I'm American, and I concur entirely with your assessment of the impact of Kraft's purchase of Cadbury. They've take a beautiful thing, and ruined it. The continuous acquisition of companies by larger companies is a blight upon the Free Market.
2:53 Nice apex. :) U.S. viewer here, and yes, our chocolate companies do ruin chocolate. In fact they actively lobby for allowing even less cocoa while still calling it 'chocolate'. Very irritating, and sorry about that.
I was just wondering what purpose a life pottering about the canals had. Immediately came up with the answer: giving many (tens of) thousands of people a glimpse of how life could be, inspire them and (as in my case) calm them down with video’s of tranquil British countryside. So, thank you, for inspiration and calming me down :-) Keep up the good work.
Well All Right... a "Simon's Cat" narrowboat!! Too Cool!! And SO Funny! Thanks for sharing and showing ! Your canal Blogs are the Best!! Be Well and Safe!!🏩😸💦😻
I’m really enjoying watching these videos again, now that TH-cam allows you to zoom in on the video as it plays (or when paused). It’s fascinating for when you want to try to get a closer look at something within a particular shot. Brilliant. 🙂🐿🌈❤️
Sorry about the chocolates. I stumbled across your blogs and have been binging the last few day during this dang pandemic. Hope to be caught up soon. I am amazed at the extent of the canal system there. Thank you for sharing.
I can fully understand your reluctance to tackle the Tardebigge flight solo David. We came up that flight in Oct 2017 in one day whilst cruising the Stourport ring - but with 4 adults aboard it was a lot easier for us than it would have been for you. And we moored in the Gas Street Basin in Birmingham overnight on a Monday - it was surprisingly quiet after about 11 pm !!
Rather than frown on the urban environment of the Birmingham canals be grateful they're still there and not swallowed up by greedy developers. Being the arteries of the industrial revolution i love the way they intertwine the city
We did this route a year ago starting from Sawley marina. We didn't go all the way to Stratford, jogged over to the Grand Union. There is a great pub where the little connector canal joins the Grand Union. We spent the night moored there after getting a wonderful dinner of lamb shanks.
I still recall the trip across town to Walgreens that's sole purpose was for dad to show me a Cadbury chocolate bar, something he had first tasted when he was across the pond for the liberation of Europe. I think at the time it was new addition to their stock, and he was so excited not only to have some once again, but to share the experience with me. I still recall it being so deliciously creamy. Unlike any other chocolate I had had before. While these days I could get one by walking just two blocks, I must admit that I don't really get the craving for them like I did when I was young. I had just attributed it to taste decline as I grow older. Thanks for setting me straight David. At least as far as this American is concerned, no need to apologize for saying the truth. As we all know, saving a penny per chocolate bar is worth it because it shows up in the books, whereas a decline in sales that can't be attributed to that penny saved, isn't.
A lovely film of todays journey. I hope your aches and pains have disappeared now. Enjoy your haircut. As always your commentary is very informative especially with regards to the bit through Birmingham. Thank you
The "chimney roof" you mention, I know as a "Chinese hat", but a cheap stainless steel dogs bowl from a £ shop does the job brilliantly and will last almost forever, I use them on my workshop woodburners. buy two, sacrifice one for the brackets,, hey presto 2 quid and sorted.
What have the Romans' ever given us in return? I love a good aquaduct! sorry but your line immediately brought that one to mind! Love this one as well...it looks like a nice change to meander through a bustling city once in a while. Had no idea why cadbury chocolate had changed until you mentioned that!! So miss those cadbury bars as a child. Thanks for sharing again!
Only discovered *canal* videos recently. YOURS, to be precise! Love 'em! Makes me think...... It all looks SO peaceful. I've never even set FOOT on a narrow boat but, your films have got me thinking. THANK YOU.
I love your videos. I've watched them all and look forward to the new ones. BTW, I'm in the US and I agree about the the chocolate. A shame we can't keep good quality products on the market.
Well we have just returned from visiting our son in Canterbury and are now back in Worcester, so our paths may never cross now your on your way to Warwick, but no matter, keep it going great vlog.
Just about to buy a narrow boat. I’m viewing yet another one tomorrow. So tentatively watching your blogs from the start. Next thing your cruising under the drawbridge Shirley. This is one mile from my house. ;) Yahey
I have been enjoying your videos...because you are so English. And you give a hell of a good tour of your country. Until I started watching this narrow boat thing I had no idea you could tour the UK by water...TH-cam expands my world.
