Narrowboat: Myth, Reality & Magic

My boat life books: amzn.to/45UhQd7
My AudioBook: adbl.co/28SGOxt
PayPal: www.paypal.me/...
Instagram: / sortofdan
Facebook Profile: / sortofdan
Facebook Page: / sortofinteresting
TikTok: / sortofdan
Twitter: / sort_of_dan
I use amazon associate links so if you visit amazon through my links I may get a commission, this does not affect the price you pay.

[@EnyawYorlig]

You certainly have a good eye for the aesthetic beauty of nature.

[@antonystephenson2481]

I love r r to you rryou both of you both of love =èeand rrr

[@goofe.washington953]

I live in a part of the U.S. that never gets snow. This video, showing your boat and the surrounding landscape covered in snow, is simply magnificent. It’s hard to describe how truly beautiful it is. Thank you for it.

[@littlebrookreader949]

@Purple Burglar Alarm 😂😂😂

[@robinblackmoor8732]

I live in New England. I would not leave it for anything. There is a bit of magic in a snowstorm and fireplace. It makes everything Okay, and adds magic to Christmas like nothing else can.

[@cdkmonkey2699]

@@robinblackmoor8732 so true ! I'm from the UK ! England , the seasons are a joy to behold even the rain lol

[@Londonfogey]

Britain is beautiful all year round, once one learns how to appreciate the subtle changes in the seasons. Even a grey, drizzly day in February can have its beauty.

[@fenrichlee2867]

Excuse me Londonfogey. As they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, try living up here in hilly Wales where it rains for weeks on end in Winter, dark at 4:00pm, where it never gets above 6c for months, and many nights it drops below zero. Nah mate, speak for yourself! Oh and it's being so cheerful that keeps me going LOL!

[@BurninWires]

Subtle changes ?

[@dmacpher]

Sounds like southern British Columbia 😂

[@foodforthefaithful]

What a pleasant chap. Beautiful scenery with an informative narrative on narrow boat life. And I agree, natural heat with the ambiance of a fire is much more charming than central heating.

[@littlebrookreader949]

True. Amen! No substitute for a wood burning fireplace. Nothing else gets close.

[@tattyboi1594]

This guy seems like he's got a heart of gold

[@felixcat9318]

Actually, he has! He is a really lovely person, honest, open and nice.

[@felixcat9318]

@James Cricket I have been a subscriber to KZbin for quite a while and have been following this channel since the owner had his original boat, Tilly. I have only ever had an account in this name and other than as an ordinary viewer, and the buyer of the channel owners book on his life aboard his narrowboat, I have absolutely no connection to him! I feel sorry for you that upon seeing a positive comment left by a viewer you immediately and without any basis whatsoever think that it is false, made from a sock puppet account by the channel owner! Your utterly baseless and tasteless remark speaks volumes about your character. Somewhere, the underside of a rock awaits its inhabitant...

[@bjw4859]

As an Australian living in the tropical north, any country that has snow like that is just surreal, yes we have snow in the southern states in the winter & even snow resorts, but our winter occurs in the middle of the year which sought of takes the fun out of a white Christmas. I do remember doing this thing called ' Christmas in July ' where they organised bus loads of people to travel to various ski resorts & pretend it was Christmas, alcohol may have been involved, lol. It was hideously expensive, but one of my long time dreams was to have a white Christmas, & then go back to somewhere it was not cold. This video you made on it from a narrow boat prospective of a winter wonderland was just magic, thankyou for sharing, cheers.

[@SortOfInteresting]

Haha thanks for your comment! Yes this kind of winter scenery is something I’ll always be grateful to witness from a boating perspective!

[@helenamcginty4920]

I lived in the NW of England in a seaside town. It hardly ever snowed. ( Courtesy of the gulf stream drift) As kids we were constantly disappointed. But when we heard on the radio (pre tv days) that a child in scotland had been lost in a blizzard on her way home from school or that villages in some county in england were cut off by deep snow we didnt feel so badly done to.

[@shawnmnichols1]

Your channel is a great antidote to to THE WORLD. Thank you so much and keep the photos coming, please!

