#63 A Mammoth Narrowboat Journey/ Narrowboat Life from St Ives to St Neots

In this narrowboat vlog, we stop at Hemingford Grey, Houghton Mill, Godmanchester and St Neots. Zephyr, my yellow Labrador and I, try to find the mammoth tooth which was found in a quarry near to St Neots. Did we succeed? Along the way, we notice many other spectacular sites as part of narrowboat life on the river, so sit back, relax and enjoy moments of boat mindfulness. Take care x

[@michaelpilling9659]

Hello Vanessa - greetings from Poland. "As I was going to St. Ives ..." a lovely childrens poem. A reminder for me where you were. That was yet another stunning video. The colours were beautiful. All the insects, birds and different sceneries made my day Thank you so much. Sorry about the mammoth tooth. Great key ring by the way. A bit of news from home - my wife Magda has been asked by our local authority to become "A Guardian". She has been given free cat food to feed the stray cats that roam about the area where we live. As well as 2 dogs we have 6 cats, all of whom have been adopted over the years, or have adopted us.

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

How special for your wife to become a ‘guardian’; you obviously both love animals and take good care of those around you, so I’m sure the stray cats will thrive under your wife’s care. Congratulations on this achievement! Thank you for your kindness about the vlog. Happy rescuing and restoring those little lives. Take care🦋🌻

[@diannemcfayden9068]

I’m glad that Zephyr is doing well! She is a lovely dog! I love how she talks! Our grand dog, Finnegan, talks too and I love it! 😊

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

Say hi to Finnegan from me and Zeff. Thank you so much for watching. Take care 🦋🌻

[@nancinowlen3043]

Lovely visit… you have me counting butterflies, but on,y two in my back yard. Our dogs mean much to us.

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

Thank you, Nanci. I hope you spot more butterflies soon. I have been trying to find moths for three nights on the trot now and I am not having much luck at all! 🤞for more butterflies and moths! Have a great week!🦋🦋🦋🦋🌻

[@simon-nb-Betsyray]

Thank u Vanessa for a lovely well presented vlog full of great clips, it made me feel home sick even though l only lived there 10 years it brought back happy memories. I'm sorry u were unable to see the woolly mammoth tooth/bone😞. I thought the swan food wouldn't last long when the big family of swans 🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢came lol😂, l really liked the close views of the caterpillars 🐛and moths on the leaves in great detail😊. I hope u have a lovely up coming week cruising, thanks again😊👍 xx

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

Well, you were very lucky to live in such a stunning area. I’m not surprised that you have so many happy memories and I am delighted you enjoyed seeing it all again.The swan food has all gone! Thank you for your lovely comment. Have a great week, Simon.🦋🌻

[@jackmullett9198]

A lovely part of the country, must visit after seeing this, and wonderfully narrated 😎

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

Hi Jack, it really is a beautiful part of the world to visit. Thank you for watching, take care🦋🌻

[@NBStoweAway]

Love these old English villages, thanks for sharing Vanessa 🙏🙏

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

They are just stunning aren’t they? It was like walking through a film set. Have a great week, Mutant Monkey! 🦋🌻

[@guypidsley1572]

Delightful, Guy

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

Thank you, Guy! 🦋🌻

[@NarrowboatWill]

Your knowledge of nature is Incredible. I'm looking forward to visiting that beautiful area next year. Take care Mrs Vanessa mindfulness.

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

I think you will love this area as you get itchy feet and like to cruise so the 48 hour mooring will suit you just fine. Join GOBA when you get on the river, £20 and then you’ll have the choice of their moorings and EA moorings. Take care🦋🌻

[@ross6343]

Your nature/wild life vlog segments are beautiful and - as Robert Palmer sang - simply irresistible...well...I find them so! Those thatched roofs are truly works of art; sadly, that craft is fastly disappearing. I suddenly become like a little kid in a candy shop when I hear the chatter of swifts - pure magic to me ears. Thanks Vanessa for sharing the sights and sounds of your week - looking forward to the upcoming week! Give Zephyr a pat. Stay safe - be well - many blessings.