Sorry to hear that the locks are wearing you down. Glad to see you up & cruising again! Always look forward to each new video! Smooth sailing & hope you get your second wind & feel better soon!
that was a nice cruise... great Blue Herring shots....still trying to film the one on my ponds.... Branwood tunnel looked a bit cramped....Happy Trip....
great videos as usual mate youve come a long way since starting and quite a master at locks now well done i can only hope i master them as well as you colin
I am at the moment in self isolation, and i am filling my time re-watching the 'Cruising the Cut' Vlog's, and it rather spooky that i did see a Doco on SBS last night about the Bournville site and Cadbury's Chocolate...............................Very spooky indeed!!!
Another interesting video cheers. We have just bought our first narrowboat and have it moored at Lyons boat yard. You can just see the bright green tiller and back of our boat as you pull up for gas.
Well, I just had a marathon run of watching all of your videos in one day.. Very nice, I enjoyed them all. :-) Now, time for a nap, my eyes are a bit burned out from watching the monitor for all that time. I subbed and I'll be waiting for more of your videos. Happy travels!
@@CruisingTheCut I intend to watch all of your videos non-stop. I think I can do it. After that, I"ll be waiting for each new release. You really are born to do this. Cheers! I would love to move to Britain and get a narrowboat. Interestingly enough, I now live in a small town near Stratford upon Avon in Ontario, Canada.
The Tardebigge flight is fun - we took a couple who had never been on the cut before, and the Tardebigge flight was their first experience. We did 28 looks in 4 hours, and almost fell asleep face down in our food at the Queens Head. You'd never have done it solo......
Loving the filming, editing, and especially the commentary, just enjoying the journey through your vlogs. Also a good laugh, as we (USA) say the exact same thing about the changes introduced at corporations bought up by UK companies.
As a proud Yank who believes we do almost everything better than everyone else, let me just say that no apologies are necessary regarding Cadbury. We really do make the absolute worst chocolate, so may I apologize on behalf of all America for buying Cadbury and ruining a once wonderful brand.
Fortunately, many small chocolatiers exist in the US to make a higher quality confection. Try Theo’s in Seattle, the best milk chocolate ever, and I prefer dark chocolate, so that is saying something. Very high cocoa content, something you just don’t get in most milk chocolate.
Wait a minute just wait a minute your keep to the left on your no highways and Roads you keep to the right on your waterways okay to each their own great Channel by the way I am fascinated by your adventures thank you for sharing
Another great one, always enjoy the views along the way, since I'm from the US of A it's all very interesting. Don't worry about the locks, as soon as you build up your muscles you'll go through 30 no problem and probably walk back and help others through :0)
Yes; sincere apologies. Hershey's is ok for baking here in the States, yet seriously, we have no clue about eating chocolate. We destroy a good bit of chocolate.
Another good Vlog in this series. Keep them coming. Maybe do a full vlog with the Maintenance and daily operations of the Boat.. even if it is just only moored?
My first canal trip was in 1987. We did then take on some part of the canals around Birmingham. To things got stuck in my head: the things that we saw floating in the canals. And the amount of blisters. We only stayed one week, and I suspect we were a tad optimistic. Would love to do Birmingham again today.
Herons are considered extremely good luck. I was told it means an ancestor is watching over you. Love me some Blue Herons, but man will they decimate a Koi pond.🦈
The Stratford canal is very beautiful and if you ever get the time you need to do the full length and take in the river Avon. I think you have got the boating skills to deal with river now all the best
Just a thought: with all these blind corners, would it be possible to mount a forward cam in the bows? The monitor would then obviously be near the helm. If fitted with nightvision, it could also help in tunnels.
How nice to find this vlog this morning. Nicely filmed. Thank you. But more importantly highlighting the real issue of the moment (forget EU squabbling). The fact Cadbury's has been cheapened by its new owners is really sad.
If you ever do think of having a go at the Tardebigge flight...downhill towards Worcester, I live 5 mins drive from Tardebigge on outskirts of Redditch nearest to Tardebigge ...would love to assist you going down the flight one day if you want to chance it! Offer is there! :-)
I am sorry to but i feel i need to correct you in your use of viaduct at 8.53, it is indeed a retaining wall!! i know quite a bit about railways!! your channels is truely brill, and not to mention really really inspiring!!
