Steve Haywood escaped the routine of his life in London for a voyage of discovery along England’s inland waterways, travelling by traditional narrowboat. With irrepressible humour he describes the history of the canals, the characters he meets along the way, and the magic that makes England’s waterways so appealing.

We were aware of a dreamlike quality to our trip. There was something far-fetched about it, something out of this world. Austerity might be getting everyone else down, but Steve is waving his worries goodbye on another of his light-hearted trips around the picturesque English waterways. This time it’s a bit different, though. This time he’s not just cruising with his cat, Kit, but with his long-suffering wife, Em, who’s given up work and wants her share of easy living too. They’ve rented out their home for the ups and downs of a life afloat, and there’s no going back now as they cruise from the historic River Thames, through the Midlands and westward into the hills of Wales, meeting a familiar cast of eccentrics and oddballs along the way, and experiencing one of the hottest summers of recent years. But how, after life in a four-bedroom house, do they manage to survive together squeezed into a space the size of a potting shed? Other books pretend to tell you about life afloat – this one shows you what it’s really like.

A fully revised and expanded edition of the only resource you'll need for choosing, owning and maintaining a narrowboat. The UK has over 2000 miles of navigable canals and rivers which are home to an estimated 35,000 licensed boats. Although canal boats can look much the same to the novice, there are some very important differences to be aware of. If you're new to boating you have some important choices to make. This comprehensive book examines the options available to different types of boaters. From those who choose to live aboard their boats and constant cruisers to fair-weather cruisers, hire boating and share boat syndicates – each will need a different type of boat if they are to fully enjoy their time afloat. Packed with case studies and advice from real boaters with years of experience to share, this second edition has been thoroughly updated throughout and includes new information on liveaboard costs and considerations, eco-friendly boating options, shared ownership and tax-free boat building, as well as: - The cost of boating - Choosing the ideal boat for your boating profile - Buying a boat and the legalities of purchase - Choosing suitable internal fittings and features - Heating, lighting, toilets and hot water options - Boat electrics and solar power - Finding a mooring - Boating health and safety - Locks, swing-bridges and the boating 'highway code' - Boat maintenance - Boating etiquette and best practice

The UK has over 1000 miles of navigable canals and rivers which are home to an estimated over 70,000 boats. To the untrained eye canal boats can look much the same, but there are some very important distinctions and a new buyer has some very important choices to make. This book discusses those choices, taking into consideration the various boating profiles. From those choosing to live on board permanently, to constant cruisers, and weekend boaters to fair-weather cruisers, each will require a different type of boat if they are to fully enjoy their new vessel. The book covers finding and buying a boat, the legalities of purchase, the different features and utilities, finding a mooring, boating health and safety, the cost of boating, boat maintenance, boating etiquette and many other frequently asked questions.

'A colourful and comprehensive guide to life on the waterways. Practical, pretty and accessible, it's charmingly designed while providing excellent advice.' BBC Countryfile Magazine Full-time life on a narrowboat is a novelty for so many of us, and is endlessly fascinating. How do people downsize their lives and belongings into what looks like a large, crayon-coloured floating toy-box? Narrowboat Life answers all the questions we've wanted to ask about the ins and outs of liveaboard life on the inland waterways. The book is filled with beautiful, enthralling photography of the waterways themselves, the narrowboats that occupy them and, most importantly, every nook and cranny of their insides. Should you become seduced, the author gives solid hands-on advice about how to make a narrowboat (or widebeam, cruiser or small Dutch barge) your home. Accompanying these absorbing images, the playful and always informative text satisfies our curiosity to know, among other things: · How do you fit all of your stuff into such a restricted space? · How much does a narrowboat cost? · How do you hold down a job if you're always on the move? · Does s/he (the cat, dog, parrot) live on the boat as well? · Is it cold in the winter? This revised edition of Narrowboat Life features new and expanded sections on ecological living on the waterways – recycling, upcycling and living green – and living aboard in cities versus living on-land, as well as new profiles of more beautiful boats.

Why do people love trains so much? Tom Chesshyre is on a mission to find the answer by experiencing the world through train travel—on both epic and everyday rail routes, aboard every type of ride, from steam locomotives to bullet trains, meeting a cast of memorable characters who share a passion for train travel. Join him on the rails and off the beaten track as he embarks on an exhilarating whistle-stop tour around the globe, from Sri Lanka to Iran via Crewe, Inverness, the Australian outback, and beyond.

London and the Southeast of England is home to an alternative community of people called 'boaters': individuals and families who live on narrowboats, cruisers and barges, along a network of canals and rivers. Many of these people move from place to place every two weeks due to mooring rules and form itinerant communities in the heart of some of the UK’s most built-up and expensive urban spaces. Boaters of London is an ethnography that delves into the process of becoming a boater, adopting an alternative lifestyle on the water and the political impact that this travelling population has on the state.