#168 

Sell yourself to the TV companies as a British naturalist. Your talents are unending and amazing.

You have become my new favourite narrow boating channel. You are a pleasure to accompany on your journeys and your talents are awe-inspiring. Beautiful!

That was a lovely video; great to see the lesser travelled waterways and thanks ever so much for putting another item on my already burgeoning bucket list. As an ex commercial fisherman with a bit of boat experience, I have to make one comment. Please don't try to clear an obstruction from the prop area while under way. If that carpet, which was caught on your rudder or something else, had fouled the prop while you were trying to clear it, things could have got nasty very quickly. That boat hook could have taken off at great speed and anything could have happened. Always take it out of gear, or better, stop the engine before clearing a fouled prop / rudder. On another note, spent a while running a pub in Chadwick End near Knowle many years ago; very nice part of the world. Smashing vlog / subscribed. (...and don't worry, I'm not an armchair admiral who is going to be dishing out unwanted advice on every vlog...promise :)

Well played you, for tackling it in the first place. A couple of other boaters, who you'll know, along with yourself, care about these unused "thoroughfares" . The money conscious local authorities just want to "wash their hands" of 'em.

I have come across water points in and around Birmingham before that appear not to be working. At the bottom of the stanchion there is either a small door or an opening where there is a shout off valve. A pair of mole grips or pliers to open it then the tap will work. I always close the valve again afterwards,

The canals of Birmingham and surrounding area as well worth exploration. Yes there are challenges with rubbish on the prop, but it is so worth the surprise of finding such wonderful nature in such an unexpected place. Of all the vlogs that are produced by canal lovers and enthusiasts there are few who attain the heights that you do. In my eyes you are right up there with Robbie Cumming for making superb programmes for us to enjoy. Few do it as well as you do. Thank you.

Fabulous camera shots! The moon, wow !!!!! X

Thanks again. Thanks for taking the road less traveled. Great to see restoration in progress. Have a great weekend.

Lovely vlog, autumnal colours and fabulous views along abandoned canals that we might never see!👍

Wow, a very different sort of journey today, but it has its own peculiar charm. Thanks for taking us along! Your tomato soup made me hungry, don't suppose you'd share the recipe? And I confess to being slightly miffed on behalf of the two gongcoozlers at 9:22 who were snubbed 😉🤣

What an interesting adventure. In places, almost like having the world to yourself for awhile. It's always beautiful to me to see how, with or without us, nature carries on regardless; without fanfare or any need of our attention. That was such a beautiful and serene journey. Cars on the M5 in such a hurry to motor on by, while you gracefully cruise through picturesque landscapes. I wonder if they even know they're there. I really liked this episode!

amazing to see the house and to post off journal with in site amazing canal shame about no water sadly think more water points will be lost due to cutback by crt

good vid on channel cranking it thanks lee

I was a little late getting around to this one but I wanted to say a lot of what you did reminded me of myself. It was the deer you drew at the end and the crow you gave treats to. Those have become my favorite wild animals to try and care for alas my crows have all gone and same with the deer as I now have a lot of squirrels in my back yard trying to find what treats they would like maybe nuts? Thanks for another great Friday voyage on the Alice Grace. I have to say the part of the cut you were on was really beautiful. The fact that you mailed your journals in front of the home where the lady who inspired you once lived was cool and the picture of the moon was really great have a nice week see you next Friday Steve

That was a very autumn video. Ha! Thanks for sharing. Stay safe, have fun and most of all, keep smiling. ♥️

I was concerned you may get a tangled prop in the unused canals and you did. Maybe a dredging boat should go take a look at these area's and clean them up so they could be used again by many Narrow boats. You were brave and we all appreciate the lovely footage you filmed for our benefit. Don't be pulling heavy wet carpets out of the canal Vanessa , let Hubby do it. Thanks for a lovely Vlog.

Magical as always.