[@jolandameivogel9006]

Yes it is beautifull. I live now for 10 years full time on my sailing boat and i love the snow in the winter. greetings from the Netherlands

[@elizaphe58]

I walk the Canal Towpaths near where I live and it never ceases to amaze me how the changing seasons bring so much joy! doesn't matter what the weather!

[@Steve-ul6pe]

Hi Dan, I enjoy your videos. I have just bought your book from Amazon and have started reading it. I live in San Diego California and have to smile when you show the UK weather. I am originally from Glasgow, Scotland so I grew up with plenty of rain. The UK has green fields for a reason. Keep doing your videos and write more books. You have a natural easy-going writing style which makes your books easy to read. The same applies to your videos. Keep them coming...

[@stephensmith4480]

Came here purely by chance and glad I did. Really enjoyable, I remember when we stayed overnight on a narrow boat, that was with a school trip to Stratford on Avon, many many years ago and I have always remembered it with great fondness. Thank you for a glimpse into a simple but wonderful way of life.

[@SortOfInteresting]

Thanks for watching, I'm glad you enjoyed the video, this particular snowy day is probably one of the most beautiful I've ever seen onboard!

[@tamsinruth9241]

A lovely insight to boat life Dan. Fantastic shots of the recent snowfall as well

[@jeffmorris739]

Beautiful! You are a fine photographer and have a really good eye. As a Yank of British ancestry somewhere deep inside I have warm feelings of the mother country and to see it so beautiful warms my heart. Thanks Dan.

[@ronslaughterandalice1018]

From Tennessee U.S.A. And served in Germany ( Dachau ) and the winter was spectacular. The air is fresh and the water ways with snow was amazing. Once in a lifetime and made a lot friends while there.

[@Supermelloww]

I didn’t think I had any interest in canals or narrowboats until this video - this was so enjoyable to watch ❤

[@SortOfInteresting]

Thanks! I’m glad you liked it!

[@LawrenceBroussard]

I have watched quite a few narrow boat vlogs, but wow, your right, it truly beautiful with snow.

[@Astronomy1610]

Absolutely stunning pictures Dan, stay safe and healthy in these challenging times .👍👌

[@brianwheeldon4643]

Aesthetic beauty and a great antidote indeed to THE WORLD. The photographs you take are beautiful and ooze tranquility. Thanks so much

[@robertfoster404]

Seeing all that beautiful scenery makes me want to pack my bags .Thank you old chap for the video.

[@justanotherjackass4669]

I love your simple little life on your simple little boat. You are truly blessed

[@williamhawkes7437]

You keep burning wood mate, that's being responsible, burning a sustainable resource! Well done on another interesting and entertaining video Dan!

[@ceeceety2320]

It seems to me that every narrowboat channel I watch uses coal or wood to heat their boat, so I don't believe you need to worry about that. Not that you were worried, just saying. I'd rather have a stove like yours for heat than any other source. I believe you are in just about the most beautiful place a soul could be during the winter months. With or without snow, it's just magnificent! Thanks for sharing! Tim

[@vijaysura2874]

I wish I lived on a narrow boat. What a great way to live, and to have nature right there on your doorstep is a huge bonus. A few hardships, so what!

[@williamjones7163]

I just moved back to Montana from Phoenix, Arizona after 36 years in the Valley of the Sun. I had my first snow and it was 8 inches. Much like the first images of snow you had in your video it was serenely gorgeous.

[@SortOfInteresting]

Wow! That must have been a great sight and a good preparation for what winter can bring!

[@lawrencelowe193]

What a huge pleasure..Thank you..Absolutely love the narrative. Pleasant, informative, professional and entertaining. Love those beautiful images of the country side in its winter wonderland state..Well done sir..Well done

[@SortOfInteresting]

Thank you for such a great comment! I’m glad you enjoyed the incredible scenery!

[@eastcoast4233]

That shot with the geese at the start is beautiful.

[@alisongalloway1455]

Your photography is outstanding. The best I have seen from a narrowboat vlogger

[@SortOfInteresting]

Thank you, that is high praise indeed given some of the boater out there!

