We’d been before but with mixed results. One member of the party took a more or less instant dislike to life on the cut and stayed below decks for the duration. The teenager, understandably put out that he’d been made chief lock operating officer by default, had declined the invitation to repeat the experience. So there we were, a reduced party, about to embark on what might have been a treacherous voyage. We were setting out from Napton marina, Warwickshire, courtesy of Black Prince holidays. Our narrowboat was well appointed with creature comforts, from a very toasty central heating system to see off the chill at night to a shower, microwave and TV. A check of the canal map revealed that we had four choices of route. Three featured plenty of locks and one added a long tunnel. I don’t mind locks but given our circumstances, with me probably the only person up to operating them (we’d had some on the previous trip that took all of my considerable bulk to shift), and no one else yet proven as a helmsman, there was only one viable option. So off we set on the first afternoon along the twists and turns of the Grand Union Canal for the short run to Braunston, an historic centre of the canal network. This section really does twist and turn, as it hugs the contours of the landscape - a measure used by its engineer, James Brindley, to save money, since fewer locks are needed en route. That’s all very well for Mr Brindley’s wallet, but much harder on anyone trying to steer a narrowboat after a break of a year or two, especially since this part is also used by wide-beam vessels. Not a lot of fun to have one of those bearing down on you in a tight spot. We only met the one, thankfully, and settled down to enjoy a glorious sunset as we headed for Braunston and the pub for dinner. This scenic Northamptonshire village, as well as being a busy canal junction and marina, boasts a number of decent spots for a pint and a bite, including a chippy, if you fancy it. We ate at The Boat House, a large Marston’s chain pub, which did us proud, starving as we were after a trip down the motorway and a few hours crewing a boat. Bright and early next morning we headed north along the Oxford Canal, fuelled by bacon and sausage sandwiches as we chugged gently along the cut. The youngster, Tom, just short of 10, was now tall enough to see where he was going when steering, so he had a go and took to it very well, although he still had to be supervised as his concentration sometimes wandered, and with it the boat. The reluctant crew member then had a go, and surprised herself and us by quickly getting into the swing of it. So much so that in pretty short order she declared a canal trip to be the holiday she’d been looking for. For someone bored on the beach, say, this was ideal - something to keep the brain and body occupied but not too taxing. Relaxation that kept the noggin busy enough to stop it thinking about work, for example. Job done! That all left us clear to enjoy the gently rolling midlands countryside as we headed towards Rugby and, beyond that, Hawkesbury Junction on the outskirts of Coventry. Crossing back into Warwickshire there was little to do but enjoy the scenery - medieval ridge and furrow field systems much in evidence - and wildlife, with herons and swans a feature. There was also plenty of interest in the human inhabitants of the canal, with all sorts to be spotted, from families on holiday like us, to pensioners enjoying their retirement with a new life afloat, to military veterans and alternative lifestyle types finding a way to live on the fringes of society. Their boats told their own story, with an eclectic range, from gleaming cruisers to peeling-paint, cobbled-together old hulks on view. Soon enough we came to our only locks of the trip, the triple set at Hillmorton, said to be the busiest in the country. I’m pleased to say they were being operated by kindly volunteers, taking away any problems for those lacking skills or manpower. That night we’d hoped to eat out in the village of Brinklow, but by the time we moored up it was pitch black and we didn’t much fancy heading out. Luckily, we’d stocked up at a big M&S back in Rugby, just a few minutes’ walk from the canal, so we had plenty to eat and drink. It was a cosy night too, heating on, radio on and a film to watch later, and a game of cards. The next morning we cast off in decent weather again, with the autumn leaves glorious in the sunshine as we made stately progress along a charming stretch of rural waterway. This section is a lot straighter too - later engineers and canal owners got rid of many of the twists and turns, making the cut speedier and easier for goods to be carried along it, and for modern-day holidaymakers to navigate. With one eye on making it back to Napton before our time was up, we turned around by a marina just shy of Hawkesbury Junction. We’d erred on the side of caution, which made for a supremely relaxed couple of days’ cruising back. On the first night we moored by the Newbold Tunnel on the edge of Rugby and had a good feed at the Barley Mow, right by the canal. Then it was back towards Braunston, when with time to spare and the cut to ourselves, I set the speed to minimum and zoned out in the sunshine. It was almost like meditation and one of the most relaxing afternoons I’d had in a good while. Then it was dinner at The Old Plough, a friendly and busy pub, ready for the short hop back to base next morning. TRAVEL FACTS Black Prince Holidays has nine bases across the UK, offering modern narrowboats for two to ten people (including pet-friendly boats). A four-night short break starting from Napton in Warwickshire on 27th May costs from £1,280 for a Signature narrowboat sleeping up to six people. Tel: 01527 575 115.