Hello again! loved this vlog, you definitely are the adventurous type. Taking the road less travelled, or in this case, the canal. You're right to say the scenery was beautiful...it was. Enjoyed the visit to Gowan Bank as well. Please enjoy the coffee, and say hello to your newest patron! I posted this in one of your older vlogs, but don't feel it necessary to reply to my comments on your old vlogs. From now on, I'll just be liking and leaving a ❤for you. Easier for me, easier for you. Best wishes, as always!

Hey. I’ve just discovered your channel. Fabulous video footage and informative commentary. Your art work is superb. Looking forward to catching up on your previous and future adventures. 👏👏☺️

Hi Vanessa--The canal looked so lovely with its Autumn foliage and Hunter's Moon. How wonderful to visit Edith Holden's home, and to post your 2022 Nature Journals within easy walking distance. The Abandoned Canal with its two serviceless points was filled with lush green, deer and herons, and I hope it will remain open , as it would be a shame if it were shut down completely. The delicate Bonnet's mushrooms gracing the weathered wooden lock gate would make a beautiful painting. Jenny 🦌🍁🍂🦉🪶

Such a lovely video Vanessa and a beautiful canal . Those red deer hinds were very regal and you were so fortunate to see them. I hope the heron had some luck 😊 xxx

Wow, that was a great trip, so quiet, im surprised its not full of constant moorers.

I love watching all your vlogs i find them very calming and the scenery is stunning, the wild life and your drawing and poetry and the end is a delight. Today i watched and i believe this was the most enjoyable vlog, the scenery and the chimney bridge was amazing. Thank you for a lovely coffee break while watching xx

What a fabulous vlog as always. How nice for you to be able to post your journals while being in sight of Edith Holden’s beautiful house. What gorgeous autumn colours and nature amongst the derelict buildings along the deserted canal. I would imagine it was quite a spooky place to moor. I wonder what came first the lack of facilities or lack of boaters! There are lots of other canals that are short of water in the summer that still gets lots of boats. How brilliant it was to eventually find some water facilities that worked. The heron must have thought it was strange to see a boat so wanted to keep an eye on you! Zephyr has the best life. I really enjoyed this vlog. Thank you Vanessa. X

There is another narrowboater who has done parts of the little used canals you traveled as part of something called the "Silver Propeller Challenge". He did say that these canals should be used because if they aren't you will lose them. Another wonderful video! I don't have regular cable TV, as it's nothing but garbage so i do a lot of streaming. Your videos are at the top of my list that i enjoy. Stay true to your heart and your passions. Stay safe in your travels!!

WOW! what a journey, Following on Google maps kept me occupied for an hour, filling in gaps and hunting for the trail of bread crumbs that you left behind . Thank you for sharing...............

So pleased that you found peace on the canal ways. Lovely shaggy heron with a striped head, and so many rich brown, red and gold reeds and plants along the way. Ok, the water points leave a bit to be desired, but you got round that to even more peaceful mooring. And you saw Edith Holden's house. A wonderful cruise😊

Hi Vanessa, Another fun, but also special vlog. England has many beautiful buildings. An abandoned canal is a challenge, especially if you cannot take in water. But nature cannot be slowed down and is present everywhere, unfortunately humans dump their waste. Another nice vlog.

What an utterly beautiful slice of beauty, peace, and calm. Thank you 🙏🏼 ❤️🇨🇦

Fantastic,what a journey.You are encouraging me to consider Birmingham again.I had to traverse the second city this year and it is amazing with very few boats about once you are away from the centre.Your photography gets better with every vlog.

Thank you for taking us on the canals less travelled. Such a pretty canal too. Sigh.