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

The sound of swift’s is breathtaking, especially considering their journey and the fact they hardly ever stop flying! Can you believe people put nets up over their buildings to stop them nesting when they arrive in the UK? Unbelievable! Anyway, I am so glad you enjoy the nature segments; I’m trying to get the right balance of boating and wildlife. Thank you so much for your lovely comment. Have a great week!🦋🌻

[@ross6343]

@@themindfulnarrowboat I'm not surprised anymore by people's 'actions' regarding the sum total of Nature. Of all the species on Earth, humans are the only ones to actively practice ecocide because of their misguided notion of alpha intelligence; which, by the way, 'blinds' them from observing the warning signs the Earth - Mother Gaia - is sharing about such a mindset. Your vlogs, Vanessa, tells me I'm 'preaching to the choir' with the aforementioned - GLAD for the company! Cheers...

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

I am in that choir, Ross, unfortunately I can’t sing a note though 🤣, but in terms of the metaphor I am totally with you on your views about the planet.

[@MegaYosarian]

Wonderful buildings. Very enjoyable. Thank you. My daughter and I were on the river Great Ouse in September for a week on narrowboat. Btw, I’ve done a watercolour of the white building, taken from your boat, photo nicked from your vlog but I don’t know how to show it to you. Best wishes for your future endeavours.

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

That sounds wonderful, MegaYosarian! You can email it to me at: [e-mail] I’ll look forward to seeing it!🌻🦋🎨

[@dianacann2336]

Oh Vanessa! Just watching this after I commented on the last cruise to St Ives and now I find that you visited Hemingford Grey where I live! So excited. Wish I’d seen you there 2 years ago! But so lovely to know that you loved our village and sampled the food at the Cock!

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

You live in one of the prettiest villages that I have ever visited and the food at the Cock was sublime! Thank you so much for your lovely comment. Have a super weekend. Take care 🦋🌻

[@lumitoca]

Why are baby animals always so cute? Anyway, loved the video!!

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

Aren’t they just! Thank you for your comment, Miguel. Have a great week!🦋🌻

[@jillosler9353]

Another wonderful vlog Vanessa (and Zephyr!). You have the knack of seeing the best things wherever you are: The Hemingfords are beautiful villages with houses you always think of when you play the 'when I win the Lottery' game! Houghton Mill is a delight to visit - although the lock is not much fun and always seems to have more than it's fair share of gongoozlers! (It's pronounced 'Howton' locally). On your way back no doubt you will moor up at Huntingdon? While I'm on the pronunciation kick (!) I will just say that it's St NE-UTS as against St NE-OTS. Hope you don't mind me pointing that out but I know you like to get things right. You and Zephyr are having a fantastic adventure on our little neck of the world and it's truly delightful to view it through someone else's eyes. Thank you 👏. Love the Woolly Mammoth by the way!

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

Hi Jill, thank you for your lovely comment. Oh my, I can’t believe how much mispronouncing I was doing! I will have to come to you before I put a vlog out, I think! That lock at Houghton Mill did have many gongoozlers and took forever, but it was fine. My aim is to stop at all of the places that I missed out on the way back. Not long until your boating adventure begins! Have a great week!🦋🌻

[@jillosler9353]

@@themindfulnarrowboat I'm sure I mispronounce more than half the places outside of Norfolk and Cambridgeshire! I so look forward to seeing your very informative and mindful vlogs 👏🏆🥇. Counting down the days till I get back on the river!