[@adam56usa]

There is beauty in simplicity. Your photos are so magnificent!

[@ЭстебанПантера]

I can't believe I finally found your channel. Thanks for the quality content.

[@josequins9099]

What a fabulous life you live. Your dog is so cute and happy, running in the snow then warming up in front of the fire.

[@polygraphpolygraphovich9589]

Yay Dan you're back, we don't see enough of you!

[@wendysalter]

Fabulous views and photography! Simple life, few needs, much happiness, especially with that cute little dog and a log fire.

[@kenneyg100]

Absolutely beautiful and so informative. Thank you

[@oreilly1237878]

Nothing like canal boating.The sheer peace and freedom.Thankyou for keeping up your fine blog.

[@SortOfInteresting]

Thanks, glad you liked the video. The scenery in this one must be one of the most perfect settings and weather conditions that I have ever been lucky enough to see first hand!

[@helenknowles9775]

Brilliant video. You’re one of the nicest and most genuine people I’ve watched on here

[@asak7594]

Watching this from Brittany France , what beautiful scenery . well done Dan glad to see you back

[@petegalloway2466]

Some lovely scenes there sir. Must be a humbling experience to open the curtains and have nature’s palate painting such beauty before you. Sort of interesting? INSPIRATIONAL! Safe travels 👍🏻

[@richardnemar-smith4621]

When we lived on a narrowboat in the '70s in the winter our average temp inside was 80f and guests used to arrive with jumpers and coats which got totally abandoned after a few minutes. The tortoise stove and range used to stay in 24/7 and kept us lovely and warm as you say warmer than most peoples houses.

[@Brogdin]

All that you do is appreciated. Thank you for a wonderful view from your world.

[@tochimex1748]

Magical to see that much snow ... sending sunshine .... & a can of beans ..... :-) ....... from Mexico! xxx

[@Artaxerses1945]

Your photography is getting along very well

[@SortOfInteresting]

Hello everybody! I just want to say thank you to all the new subscribers who have started following my boat life since this video went wild! In my current videos, my girlfriend is deciding whether to move onto the boat with me... I may end up buying a second boat for us in the near future, so please take a look and thank you again!

[@guyanaspice6730]

From USA, Spectacular!!! In Chirik Aqueduct and Tunnel as seen from a Narrowboat vid You mentioned you were going Against water flow. So is there a Slight Downward Gradient in the engineering? Very Precise? Many Miles of Roman Aqueducts were very Precise in Gradient. Romans based engineering on a Flat Earth. No curvature was in calculating Gradient. Same with the Chirik Aqueduct? What about other aqueducts, canals …??? Roman architect Vitruvius wrote The Ten Books on architecture. English translation at Gutenberg. He tells how earth is flat . Many other interesting things too. Absolutely Wonderful Videos you made!!!! I never knew.

[@guyanaspice6730]

THANKS for the vids and information!!!

[@lee.valley]

I've literally just walked that stretch of canal this morning, through Pentre, fron, Trevor, and along the river into ty mawr country park back to cefn mawr. we are so lucky to have this on our doorstep,being a world heritage area brings in so many visitors from around the world.

[@SortOfInteresting]

It really is fantastic! I’m just by Ty Mawr myself at the moment!

[@lee.valley]

@@SortOfInteresting nice one, hopefully see you down ty mawr one day to say hello 👋

[@davidwood4815]

I spent a couple of winters on my converted MTB a few years ago. Best of times, we were warm and cosy closed away from the world. Just stock up with food and wines and it's wonderful. I'm about to buy another boat. (Too long without one). Wish me luck. Great video, thank you very much

[@SortOfInteresting]

All the best! Yes as long as There is food and fuel the winters are great!

[@tims7639]

Really lovely stuff Dan! Living in Portugal I get quite homesick and especially given the current situation this was just so soothing. Started me dreaming of post-lockdown narrowboat holidays! Love your relaxed, happy, confident and eloquent style.

[@michaelsansom6]

Lovely clip! Wonderful snow scenes. You seem to be a contented chap. Many thanks for this clip.