Hey Vanessa😊! Now that winter is approaching I thought that I would share this with you. No obligation required. I feed the birds in my back yard (garden) and I've been putting out a lot of peanuts in shells. Mostly Blue Jays devour them, with the occasional tufted titmouse. Most days at 2:00 in the afternoon, I place a pile of about 25 or 30 unsalted roasted peanuts in the shell on a small table under my chocolate mimosa tree and I sit back and wait for the show. It's so fun. In only a short amount of time there are 4 or 5 pairs of blue jays that show up one after the other. They pick their peanut and fly off with it and are soon back for more. I have a lot of other birds in my yard but this is quite a show. It only takes about half an hour from start to finish. Anyway, the reason I'm telling this is that I had some curiosity about the species and I found a very entertaining bird channel on youtube. Yes, they are North American birds, but you may find it interesting. Just search for Lesley the Bird Nerd on RU-vid sometime when you are in need of entertainment. Cheers.

the brum canals look beautiful. cruising the cut did some of them on a slo-mo boat race a few weeks ago. i would go there. it's just too enticing!

lovely video. The old canal buildings you pointed out near Brum are stunning. I often cycle the sections you travelled in your video and It's not often you see a narrowboat.

What another great Vlog, I loved seeing my old parish church. Reminded me of my childhood, growing up in Olton. We use to fish for stickle backs and take them home to our pond, much to my mom’s annoyance. Me and my sister love your journeys and experiences, you are such a talented artist. Good luck on your journeys and stay safe. 🤗

the ending was enough to bring tears beauty and tranquility hopefully those canals can stay peaceful Thank you

Nature at its best, once again thankyou for sharing with us. All the best Gary n Irene

Gorgeous colours in the trees, especially the bright red one half way through the video. Lovely bridges. 😊

Vanessa you belong on a show. Your quality is so amazing. You show such beauty with your videos. You capture everything a person could want to see. I can even see the craters on the moon! I just ordered your November 2022 book on Etsy to help support you. I just want to hold it and see the beauty you’ve worked so hard on. Thanks for making me smile.

Never seen that behaviour from a her on before. Autumn colours really beginning to show. Very peaceful as usual. Thank you.

Another great vlog. thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

What a absolutely brilliant vlog tonight so interesting and full of amazing scenery where countryside meets town, beautiful autumn colours and the wildlife wondering what u were doing invading their Solitude. l was expecting the the heron to say all right in a Brummie accent as it followed u along the tow path, l know they can't talk but it's my funny sense of humour 😂 . But what a shame these canals aren't used as much l saw another RU-vid Narrowboater say the same a few months ago, maybe it's because its isolated with the lack of other boats that put people off but u surely did this stretch of canal justice. Have a great weekend and thanks again ❤🐕🦒🦒🍁🍂🚜⛔️🦺🕌

The musical accompaniment was so atmospheric PERFECT Autumn tints relay the seasons of mists & mellow fruitfulness. Vanessa another triumphant vlog of magic 💕

Thank you for taking me back to my roots . I regularly cruised those canals . The curly Wyrley . Hope you make it to the shropie sometime.

I love your poems and adore your illustrations. And red deer did top the bill this time. But I can't help but think that your great friend the Heron deserves a portrait. After all he did keep you company on the expedition

I've run out of superlatives! thanks again for the beauty, peace, interesting tidbits, novelty and the deep connection with the natural world. Go well and happy journeys onward! xxx

Again, another wonderful vlog. Strange about those defunct water points, rather thoughtless and off-putting on a canal - these abandoned canals are lovely.

Great video Vanessa. Another fascinating adventure around the little used backwaters .

I love your poetic style and your illustrations.

Hi Vanessa another beautiful video, so pretty it’s a shame it’s being left to do its own thing. Great to see a new area, have great week 😊

Always very interesting videos you do Vanessa. Very informative and useful. 👍

Thanks Vanessa for taking us along on this beautiful cruise through a quite isolated waterway which is very surprising as it is a lovely place to cruise through and looked like a peaceful place to stay. As always your journal was magical. Have a great weekend and week to come. Take care and all the best. Stevie

A different feel for this part of your journey, really atmospheric in places. Very enjoyable.👍 GH and Wiggie!

Love the small streets and beautiful homes. The older architecture is so appealing to me. Makes me realize being born in the "new world" (Canada) just how new we really are and that perhaps I was born on the wrong continent? Cheers and Thanks for sharing your ventures.

another lovely video, thank you! those canals look really nice, its a shame no one uses them, hopefully when people see this video they might start going up them again! 🙂

This episode is why I follow your channel, Vanessa 💖 From faraway Australia, your camera takes me to a place I'd be happy to travel to ☺☺

A very special vlog. I didn't know canals like that existed. Well done.

