[Sundae]

I know quite a bit about barges, narrowboats and the canal systems. Partly from my friend Terri in Leicester, partly from learning about it with the children when I was working in school.

There is something hypnotic about the slow chug chug chug of the engine, the little twitches on the tiller, the passing landscape. One of the many, many trips I would love to take one day is to have a holiday on a narrowboat. The only problem is that you really have to have a wonderful companion, because the quarters are so small. And lovely weather, otherwise you may as well be in a little caravan in Skegness. And money - it costs so much to hire one that you need to fill it to the gunnels with people, which takes 99% of the pleasure of peace away!

I'll stick to the occasional tour I think.