And Away…
New Adventures
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Welcome to our blog, where we, Chris and Sam, share our exciting journey as expats returning to the UK from Knoxville, TN, to embrace a new chapter of our lives on the waterways! After years of adventure in the States, we’ve decided to trade our conventional routine for the serenity of narrowboat living. Our passion for travel, nature, and the charming canals of the UK inspires us to embark on this unique retirement lifestyle. Join us as we explore picturesque villages, uncover hidden gems, and navigate the challenges and joys of living on water. We’ll share tips, stories, and a few laughs along the way, inviting you to experience the beauty of life afloat with us!
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Well, we made it through Harecastle Tunnel with only a slight bump on the way in! At 1.6 miles long and only wide enough for one boat, Harecastle Tunnel had been playing on my mind for days. We had booked our passage for 2:00 pm and arrived at 1:50 pm to allow the Canal &…
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Wednesday May 13th our friends Helen and Jane arrived in their van, fortunately there is a campground right next to the canal in Poynton and we enjoyed a lovely few days together, including a trip to Lyme Park and Lyme Hall. On Monday 18th May, we said goodbye to Poynton, filled up with water, winded…
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May 1st brought a temporary change of transport for us as we swapped narrowboats for trains and headed into Manchester for a lovely day out exploring the city. Our first stop was the magnificent Manchester Cathedral, which dates back over 600 years and has stood through everything from medieval times to wartime bombing during World…
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Peak Forest Wanders, Market Days & Lock Flights On April 16th we waved goodbye to Bugsworth Basin and pulled up right next to Tesco for a proper big shop. It’s not often the canal life aligns so perfectly with supermarket logistics—so we made the most of it. From there we cruised on to New Mills,…
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I spent a wonderful 8 days with Bex and Stephen over in Tennessee — and the weather was glorious, not at all what I was expecting! We packed so much in: long walks, helping out in the garden, meals out, and just genuinely relaxing with them, their family, and friends. It was one of those…
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After a couple of nights at Lyme Green stocking up on supplies, we cruised the short mile up to Gurnett Aqueduct. What a gem of a mooring — peaceful, pretty, and perfectly placed between two good pubs and a garden centre (dangerous combination). It also happened to be Chris and my 12-year “Facebook friendaversary” —…
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After tackling Mow Cop, we rewarded ourselves with a gentler day, with a walk to Little Moreton Hall. Now part of the National Trust (which we decided to join), this truly is a gem. Little Moreton Hall is a stunning Tudor manor house, famous for its wonky, timber-framed structure that seems to defy gravity. Built…
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Thursday 19th February turned into one of our busiest cruising days yet. We travelled from the Broughton Arms to Red Bull Services, tackling 11 locks in just 2 miles. Safe to say I’m feeling pretty confident with lock work now — practice really does make perfect! We stayed around the Kidsgrove area for a couple…
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Friday, February 6th finally saw us waving a cheery goodbye to the boatyard — with fingers firmly crossed that we wouldn’t be seeing them again any time soon, at least not unless it involved a drink and a social call! With a shiny new alternator fitted and a brand-new mattress on board, we set off…
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Saturday 24th January – We cruised the boat back to Wincham Bend just as the computer shop rang with an update. They’d done everything they could: most of the videos had been recovered, but sadly not all the photos or files. When Chris went in to collect it, relief quickly turned into another task altogether.…
And Away... 