cheshire salt mines, we have a bountiful supply - but not without a huge impact on the local area.
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"I'm not doing that" Narrowboating the Bunbury shuffle
Venetian Marina Cheshire, United Kingdom
This week we head off from the delightful mooring at Beeston, heading for Venetian marina.
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Our very first cruise on Narrowboat Ripple. Will our dogs freak out? Narrowboat life starts now!
Shropshire Union Canal United Kingdom
The day has come. It's finally time for us to leave the safety of the marina and head out in to the big wide world!
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First weeks onboard our Narrowboat: Marina life. Are we tempted to stay?
Tattenhall Marina Cheshire, United Kingdom
It's the first few weeks of our new life afloat.
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We bought a narrowboat! Our new narrowboat life onboard Ripple
It's finally happened! After years of planning and dreaming, we finally buy our narrowboat home.
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Bonus Vlog: Can Andy land an Airliner?!
Something a little bit different today. Andy was bought a Flight simulator experience for his last birthday. It was to take controls of an Airbus A320 at the Manchester Flight Sim centre. Could he do it?
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Narrowboat nightmare: Lock collision puts our survey in jeopardy.
We were all excited as the day approached for Narrowboat Ripple to have her pre-purchase survey - but disaster strikes - watch to find out what happened.....
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Have we found our narrowboat home?
After 5 years years of dreaming and planning we finally start our search for our narrowboat home. Come with us as we traipse around marinas and brokerages, viewing the good, the bad and the ugly of what was on offer.
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Narrowboat day hire: Bendy tunnels, breaches, and Pot Noodle....
Barnton Cheshire, United Kingdom
Hopefully this week we prove that not all day boat hires are terrible! They get such a bad press we know, sometimes justified, but often not.
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Narrowboat Rage is real: Our top tips for hiring a narrowboat and how to avoid it!
In what could be our cheesiest video yet, Andy goes very Alan Partridge with a vlog outlining some top tips on narrowboat hire - what to do, what not to do; how to choose a route; what to take; what sort of boat to go for; where …
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What do we think of the Staffs and Worcester canal? The last day of our last ever narrowboat holiday
Stafford and Worcester Canal United Kingdom
We've been hiring narrowboats for quite a few years now, but this trip is our last ever narrowboat holiday. Have we had enough of hiring?
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Jammed lock gate on our narrowboat travels
Ashwood Marina Staffordshire, United Kingdom
This week we leave the lovely village of Kinver and head north. After encountering a bit of drama with a jammed lock gate we moor near Ashwood marina with the full intention of viewing a boat that we'd seen online.
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Narrowboating to the Kinver rock houses. And where are our dogs?
Kinver Edge Staffordshire, United Kingdom
Having made our excuses in case we made a hash of the winding, we turn and make our way back north to Kinver where we experienced the most amazing views of the Staffordshire countryside from up high at Kinver edge.
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Narrowboating in agony! Eric needs a pharmacy....fast!
Wolverley Worcestershire, United Kingdom
It's day three of our trip and today we're heading to the beautiful village of Wolverley in Worcestershire. We take in some stunning countryside along the way and some of the most perfect lock cottages we've ever seen.
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Navigating Bratch locks in a narrowboat: Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal
Bratch Locks Staffordshire, United Kingdom
With the rain gone, and glorious sunshine returning, we continue our journey south on the Staffs and Worcs canal. First thing, we negotiate the Bratch locks and master their slightly odd way of operation.
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Back onboard a Narrowboat! Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal.
Kinver Staffordshire, United Kingdom
Despite the water shortages and canal closures around the country, the Shroppie and Staffs & Worcs appear to have been spared as we head off from Autherley Junction southbound towards Kinver.
Ports on the chart 17
- KinverStaffordshire, United Kingdom
- Bratch LocksStaffordshire, United Kingdom
- WolverleyWorcestershire, United Kingdom
- Kinver EdgeStaffordshire, United Kingdom
- Ashwood MarinaStaffordshire, United Kingdom
- Stafford and Worcester CanalUnited Kingdom
- BarntonCheshire, United Kingdom
- Shropshire Union CanalUnited Kingdom
- Hack GreenCheshire, United Kingdom
- AdderleyUnited Kingdom
- Market DraytonShropshire, United Kingdom
- Tyrley LocksShropshire, United Kingdom
- GnosallStaffordshire, United Kingdom
- Wheaton AstonStaffordshire, United Kingdom
- BrewoodStaffordshire, United Kingdom
- GaileyStaffordshire, United Kingdom
- PenkridgeStaffordshire, United Kingdom
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