Shangri La Drydocking 2023

Shangri La at Semington

Shangri La Drydocking 2023. So in August we made the huge trip from Foxhangers down to Semington to give her a much needed drydocking.

5 Swing Bridges and 6 locks. We set out on the Sunday late morning, and arrived there mid afternoon.

Overnighted aboard, and th…

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Into Dry Dock

On the Midland Waterways

Normally my posts are about trips on our own boat, but recently I did a boat moving trip, mostly on the midland waterways, from Eynsham to Tardebigge. Purpose of the trip was repositioning some hire boats – so a bit of a free holiday.

The 2 boats we moved

The route took us down the Thames, v…

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The Three Magpies

Why a trip to The Three Magpies?

Several reason for the trip to The Three Magpies: Since I moved the boat to our mooring here at Foxhangers near Devizes, (Read about that trip here) the boat has hardly moved, other than across to the pump out. Since we bought the boat, Karen has done very little…

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Newbury to Devizes - Part 4 - The Caen Hill Flight

View from the bottom of the Caen Hill Flight!

The title of this post is probably a bit incorrect, as we had already past the actual town of Devizes, but the Foxhangers moorings at the bottom of the Caen Hill Flight is still technically in Devizes.

The team

My friends Wyn and Donna continue…

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Newbury to Devizes - Part 3

This part of the journey from Newbury to Devizes takes us from Pewsey, along about 10 miles of canal with no locks, but many narrow and overgrown sections, till we reach Devizes and start the descent of Caen Hill. We did the first three locks going down and moored up at the Black Horse pub – a brea…

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Newbury to Devizes - Part 2

On the Kennet and Avon

Kintbury to Pewsey

Part 2 of the trip from Newbury to Devizes took us from Kintbury to Pewsey with an overnight stop at Great Bedwyn.

The stats for this bit:

18 miles

27 locks, with a total rise of 196 ft 10 ins

1 swing bridge.

We also negotiated the Bruc…

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“There is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” … as the Water Rat said to the Mole in “Wind in the Willows”. And how right he was! I hope I can share the pleasures of boating by recording the trips myself and my wife Karen have taken on the journey to actually buying our boat, and now on our very own Dutch Steel Motor Cruiser, Shangri-La 2.

This blog is an online journal of my various boating activities that have happened over the last few years, from the numerous boating holidays we have taken, some interesting work related events and the journey to buying our own boat

Latest Adventures

Canal de Roanne s Digoin – Artaix to Digoin

Canal de Roanne s Digoin – Artaix to Digoin

  Wednesday 13th June Artaix to Digoin We had arranged a lockie for 0930 at the first lock, so got going about 09.10. The weather was perfect for boating – Not too hot and not raining. The first three locks were close together and operated by a young female...

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Canal de Roanne a Digoin – Roanne to Briennon

Canal de Roanne a Digoin – Roanne to Briennon

Monday 11th June Roanne to Briennon Our departure day. Raining. Karen returned the ablution keys to the Capitainerie while I disconnected the shore power. Lowered our awning and radar arch in preparation for the low bridges. We left at about 10.45 and did a short...

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Roanne 2018

Roanne 2018

  Wednesday 30th May And at last I am back aboard Shangri La in Roanne! It is always a bit of a trek to get back on board, but this time it was exacerbated by the French rail strike. I had booked my flight from London to Lyon some time ago for Monday 28th ,...

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Vegan Barging in France

Vegan Barging in France

Regular readers might be aware that Karen and I follow a plant-based diet, which can be tricky at times, but possibly more so while vegan barging in France. It has become easier over time, and we eat very well on board! Shangri-La has a wonderfully equipped galley and...

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Plans for 2018

Planning for 2018 –   This is quite a traumatic post to write! Originally our thoughts were to continue along the Canal Lateral a la Loire, join into the River Seine and head to Paris. Someone said to me one absolutely has to cruise through Paris on one’s own...

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Roanne – preparing to winter

Roanne – preparing to winter

Wednesday 9th to Tuesday 15th August Roanne The marina at Roanne turned out to be surprisingly large, and with also then surprisingly little to offer in the way of marine supplies and services! There is a large community of live-aboard boaters moored here, with a bit...

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Canal de Roanne a Digoin

Canal de Roanne a Digoin

Sunday 6th to Tuesday 8th August 2017 Briennon to Roanne We were getting very close to the end of our trip so the pressure to get moving was less. And we only had a short way to go to Roanne so decided to spend the morning here in Briennon and head off after lunch. I...

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Canal de Roanne a Digoin

Canal de Roanne a Digoin

  Friday 4th to Saturday 5th August 2017. Digoin to Bourg-le-Compte (Wild Stop) Another lovely but hot day on the Canal de Roanne a Digoin. Yesterday, while visiting the aquaduct, we had spoken to the lockie at the next lock, which it seemed was manned all the...

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Canal du Centre – Digoin

Canal du Centre – Digoin

  Tuesday 1st to Thursday 3rd August Paray to Digoin This part of the trip along the Canal du Centre was an easy boating day - 11 kms and 3 locks (vertical drop of 7 metres). We had arranged a 1000 start with Alain the VNF lockie, so all the locks were set for us...

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Canal du Centre – Paray-le-Monial

Saturday 29 to Monday 31 July Genelard to Paray-le-Monial Another early start. We got going about 08.45, to be at the first lock at 09.00. We traveled together with a New Zealand boat all the way to Paray. Made it quite easy as they were ahead and entered to locks...

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Trips by Date

About Me

My love of boats goes back to my early years when I went on holiday with my parents to Knysna in the Cape. We stayed at a hotel on stilts, and I played in rowing boats and little motor boats on the lagoon.

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