Two thoughts and a question: 1. Yes here in the US, the mainstream chocolate is awful but -- like beer -- we now have a number of small manufacturers offering a wide variety of dark chocolate. 2. I understand the bliss of mooring deep in the countryside: In Easter of 1962, I hired a cruiser on the Thames for a week (mostly wooden boats back then, not the plastic things you see now). Mooring for the night far from any roads was simply wonderful, as you suggest: the stars, the peace, the smells of the earth, grass, and trees, and the sounds of the animals. Makes you feel connected to Nature for a change. I'm sure the Thames is much more crowded now. 3. Any smell of diesel as you cruise? Or does the exhaust go into the canal to mitigate it? Thanks for these great videos; I gobble them up a dozen at a time!
Another interesting and enjoyable video. Americans, for the most part, do not understand chocolate. I consider myself one of the fortunate few who do. Sorry we ruined yours. Your mooring spot looked very nice. I could see spending a couple of days there. Safe Journey
Another good vlog! Sensible decision to change your route and avoid all those locks. You definitely need to recruit a volunteer crew before you tackle them. Didn't see you at Crick, but we weren't able to spend much time there. To add to the vlog length debate - I think you get it about right, any longer and it goes on the "I'll watch that later when I've got time" list and then I never get round to it. The action figure for this month is you eating a chocolate bar. BTW - Cadbury don't make Mars Bars ....
Love watching the videos in random order.If you ever get the chance visit the Dudley Canal Trust.A friend of mine is a director there and its had some fantastic investment in the last couple of years.
Hello, we're watching through your back catalogue and this particular episode we liked as we've done the route ourselves. We travelled up the way you left but from Alvechurch in a hire boat and moored overnight in the Gas Basin, returning the same way. If I remember rightly the very long 45 minute/two mile tunnel is down that way, but you turned off before reaching it. Did you ever manage to get there in a later episode?
It is rather dark in there. At one point we thought we saw the light at the end of the tunnel, but it was another boat with it's lamp on. It all felt a bit awkward as they passed, I did say hello, and then we chugged on.
Just on the subject of coronaries, there's a series of 26 locks in six miles, including a flight of 8 (Wheelock) on the Trent & Mersey. The flight upwards is known as "Heartbreak Hill".
![CAMPปลิ้น | รวม Highlight 2024! PART [1/2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/6hnvNnvYloU/mqdefault.jpg)
That joke about the digger at 4:00, it's just a very, very David joke. And also very funny.
I'm American, and I concur entirely with your assessment of the impact of Kraft's purchase of Cadbury. They've take a beautiful thing, and ruined it. The continuous acquisition of companies by larger companies is a blight upon the Free Market.
4:20 Using cheap/sickly ingredients now - pity.
Could not agree with you more.
"Bonus heron"!!
Love it!!!
2:53 Nice apex. :)
U.S. viewer here, and yes, our chocolate companies do ruin chocolate. In fact they actively lobby for allowing even less cocoa while still calling it 'chocolate'. Very irritating, and sorry about that.
I was just wondering what purpose a life pottering about the canals had. Immediately came up with the answer: giving many (tens of) thousands of people a glimpse of how life could be, inspire them and (as in my case) calm them down with video’s of tranquil British countryside. So, thank you, for inspiration and calming me down :-) Keep up the good work.
There's no need for it to have a purpose other than my own satisfaction really but I'm delighted you're enjoying them :-)
Well All Right... a "Simon's Cat" narrowboat!! Too Cool!! And SO
Funny! Thanks for sharing and showing ! Your canal Blogs are the
Best!! Be Well and Safe!!🏩😸💦😻
"I made my getaway in a narrowboat" - said by no one ever. - 2:52
Sorry to hear you were sick. But happy that you got to visit family !
:-)
I’m really enjoying watching these videos again, now that TH-cam allows you to zoom in on the video as it plays (or when paused). It’s fascinating for when you want to try to get a closer look at something within a particular shot. Brilliant.
🙂🐿🌈❤️
That Simon's cat art boat was quite a surprise!