Great video, very interesting. I live fairly close to the old Glamorganshire canal in Cardiff. It is no longer navigable but a short section still flows through a local nature reserve that is a haven for wildlife, I spend many hours there with my camera.

Oh, don't you just love that heron and the autumn colours! And the moon - wow! What a beautiful journey on "the canal less travelled" 🙂 Enjoy your journeying

It’s wonderful seeing these parts of the canal which are abandoned, but beautiful. Thank you for your exploration and filming.

It was a beautiful film tonight. You packed so much in, it was a work of art!You were moored next to me at Lowsonford a couple of weeks ago and I am amazed at how far you have travelled since then. Why don’t people go to those canals? A mixture of fear of wrong’uns, as Robbie calls them, and cherry picking the best routes. Same thing happens in rock climbing with routes. You would enjoy the 1960’s children’s programme The Flower of Gloster, and I really encourage you to watch it if you want to see what the canals were like in BirminghM in 1967. It shows how improved they are now. I think you have done a lot to persuade boaters to visit these parts of the network that really could be lost to navigation once again. Well done!

Maybe the canals are thought to be too shallow? Whatever you are so right, it's beautiful there apart from rogue carpets (sigh). Thank you for the journey this week. =-)

Wow. What a delightful episode. Loved every minute of it. To me, the most stunning footage was the way the red deer emerged on the paper. And all the tame/confident herons were a bonus with the crow as a close second.

I just love your canal journeys. So peaceful. Never hurried. At one with nature. Beautiful. I guess the reason few people travel that canal is due to the lack of facilities, as you discovered. I always stay until the end, because I like seeing you open your journal and begin drawing. Not only that, but such lovely words to describe the scene. You have become my favourite boating video maker.

Spectacular! Hope other boaters start to use it now. Because they might also get their own personal heron too! Splendid vlog, Vanessa!

just one word beautiful... thanks for taking me there xx

Found you by chance. I was born in that area, 60 years ago, changed alot. Now live in Worcestershire. Loving your video and art work 😊🌹

The canal still looks like it could be really nice just a shame to see it so derelict. Unfortunately with the lack of funding I can see more of the network going this way. More people should be incouraged to use this canals to keep them navigable

I live in Texas USA and I would buy one of your books or one of our journals.!!!

Hello Mindful Narrowboater. I have just watched vlog 168; 'Journey to an Abandoned Canal'. This brought to mind The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett; it was if you had discovered a hidden canal. You are a brave spirit, I hope other narrowboaters will now follow suit. Pete Glyde

Thanks Vanessa for an unusual canal it does need more boats than the few you saw just to keep it open it would be a shame if it closed. down maybe the city folks in that part of England have forgot about the peace and quiet that is so close around them and that is a shame, Even the Heron was surprised to see you or even knew what a boat was coming so close to check it out. Ed 40 S of Vegas XXX

I wonder who she was catherine de barnes. That was quite a journey and birmingam such a diverse city. Thanks for those shots of narure. Take care😊

Nice to see another side to the canals. Hope youre keeping well vanessa. 🙂

I like your boat 🛥 and all the nice places you can go 🎉🎉🎉🎉💙🩵💙🩵💙💜💙💜💜💙🩵💜💫💫💫💫💫

So happy to see you here. I live near the Perry locks, and sometimes go jogging down the canal and under spaghetti junction. You were near some nice parks, especially Sutton park, I wish I could have showed you around or something.

Such joyful enthusiasm! 🫡

Wow, what a great journey. So lovely to go where other humans don't, and fantastic that the crt is looking after the wildlife. It's amazing that the locks still work if they're not used very often. Thanks for sharing with us x

This is your first video that I have come across and I must I am so glad I did, thank you.

