Is this the worst canal in the UK? - 183

What happens when UK canals stop being used by narrowboats? They fall into disrepair, becoming stagnant and littered with rubbish and weed. The Slough Arm is infamous for this, as it is rarely used by narrowboaters, but in our epic quest for the Silver Propeller, and to complete the entire network, we tackle the challenge head-on. So join us as we trudge through the worst-kept canal we've ever experienced... 😣🚧
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[@rogerparritt-qn7cs]

Thanks for navigating the Slough Arm. If more boaters did it would help. Unfortunately since Covid the Slough Festival has not taken place. Hillingdon Narrowboats used to run trip boats between the Basin and the winding hole at bridge 9, during the Festival, which helped quite a bit. Volunteers do try to clean up both on the towpath and the water by canoe. The weed is cleared from time to time by contractors but everything is back really quickly. It's a lovely walk or bike ride. My wife and I are Volunteer Towpath Rangers and walk the Slough Arm each month.

[@karmolr68]

Our fishing boats in Eastern Canada have a cage that goes around the propellor to protect it from snarling ropes etc... Do you thing this may help your canal boats from having weeds, bags and other material from wrapping around your prop?

[@douglascolman4501]

Finally someone with enough sense to use an umbrella on the steering deck.

[@wayneharris7534]

Unfortunately the canals have been in decline for decades... Lack of dredging and maintenance is a real problem for boaters ..I was born on a narrow boat in the early fifty's and only left the canals a few years ago .. I can honestly say that the c r t has a lot to answer for.concernig the state of the canal system.. You will find that areas that are used by narrow boat holiday companies are amongst the best canals in the UK. Towpaths always given priority in these areas .. canals always kept in top top condition..??? As you will discover on your journeys around the UK...you will also find that these sections are private morning only. Even though they pay the same fees as the rest of the narrow boaters.in the UK. Anyway folks stay safe and well ..

[@glennclarke9787]

Great vlog Guys. At least you got through all those clothes.Enjoy your holiday xxx

[@TheNomadicCrobot]

woaw congrats on the silver propeller challenge, they look fun and scary at the same time, what a grubby little journey, take care guys xx

[@BoatTime]

One step closer to the shiny propeller trophy, plenty more smelly little adventures to go! 😅

[@onedaymoreaboard]

You did it so we don’t have to 😂. We really believed there was going to be something special at the end with the fab music. And there it was, a blue fence 😂

[@mishkawp8200]

Congratulations! It may not have been the best experience but it’s certainly one you’ll remember! 10/10 for persistence - you and Bears deserve a medal for that. 🏅

[@jessgibson4790]

A basic problem is that CRT are not fit for purpose. To maintain canals in condition is the brief and ,clearly, if the canal is not up to it's specifications, then it's not being maintained. When it gets really annoying is when a canal dug for widebeam boats can barely pass a narrowboat, like the weedy sections of the Kennet and Avon.

[@khalidkobeikram7408]

Great video, so last year I bumped into The CRT working on the canal. They said the UK gov stopped over £300M in funds and didn't say anything! They also said to me that the Slough Arm will be closed off to boats soon due to robbery and theft on the boats. The path way will remain open but not for any boats!

[@FenstarDeLuxe]

I had such a visceral reaction to you pulling the weed out, it reminds me of having to pull my own hair out of the plughole. LoL. Awful. Amazing, you made it though!!

[@bluedeva]

Bless you both for conquering the slough arm, you will definitely have to give gg some tlc for somehow not giving up with all that rubbish wrapped around her prop. Those chips were the perfect reward - made my mouth water so much I’m now craving a chippy tea 🤗🤗

[@user-kw2yo6wi3v]

As a new boater, coming back to London, from burying my boat from Crewe,I wanted to drag my time out go though London, so done the Slough,to Langley a bit shallow, nice chandler at Langley.I was told dredging early this year.

[@susanmcgregor3787]

Congratulations to you and The Bears on completing the Slough Arm. Hopefully more boats will take up the challenge. Most of the scenery looked peaceful and lovely...on a lovely sunny day could be a very pleasant voyage. Pity about so much weed and rubbish...hopefully that will get sorted soon. Hoping you are feeling much better now Wes, and you remain Covid free Amy.

[@SeanMcPhersonSenior]

Yay! Congrats on another Silver Propeller spot, and Wes, I hope you’re feeling better now! Not sure exactly when this was filmed, but Amy, my wife Christy’s currently sick so I’m living in our garage on a cot! Not a lot different in terms of being hard to get away from each other. Hope you stay clear of it! Thanks as always for sharing the adventure with us!