Sorry about the chocolates. I stumbled across your blogs and have been binging the last few day during this dang pandemic. Hope to be caught up soon. I am amazed at the extent of the canal system there. Thank you for sharing.
I can fully understand your reluctance to tackle the Tardebigge flight solo David. We came up that flight in Oct 2017 in one day whilst cruising the Stourport ring - but with 4 adults aboard it was a lot easier for us than it would have been for you. And we moored in the Gas Street Basin in Birmingham overnight on a Monday - it was surprisingly quiet after about 11 pm !!
You are completely correct the Hershey company ruined Cadbury chocolates. They also destroyed Kit-Kat bars from Rowntree.
It was Kraft(Mondelēz International) that ruined the British made chocolate. Hershey make Cadburys in the USA.
Rowntrees is Nestlé, which is not American
You said it.. kit kat is terrible now
Watched 1 - 46 in the last 2 weeks. Seen many parts from the towpath but not from the canal. So, great!
As always enjoyed the video. Keep them coming..
Lol love the nod to the very funny movie "Airplane" Shirley you've seen it! Hahaha!
From Gas St to Kings Norton - my stomping ground as a nipper! Nice to see it all again...though it looks a lot different than it did way back when...
Really? It's changed a bit?
Before you were born. NVM.
Rather than frown on the urban environment of the Birmingham canals be grateful they're still there and not swallowed up by greedy developers. Being the arteries of the industrial revolution i love the way they intertwine the city
Lovely to see those 3 Herons. Hope you had a nice time at the show.
I did!
Humour for me was that hat! Amazing in June all wrapped up :)
That was last month.
Makes sense. Love the vlogs as always.
We did this route a year ago starting from Sawley marina. We didn't go all the way to Stratford, jogged over to the Grand Union. There is a great pub where the little connector canal joins the Grand Union. We spent the night moored there after getting a wonderful dinner of lamb shanks.
That's where I head next ;-)
I still recall the trip across town to Walgreens that's sole purpose was for dad to show me a Cadbury chocolate bar, something he had first tasted when he was across the pond for the liberation of Europe. I think at the time it was new addition to their stock, and he was so excited not only to have some once again, but to share the experience with me. I still recall it being so deliciously creamy. Unlike any other chocolate I had had before. While these days I could get one by walking just two blocks, I must admit that I don't really get the craving for them like I did when I was young. I had just attributed it to taste decline as I grow older. Thanks for setting me straight David. At least as far as this American is concerned, no need to apologize for saying the truth. As we all know, saving a penny per chocolate bar is worth it because it shows up in the books, whereas a decline in sales that can't be attributed to that penny saved, isn't.
Beautiful. So tranquil. And thanks for the bonus herons. Hope you're feeling better.
Much better, thank you.
thank you so much for your videos , it give me a chance to travel the world sitting at my wheelchair , again a big thanks from northern maine.
A lovely film of todays journey. I hope your aches and pains have disappeared now. Enjoy your haircut. As always your commentary is very informative especially with regards to the bit through Birmingham. Thank you
Being shut right down right now in the United States, it is good to be able to watch your videos because they are calming during these nervous days. 😷
I liked the canal going through Birmingham.. pretty cool to see big cities along with the beautiful Country canals.. Cheers!
The "chimney roof" you mention, I know as a "Chinese hat", but a cheap stainless steel dogs bowl from a £ shop does the job brilliantly and will last almost forever, I use them on my workshop woodburners. buy two, sacrifice one for the brackets,, hey presto 2 quid and sorted.
What have the Romans' ever given us in return? I love a good aquaduct! sorry but your line immediately brought that one to mind! Love this one as well...it looks like a nice change to meander through a bustling city once in a while. Had no idea why cadbury chocolate had changed until you mentioned that!! So miss those cadbury bars as a child. Thanks for sharing again!
Only discovered *canal* videos recently. YOURS, to be precise! Love 'em! Makes me think...... It all looks SO peaceful. I've never even set FOOT on a narrow boat but, your films have got me thinking. THANK YOU.
Glad you enjoy them!
I love your videos. I've watched them all and look forward to the new ones. BTW, I'm in the US and I agree about the the chocolate. A shame we can't keep good quality products on the market.
Agreed!
Well done sir!
I totally agree with you on Cadbury .. and I'm in the U.S
Wonderful video again, thanks for sharing. Hope you've recovered from doing those locks.
