The Purple 
Boat and The Canalside Cottage

Safely tucked up in her winter mooring on The Trent and Mersey Canal

This photo was taken at the beginning of September, an early start from Minworth, travelling along the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. So...

Did you watch Canal Boat Diaries? In the first series traveller and author Robbie Cumming sets off on his long journey from Shardlow -...

Returning home to Shardlow after a “pump out” and refuel, ready to go when lockdown ends 🥰

This photo was taken towards the end of July this year. Travelling along the River Soar we pulled over to moor in the evening at the...

Cows taking a dip in the river! Happy summer memories aboard The Purple Boat

Even in the cooler months in the UK, so long as you wrap up, put the central heating on and make plenty of hot drinks, it’s great to be...

Watermead Country Park is in Leicestershire. We left the River Soar and moored up next to the park on the Grand Union Canal. The River...

Turning off the River Soar into Ratcliffe Lock which sits next to a lock “grave”. The new lock was built in 1986 and the the old single...

Going through Derwent Mouth Lock with hitchhiking swans. I first saw these swans as grey cygnets with their parents last year, learning...

The Purple Boat ready to go and this afternoon taking another family on holiday.

On the River Soar is Barrow Deep Lock... it's very deep at nearly 3m, but not the biggest lock the Purple Boat has navigated. In the...

Choices, choices... Erewash Canal? Cranfleet Cut to Nottingham? We decided to take a big turn right off the River Trent onto the River...