Hi, I'm Martin and I retired in July 2022. Since then, I've sold my cottage in Cambridgeshire and moved to a new home in Lincolnshire. I've also bought myself a narrowboat. All that from the person that stated "after retirement I'll never start another bloody project" (I spent 2 years restoring an MG and 16 years renovating a 19th C cottage). New home and narrowboat are kinda projects with a small "p"! I'm not one to sit around pondering life and tinkering in the garden. I like to be involved and to see new things. The reason I starting this channel is because I want to have a record of this part of my life for the future. It will also help the family to keep tabs on me and give them an insight into what's going on and where I've been, particularly relating to boating or camping! So there we go. Content was a little sparse whilst I was making so many changes but hopefully I'm now producing top quality, highly entertaining vlogs (are you for real??!!) along with the best of them.
Thanks for the support. You're right, not many views or subscribers but it's more about the appreciation of those that do watch. Thanks again for the support.
Hi mate great vlogs I watched from start yes OK the first few were slightly boring but I know you said they were for you when you get a old fart to look back on but now you got boat they Great vlogs and I love them I feel sorry for you hardly anyone watches yours so far 0 to 1 like and there are worse vloggers and they get thousands off likes and views and your better than most off them keep it up
Hi. Thanks for watching and for your comments. I had mentioned in a previous vlog, that I wasn't going to explore on my way down the Nene. I had a deadline to make in Cambridgeshire...I'd promised my former colleagues that I would visit them by a certain date. My plan is to explore on the return journey later in the year.
Lovely to see our lovely river especially as we have spent the last 50 years cruising it and know almost every twist and turn it takes. The fantastic history of the towns and villages on the way was barely touched on. I feel this gentleman would have enjoyed the experience much more if he had done more research. Lilford Hall which was at first described as a farm ! Though he did correct it. Pilton ( the other side of the river to Lilford has connections to the gunpowder plot. Oundle town didn’t get a mention despite the Talbot Hotel having the staircase from Fotheringhay Castle and the famous Oundle School being there. Though he mentioned Wansford, no mention of the Haycock Hotel nor the legend that gave it its name. I could go on….Maybe he will do a bit more research on the next leg of his journey.
I remember travelling East through Braunston Tunnel in 2003: it was pouring down with rain and, despite the water dripping off the roof and coming down the vents, it was a lot drier inside than out and we were reluctant to emerge! There is a kink roughly halfway through where the tunnellers met on slightly different alignments because of a surveying error, and our 55' boat encountered a 72-footer near that spot which made for some delicate negotiation to pass each other in the darkness.
Great video! A huge amount of detail - even enough for a retired boater! Nice to see that Coventry has expanded it's heritage sites - more venicles in the transport musuem and the old cathedral tidied up to make it a useful - without hiding up the horrors of war. Pity no shots of the newer cathedral where the chapter house 'windows' are echoed in the Meeting House at Sussex University.
Fair point about the new cathedral but I was trying to squeeze as much of Coventry's diversity into the video as possible, without it becoming too long. Thanks for the comment.
Grear video, if you would please say what canal you are on and every once in a while, say the bridge number you are passing under. just subscribed. South Carolina
I'm from America, through research found out I had ancestors that lived in the Fens for a couple of generations,mepal and sutton mostly. I'm coming to Britain for first time in Nov, want to visit Wicken fen. I'm coming in first week of Nov. Is the weather decent enough then? Very interesting video.
Hi Billy, I've often been asked when is the best time to visit Wicken Fen? The simple answer is "any time" . My favourites are the changing of the seasons when everything starts to look different. November is a good time. A lot of the winter wildlife visitors should be in abundance. Wildfowl on Burwell Fen and possibly hen harriers on Sedge Fen. A lot of the management work will have been completed by then but the rangers should still be hard at it. For the best opportunities, call in at the visitor centre and speak to someone there. You'll enjoy your visit do much more if you are pointed in the right direction Regards Martin