I have, cheers
Well we have just returned from visiting our son in Canterbury and are now back in Worcester, so our paths may never cross now your on your way to Warwick, but no matter, keep it going great vlog.
Thanks, will do.
Just about to buy a narrow boat. I’m viewing yet another one tomorrow. So tentatively watching your blogs from the start. Next thing your cruising under the drawbridge Shirley. This is one mile from my house. ;) Yahey
Good luck with your purchase!
Very good video especially with pointing out various things and a bit of humour. Well done and thanks.
Thank you
Another great video.
so sorry to here you were ill, i wondered why there was no video, i got a bit worried for you. so glad you are back !
Thanks! Only a cold, not serious. But made me not want to sit at a laptop and edit :-(
I have been enjoying your videos...because you are so English.
And you give a hell of a good tour of your country.
Until I started watching this narrow boat thing I had no idea you could tour the UK by water...TH-cam expands my world.
Thank you. Not all of the country has canals but a fair chunk of it does!
Sorry to hear you were ill, glad you are on the mend, thanks for the video.
Having grown up living near Bornevill it was great to see it from the cut. Have to agree on the opinion of their modern choccy too!
Sorry to hear that the locks are wearing you down. Glad to see you up & cruising again! Always look forward to each new video! Smooth sailing & hope you get your second wind & feel better soon!
Much better now!
how sad your not coming to Worcester but I'm looking forward to the rest of your adventures.
It is a shame. Maybe some other year.
Have missed you the past couple of days. Glad to see you back.
:-)
Superb ! I came across your channel yesterday through experience exploring the alternatives. Love your story telling !
Thank you :-)
Me too. Can't stop watching his vids such a different and unique life style.
You were born to do this keep safe & happy sailing
Thank you David :-)
As always, riveting and too short 😊
that was a nice cruise... great Blue Herring shots....still trying to film the one on my ponds.... Branwood tunnel looked a bit cramped....Happy Trip....
They are Grey herons in the uk.
Another brilliant video and glad you are in Shirley which is my neck of the woods.
And very pleasant it was too!
I’d love seeing the countryside, nature, viaducts, aquaducts, bridges history of the canals .
great videos as usual mate youve come a long way since starting and quite a master at locks now well done i can only hope i master them as well as you colin
Very pretty scenery, strange to be afloat on a boat and yet looking down from the viaduct at people driving cars.
Thanks for another great vlog, nicely done and presented, glad you are on the mend.
Excellent video! I learned a lot. CRT dredging, toe path maintenance...thanks!
Sorry, "tow path"
Been so long, thought maybe you had fallen in again but couldn't dread water long enough, this time...
Great video, Thanks.
Charming!
I am at the moment in self isolation, and i am filling my time re-watching the 'Cruising the Cut' Vlog's, and it rather spooky that i did see a Doco on SBS last night about the Bournville site and Cadbury's Chocolate...............................Very spooky indeed!!!
Keep up the good work, I really look forward to your videos.
Hope you are feeling better now.
Much better now, thanks!
Another interesting video cheers. We have just bought our first narrowboat and have it moored at Lyons boat yard. You can just see the bright green tiller and back of our boat as you pull up for gas.
Congratulations on your purchase. That seems like a nice place to moor.
Well, I just had a marathon run of watching all of your videos in one day.. Very nice, I enjoyed them all. :-)
Now, time for a nap, my eyes are a bit burned out from watching the monitor for all that time. I subbed and I'll be waiting for more of your videos. Happy travels!
Thank you. While you wait, why not watch them all again?!
@@CruisingTheCut I intend to watch all of your videos non-stop. I think I can do it. After that, I"ll be waiting for each new release. You really are born to do this. Cheers!
I would love to move to Britain and get a narrowboat. Interestingly enough, I now live in a small town near Stratford upon Avon in Ontario, Canada.
The Tardebigge flight is fun - we took a couple who had never been on the cut before, and the Tardebigge flight was their first experience. We did 28 looks in 4 hours, and almost fell asleep face down in our food at the Queens Head. You'd never have done it solo......
Loving the filming, editing, and especially the commentary, just enjoying the journey through your vlogs. Also a good laugh, as we (USA) say the exact same thing about the changes introduced at corporations bought up by UK companies.
As far as I can tell, our companies always make a disaster of their US adventures.