[@graysonfield9961]

really miss the regular uploads. I know its a lot of work, but the audience is still here. What may seem boring to you is still exciting to us.

[@dereklonewolf9011]

What a refreshing view of life you portray thro your photography & exuberance. There are not many videos I search out but yours Dan is one of them 👍 from across the pond 🇨🇦 all the best 71+ outdoorsman Yorkshire expat

[@carolynellis387]

Beautiful snowy pictures

[@sangyedorje3564]

This was surprisingly wholesome and lovely. I wish anyone who reads this happiness and it’s causes.

[@jamessr9347]

Good to see you posting again Dan, enjoy your reflections

[@MrBrianc1975]

Wow, amazing scenes. The snow emphasizes how beautiful these places already are. Great photos at the end of the video too but the pic of the bunch has to be the one looking up at the aqueduct in the snow. Good to see you're out and about enjoying it all.

[@sirborisdumpling6161]

Experienced a narrow boat in winter when our work team decided on a team building exercise on one. We met in Trevor (Llangollen) and boarded our small narrow boat. fabulous day out each of us handling the boat and venturing over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, through several locks and through a tunnel. It was snowing and the scenery was just sheer bliss. Would encourage everyone to try it.

[@rosemarydudley9954]

Lovelyscenery...one thing I never EVER thought of was ...FLOODING: the rivers get so high that the boats wont go under some bridges! In fact, all the down sides never crossed my mind. It all seemed so romantic until then...

[@littlebrookreader949]

Beautiful photography! Great comments about un-boat-worthy weather!

[@SortOfInteresting]

Thanks!

[@katherinemaas6712]

The photos are STUNNING!

[@elainelucas8097]

Dan, you are the first person I ever followed, living on your narrow boat Tilly, and it was sad when you went off the canal. Good to see you back because in New Zealand we have nothing like you have there

[@beckydoherty6276]

Beautiful shots of the scenery in snow. Best to you

[@marteen1955]

Love the video, lived in yew tree cottages right by the river 38 years ago brought back some lovely memories thanks

[@fenrichlee2867]

beautiful filming, you've captured the mood of a winter's day so well.

[@phillgreenland2390]

Good to hear your voice, Dan!

[@geraldbeddows9017]

A credit to the canal residents informative and enjoyable to listen to, keep on cruising the cuts I have enjoyed your video.

[@SortOfInteresting]

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@ellaevansbolt]

Those snowy views are just toooooooo good! Lovely!

[@darkstarr2321]

The opening of this video is amazing, the snow, the narrowboat and the backdrop of the snowy fields. Incredibly shot :)

[@najdaraj9420]

Beautiful views of snowy British landscapes and the canals. A true winter wonderland!!

[@MrBrianc1975]

Oooo a new vid! Not watching it yet though, Saving this for Sunday night viewing.

[@SortOfInteresting]

Ha thanks! Enjoy!

[@MrBrianc1975]

Thanks, I did, superb!

[@oldbloke204]

Beautiful indeed. Thanks for the video mate.

[@m-j5630]

Nice to see you back dude, stay safe.

[@1faustus]

Great photos and inspiring portraits of boat life.

[@paulwebster3982]

Beautiful video' I've walked past many moored up boats on a freeezing cold day & seen the windows glowing out with warm. lovely video & well done.

[@SortOfInteresting]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@thomasfredericks4810]

incredible scenes!

[@caravaggiosaccomplice7841]

What a great life! You get to experience breathtaking natural scenery as well as the cities. Very tempting…

[@SortOfInteresting]

It’s certainly not a bad way to live, not for everybody and I am definitely someone who likes to be hidden away in these rural spots!

[@daveleclair9201]

Hi Dan from eastern canada. I wish our winters were as mild as yours.Take care have fun enjoy.

[@mikejones-vd3fg]

lol yeah when he said 8 degrees I thought for sure he was talking in Farenheight

[@steveforde7475]

Thanks Dan, I'm glad some canal tubers are still sharing. I know lockdown is limiting, but there are aspects of canal life in winter that are really worth sharing.

