My hubby and I watched your fantastic series on the BBC at the weekend: #Canal Boat Diaries. We loved it! Despite the pandemic we felt we had travelled a little and seen some wonderful sights and younhave a very wonderful authentic voice when you are narrating.
Pererill of the Peak is a fab pub,So glad you gave it a top review,the Rain bar is chilled too,some parts of the City is rough,But generally is a safe city & we are layed back😊
Manchester is my home town. My family and I left there in 1964. I've been back twice since then. I like the place. Great video. Super camera work and a great commentary. Well done!
Hiii! just literally stumbled over this video as a recommended watch. I've lived in Manchester since 2007 and it is a vibrant city, the MOSi (museum of science & industry) is a bit lacking and more geared towards the Cottonopolis years of historic cotton Mills back in the day, which is what Manchester was famed for. The climate being perfect for storing cotton....cool and slightly damp! MOSi is also the site of the very first passenger railway line at Liverpool Street Station way back in 1830. Castlefield is a beautiful part of the City, rich in Canal History bearing in mind the industry of the area. When I watched this video I was praying you'd like Castleford and glad you did. it's like everywhere the canal life and city life cross paths, yes you should really expect some noise because Manchester is a cosmopolitan city and is rather busy. But I love that mix of historic with a city that is constantly changing. I was praying that you'd travel further up the Bridgewater and discover Worsley, you should've just stayed there as it is the nearest village to me and a rather intriguing one at that. Moor up by the Packet House www.visitsalford.info/packethouse.htm and then just hope straight over to the Bridgewater Hotel or George's Restaurant which used to be an old Mill and currently owned by Ryan Giggs. Really good beers at both! A stone's throw away is Worsley Old Hall, scene of where the Bridgewater idea was discussed by the 1st Earl of Ellesmere and his cronies way back in 1759. He built the canal to service his Mines at Worsley Delph. The Packet House and Boat Steps was the site of an early Post Office, if you like. Smaller, faster Packet Boats (packet from the word parcel) would carry the mail to Manchester in a cruise time of around 4.5 hrs. Packet House is currently used as a Pokéstop in a stark reflection to its rich history. Whether that's a good thing....... Worsley was a hive of Canal activity back in its day. Today, a rather beautiful village which I travel through every day of the week. If you're coming back this way in future weeks/months on your return journey, please do Moor up in Worsley for a night and try the pubs or enjoy a short walk to Worsley Old Hall. Even give me a shout and I'd happily join you for a pint! Happy Tiller Travels and thanks for a great video! I look forward to more 👍
Dude thank you so much, what a great recommendation and added history for people. You are absolutely right about Worsley, I should've stopped there and will definitely do so in the future. I didn't find the Bridgewater very welcoming, owned and arguably mismanaged by Peel (you will no doubt know all about them) and in any case I am yearning to reach new canals to share with you guys so will head to Yorkshire and down the East coast next. Mad props on the offer of pub antics and also the mention of the Pokestop - actually will be covering that in a video soon!! 8^F
We mored up in Bath city centre, & had to move our boat at 2am as youths were throwing cans at the boat… not nice, then the hubbie pressed the wrong button & sounded the horn instead of turning the light off, waking up a mored boat, what a night, lol x 😂
Considering these were your first vlogs, I’d say your morning/evening camera timing was beautiful. You keep everything real when you speak and the last thing viewers want is pretentiousness. Truly fun stuff👍
Love these vlogs - your Lister engine sounds EPIC!!! Thanks for sharing. Can't wait for your visit to Wigan and the Wigan Pier. Standish (next to Wigan) was my hometown until I was 12 years old. I have lived in Texas (USA) since then. Cheers!
Ha ha cheers Stuart very kind of you - will do a Wigan special in October I think as that's when I'll be going through all the locks (21 of them I don't know if you remember them?)
Top video Robbie....keep them coming. I have just started a little blog on the building of my boat and have only plucked up the courage to do a bit of a voice over.....you are a natural.
ha ha this is great I love the contest between the nice places like Manchester and the countryside and the crapholes like Runcorn, liegh (and Wigan in the new one lol) both in terms of how things look and the quality of the Pubs.
I am a new sub to your channel. I am also a US viewer that is fascinated by narrow boat living. Your channel is great so far. I love the review bits and all of the knowledge that comes with it. Thank you and keep up the great work my friend.
So glad you enjoyed your stay up in Mcr,It's a chilled city & I m glad I moved from Hull... So glad you had great weather too.. Take it steady & chow 4 now😊
That was a fun piece,and I adore me a good pub so when I fly into Manchester I shall stop at Wilson's. I follow a guy from Manchester who does intriguing vlogs on the city's industrial past and present,so it is good to see the city improving ,and it made me happy you had some fun.
