Nicholson Waterways Guides — Life Afloat on Narrowboat Audrey Too

The Nicholson Waterways Guides are absolutely invaluable to boaters

Their guide for the Grand Union Canal is always open on the dashboard while I’m driving.

They show the route of the canal, which side the towpath is on, the location of locks and winding holes and boatyards and marinas.

They also list canalside pubs, drinking being something of a hobby for many boaters, especially if the pubs have their own moorings and real ale. Car drivers would, you hope, refrain from going to the pub during a journey but it’s part and parcel of boating.

The writers of the guides are also a bit church-obsessed and never fail to mention if there’s a nice set of 15th century brasses nearby.

So, Nicholson Waterways Guides are really useful to canal and river boaters. However, if you try to arrange to meet someone they are next to useless. Try telling a car owner with an AA road map that you’ll meet them by bridge number 129, you know, it’s next to lock 38.

In York the towpath beside the museum gardens is flooded, and the moorings are hidden below about a metre and a half’s rise in the water level.

There was a surprising amount of floating junk to avoid on the tidal river between Selby and York, mostly large logs and branches but also a dead cow.

Narrowboat Audrey Too was built by Paul Widdowson.We hadn’t seen another boat by the same builder, but on arriving at Sheffield’s Victoria Quays, we were put near to another Paul Widdowson built boat called Trilby.

Alisha’s doing temp work near Sheffield until the end of June, so we’ve decided to stay there for a few weeks. The Tinsley Flight of 11 small locks has to be traversed to reach Sheffield. It didn’t start raining until we were at the penultimate lock, and the shower was heavy but quick. On arrival in Sheffield’s Victoria Quays there was a rainbow.