2019

S2.E1 ∙ A Grand Adventure

Thu, Jan 10, 2019

David begins his journey this year by getting a diesel leak fixed in the engine bay and then heads off towards the heart of the canal network - Braunston - before continuing towards the Leicester Arm of the Grand Union Canal. He also meets up with some new friends, also narrowboaters.

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S2.E2 ∙ River Deep

Sat, Jan 25, 2020

David's narrowboat voyage continues up the Leicester line of the Grand Union Canal as he fixes a potentially disastrous leak in the weed hatch and meets some friends who join him in convoy on their boat as he tackles the terrifying (not really) River Soar.

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S2.E3 ∙ Wider and Wider

Wed, Mar 25, 2020

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S2.E4 ∙ The Umbrella Solution

Wed, Apr 01, 2020

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S2.E5 ∙ Pursued by a Power Station

Wed, Apr 08, 2020

It's nonstop action in this trip as David continues along the lovely, tranquil Trent and Mersey canal in search of a haircut. He takes the narrowboat through a very tight squeeze outside Rugeley, changes the engine oil, and admires some flowers by the canalside.

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S2.E6 ∙ Going Underground

Tue, May 05, 2020

A terrifying ordeal awaits our hero as he continues north up the Trent and Mersey canal: The "Scarecastle" Tunnel, a very long, dark, damp tunnel which has sagged in the middle over the many decades since it was built, making it very, very low indeed in some parts. Will David make it through? (hint: yes). Plus, how to buy a boat if you can't afford a whole one.

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S2.E7 ∙ Heartbreak Hill

Tue, May 12, 2020

Having survived the terror of Harecastle Tunnel, David now has the small matter of Heartbreak Hill, a very long series of canal locks to descend. The weather's sunny, then rainy, then sunny again and the boat gets hung up on a ledge at one point. Plus: can you buy a narrowboat in the UK if you're from overseas?

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S2.E8 ∙ You Lift Me Down

Tue, May 19, 2020

A very special trip on the narrowboat as David reaches the Anderton Boat Lift, an amazing feat of Industrial Revolution engineering, restored some 15 years ago. This giant iron structure lifts boats from the Trent and Mersey canal down to the River Weaver below, and vice versa. After that, a beautiful few days of cruising along the Middlewich branch of the Shopshire Union Canal is in store.

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S2.E9 ∙ The Shropshire Union

Wed, Jun 10, 2020

In which David travels south along the wonderfully green and lush Shropshire Union canal and admires several delightful old bridges along the way plus he gets admonished for going too fast. He is a naughty boater.

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S2.E10 ∙ What Lurks Beneath?

Wed, Jun 17, 2020

After leaving the Shropshire Union Canal, David turns his narrowboat onto the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, a journey that does not begin with good omens as he immediately picks up something large and soggy around his propeller.

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S2.E11 ∙ Homecoming

Wed, Jun 24, 2020

Braving another substantial river like the courageous soul he is, David takes his narrowboat from Stourport onto the Severn and pops back to his home town of Droitwich along the way before returning to the river and continuing south to Tewkesbury where he begins what would become his most enjoyable journey yet, up the River Avon.

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S2.E12 ∙ River Song

Tue, Jul 14, 2020

An episode in which David experiences the most glorious week of narrowboating he's had to date as he travels up the River Avon from Tewkesbury to Stratford-Upon-Avon, including a trip down memory lane to his childhood.

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S2.E13 ∙ Exit, Stage Left

Wed, Jul 15, 2020

David's amazing week in the sunshine on the River Avon comes to an end as he reaches Stratford, whereupon he returns to the canals with a shock as he remembers just how narrow they are compared to rivers and how low some of their bridges can be.

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S2.E14 ∙ Familiar Ground

Thu, Jul 16, 2020

Good fortune smiles upon David as he travels up the south Stratford canal, with lock after lock being set his way and help being given by random boaters and passers-by. As he reaches the final stage of his 2017 travels, two familiar faces pop up to help with the last strenuous leg down Hatton locks.

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S2.E15 ∙ Meet the Makers

Fri, Jul 17, 2020

In this special bonus end-of-season episode, David goes "behind the scenes" at a narrowboat manufacturer, seeing how huge steel plates are beaten and wrestled into submission to become beautiful canal craft. Plus he visits one of the Canal and River Trust's two workshops that manufacture lock gates out of English Oak, largely by hand.

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