[@lw7240]

Poor Wes, hope you get better soon hun . you did great guys, long tiring day for u. Buy you fix it!!!! Sending love Lisa xxx ❤❤❤❤

[@jakerademacher4258]

Quite an adventure and you handled it so well, it's been such a pleasure, experiencing your evolution from novice narrowboaters to taking on anything that comes your way, I'm patiently awaiting the day you receive your silver propeller, a large party will surely be in order, be safe, Jake from Jersey USA.👍🏻✌🏻

[@JonAl1966]

Ahh I’ve just realised I passed you when your were moored there by the pub and said hi. We’d had our boat blacked just up from there. Am now subscribed sorry I didn’t realise who you guys were. Loved this vid but will not be doing the Slough arm. You guys are legends for doing it x

[@janhiscock9006]

I call the blanket weed Dementor weed because it reminds me of the Harry Potter baddies and the way they float about!! I agree with Will - the Walsall area was the worst we've done! We'd already got the Silver Propeller before we came across the Slough Arm so didn't cruise it - we may do it at another time, though, who knows????

[@NicksAllotmentDiary]

Hi Amy and Wes. That looked painfully difficult but the scenery wasn’t bad. Shame there’s so much weed and rubbish. Well done for completing it though 🥰 Take care. Nick

[@jillthornton7216]

Well done both of you and now relax and get well .❤️

[@natashab2304]

Hurrah for completionism!!! There definitely should have been a reward at the rhe end... I thought there'd be an Ikea or something random like that!! Thanks for taking us with you!! Hope you're both over the lurgies now!! Xx

[@angcam42]

Oh wow 😊 well done! At least you pushed through and didn't give up 🎉

[@user-uf5bg5vg9m]

I’ve always referred to semi-submerged plastic bags as fresh water jellyfish!

[@Dave-SmilerAlf]

It was quite relaxing after your hilarious but stressful DIY Vlog.😂😀

[@samwright8599]

At least you show the cruddy bits. ❤❤❤

[@BoatTime]

Yep! It’s not all good, but it’s all an adventure 😊💪🏻

[@shirleygreaves9650]

I hope you both feel better soon. Glad you managed the Slough arm, I imagine the weed would be worse worse in the summer and probably more yob culture around then too. You two are getting very brave even attempting that canal is something I’m sure you’d have been scared to do in the beginning. Well done both of you. xxxxx

[@littlepiggin]

those overgrown trees! I would’ve been tempted to hold some plant clippers and do a bit of pruning as I went past 😂😂

[@t0916118432]

可以改裝船體穿開過去就能割草集束，河道規格是相同的，歐洲是先進國家完全沒技術問題.然而那些雜草也阻止垃圾跑到河裡

[@user-uf5bg5vg9m]

Remember that on your way back you are lower in the water due to filling your potable water tanks so your prop is deeper and picking up more 😮

[@bindatek8801]

Knowing Slough, I would say that you were lucky not to have been murdered and/or robbed - the prop weed problem was nothing to worry about considering what could have happened!! Not exactly a holiday resort is it?? Well done for staying alive anyway!! John

[@rebeccathomson6005]

great Vlog guys xx

[@Ritarelay]

Sending huge love to you both. How frustrating they want people to use these but they don’t maintain them at all.. which means folk don’t use it 😢 Feel better lovelies ❤

[@BoatTime]

Yeah it's also what happens when boats don't use a section enough 😢 Thank you! 💕

[@Paul.simpson84]

Personally Rita I think it’s down to the locals, they are the ones putting the rubbish in there and not putting the effort in to sorting it out. There isn’t many sections of canals that are right next to something so busy as the GU coming out of London that are in this sort of state, especially considering the bit around the canal didn’t look run down at all.

[@lindabell7975]

Hope you both feel better soon ❤ xxx

[@paulamarieart]

Rufus was looking up from inside the boat like 'why are we even doing this?' Great achievement though 🎉

[@jackhaynes]

Hey you two you are amazing love you very much keep safe xxxxxxx ❤❤❤

[@skippyify]

I grew up there and paddled the Britwell Boys Club rowboat up the Slough Arm after me and another friend at the time had painted it all up after doing some repairs. Note i said paddle as the motor kept getting clogged!! We did it at night ahhhh happy memories well over 50 years ago!!

[@pilpelet100]

Wow! What a journey. Congratulations on the silver propellor.

