Narrowboat AREandARE

From the 2009 & 2010 tantalising tales, traumas and stunning photographs of Barry (photographer) and Sandra (writer) from New Zealand aboard NB 'Northern Pride', to the stories of their 2013 return journey, purchase of 'AREandARE', progress on sustaining their live aboard continuous cruiser lifestyle, and Barry's quest to gain residency and 'Indefinite Leave to Remain' in UK ...

Friday 17 April 2009

Welcome to the bloggings of Barry and Sandy

Hi all

Welcome to our narrowboat adventure blog diary! We will be keeping you all updated on our cruising around the canals of Britain over the coming 5-6 months.

As most of you will be aware, we bought 'Northern Pride' on Friday 10 April, 6 days after arriving in England on 4 April. She is currently moored at a place called Barbridge, near Nantwich, and we hope to take possession and make it our new home on Sunday 19 April, should she pass her boat safety certificate on 18 April! If she doesn't then we may still take possession but be stuck in the mooring for a day (or few!) until any problems are sorted.
Northern Pride is 45ft long, 6ft 10ins wide, and has 4 berths. Check out the website for details
http://www.midwayboats.co.uk/nbused1.htm#usednboats29


We already have a few bookings for holidays with us which is great. Of course anyone living on board will need to be happy to be in close contact with everyone else, not for the faintheated! But I'm sure there will be many pub stops, with walking diversions to shops, laundrettes (no washing machine unfortunately!) and places of interest along the way...

Our first trip will be to the Llangollen canal, which I believe involves 15 locks to get to Whitchurch and the link to Lllangollen. Along this canal route there are 2 aquaducts, very beautiful, with huge drops down one side. Barry will be doing some of this route twice (but not the locks!) as I am away in Barcelona the weekend of 1 - 4 May (as an 'angel' on a hen weekend), so a family friend will be coming on board to keep him company.




















Tomorrow we hope the rain will go away and we will go to Kidderminster and travel on the Severn Valley Steam train to Bridgenorth. Then Sunday up to the boat to finally get some things unpacked and settle in.

Until the next post...




4 comments:

  1. Hi Both

    I'm the 1st silly blogger to join ! Must have to much time on my hands ! Barry, I'm keen to know what motor is in your boat. Can you let me know when you get a chance? Well the weather is picking up. Hope all goes well on Sunday.

    Best Wishes

    A close family friend

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  2. Lovely idea to do a blog - will be a good way of keeping track of you as you make your way (slowly!) round the country. Looking forward to joining you on your adventure at some point xxxxx

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  3. Hope your man cold is getting better Sandra! By now you will have set sail - (without the sail of course!!) Happy travelling.

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  4. Rivka and Richard24 April 2009 at 04:54

    Hi, you two

    Hope the cold is all better now and you are feeling more human! The trip so far sounds fab and we are jealous! All well in sunny Manutuke, just back from two weeks in Oz and lovely to see some green. Back to skool on Monday and am looking forward to a busy term. Book club going well and everyone happily reading loads. Love R and R

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