As a proud Yank who believes we do almost everything better than everyone else, let me just say that no apologies are necessary regarding Cadbury. We really do make the absolute worst chocolate, so may I apologize on behalf of all America for buying Cadbury and ruining a once wonderful brand.
Ah well I live a 20 minute drive from Hershey, compared to euro chocolate it sucks. But you do what you can.
I second, or third as it may be, this sentiment.
So true Eric.
Alas, Heinz ruined HP sauce, too, when they bought it, moved production to the Netherlands, and turned it into catsup/ketchup/dreck.
Fortunately, many small chocolatiers exist in the US to make a higher quality confection. Try Theo’s in Seattle, the best milk chocolate ever, and I prefer dark chocolate, so that is saying something. Very high cocoa content, something you just don’t get in most milk chocolate.
US viewer here and I agree about the chocolate.
Another enjoyable vlog. Nice to see a fellow Jasper Fforde fan :)
Indeed. When's he going to publish the long, long, long-awaited sequel to Shades of Grey, eh? Fed up with waiting!
Wait a minute just wait a minute your keep to the left on your no highways and Roads you keep to the right on your waterways okay to each their own great Channel by the way I am fascinated by your adventures thank you for sharing
Another great one, always enjoy the views along the way, since I'm from the US of A it's all very interesting. Don't worry about the locks, as soon as you build up your muscles you'll go through 30 no problem and probably walk back and help others through :0)
It's not just muscles, it's time. Doing them solo takes longer so makes longer flights into a very long day.
Your right Hersey has done poorly by cadbury
Yes; sincere apologies. Hershey's is ok for baking here in the States, yet seriously, we have no clue about eating chocolate. We destroy a good bit of chocolate.
No they haven't. Cadbury was bought by Kraft, not Hershey. Hershey used to be the US distributor.
Another good Vlog in this series. Keep them coming. Maybe do a full vlog with the Maintenance and daily operations of the Boat.. even if it is just only moored?
Hmm, not sure exactly what you're after? There isn't much daily operation really.
no cleaning/maintance/upkeep of the boat on a daily basis when you are moored for a few days in the same spot?
There is sometimes.
My first canal trip was in 1987. We did then take on some part of the canals around Birmingham. To things got stuck in my head: the things that we saw floating in the canals. And the amount of blisters. We only stayed one week, and I suspect we were a tad optimistic. Would love to do Birmingham again today.
Good one, the jealousy in me is now building up, lol, hope I get this experience one day, but I'm grateful for this.
as always lovely video
:-)
Herons are considered extremely good luck. I was told it means an ancestor is watching over you. Love me some Blue Herons, but man will they decimate a Koi pond.🦈
Does it get any more twee and English than to have a _roundabout_ on a canal? Love it.
The Stratford canal is very beautiful and if you ever get the time you need to do the full length and take in the river Avon. I think you have got the boating skills to deal with river now all the best
Thank you. The Stratford's definitely on my "to do" list.
Just a thought: with all these blind corners, would it be possible to mount a forward cam in the bows? The monitor would then obviously be near the helm. If fitted with nightvision, it could also help in tunnels.
You are so right about Cadbury's chocolate.
You’re right about the chocolate!
How nice to find this vlog this morning. Nicely filmed. Thank you.
But more importantly highlighting the real issue of the moment (forget EU squabbling). The fact Cadbury's has been cheapened by its new owners is really sad.
A Mars bar just isn't the same anymore :-(
Love your videos. We guessed you might not make it past Birmingham ;)
Cheers. I don't quite understand though, I came in from the North (Fazeley), through Birmingham, and then out the other side (south)
If you ever do think of having a go at the Tardebigge flight...downhill towards Worcester, I live 5 mins drive from Tardebigge on outskirts of Redditch nearest to Tardebigge ...would love to assist you going down the flight one day if you want to chance it! Offer is there! :-)
That's very kind indeed and maybe one day I'll take you up on it! Cheers!
I am sorry to but i feel i need to correct you in your use of viaduct at 8.53, it is indeed a retaining wall!! i know quite a bit about railways!! your channels is truely brill, and not to mention really really inspiring!!
Ooh! Shirley! Isn’t that the village where Tolkien spent his childhood after his mother returned as a widow from South Africa?
Brilliant Yet again.