[@LynnB_Ky]

What a lovely video and a beautiful place. I loved seeing the swifts around the Church tower and all the butterflies you found. Isn't it annoying when dogs aren't allowed into places 😢 Zeph got a lovely treat though and your keyring was cool. I bet the swans love you. Thanks Vanessa, another lovely watch on a rainy ole day here in Sussex 🥰

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

The swans are so protective at the moment and so it is much better to give them lots of space- Zephyr is so wary of them this time of year. Thank you so much for watching. Take care🌻🦋

[@LynnB_Ky]

@@themindfulnarrowboat I'm with Zephyr, I don't like it when they hiss and they sometimes do at me, but I love them all the same 🦢🦋 Take care

[@davidhegarty1369]

What a wonderful vlog !

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

Thank you, David that is so kind of you!😊 Have a wonderful week.🦋🌻

[@michaelhaagman6815]

Hi Vanessa..another week and another interesting and educational video .. isn’t Hemingford a a beautiful and tranquil place .... those Swans had a huge family ..think I counted 9 .. bet your duck food dident last long .. loved the video of the Common Tern ..such a fantastic looker .. I haven’t been to Godmanchester for some years so was great to see it again and also the Chinese bridge that I’ve walked over many times with my fishing tackle .. so see you next week on your interesting travels ..thank you and happy cruising ...Michael 🌷

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

The Hemingfords are beautiful; in fact the whole of this area is. As a fisherman, I bet you admire the skill of those terns; watching them fish is spectacular. You are correct, the duck food is gone! 🦢Thank you for watching and for your lovely comment. Take care 🦋🌻

[@jiloute22]

Good evening Vanessa, I love these charming villages, I hope you are not bothered by the current weather, where you are now, I just saw that there are floods in London, here the region of Dinant on the Meuse river was flooded again yesterday, take care and be careful

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

So far, the weather where I am is okay. It is concerning though and I really hope you all stay safe and flood-free. Thank you for your comment, Jean-Louis. 🦋🌻

[@jiloute22]

Here not far from Mons, we are rather protected, I hope that you are not going to have these storms and these torrential rains, I know that in the united kingdom you often have rivers in flood, here it also happens but not like this year I wish you a very good safe week

[@gusgus2539]

Thank you, for your effort.

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

You are very welcome, Lion🦋🌻

[@Paradyski]

Amazing lifestyle.

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

Thank you so much! Have a super Sunday and wonderful week ahead 🦋🌻

[@matt281075]

👌👍🙏

[@chrishobbs58]

❤

[@Red-ns9ny]

❤😊

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

🤗🌻🦋

[@johnd7904]

Well, I loved it. But 22 comments in and no mention of Zeph. After our last contact I thought that it would be really difficult to sustain a whole vlog starring a difficult to direct subject that does not speak. You did it well! (Better than George) Zypher is a lovely dog, please keep involving her. I just love your vlog.

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

I’m glad you enjoyed it as it was a lot of fun putting it together. At first, I gave Zephyr a voice but that just sounded ridiculous and my movie software doesn’t do speech bubbles, so titles it was! It doesn’t matter if there aren’t any comments; Zephyr enjoyed her big screen moment; I just hope the whole thing doesn’t go to her head! 🦮 Have a great week!🦋🌻

[@johnd7904]

@@themindfulnarrowboat Vann, I love the way Zephyr looks back to the left at you when she is on the leash. My dogs tend to love the leash better than a free run. Experts profess that dogs can feel through the leash.

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

Zephyr prefers free running but if we are near a road she comes straight to me before I call her to go on her lead as a if she knows it will keep her safe.

[@Peter-nv3wu]

Well you have certainly found some beautiful countryside, and the Owl well that's a real bonus. You mentioned Swift's but from what I have seen there seems to be a sharp decline in their numbers this year as well as in the number of Swallows, have you noticed the same ? Finally how long is your boat and how long have you been out there cruising ? I ask as I plan to make the great escape next year, and get out there cruising too and I will be single handed so any advice and suggestions on how to make it easy would be very much appreciated. T.I.A.

