The UK is home to a pretty special canal network that in the past was crucial to the country’s industry. Today, the canals lend the perfect opportunity to get out on the water and appreciate life in the slow lane. The summer is a dreamy time to jump aboard and live out that canal cruising fantasy conjured up from our Rosie and Jim watching childhood. Slowly cruising along sun-dappled stretches of water, with ducks for company and welcoming waves from the friendly houseboat community, offers a truly unique travel experience like no other. Throw in sun-drenched beer gardens, pretty villages and ample wildlife spotting along the way, and you’ve got the magic ingredients for a slow and relaxing summer adventure.

Disclosure- This post is sponsored as part of a collaboration with Road House Narrowboats as part of a press trip, where The Curiosity Collection was invited to experience a narrowboat trip along the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. All opinions expressed are our own.

THE MONMOUTHSHIRE AND BRECON CANAL

Isolated from the main canal network is a truly unique waterway running through the scenic Brecon Beacons, with 33 miles of rural Welsh Countryside to slowly cruise along. Coined as one of the most picturesque canals in the UK, the Mon & Brec as it’s nicknamed, claims ‘hidden gem’ status instantly for how quiet and peaceful it is, which makes it the perfect rural waterway to try out narrowboating for the first time. You’ll have quiet stretches to get used to cruising and you’ll be spoiled for views along the way. What’s more, along the towpath you’ll discover tiny villages to explore, cosy old pubs to fall into and an endless list of scenic walking routes to discover. At the beginning of June this year, we decided to check the narrowboat holiday off our bucket list. We have been dreaming about renting a boat along the canal for the longest time and we teamed up with Road House Narrowboats to make it happen in time for our birthdays. We couldn’t have chosen a more beautiful area to experience the magic of canal cruising for the first time.

OUR ADVENTURE WITH ROAD HOUSE NARROWBOATS

Road House Narrowboats is a small family business, lovingly run by husband and wife team Sally and Nigel. With five narrow boats specially designed for hassle free cruising, Road House ensures you have a relaxing and enjoyable floating holiday. All their boats have a clear walkway through when the fixed beds and dining tables are in place giving easy access to the front and rear doors at all times. The decks are large enough for the helmsman and members of the crew and as from 2019 new engines have been fitted to all boats and are regularly serviced and maintained, meaning your floating holiday is completely stress-free. All their boats are fully equipped including a full size 12v electric fridge, full gas cooker and hob, central heating, filtered water taps, shower, true freshwater flush toilet and plug-charging facilities. You essentially have everything you could possibly need for your time on the water. Nigel and Sally truly care about you having the best cruising holiday and this is evident in all the small details. Waking up the the sound of ducks on the water, spending the entire day outside with mugs of tea on the roof, socialising with fellow cruisers as you navigate locks together and scenic views of the Brecon Beacon’s, it was love at first cruise. We instantly fell for Duchess, our little floating home and the canal cruising lifestyle.

DAY ONE

We arrived into Gilwern where Road House Narrowboats operates from, to meet Nigel and get accquainted with our new floating home, Duchess. We had a fixed double bed at the rear and a dinette double conversion at the front, which gave the perfect amount of space for our trio and doggo crew that would be onboard for the next four days. After unpacking and getting comfortable, we were given a lengthy briefing by Nigel and shown everything there was to know about the boat and most importantly how to navigate our 42ft bright yellow beauty. Nigel made sure we were absolutely confident with the boat, including cruising with us for a while, getting us used to the whole ‘steer right to go left’ thing, before he jumped off and sent us on our way! So, with Captain Key at the helm, first mate Molleigh (hi!) on wildlife watch, chief cabin stewardess Rachael providing the tea and snacks and deckhand Vivienne Westwoof on guard, we were off, gently chugging along the canal. We slowly floated up the canal for a couple of hours towards Llangattock, enjoying the sunshine and peace on the water, passing mountain views and sun-dappled trees as we went. As early evening hit we moored up at Llangattock, where we then walked into Crickhowell through the country fields for a delicious pub dinner. Crickhowell is a popular spot for those visiting the Black Mountains, for its fiercely independent spirit, with a mix of eclectic shops dotted along the high street and its traditional pubs. It was perfect for a stop off for a pootle. We found ourselves cosied up in The Bear, a 600 year-old Crickhowell institution, where we sipped local Welsh ale and dove headfirst into a feast of a dinner before returning to the boat for the evening.