This is very interesting - I grew up in Manchester near the Castlefield area and I regularly commute through Trafford, so to see what people think of Manchester from the outsider's point of view and as someone living on canal boats is quite intriguing for me. Also, I agree with you - the Deansgate and Castlefield area are brilliant! :)
Watched a separate RU-vid-vid on the Barton Swing Aqueduct, opens complete in a minute full of water, wouldn’t have thought such a thing was possible until you crossed it.
Like crack for canal fiends -- life on the cut warts-and-all. Loved the footage of you crossing the Manchester Ship Canal and your crap night out in Leigh ;-)
Shame about Castlefield Basin - there's a brilliant mooring at Piccadilly Basin, with self pump-out, boatman's cabin (complete with showers and washing machines) and a water point.
Hi Robbie Love the videos, started from a random one, and now just going from the begining. Loving the experience of watching you adventures on boat.. and learning alot. If you ever come by Stalybridge let me know Xau xau from a Portuguese girl and her pakistani husband just living recently in Uk ;-P Stay warm Marisa
Cities, which let’s face it, are trying to keep as many different folks contented, don’t probably want poo and pee smells wafting amongst the tourists while you leave behind your unmentionables, so, having said that maybe , as you approach a built up area next time, think ahead and seek out a marina where you can pump out your smellies, leaving you to relax ‘downtown’.
the worlds first canals are built just near worsley.think the bridgewater is uks first one.I live next to leigh and it was quite a good description,cant see there being a lonely planets with leigh in it.
Hi, Im nor clear about having to pay for mooring, I thought this was covered by the boat licence. Is it legal to charge extra, just because its popular, or is it non C&RT?
Hi Jo, so sorry to miss your comment - the canal I was on is non-C&RT owned. Bridgewater canal - owned by Peel holdings: www.bridgewatercanal.co.uk/boating/licensing So unfortunately just like on the Thames (Environment Agency) you have to pay a separate fee. Hope that helps 8^)
At the beginning of this vlog you were in Abingdon, passing the Old Anchor pub and St. Helens church. Did you do a vlog up to there, or from there to Oxford?
I've watched alot of canal narrowboat videos and have seen countless of narrowboats passing each other but it seems so half-hazard, like here in the states, we drive on the right side of road and we navigate our water craft of the right side of the waterway... is there any rule of thumb in Britain?
Not sure what you mean by half-hazard but it is commonplace for boats to pass port to port with allowances to pass on the ‘wrong’ side if navigation restricted by draft or oncoming obstacle for example
You wouldn't give him the steam off ya piss.You're full of shit.You can't even spell patreon,let alone give any monies to it.KNOBHEAD ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That turning basin in Worsley is a nice looking area that home on the end of the canal, I could see living there. Your right about Leigh (Lee? here we would pronounce it Lay) from GE it looks like a shit hole. A lot of uninspiring architecture and long straight rows of flats.
Hi Robbie. My wife and I are looking to escape the rat race and are beginning to think of selling up and buying a narrowboat. Tentative first steps but your vids (among others) are really getting us interested in the life. We should have enough equity to buy and live without working for a few years but I'm interested to hear how you juggle continuous cruising and holding down a job? My brother in law Kryfold Sky has been living on the Oxford canal for over 20 years. He has a RU-vid channel you can check out. Cheers
+Rob Martin Kryfold Sky - yes it's the Naughty narrowboat page isn't it?! Pretty much my favourite page. I might do a full video about working/ccing balance. But essentially I work 30 hours a week because there is so much you need to do for the boat that can only be done in daylight hours (such as moving and filling water tank etc)
Hi Rob, sorry I meant to reply to this earlier... Jobwise I basically only need a phone/3G signal and I'm sorted. I also have the best boss ever as she was the one who said 'go for it'. It really does depend where your job is, how easy it is to get there etc. Your bro in law's channel is funnily enough my FAVOURITE EVER RU-vid CHANNEL!! You cannot beat videos of hireboats crashing into things.
I'm not sure that I know what you mean, we at the Seminary are not known for being 'with it' but we do try. Father Michael suggested 'Watch Robbie Cumming on the canals', but Sister Angela said that although it stimulated her interest and, she was impressed by the length, she was of the opinion that size did matter, and offered our final suggestion. Rock on, Groovy.
