Sitting on the roof of a narrowboat soaking up the sunset after a day of locks, camaraderie and laughter, felt like the perfect end to day one of a family holiday.
I was 16 years old and there were 7 of us on board. To be fair, when the idea of a family narrowboat holiday was floated I thought it sounded like it might be a rather torturous experience, but instead it ended up becoming one of the more memorable holidays of my life.
Despite growing up alongside the canal and always having a fascination with the sense of calm it brought — along with endless opportunities for adventures in nature such as ‘going exploring’ with friends in the summer holidays, climbing trees and picnicking — I didn’t actually step aboard a narrowboat until that holiday but very quickly, I was hooked.
Leisurely mornings sharing breakfast whilst watching the ducks and swans gliding around outside the window, hiding out in our ‘bunk bedrooms’ playing cards and chatting, taking long walks along the towpath, the buzz of dragonflies and bees filling my ears; it felt like we had discovered a world within a world. Up above was the rush of traffic and busyness, but down on the water we had found a magical space stopped in time where we were able to relax and absorb the moment.
There was also a strong sense of teamwork as we all helped with the new and rather exciting experience of working our boat through locks and evenings were enjoyed all together, either eating at a pub we managed to moor up next to, or setting up the bbq and eating dinner in the middle of nature. I hadn’t experienced anything quite like it and despite being a teenager who might ordinarily have been seeking out bright lights and parties, I found the experience to be incredibly adventurous.
If you’ve got younger children read our blog 4 Things Every Parent Should Know About Narrowboat Holidays and alleviate your worries that they will be bored!
Even 30+ years ago this holiday provided me with an opportunity to step away from the routine and have my eyes opened to something different and in our increasingly always-on world, an escape to something different is perhaps more needed now than ever. Not to mention that on a narrowboat travelling at 4mph along the beautiful Fenland Waterways, parents won’t be able to do anything but slow down and hit the reset button.
All these years later I still reminisce fondly about the joy experienced on this family holiday that not only exposed a different way of life to me, but also nurtured a sense of camaraderie, encouraged quality time together, and strengthened bonds—the memories are firmly imprinted on my mind’s eyes. Plus these days I still enjoy sitting on the roof of my own narrowboat admiring the sunset after a long day of locks!
Are you ready to make some family memories? Then let Fox narrowboats take the strain and curate your perfect adventure: www.foxboats.co.uk/holidays
Not convinced by my memories alone, then enjoy this post: Why Narrowboating is the Perfect Family Holiday.
Alice Elgie is a writer who splits time between a narrowboat on the waterways of England and a cottage in France. She shares words about this life on her blog: slowintotheseasons.substack.com