Hello Vanessa - greetings from Poland WOW! - that was fabulous. So much to see and delight in. Why no boats? I have absolutley no idea. Real hidden gems. So many autumn colours and that beautiful heron and red deer. Brilliantly photographed by you with a wonderful commentary too

As a child in the lare 50s I remember horse drawn working boats on the canal at Walsall😎👍

So nice to watch you again. Do you grow mint on your fender? Looks really healthy. You are brave Vanessa. Sounds like a long cruise you have ahead of you. I really hope you got your water. You are really always so cheerful and clearly love your life on Alice Grace.

You’re braver than me cruising in that area… it seems Nature is doing its best to stay positive but the man made areas have been vandalised and virtually abandoned, what a sad sight. Considering how industrialised and active Birmingham canals must have been it’s such a shame to see so much neglect. Thanks again for sharing

Just watched this one,how lovely.Absolutely loving your channel and the endings are magic.Many thanks William in Australia.

Just come across your channel and I think your absolutely delightful 😊 Thankyou for making a beautiful peice of tv 😊

Lovely! Your adventures with Zephyr, who I have spoken of before in a post after your trip on the River Severn. I love your work, you are a sympathetic artist, writer and obviously a well read nature lover. Your cruise on the BCN brings back great memories of my time around the BCN in the early nineties, when we lived on Galton our traditional Gardner engined narrow boat built by the Allens of Oldbury, who I worked for before my late wife and I worked for Brummagem Boats and lived on Galton at their base at Sherbourne Street Wharf, a very different place then from now! We then moored and lived on Galton at the Hyde near Kinver, on the beautiful Staffs and Worcs Canal and I worked as a boat builder and interior fitter for David Baugh of Black Country Narrow Boats at Stourton for ten years. Many years on, I am with my current Labrador dog Blaze who I love to bits, and like my previous Labby Bentle, who was with me ten magic years who should have been called Hoover just like Blaze, God they are delightful, but greedy dogs in white River in South Africa. Both you and Zephyr stay safe and well. Take care love Blaze and me xxx.

Water is magic---especially in a narrow boat!!!! The area you are in is magical!!! Enjoy!!! Love your bird sketches---you have a natural talent!!!!!

I hope they don't become forgotten either, not like the ones here, some are totally impassable because they are owned privately, uncared for or have had bridges too low to pass under them built. It makes me so sad that where i live these beautiful canals are not utilised more, the local councils are missing a real treat for tourism! Found your cancel today and I'm in love with it, have subbed and look forward to your 2024 journeys x

Nice cruising❤

Very nicely presented ,not like those that only want to talk about themsekves 😊😊❤❤

This one had a different feel to it Vanessa and was quite enjoyable to be sure, even down to the fine music selections. I absolutely loved the two ducks at 3:10, their colors shining so brightly. The whole video had a tranquil quality about it and you surely did take the canal less travelled. It does seem to me, everything I've seen on narrowboat channels in and around Birmingham is always quite beautiful, so many little quaint places. I wish you Zeph and Mr, M safe travels this week and may your joy be full.

Wow I drive past Gowan bank every week ! Awesome to see you visiting here ❤

Just an after thought it would be lovely to go back in time to see how the work c.r.t was doing turned out x

I watch RU-vid more than conventional TV these days. The amazing skills of creators like you astound me. So, truly beautiful, calm & life enhancing.❤️

Vanessa. you are keeping me sane as i am going through difficult times ,. Plus the music you choose is so good. thanks so much.

I love these adventures, very relaxing, blessings be with you and your travels, Steve in Texas

Thanks so much for this piece on the BCN. Home territory for me from Tettenhall, very close to Aldersley Juntion. Glad you enjoyed your youney. Stay safe. Best wishes.

I’m watching this from a rather wet and stormy France. You travelled through what would have been Shakespeare’s Forest of Arden, which reached into present Birmingham. Amazing shots going through the city, a nice green corridor, you could believe you are still in the country.😊

Gorgeous cruise. Thank you!

A perfect journey, thank you.

We have a canal festival every August on the Wyrley and Essington canal...the Curly Wyrley as it's known round here 😊. The festival is in Wednesfield. It would be lovely to see you there 😊 xx