Two thoughts and a question:
1. Yes here in the US, the mainstream chocolate is awful but -- like beer -- we now have a number of small manufacturers offering a wide variety of dark chocolate.
2. I understand the bliss of mooring deep in the countryside: In Easter of 1962, I hired a cruiser on the Thames for a week (mostly wooden boats back then, not the plastic things you see now). Mooring for the night far from any roads was simply wonderful, as you suggest: the stars, the peace, the smells of the earth, grass, and trees, and the sounds of the animals. Makes you feel connected to Nature for a change. I'm sure the Thames is much more crowded now.
3. Any smell of diesel as you cruise? Or does the exhaust go into the canal to mitigate it?
Thanks for these great videos; I gobble them up a dozen at a time!
No smell of diesel that I've noticed but no, it doesn't exit underwater. The exhaust just blows behind you so you don't notice.
Starting Location:
www.google.com/maps/@52.4786937,-1.9158605,327m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en
Edgbaston Tunnel:
www.google.com/maps/@52.4654336,-1.9223186,380m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en
Bournebrook Aqueduct:
www.google.com/maps/@52.4468789,-1.9370108,388m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en
Stratford Canal Junction:
www.google.com/maps/@52.4124,-1.9224926,382m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en
Brandwood Tunnel:
www.google.com/maps/@52.4134765,-1.9042453,625m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en
Shirley Drawbridge:
www.google.com/maps/@52.3990667,-1.8493812,3a,60y,265.1h,81.76t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sy38ub37zjS3WSwG-DmI0Eg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
Ending Location:
www.google.com/maps/@52.3924116,-1.8430102,501m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en
I agree less time spent on fancy brickwork & more on trimming vegetation
Agreed with you on the chocolate! As an American viewer, I am able to get the occasional British confections, and they have recently changed!
Another interesting and enjoyable video.
Americans, for the most part, do not understand chocolate. I consider myself one of the fortunate few who do. Sorry we ruined yours.
Your mooring spot looked very nice. I could see spending a couple of days there.
Safe Journey
Another good vlog! Sensible decision to change your route and avoid all those locks. You definitely need to recruit a volunteer crew before you tackle them. Didn't see you at Crick, but we weren't able to spend much time there. To add to the vlog length debate - I think you get it about right, any longer and it goes on the "I'll watch that later when I've got time" list and then I never get round to it. The action figure for this month is you eating a chocolate bar. BTW - Cadbury don't make Mars Bars ....
Ha, you're right of course - that would be Mars. But Cadbury chocolate has definitely changed in my opinion. Unless I'm just getting old :-(
The borg cube..resistance is futile
Love watching the videos in random order.If you ever get the chance visit the Dudley Canal Trust.A friend of mine is a director there and its had some fantastic investment in the last couple of years.
OK, noted!
Hello, we're watching through your back catalogue and this particular episode we liked as we've done the route ourselves. We travelled up the way you left but from Alvechurch in a hire boat and moored overnight in the Gas Basin, returning the same way. If I remember rightly the very long 45 minute/two mile tunnel is down that way, but you turned off before reaching it. Did you ever manage to get there in a later episode?
We also moored for a cuppa at Bournville on the way back.
I have never done Wast Hill Tunnel, no
It is rather dark in there. At one point we thought we saw the light at the end of the tunnel, but it was another boat with it's lamp on. It all felt a bit awkward as they passed, I did say hello, and then we chugged on.
well done
Too sweet Almond Joy versus robust, fluffy Bounty.
may i recommend a visit to Warwick castle wile your there!
Went as a child but didn't get time to do it while I was there this time round, alas.
The tow path on this stretch is 🚲 central in morning rush hour!
Just on the subject of coronaries, there's a series of 26 locks in six miles, including a flight of 8 (Wheelock) on the Trent & Mersey. The flight upwards is known as "Heartbreak Hill".
I know, I've done it (you'll get to it on my more recent videos)
I had (having subscribed) wanted to skip through to current, but skipping is hardly possible - one has to view each video, they are compelling.
Thank you :-)
Nice location in Shirley
Is Birmingham located on a hill? Nice historic locks at appr. 6:30.
Yes, the land is quite high
So right re the chocolate. Used to buy Cadbury, but now buy Lindt. Too much sugar in Cadbury..like all US chocolate products.