I’ve been to the Manchester Ship Canal at Ellesmere Port, but not on it. It is privately owned (by Peel Ports) and they make it as difficult as possible for non-commercial boats to use, to the point where I would be required to have my boat lifted out and given a Certificate of Seaworthiness by a MSC approved surveyor, you also need full navigation lights (which I don’t have) two 120’ mooring ropes (which I don’t have), charts, tide tables etc etc etc. Having said that, it is possible and narrowboaters have done it, I just couldn’t be bothered with the faff.
Harry, a warm welcomes you on the Kennet and Avon, there is a pub at Avoncliffe , near Bradford on Avon that was frequented by Hollywood stars such as Gary Oldman and Kevin Spacey, signed photos adorn the wall .
The Caen flight locks take about 5 hours.
The best views are from Bradford on Avon to Bath, the Lock Inn pub in BOA is worth a drop in, their Boaters breakfast is famous around the world, the man that owns it is a retired Bristol fireman, the sign outside makes me laugh, it is called the Customers Charter, it says if you do not like the food, tough, throw it to a passing cat !
If you can visit Bitton near Bristol, the steam train station is worth a look, nice cafe, from there, you can walk to Bath or Bristol on the cycle track.
Just a few minutes from Bitton, towards Bath, there is a huge mansion, that used to be owned by tv stars Hinge and Brackett, Noel Edmunds used to live there, for commuting to Bristol to film Deal or no deal .
I can vouch for the Chinese restaurant in Devizes called Zumi, a la carte menu or set price buffet , and in BOA, the Thai Barn is excellent, amazing Thai food, booking is essential.
I’ll do the Kennet and Avon if you work the locks for me Tobes. 
Harry, i am going to ask Dozy to be your flight lock assistant, but can you guarantee a steak dinner and home by Friday off course?
Can you get your boat near to Strangeways to pick up Limey Phil,he promised to be good and can you do a quick trip to Tangiers ,he will pay for the coal .
Must dash, on the way to meet the Mayor’s daughter.
I have just come across this thread and found it fascinating. I had my first narrowboat holiday last October and loved every bit of it, and will be having many more. I aim to eventually live on one as a continuous cruiser and I’ve loved reading your posts Harry, the more stories such as yours that I read, the more excited I get about eventually doing it. I do not fancy living out my retirement sat in a bungalow with not much to do apart from a bit of gardening and the occasional game of bowls, however, waking up to a different view every few days, meeting new people and the general adventure of travelling the canal network is something that appeals to me immensely.
Hope you still have your boat Harry and will be posting more about your journeys on here
NorthernApe:
Hope you still have your boat Harry and will be posting more about your journeys on here
Yes, I’m away cruising at the moment, I’m currently at Middlewich and today I’ll be doing just a short move, as far as the Anderton boat lift, and I’ll drop down onto the River Weaver on that for a day or two in Northwich.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anderton_Boat_Lift
Also the engine is due for a service (I have to do this quite a lot but it’s an easy job) so I’ll probably do that this afternoon.
Then I’m going to carry on heading north towards the Lancaster Canal, which goes almost to Kendal, and I’ll spend a few days riding round the Lake District on my little Honda Express, although I’m not quite sure if it will cope with the ferocious gradients, 
Good stuff 
You’re up near my neck of the woods. Me and the missus occasionally go to a little quaint place on the Lancaster Canal called Guy’s Thatched Hamlet, not a bad stop off point really.
I noticed on another thread that you put pics of your Honda Express and it solved one of my issues about getting around (nipping to supermarkets, etc) while staying in places whilst cruising. I was thinking of an electric bike but something like your Honda would be much better, I didn’t realise a small moped would fit on a narrowboat.
I am going to spend the next few years getting every aspect covered before I take the leap into canal life. There’s a lot to consider and I want to make the transition as smooth as possible.
Keep us all updated (and jealous) Harry
Well, feel free to pop along and have a nose round and a chat when I’m about. It won’t be until April as I have to cross the Ribble Link which is only open half a dozen days each month because of the tides, I’m booked on to it on 5th April and back down on the 22nd.
Harry Monk:
Well, feel free to pop along and have a nose round and a chat when I’m about. It won’t be until April as I have to cross the Ribble Link which is only open half a dozen days each month because of the tides, I’m booked on to it on 5th April and back down on the 22nd.
I might just hold you to that at some point Harry, I do flick through some of the canal forums but it’d be good to actually talk with somebody who is living the life. I’ll start getting a list of questions together to bombard you with 
got a couple of mates restoring narrowboat’s at The Old Junction Boatyard,Leicestershire.one’s in the water (river Soar),one is out,being completely rebuilt after a previous sinking! one of the lad’s intend to live on when boat is finished 
they did go for a trip up river last week…to the nearest pub
In Salthouse Dock in Liverpool. Just up the road is the Hilton Hotel and they charge £672 for a week’s stay. I haven’t had to pay anything for a week here, plus I get free shoreline electricity, and my boat is better than some snobby Hilton Hotel anyway.
Got a busy week planned, maritime museum, old dock tour, that Ferris wheel, open top bus ride, Mersey Ferry, U534 etc.
Rub it in
There is some HUGE narrowboating news in the TruckNet world today which I am itching to tell you all about, but alas I am sworn to secrecy.
Oh you tease Harry… 