September 2026 – Pete's Blog

With the boat moored up for a fortnight, I have been able to get out in the car for some more spectacular walks this week. Notably Lud’s Church in the Peak District, and Nicky Nook in the Trough of Bowland.

When we are out on Narrowboat Thuis I do get plenty of exercise. I usually go for a walk with Lulu first thing, and then there are locks to do, places to see and my legs get a good stretch. I have an Apple Watch and I like to complete all three rings when I can.

But the trouble with canal exercise is that is is always pretty flat. Water flows downhill so the canals are designed to run along the hill contours, using bridges, cuttings and tunnels to flatten things out. So at the end of a season like this, I have had plenty of walking but very few hills.

So it stretched my muscles this week and I ached a little the days afterwards, but it was well worth it.

Lud’s Church is a chasm in the hills. It is just a few hundred yards long but it is deep. Apparently it was used by Catholics to hold secret services when the Protestant Roundheads were in power in the seventeenth century. It is dramatic, if a little slippy. The walk to get there and back is beautiful, with a big climb, dappled woodland, and fine views over the hills. There is also a brewery at the end of the walk where I got a tasty pork pie and a lemonade (I was driving).

Nicky Nook is a hill in Lancashire. My brother in law and I did a linear walk, with Mandy dropping us off and picking us up. From damp moorland we walked down a wooded valley to a reservoir, thankfully much fuller than last time I saw it. Then up a steep, stepped incline to reach the top of the hill, involving quite a lot of puffing and panting from me, and use of both walking sticks from Steve. It was worth it, because from the top we could see for miles, across the hills to the east, and across the plane to the sea in the west. Then another steep descent to meet Mandy at the bottom, ready for a well earned lunch at one of my favourite country cafés in a villlage called Scorton. I had a burger and a milkshake, and wanted an icecream Sundae, but Steve is on Slimming World.

I do hope I can keep up walks like this through the winter. In the cold weather it can be tempting to stay indoors but I do love a good walk.

This week has certainly felt like Autumn. A lot of rain. Chilly mornings. Leaves falling from the trees. It is one of my favourite times of year on Narrowboat Thuis.

I know that other boaters take a different view. So let’s look at the pros and cons of going boating in each season.

Spring is a lovely time to be out in the countryside. The plants are beginning to grow. Birds are having their chicks. The days are getting longer. I love the sunrises and sunsets. But the remnants of winter remain. Towpaths are a mess. My fingers get frozen holding the tiller.

It is great to be outside on those long warm days of summer. Shorts and t shirts. Everyone seems cheerful. The canal is warm if I need to clear the weed hatch. But so many hire boaters are holding up the locks. And our tin can of a home gets so very hot when the sun has been on it all day.

Autumn has a great mix of cold mornings and warm days. We get the waterways back to ourselves. But it is getting darker and my solar no longer fills the batteries without help. And I don’t really like cruising in the rain.

For the hardy narrow boaters, winter is the best. There is a real sense of community on the canals. We are special because we are still out when everyone else is in a house. But it is just too muddy when you have a dog. You end up constantly cleaning. And there are so many winter stoppages for things to get fixed, that it is hard to travel.

I think the truth is that each season has its own attractions, and you can have wonderful boating days at any time of year. We are very lucky to have the opportunity.

You may remember that I am a lifetime National Trust member. Whether we are tootling around the UK in Narrowboat Thuis, staying in a cottage on one of our long autumn holidays, or just being at home, there is nothing better for me than a day out to a stately home, or fascinating museum.

My NT card gives me free access to any of their properties which is great but the downside is that I resent paying to go to non-NT sites. One of those places I would have liked to visit but haven’t is Ironbridge, a small town near Telford, with about six museums celebrating their incredible industrial history. So you can imagine my delight last year when the Trust took over these museums. And on a very wet Saturday this week I went to see them.

I visited Jackfield Tile Museum, which was fascinating. I did not realise how complex tile making can be. I visited Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron, with many displays showing how this area became the centre of iron making. My favourite museum however was Blists Hill Victorian town. It is a village of Victorian buildings staffed by volunteer actors. I got to chat to the blacksmith, chemist, post master, policeman, draper, publican, baker and others about what it was like in Victorian times. The baker sells their own bread, the pub sells local beer, and best of all there is a reproduction fish and chip shop, with everything fried in beef dripping. I felt I had to sample the goods for my history education. Yummy.

It was a great day out. We are back travelling on the boat now, and moored in a village called Alrewas. It grew up around the canal, so much of it is Victorian. It also has a chip shop but fish and chips twice in a week is possibly too much. Possibly.

Month: September 2026

I love walking

What is the best time of year to be on a Narrowboat?

Is Ironbridge the best museum in the UK?