[@NarrowboatWill]

Oh no! Not the Slough arm. You have to try it for yourself to find out i guess. You'll love Wasall then. 😂😂😂😂❤

[@BoatTime]

Nooo Will! The suspense is killing us 😂😂

[@NarrowboatWill]

@@BoatTime 🤣🤣😫😫

[@BoatTime]

@@NarrowboatWill you’re alive to tell the tale at least 😂😂

[@NarrowboatWill]

@BoatTime I really enjoyed the trip. Just avoid Walsall. The rest is fine with good facilities. 👍 Looking forward to seeing how you get on. I didn't have any trouble..

[@TheLandOfJonny]

The llangollen cutaway was everything lollll

[@lynmoore8355]

So if you arein Slough...omg my hubby lived there before I new him cos he worked at Heathrow, but are you not far from Denham....cos there are some really nice pubs in Denham Village..... The Falcon was the one we used to go to.... glad that you made it to the end, at least you can tick it off your bucket list, so I heard you want to do the whole network like "Min list" Jo and Michael....good on you can't wait to watch you do it...

[@journeytakesatrip]

Well done for completing a difficult section, for doing so when ill, and for doing your bit and removing some of the weed and plastic bags with your propeller and long gloves. Another part of the network ticked off..and on to the next!

[@rachelshonahague5718]

The scooter was a nice touch I thought😂xxxx

[@johnhall4146]

Anything called Slough could scarcely be expected to be other than swampy. Luckily, your usual good humor saw you emerge from this Slough of Despond in good shape. A packet of chips can cure almost any pickle. ;-)

[@Faith_Soprano]

Because of the way you've primed us for the experience, this whole cruise felt like an urban exploration. 😅

[@andyb1237]

Well done. I can only repeat what I said to Michael and Jo. Thanks for doing it so I don’t have to!

[@DanniandJoe]

Woo lady Penny bun! Boo Slough arm! 😂😂 Brought back many memories

[@BoatTime]

So many fond memories I trust 😂😂 We just saw it in your latest vlog and had flashbacks 🫠

[@janroberts1815]

Well done you two, chips were your reward 🤣🤣

[@Andrea29987]

I was panicking when Wes was off the boat turning it🤣🤣🤣

[@BoatTime]

Haha so was Amy, it looks more precarious from that side of the canal than it did for me (Wes)! 😂😂

[@larryalbert1027]

Do you have snow yet

[@ragingtomtom]

Their used to be a pub just across the road from their. Also a builders merchant and a funeral directors. You should see the plans slough has for the new "basin estate" they want to build.

[@Minikisses20000]

Wes& Amy and the fur babies. I am glad you can now check this off and color it on the map. I truly hope you both start feeling better real soon. Get some much needed rest. Truly is the only way to get rid of the nasty COVID. Stay safe and so glad the bears did the slough arm with you. Until next time Sending love from Vegas.🩷🩷

[@BoatTime]

Yep! It was a really challenging one but glad we've completed it! Thank you! 💕

[@maidbloke]

I'm fairly local to Slough and have cycled the Slough Arm quite a bit, so I knew what was coming 😂

[@leegarrett5469]

The bags are like a swarm of jelly fish

[@glennclarke9787]

What a nightmare for you, 😂 But it was a great Vlog Guys. Get well Wez😢xx

[@annjarvis9300]

Well a very hard won achievement but ha you did it do hope you are both getting better and had much needed rest up tc now the oldies luv u 🌟🌟🤗🤗👍👍🙏

[@beasmith1]

No excuses Wes, we had Covid for christmas & I say it for the second time with Covid, I've had worse colds lol as for the 'Sloff' arm, it's Slough. Won't say much about that, but its quite local to me, let's just say, most of the Slough residents have zero interest in canals...

[@RetireMentalityChallenged]

Ha! I was convinced there was a chippy at the end cause, you you guys seemed really motivated! ;^)

[@jeanniehyde8090]

Get 🥺well ❤️‍🩹 you two 🤗💕 and well done 👏🏾 Another ( but miserable weedy ) challenge completed ✅ yes chips to celebrate 🙌🏾 🍟 🎉🥳

[@seachelle222]

Hilarious setup of the results at the end of the Slough canal! 😂

[@BoatTime]

Thanks! 😂😂

[@sheilajoseph9953]

Your crazy tackling to the finish of Slough arm, but i do get it, you've completed another part of canal.😊 They ought to rename the slough arm to bagweed arm. 😂💚

[@Roamingthecotswolds]

New subscriber and love your vlogs

[@annclark5082]