[@brynjenkins7979]

Hi Dan! I think if you put your pictures of canals and narrow boating scenes together and made a calendar it would be very popular and sell very well! Just a thought. Would be nice but if cash each year.

[@elizabethroessner8487]

I'd buy one!

[@patrickkelley3408]

Yep, I would definitely buy that.

[@starfishsystems]

Yeah, I'd buy one for sure! But soon you'll be having to hire office staff...

[@joannhernandez9884]

What a great vlog! Your cavalier is precious!👍🏻

[@choltrig]

Beautiful surroundings and a beautiful voice you have. Thanks for posting.

[@aliscat]

Wow some lovely views of our beautiful country.

[@sigower1430]

Looks so nice, good to see you back Dan.

[@annettewoodbury9949]

Beautiful photography! Thank you for sharing.

[@lisaburnett3368]

Thank you. You have put a smile on my face. Fantastic winter look. Stay safe.

[@williamsmith2919]

Always lovely to see and hear you and the wonderful photos you take.Keep safe xx

[@mariacarter6954]

Beautiful photos, very envious and new fan Bournemouth. This IS the life for me 😇😚😇

[@shirleybush2268]

Loved your blog wow good on you young man.We we’re boaters many years ago on the river Trent.Would love to do it all again.But in our 70s.

[@nixtax3526]

Brilliant vlog mate some fantastic scenery, your lucky to live in such beautiful surroundings

[@Lewwdog]

All that snow, makes the scenery look like something from Narnia, how cool.

[@kerriirvin5206]

Incredible photos. Thank you

[@melissascott4823]

The snow scenes look beautiful 😻

[@chriscook3447]

There is nothing wrong with a simple life.. and living it in a simple boat. Cheers!!

[@nuruliman4798]

Such a jovial and good natured host

[@SortOfInteresting]

Haha thank you!

[@starfishsystems]

These images and the accompanying narration are wonderful. Thank you for this careful and contemplative work. I got a lot of pleasure from it, doubly so when I look up from my screen and see that, amazingly, I find myself in much the same snowy paradise. My wife and I live by a lake in the middle of a forest in coastal British Columbia. Winters here are much like the UK, with lots of rain and temperatures well above freezing. But this week we find ourselves in an arctic outflow that's unseasonably cold and snowy. It's beautiful to live here in the midst of nature with only a few deer tracks to disturb the snow. The larder is full, and our wood stove is blazing nicely. I have my guitar at hand, and a couple of issues of Wooden Boat for recreational reading. Your comments about being comfortable aboard in winter resonate with me. I lived aboard a sailboat on the Fraser River for a couple of years, having much the same experience as you. People tend to imagine it as a cramped existence, but I was surprised to find it expansive. I think that's because we feel so closely attuned to the natural environment all around us. It's the ultimate in waterfront property, isn't it? Something is always going on. In my case, there was not only a great variety of waterfowl, often swimming close, and ever changing with the seasons, but also seals and otter and even a family of beavers which had a seasonal home here. My dockside neighbors and I would feed them apples on occasion. The weather, too, is ever changing, and snug belowdecks or sheltered under an awning we can enjoy its calms and its dramas in equal comfort. The boat feels the weather and responds to it in a way that brings a sense of intimacy to all of life on board. I was surprised, too, at how often even on dark days there would come a break in the rain, where the sun would come out for an hour or two of sparkling joyfulness. And there I would be, perfectly situated to drink it all in. Those were a grand couple of years, and I got a lot of work done on the boat too, being so conveniently arranged. Good, careful work, thought through and executed without hurry or stress. I think of how different it must be for people who have to take precious time away from sailing to work on their boats in order to go sailing. Summer brings many changes to the waterfront. People arrive, bringing noisy activity, some of it welcome and some not. The early mornings remain tranquil, the weekends not so much. That was the time for me to cast off with the outflowing tide, out to explore the mysterious endless maze of coastal passages and islands and inlets. It's a good life. I congratulate you for discovering and sharing it.

