When I took the train from London to Bath, I noticed canals with longboats, also called narrowboats, all along the way. They were all different sizes, and had various forms of decor and frills, but are meant to head down the narrow rivers and canals all through England. I loved spotting them from the train window.  Finally, in Bath, I was able to get a closer look as they sat along the stone walls on the Avon River.

Longboats resting in Bath. Photo by me.

It was midweek in November, so very few were out working, but they were ready for a mild weekend when guests would take a leisurely trip down the river through the Limpley Stoke Valley and to Bathampton.

Ready for the weekend. Photo by me

One of my favorites was this funny green boat because of its name– the “Uncle Albert”.  Anyone who has ever been a fan of the classic British sitcom Only Fools and Horses gets the reference. He was the beloved old character who had spent his life on the sea.

Uncle Albert. Photo by me

And if you have nothing better to do with your afternoon, you can always use your boat to remove nature’s debris from the river while the tourists watch.

Trying to remove a long branch from the Avon. Photo by me

Life on the river.  The British are never far removed from their boats and the sea.