I work from home for the most innovative gardening focused PR agency in the UK (sorry I'm in work mode now ha ha!) and school hours so I can actually find time to do these videos & all the usual boat maintenance. Keep thinking of your goal and look out for opportunities and stepping stones - took me a long time but if you keep working towards it you'll get there. Thanks for watching and commenting 8^)
Good morning Robbie. I hope you don’t mind me asking but can you tell me a couple of things please I’m trying to convince hubby we need a narrow boat to live on.. 1) who do you pay poll tax to as you and others travel around. 2) what about Doctors etc 3) what happens regarding having you post delivered or held 4) what are the cost of a mini Many thanks
Hi Carol! Of course, you must convince him! I can answer 2) I have most recently been asked to register as a permanent (not temporary) patient, and so had to supply a fixed address for the doctors but sometimes you can get away with fibbing a little bit especially if you’re cruising for a while in one area, it depends on the practice. 3) I have to rely on my parents but mostly I don’t have much post if at all. Hope that helps, I didn’t understand questions 1 and 4 though - poll tax? Mini?
Robbie Cumming Robbie Cumming question 1 was regarding paying Poll/council tax I just wondered which council collects it if you are travelling Question 4 can’t think what I typing sorry must have pressed send before I finished
Robbie Cumming cheers for that I remember what Question 4 was now Do you use a mifi for your internet and is it cost effective? I do enjoy your videos, glad you are feeling better.
Hi Carol yes I’m absolutely fine, I use a 12v automotive accesory from EE, think it’s called a buzzard. Those other battery powered Mifi things can get annoying with remembering to charge them up all the time!
Just joined your channel and am concerned you have a loose engine valve needing attention. Perhaps I will find in a few "episodes" that you have adjusted it. Ah the pitfalls of watching videos over a year old...
I'm wondering could you tell me if you've ever seen or experienced or heard anything strange around the canals.. given all the deaths there over the past few years ?
Hi Marie! Welcome onboard. I have a regular office job - PR Account Manager for garden product manufacturers - part of a cool little agency where we all work from home!
Having been brought up in Manchester, travelling and living around the UK, and now living ten miles away I can tell you a few things. Manchester was a complete crime ridden dump. After the bomb there was a lot of enthusiasm and some great architectural improvements. The place seemed full of hope. However, that is all gone. Manchester City Centre is full of spice addicts. Many cogregate around the 'Berlin Wall' of Piccadilly Gang Headquarters(The Gardens) while others follow you around town waiting to mug you or threaten you with a needle. The Police in Manchester couldn't give a f....They are more likely to arrest you for getting mugged than arrest the mugger(it's easier!). Go out of Manchester to Altrincham(where I live) and other leafy suburbs and people are completely up their own ars...s. They are so happy not to live near Manchester that they aspire to be part of the Cheshire set. Their homes make good feeding for the burglars of Wythenshawe( a sub culture of a subculture, crime sespit). Besides that it's all OK.
Shaun Lee used to be a forklift driver. He loaded me up with pallets a few times. Is that the reet Shaun Lee? Could of been but I doubt it. Get out of Leigh it’s crap there. No offence taken I hope. Lol.
That’s a difficult question, lots of variables but this is a good starting point - licence fees canalrivertrust.org.uk/refresh/media/thumbnail/31391-long-term-licence-fees-2018-2019.pdf 8^)
...and one of my favourite films ‘24 hour party people’ which is basically where I got the known for crime bit. And all my other facts about Manchester 😂
I know that we're a bunch of cowboys here in the US (Myself-Chicago land) but you mentioned at least four times in this video concern about your safety AND that someone kicked your windows in once. My question, are you allowed to have a shotgun , rifle, anything? On board? The beauty here is the bad guys have to guess if you'll shoot them or not if they break in, after all that boat is your home. Even those that do not like or have guns are safer since as I said above, keeps the bad guys guessing. I truly do not know gun laws there in your area. I have a fascination with these long boats I really knew nothing about them until I found "Cruising The Cut" in YT and now your channel. I think you have done an outstanding job in your two videos I've seen AND showing local spots as you did is a big Win in my book. I feel a little like a tourist through your film. I live on the Rock River in Northern IL, my boat is on a lift in the back yard ready to go at any moment. The downside is I live in the middle of about 13 miles total that are navigable, gets too shallow to the north, and downtown Rockford there is a dam. My engine is a wee bit different at 454 cu in. Small sleeping berth up front. I love spending the night on it, my wife not so much. Cheers.
Thank you very much for what has to be the most interesting comment I've recieved so far! As Casper says it is very different here, but there are things you can do to stay within the law whilst also protecting yourself. It's a tricky subject but perhaps we will cover it at some stage! Thanks again 8^)
Ah, but the great thing is the yobs won't have guns either. Only serious criminals can afford to go armed, both in terms of cost but mostly in terms of the consequences. So nobody winds up dead, either way.
I too watch Cruising the Cut channel. May I recommend a channel by the name of Sortofinteresting. A young guy by the name of Dan Brown who was, until recently, a liveaboard for 4 years on the Llangollen canal. some brilliant videos on his channel of his life and travels on yet another stunning rural canal 👍
