To Bradford and back

Shangri La at Bradford on Avon

Semington to Bradford

After our drydocking at Semington(See this post), as were were already half way there, we thought we would continue on down the Kennet and Avon canal, to Bra…

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Shangri La at Bradford-on-Avon

And off to Dry Dock at Semington

Outward Trip

The trip on Shangri La down to the dry dock was pretty straightforward – 6 locks, 5 swing bridges – Set out at 12.20 on Sunday, and arrived at 17.25

Karen had to do all the hard work – she hadn’t done locks or swing bridges for a while, but she soon got back into it – and…

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Shangri La

Meanwhile - more repairs and improvements

Delays

The Citizenship approval is taking longer than expected, so not moving on just yet. But using the time for repairs and improvements.

Over the past few weeks, I have replaced one of the wheelhouse windows, started cleaning up and painting the engine bay, fitted a brand new oven, and had…

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Shangri La

Shangri La - back to blogging

Shangri La – April 2026 – K and A Canal

I have not posted anything here for ages! Mainly because we have not been going anywhere.

Shangri La, our 58 x 11 ft widebeam barge, has been moored up here on the Foxhangers private moorings since August 2021, while my wife Karen is doing carework …

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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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“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

River Seille – Cuisery and Louhans

River Seille – Cuisery and Louhans

On the Saone - Chalon to Macon and back - River Seille Saturday 1 to Tuesday 18 July - Part 5 We had been told by quite a few boaters that the River Seille up to Louhans was lovely - and so it proved to be. The river is quite small and narrow, and also quite shallow...

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On the Saone River – Macon

On the Saone River – Macon

On the Saone - Chalon to Macon and back. Saturday 1 to Tuesday 18 July - Part 3 Macon My memories of Macon are somewhat mixed. I was somewhat prepared having read up in the waterway guide that the marina was not that close to the town, and that the town moorings were...

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On the Saone – Tournus

On the Saone – Tournus

On the Saone - Chalon to Macon and back Saturday 1 to Tuesday 18 July - Part 2 Tournus Tournus (pronounced Tour-noo) was a delight! We called in there twice, on the way down to Macon and again on the way back up the Saone. The mooring was a floating jetty that could...

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On the Saone – Chalon-sur-Saone to Macon and back

On the Saone – Chalon-sur-Saone to Macon and back

Saturday 1 to Tuesday 18 July - Part 1 The Saone River   The Saone is a lovely wide and (at the moment) gently flowing river and made for pleasant boating. The weather was mostly very hot, with a few rain or thundershowers. No half measures here. And the...

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Preparations – and off down the Saone

Preparations – and off down the Saone

  Tuesday 27th to Friday 30th June 2017 First thing Tuesday I commandeered a fellow boater to help me take Shangri La up through the Ecluse St Jean-de-Losne and to the H2O slipway. I am sure I could have done it alone, but discretion is always best, particularly...

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St Jean-de-Losne again

St Jean-de-Losne again

They say half the fun of a trip is in the planning. I think that is true to a large extent, but there is just nothing like being back aboard our beloved Shangri-La!! I arrived here yesterday evening after the usual trek from London. It was a Sunday, so of course I had...

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French Inland Waterways – 2017 cruising plan

French Inland Waterways – 2017 cruising plan

The year is flying by, and I have been furiously making plans and checking flight and travel costs. The longer you leave it, the more expensive it becomes. So I have finally booked the South Africa to UK flights, and now need to look at the Uk to St Jean-de-Losne bit....

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French Inland Waterway Cruising – Reflections on 2016

French Inland Waterway Cruising – Reflections on 2016

Before getting into the planning for 2017, I thought I would have a quick look back at our 2016 cruising, and how different it was to 2015. Last year we did only 2 short trips, one up the Canal du Rhone au Rijn to Besancon and back to St Jean-de-Losne, and another...

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French Inland Waterway cruise – River Saone

French Inland Waterway cruise – River Saone

To Chalon-sur-Saone and back - 11th to 17th October 2016 Part 4 - And return to St Jean-de-Losne There was a beautiful full moon over Chalon-sur-Saone on our last evening there. It was slightly sad as next day we would head back up the River Saone to St Jean-de-Losne...

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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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