The charms of a trip on a canal

You have no choice but to slow down and enjoy yourself on Britain’s waterways. Chris Carter reports

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct © Alamy
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in Wales: a stunning waterway with incredible views
(Image credit: © Alamy)

Floating down a British waterway in a colourful narrowboat named the Dame Mousey of Middleswick sounds impossibly twee, says Tracey Davies in the Metro. But it makes for one of the most relaxing holidays you can take. After all, “life has no choice but to slow down when you have a top speed of four miles an hour”. The waterways have their own rules. Waving to everyone is obligatory and there’s no speeding or teasing the wildlife – “it’s hard to outrun an angry swan”. Also, don’t be too ambitious. Canal boating is about enjoying the journey, not trying to reach your destination in a hurry or go the furthest. And do be sure to invest in Collins/Nicholson Waterways Guides. They are “an essential piece of kit” that, importantly, list the pubs along the way. You will not be short of waterways to wander – Britain’s canal network stretches to more than 2,000 miles. Here are some suggestions.

Narrow escapes

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Chris Carter
Wealth Editor, MoneyWeek

Chris Carter spent three glorious years reading English literature on the beautiful Welsh coast at Aberystwyth University. Graduating in 2005, he left for the University of York to specialise in Renaissance literature for his MA, before returning to his native Twickenham, in southwest London. He joined a Richmond-based recruitment company, where he worked with several clients, including the Queen’s bank, Coutts, as well as the super luxury, Dorchester-owned Coworth Park country house hotel, near Ascot in Berkshire.

Then, in 2011, Chris joined MoneyWeek. Initially working as part of the website production team, Chris soon rose to the lofty heights of wealth editor, overseeing MoneyWeek’s Spending It lifestyle section. Chris travels the globe in pursuit of his work, soaking up the local culture and sampling the very finest in cuisine, hotels and resorts for the magazine’s discerning readership. He also enjoys writing his fortnightly page on collectables, delving into the fascinating world of auctions and art, classic cars, coins, watches, wine and whisky investing.

You can follow Chris on Instagram.