Double the fun as boat trips resume: but cyclists put a spoke in our wheel
The ever-popular musings of a narrowboat horse on the Montgomery Canal
I JUST love it when I find myself ploughing the same furrow as likeminded folk, as it’s good to have allies and present a united front.
In this particular case, my gripes and moans about towpath foliage, offside overgrowth and underwater weed have been echoed by The Friends of the Montgomery, the Saturn Project Committee and the Canal & River Trust.
In chronological order, the first are worried about their annual triathlon grinding to a halt, the second are concerned about their expensively restored paintwork being damaged and finally the third are worried about cyclists being hampered and having to slow down to an acceptable speed!
Despite continued and lengthy protests, the only group that CRT seems to take notice of are the two-wheeled speedsters. Perhaps someone, with more insider knowledge than me, will explain why?
Boaters pay through the nose to use our canal network, via licences, mooring fees and insurance, yet are disregarded to the extent of potential oblivion. Whereas bikers are venerated to the heights of majestic adulation for using our towpaths, invariably to the detriment of all other users. Boaters are so far down the pecking order that they gaze longingly up at the bottom of the barrel, the snake’s underbelly and MPs’ unscrutinised expense accounts.
Back into gear
However, let’s look on the bright side, as we’re currently enjoying a series of charter cruises that are fulfilling everyone’s expectations. By that I mean, me and the crew, but especially the customers, are enjoying the tranquillity of local holidays here in the Welsh borders. Restarting boating operations, after a near two-year hiatus, has been a wonderful antidote to the trials and tribulations that we’ve all been subjected to.
As well as the physical exercise of horse-boating, the mental stimulation of having to put ‘brains back into gear’, is also proving to be beneficial, e.g. remembering how to tack me up, demonstrating efficient and safe lock negotiation and, most important, I’ve got to seek the tastiest, towpath vegetation to munch on as I tow Countess along the cut.
I’ve also learnt the art of being in two places at once! For evidence of this amazing skill, see the recent photo of me in Ellesmere on the Llangollen Canal. I’m standing in front of Saturn, the sole remaining Shroppie Flyboat, surrounded by the Shropshire Boatmen singers and all achieved without leaving my field at Canal Central in Maesbury Marsh on the Monty. All this is possible, of course, by using my doppelgänger model, constructed by Sue and John Yates of the Saturn Project.
There’s nothing more satisfying than customers giving such positive feedback after they’ve had an excursion with us. In addition to watching our TripAdviser postings (60+ and all but two 5*), we appreciate the face-to-face responses from our guests. As they say, a picture speaks a thousand words, and to see the happy, smiling faces of our passengers makes it all worthwhile.
The season, such as it was with such a late start, is coming to an end. So if you wish to partake in a unique horseboating, canal experience, I suggest that you get in touch as soon as possible.
The crew and I look forward to meeting you, however, they and I are also looking forward to putting their feet up in front of their log-burners (before they’re banned), snuggling down with a good book and I’m dreaming, not of a white Christmas, but of my winter quarters with all that luscious hay and oats.
Until next time, may your bucket contain more carrots than mine currently does.
Love Cracker
If you would like to comment on any of Cracker’s remarks, please get in touch via email at hello@bywatercruises.co.uk or on Twitter @bywater_holiday or follow him on Facebook under BoatHorseCracker.