Was it just me that thought you were going to show a chip shop at the end? Also was it just me wondering if there was a body along with the scooter? 😮😮😮 Have a good week 👍

[@lloydevans2900]

That's definitely blanket weed - I can remember clearing loads of it from ponds when I was growing up. The method I used was to stick a long piece of bamboo bean-cane into the water and spin it. Even though the cane is smooth, the weed sticks to it after only a few rotations and then you just keep spinning the cane to wind it all around before pulling a massive lump out. If that's possible with a smooth piece of bamboo, I am not at all surprised that it clogs up a propeller. I'm wondering whether it would be possible to fit a rope-cutting attachment of some kind to a narrowboat propeller? There are numerous different designs of these available, but all have the same purpose - if rope, netting or flexible plastic sheet are drawn into and get wrapped around the propeller, the cutting attachment shreds them before they can clog or jam the propeller badly enough to stop it spinning. If this works for rope, then it should also work for any kind of weeds growing in canals, and should also make short work of carrier bags.

[@Boating_David]

Thats the kind of daft trip I'd do 😂 (i even reversed around a bend to the very very end of the Leek Branch once ) That weed is common on the Birmingham mainline Wolverhampton to Tipton and the pennywort covers the Rufford Branch on the L&L so know your pain 😢

[@user-pq4qc8tb7s]

Hmm ,cappachino canal with pennywort topping 🤢l recognised some of the rubbish from when N B Will went down there ! Love the rictus grin at the terminus 😊

[@BoatTime]

Haha! There's a Starbucks drink deal in there somewhere! Yeah I don't think the rubbish has moved much since Will did it 😂😂

[@user-cl2ds8ul9q]

I L♡ve your videos guys !!!!As if there was a chippy. 😅 ! What a shame it was all fenced off like that at the end ! :( ... I could be a lovely place for families to walk if it wasn't all boarded up like that ? How discusting that crt don't maintain it ! :( I thought it was actually exceptionally pretty.

[@LoveTwoTravel]

Great job at staying positive, thought for sure you would get ticked, but no! Same bubbly selves! We’re definitely doing this when we make it down that way. Just need to keep Wendy away from this video so she won’t say no😵‍💫 Maybe the NB community should have a hidden stone somewhere at the end they could initial and put back to show who made the journey!!!!

[@Andrea29987]

Well done 😂😂😂 xx

[@BoatTime]

Thank you! 😂😂

[@SecretSquirrelFun]

27:40 On the way back, it honestly might have been easier if you had bow hauled the boat instead of running the prop. Obviously it depends on the towpath condition (and with you being poorly). Once you get the boat moving and you keep that momentum up it’s not that bad. Less exertion than having to stop and clean the weed off your prop every 15 minutes - whilst getting wet, cold and mucky in the process 🤔 I really hope that you’re feeling better now. I bet you both slept like logs after doing this cruise. Thanks again for sharing. 🙂🐿🌈❤️

[@solvitplumbing]

you should tell people to go all the way to the end so it keeps the canals open ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ps love your videos xxx

[@matthewweedon3731]

If you haven’t already try the wendover arm which is partly restored and the Aylesbury arm

[@wendycrooks875]

Another canal to colour. 🥳 You passed an “Amy” and then I saw a “Mollie”! (my JRT’s name and spelt the same). 🐾 I hope you both feel better soon. 🦠

[@lesleyhutchason6277]

I used to live in Slough many many years ago. So completely understand why the canal arm is such as mess!!

[@BoatTime]

It's a shame when the canals aren't used much! They need a chippy at the end 😉

[@eatmynoobfood7461]

GeeGee guy's 😂😜✌️💜

[@DreamyDrifter...and_away...]

I thought it was going to be a chip shop at the end 😂

[@BoatTime]

If only!! 😂😂

[@Michael-ln7us]

The CRT needs to pick up their game on that section. It's a shame that some people use it as a rubbish dump. You did it and you can tick it off your list and never do it again

[@nbwakamatandoto4127]

When we had our doggie she used to insist on being on the back with us when cruising….whatever the weather

[@SCYorks]

Sadly there is an extreme lack of money spent on the canal network in the UK as the government and CRT havent figured out like France and other countries that there's money to be made from tourists with the canal network.

[@perrywaters6070]

I'm sure I read that harefield canal will be closed for a few weeks due to hs2 works from the 1st of Feb. So if you are heading that way you may want to get through before the stoppage

[@BoatTime]

Ooo yeah we noticed there's a big stoppage there. All good though! The vlogs are a bit behind 😊

[@trevorsbarkingmadchannel4501]

Is there a web page the crt can be told how bad it is to get it cleaned up. That was just awful. No wonder it’s not used much. Well done on persevering.