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

Hi Peter, you are right, there definitely seems to be less swifts and swallows this year and they arrived much later due to the cold weather, I think? My boat is 60ft long and I have been continuously cruising for two years now. How exciting that you will begin a boating life of your own! I know some single handed cruisers and they tell me that they have developed systems for dealing with the locks. Robbie Cumming has a brilliant vlog and he is a single handed cruiser so you can see how he manages. I think the main thing is the locks and mooring up which might need some practice but you’ll be fine. Boaters are always around to help each other though, so you won’t be alone. Where will your adventure begin? 🦋🌻

[@Peter-nv3wu]

@@themindfulnarrowboat Thanks so much for the reply. Thanks so much for the reply. Well I was hoping that I was the only one who had not seen many Swallows or Swift's so it's not good that you have noticed the same too. Firmly on the ground though, there appears to be a huge decline in the numbers of hedgehogs this year and that is strange as when I was about after midnight last year I used to see anything up to six Hedgehogs or sometimes more BTW I live in North Kent, but this year zero so something serious happening and I have no idea what. I have been feeding them for quite a while and there is always a tray of fresh rainwater out near the food so they should know there is always easy to get food and water. It does not make sense there are none about now especially as there is a nice patch of thick brambles with dead grass and leaves in it that I keep under control that is perfect cover for them. Some of them were using that up until last year but this year there is no sign of them, and one that should really interest you, Moths ! Around five or six weeks ago I went out one morning and found almost twenty white fluffy moths on a wall all totally motionless, they were all close to a small light that is on through the hours of darkness. I have never seen the moths before and have never seen them since, sadly virtually nearly all the moths were dead oh and three or four years ago I saw a Starling minus any colour I could not get close enough to tell but it was an Albino, if it was White well that would really be something, saying that I have seen Crows and blackbirds with anything from a few up to 50% of there black feathers white. Moving onto the boat, I hope to be out there by late next year and everyone who posts on KZbin has been very helpful. They have been answering my endless questions and has given plenty of advice whenever I have asked for it, and that has given me a great deal of confidence as initially I was concerned about being out there and managing everything single handed.

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

Hi Peter, I have been reading about the hedgehog decline and it seems that there are a whole range of factors at play, but it is so sad that they are vulnerable to extinction. What is hopeful though, is the conservation around them and making people with gardens aware of how to make their habitats more hedgehog friendly and safe. We also need to encourage more insect friendly environments so that there will be a better food supply for them too. I am positive that we are all becoming more aware of our planet’s needs and many like you, are trying to make a difference. I am so pleased that you feel happier about single-handed cruising and that everyone answered your questions. We are all here to help each other. Have a great week.🦋🌻

[@epcode5121]

Brilliant Video 😎🙏 What camera did you use ? Thanks

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

Thank you so much for your lovely comment, epcode. I film with a Panasonic Lumix 2000 and my phone. Have a great rest of the week.🌻🦋

[@MsVanorak]

am i right in thinking that swans creche their children or did i dream that up? after a few weeks one swan couple will take on two or three other broods together with their own and the other parents get the rest of the year off!

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

I have read that about Great Crested Grebes but I thought swans stayed together until the cygnets leave? Thank you for watching. Take care 🦋🌻

[@TrogART]

I embarrassingly got stuck in the lock prior to St Neots for 4 hours, the maps said the lock was the same width as the prior lock, it wasn't, had to phone the EA and get them to come and override the lock controls and flush me out, it was a very hot sunny day and the boats waiting were numerous, so embarrassing. Tried to get toad out to no avail, even though it looks like I am going in fast in this video I am not, crawled in the video is speeded up: kzbin.info/www/bejne/apO4m3mMhLKFpJI I was taking the hippy friend for a trip that went wrong 🙄🤔🤪🤣😂

[@themindfulnarrowboat]

😱 Just watched it! Oh my goodness what a drama. I'm glad it all ended well though. Thank you for watching and commenting. Have a wonderful week, take care🦋🌻