DAY TWO

We woke the next morning to the sound of birds chirping in the trees and sunshine bouncing off the canal. After spending a few minutes on the helm appreciating the good weather and the peace of waking up in our isolated spot, we pushed off from the towpath and headed on our way. Overhanging ancient trees lined the canal as we went, as we passed underneath crooked brick bridges and fields of sheep. After an hour of cruising we stopped in a sunny spot to make some breakfast. The Duchess had all we needed for cooking meals so we made the most of it and set the table for a sit-down brunch. We made sure to fuel up well as we knew around the bend we’d be navigating locks for the first time, five of them in fact! As we approached the first, we left Key to tend to the tiller as we jumped off, windlasses in hand to pretend we knew exactly what we we’re doing. We had been left a handy guide to locks on our boat to help, but luckily we came across two enthusiastic passersby to show us the ropes. Entering, closing the lock gate behind, opening paddles with our windlasses to let in water to float us up - all this had became a breeze by the time we reached the end of the five locks. Canal cruising, we found, is surprisingly social. Many times we worked the locks with other boaters, swapping stories from our cruises and sharing pub recommendations. There’s a lightness to those cruising on the water, evident in the polite waves as you pass by and you can’t help but join in on the joy. Our relief from tackling the locks was short lived as we turned a bend to be faced with yet another challenge, the damp and dark Ashford Tunnel. With just our navigational light to guide us on our way, a blast of the horn to warn of our presence and a leap of faith, we shimmied into the tunnel. The tunnel is wide enough for just boat at a time, is darker than dark and has zero head space. All navigating of the narrowboat was done by crouching low and hoping for the best! For ten minutes we made slow and cautious progress before we emerged once again into the sunlight, grateful to have made it through. We rewarded our efforts by mooring up for the evening and lighting up the barbecue. Burgers and beers all round with a sneaky sausage for our four-legged deckhand!

DAY THREE

On day three, we woke in Pencelli, moored up next to a couple of other boats, with the sunshine greeting us once more. We were so excited for another day of slow adventuring that we instantly got moving, chugging along up the canal, passing whitewashed cottages as we went. This charming part of the route saw us stop a few times times to wind up the drawbridges dotted along the canal. There’s something incredibly fulfilling about this kind of steady and intentional speed, physically having to wind the bridges up, that makes you appreciate the art of slow travel. We stopped for lunch with a view of the Brynich Aqueduct that towers over the River Usk below, in a sun-drenched summertime scene that could only be quintessentially British. We made use of the kitchen on-board and baked some camembert and roasted potatoes for a fancy al-fresco lunch, enjoyed on a bench under the trees. The fine weather meant we sought out pubs less than we thought we would and simply enjoyed being by the boat and taking in life on the canal. Bellies full, we plodded on, crossing the Brynich Aqueduct holding our breath as we gawped at the sheer drop below. We eventually made it to the end of the Canal, at Brecon basin. We stopped to explore the area a little and met a wonderful couple who lived on their boat, whose enthusiasm for life on the water only added to our growing sense of urgency to buy a boat immediately! It’s safe to say we fell completely in love with narrowboating. We navigated turning around in the basin, Key, tongue-out with fearful concentration at the tiller, Rachael and I nervously flailing around wooden poles in case we need to negotiate obstacles. Of course, we successfully managed our maneuver and celebrated with a tipple as we cruised back the way we came, the early evening golden glow reflecting off the water. We returned to our lunch spot to moor up for the evening, where we relaxed once again around the fire pit, assembling hot dogs for dinner. As night fell, the darkness unveiled the renowned starry skies of the Brecon Beacons, the most relaxing scene to drift off to.

DAY FOUR

Our final day on the water, we awoke again to a cloudless sky and bright sunshine. We spent hours cruising back down the canal, heron-spotting and waving to dog-walkers as we went. By day four, we were completely into the groove- muscle memory formed enough to navigate the locks with ease, windlasses at the ready. We welcomed drawbridges with glee, maneuvered around other narrowboats effortlessly, and fell into our chosen roles with a surprising deftness. It was only a matter of time before our quiet confidence was shaken by a rope flinging mishap. As we stopped to prepare for the electric drawbridge near Pencelli, Key over-enthusiastically threw a rope towards the towpath and took Rachael’s glasses with it. They plonked into the water and disappeared into the murky mud instantly. So, for the next half an hour, we embarked on a glasses-finding mission . I say ‘we’ lightly, when it was in fact Rachael who ended up in the drink, crawling around on her hands and knees searching. Luckily, there are many good Samaritans along the canal. Hikes & Bikes along the towpath lent us various tools, and a friendly resident fetched us a fishing net to help with the mission. In the end, it was the good old fashioned swimming scramble that retrieved them. Lesson learned, don’t get too cocky on the boat! Whilst Rachael warmed up in the hot shower, we stopped outside Talybont Stores to fetch some freshly baked scones and cream from their cafe to prepare for Key’s family coming aboard. We picked Key’s family up from the canal-side as they joined us for a float and a spot of afternoon tea. The rest of the afternoon was perfectly tranquil compared to the glasses-in-the-canal escapades of the morning beforehand. The slow-paced cruise was enjoyed by all on-board. We found a natural helmsmen in Key’s Grandad in particular, who was a dab hand at steering us beautifully down the canal. After we tucked into our scones, our guests disembarked and waved us on as we continued back towards Gilwern. They left with the childlike giddiness that only a trip on the narrowboat could create, a feeling we had come to know all too well on our slow adventure. For the rest of the evening we made our way back towards Gilwern, enjoying one last sunset. We moored up for the night just before Gilwern so we could reluctantly return the boat in the morning. For the last time we let the gentle sway of the boat rock us to sleep.

ALL ABOARD

We could not have asked for a more picture-perfect few days on the Mon & Brec. The sun was working overtime and we chose the most picturesque and quiet canal to experience narrowboating for the first time. Book your own narrowboat adventure with Road House here. They are currently offering 15% off trips taken in July. Now excuse us whilst we google ‘how to buy a narrowboat’…