[@Roy66Nott]

Hope you run the water through the hose for a bit before filling your tank, be safe guys.

[@SteveBau-vq9zs]

You wanna try K&A by Reading, broken/leaking locks, it's shallow & unmaintaned, junkies & dealers galore, scramble bikes whizzing up & down....lovely & safe

[@BoatTime]

We’ve done the full K&A from Reading to Bristol, the water was much worse here but we still enjoyed the adventure 😊

[@vanbc19631963]

Another great video. Thank you. Can you let me know Bears channel pls. I'm sure you've mentioned it but I must have missed it.

[@kevinstroud5216]

I use to refer to Slough as 'Sludge'. That was probably more accurate than I realised at the time...

[@BoatTime]

😂😂 not heard that one before!

[@Lauproo]

well done both! What was the navigation map app shown in the vid?

[@lizzyrogers783]

We were really hoping there was a chippy at the end of the Slough arm 🍟😂

[@BoatTime]

So were we! 😂😂😥

[@ragingtomtom]

Of up the grand Union? Make sure you pop into the general eliott. I'll get you a drink.

[@philblay4330]

It wasn't always like that. I used to fish there when I was a boy around 50 years ago. There were always good Tench in there.

[@BoatTime]

Oh that’s sad! It’s always a shame when the canals fall into disrepair. Hopefully it’ll be restored more in the future 🤞🏻

[@arkadventure2]

For a moment I thought the blue metal fence was an IKEA store

[@BoatTime]

That would’ve been worth it for the meatballs 😂

[@explosivesimon]

Was that a Camp Quirky plastic pint cup I saw you had!!??? (IYKYK)

[@BoatTime]

it was! we went there last year, loved it! ☺️🚐 gutted it’s not on this year

[@bigKDL]

The slug arm as I like to call it is the only canal that's lives up to it's reputation most others with bad reputations are never as bad as described

[@user-tr6vf2qn2e]

I grew up in Langley and spent a lot of time around the Langley and Colnbrook canal system. It was a pretty place in my day but the canal was already being used as a dumping ground. The Gravel pits (which were one of the original reasons of the canal's existence were already largely unused by the late 1960's). It doesn't surprise me that this section of canal has fallen into disrepair - The Slough municipal leadership has LOOONG been a travesty of incompetence and corruption. Once a certain demographic took over that has zero respect for the areas history it descended into complete chaos. Britain - take back your country or this is what awaits across the board... Trust me - they do not appreciate civilization and what it took to build it... I've seen it all over the world!

[@robertwalters5654]

You do it so we don't have to so that's good

[@BoatTime]

😂 taking one for the team!

[@edwardkrarup8816]

Just be careful with taps that haven't been used for a long time give it a good five minute flush before you take on the water. Legionnaires can develop in unflushed Taps. 😮

[@BoatTime]

Yess good point! I'm pretty sure we did flush it😬 hope we did anyway haha

[@tereasia]

I finally got COVID, and it started with back pain that hurt SO bad

[@sianwarwick633]

I'm not a boater. Is there any way to get some work done on this canal by the CRT. The blue fence is security fencing for a school and daycare. You need this crew of French magnet fishers that i follow to come and clean the canal of garbage, weed, bags, etc

[@danielsplayhouse3804]

We here in the States we call that sh!t creek... LoL 🤣😆

[@BoatTime]

😂😂 also your profile picture jump-scared me! 😂 love it

[@danielsplayhouse3804]

@@BoatTime compliment from the wife my perfect profile picture... LoL 🤣

[@irenepotter2709]

Watching makes me feel I want to get on the canal and clear the plastic junk and weed. Do you take the rubbish to the next bin you come across?

[@BoatTime]

On ‘normal’ canals with a normal amount of rubbish we do litter pick and dispose but unfortunately this one was too much for us to tackle and we had to focus on just getting the boat through without damage. Any litter we pulled out though was disposed of properly in the bins 😊

[@jimmunro4649]

Canal trust need get to that canal pick that rubbish really bad look for canal and people think all canals like this

[@shazsharples3736]

Hi wes and Amy rufus and dupes we have had covid 3 weeks ago and one ask where do find all the chip shops tha cook chips in veg oil im vegan and most chip shops near us cook in beef fat, i love chippy chips too 😭

[@eugenewilliams9971]

Old series zombie boat zomboat have you seen it lmao