[@SortOfInteresting]

Hello my friend. I have waited a few days to reply to this as I thought it deserved a quality response. Thank you for taking the time to write at such detail. I love the thought of British Columbia, I have just looked it up on a map to see the relative size compared to the entire UK, and then the extraordinary difference in populations. It is funny to think that you have looked into my life on a little boat tucked away in a quiet corner of the UK, and now I am looking back imagining the vast rural, forested expanses that you call home. One of the things I have always (over romantically) daydreamed about is being out in far greater wildernesses than we have here in the UK. There are some great unspoiled spots on our little island but realistically due to the size, you are never too far away from civilisation, so when I look at maps from around the world I find it easy to fantasise about what it would be like to be dropped into the middle of a sparsely populated wilderness... it is definitely something that I'd enjoy more as a fantasy rather than a reality I am sure! But just to be in that much "space" would be an experience. I am glad that you found something in this video that you felt was worth taking the time ti write such a great comment in reply, it is truly appreciated.

[@starfishsystems]

@@SortOfInteresting There is so much beauty in this world, isn't there? Sometimes it takes the form of something grand and almost inconceivable, but there are more ordinary, quieter sorts of beauty that can enter our souls even more intimately, I think. A lot has to do with making ourselves available to that experience. Living aboard is a choice which takes us in that direction. I'm so happy that you and I have this moment of mutual recognition and rapport because of a kindred experience. The details might differ but I have feeling that although the form may be different, the experience is much the same. The mountainous coastline here is vast and mysterious, it's true, also in some respects dangerous, and often remote and lonely. It's sometimes more of a psychological challenge than a navigational one to live in it. After sixty years of sailing, I'm still only halfway to figuring it out. I do a lot of solo sailing, perforce, which has its own special emptiness and exhilaration, but it's lovely when my wife can take time away with me. We're learning how to work with the different sorts of emotion and the power struggles that come up when the risks are high. And the bliss that we find more than makes up for those sometime periods of discomfort that we accept as the price of admission. The boat restoration is coming along well, and we know that we've found a rare gem as well as a storied piece of coastal history. I can see that you're chronicling history yourself very ably with these videos, and making your personal story come to life within our minds. I hope that you'll continue to find inspiration, because you're saying something very important here. There's a Zen koan that used to puzzle me, as koans are meant to do, when I was young. I understand it better now: “I am Qingshui, solitary and destitute. Please give me alms.” Xaoshan said, “Venerable Shui!” Qinghsui said, “Yes, sir!” Xaoshan said, “You have already drunk three cups of the finest wine in China, yet you say that you have not moistened your lips.”

[@paullarge526]

Extremely entertaining video. I’m really envious of the ‘snap shot’ of your experiences you’ve described. From a practical viewpoint narrowboat life isn’t suited to everyone but if you’re contented that’s what is important. Well done.

[@peterhelm6003]

Beautiful scenery, great photography

[@SortOfInteresting]

Thanks, as I often say, in these sort of surroundings it is easy to take a good picture!

[@alicefly3198]

Absolutely lovely!

[@fraserconnell21]

Great photo's old chap👍. Dog sure loves it's rug in front of the stove. A secret snow lover and subscriber😷😁

[@MicheleAnnTarot]

Stunning scenery and photography ❤

[@SortOfInteresting]

Thank you! I'm glad you liked the video, we've had another really great run of incredible winter weather out here recently!

[@jasonayres]

Sitting in front of the fan on a warm summer night in Australia. Enjoyed watching all that snow - it's a novelty for me, too. Well done.

[@landraver90]

Thanks Dan, great video with some wonderful scenes, brilliant photography as always. Much appreciated

[@adrianrichards1951]

Amazing scenes, Dan; brought back many very happy memories. Thanks for explaining the derelict house at Chirk Bank. I saw its sad state last year when I cruised the Llangollen Branch for the first time and wondered what the problem was, although I did spot the state of the towpath at the time. The male side of my family is from Chirk and Cefn Mawr and I used to spend my boyhood holidays in Chirk.

[@barry7608]

From the land of drought and flood thanks, you have some amazing photos in this video so keep doing it.

[@SortOfInteresting]

Thanks, I’m glad you liked it!