Cruising the Cut
Season 2019
A documentary series following former UK television news reporter David Johns who quit his job, sold his house, bought a live-aboard narrowboat, and films his travels on the historic British canals.
Where to Watch Cruising the Cut • Season 2019
47 Episodes
- I Got Chills... (1)E2
I Got Chills... (1)Drop your jaw and gasp in disbelief as you watch me take the boat out for a cruise in winter. Yes, winter. OK, it's not snowing but it was December, a time when I'm normally tucked up by the roaring stove with the boat on the mooring. I've split the journey into two parts else it would be a very long video indeed; the whole trip was Napton to Brinklow and this video covers Napton to Hillmorton. - They're Multiplying! (2)E3
They're Multiplying! (2)I am nothing if not predictable so congratulations to those handful of people who knew in advance what this episode would be called, being part 2 of the previous one. In this episode, my mystery Crew member (not Lorna!) and I continue our winter jaunt along the North Oxford canal from just outside Rugby, through Newbold and up to just past Brinklow. - Soap on the WaterE4
Soap on the WaterAfter getting frustrated with the cheap little twin-tub washing machine I had aboard the boat from the early days - see vlog 20 - I ditched it and bought a proper automatic machine. Due to a lack of space and onboard power, I had to choose a small one that didn't need to run a heating element; the one I chose is the Hotpoint WMTF722H. In this video I explain what I think of it and why it fits the bill. - Hire PurposeE12
Hire PurposeI visit a narrowboat hire firm in Gilwern, South Wales, on the Mon & Brec canal. Amongst their fleet of conventional narrowboats they also have two fully-electric ones that don't even have solar or a generator on board. So how have they managed this feat when it would be impractical elsewhere? Watch and find out! - Food, Glorious FoodE15
Food, Glorious FoodAfter several pleasant days moored at Hawkesbury Junction on the North Oxford canal side, it was time to go through the stop lock and up the Coventry canal for a short way before turning right onto the Ashby canal. However, I also needed food supplies, so I first headed away from the Ashby to a supermarket about a mile or so south of Hawkesbury. - Oliver TwistE16
Oliver TwistA Bank Holiday weekend approached and as I was going away for a few days to visit family, I wanted to moor the boat somewhere secure rather than just leave it on the towpath. So I headed a bit further up the Ashby canal to Trinity Marina at Hinckley and paid to have it moored there. On the way, it rained. - Festival FunE17
Festival FunA quick bonus vlog! Having popped back to my childhood home of Droitwich for my sister's birthday and a family meal, I was also able to pop down to the canal as that weekend saw the annual St Richard's Festival being held in which narrowboats converge on Vines Park and sell all kinds of wares from their boats on the towpath, with other sellers in marquees in the park. - CarbonauraE21
CarbonauraAt the time of filming this it was just over a week since the Crick Show where I had bought three new 100 Ah lead carbon batteries for my narrowboat. Having also bought some new wiring and dongle things to plug into my Victron inverter/charger, it was now time to pull out the old batteries and put the new ones in place. - Boat SelectaE22
Boat SelectaHaving reached the end of the Ashby canal there is no choice but to turn around and re-rewind, going back the way you came. Having already documented the journey up in several videos, I compacted much of the return trip into this one, ending up back at Trinity Marina where I stopped again while I went to the Crick Show. - The Music of SoundE25
The Music of SoundI had a friend's birthday party in Kent to attend so once again needed to put the boat somewhere secure while I left it for a few days. With the next marina on my route being at Alvecote this seemed like the obvious solution, and from there I'd get a taxi and train to go and pick up my campervan before driving down south. Upon my return, I continued journeying along the Coventry canal, now heading west, stopping a few hundred yards short of Fazeley Junction, having gone through the two locks at Glascote. - Congestion ChargeE26
Congestion ChargeFilmed at the end of June and start of July, this video captures the very few miles I did in the narrowboat between Fazeley Junction and just past Hopwas. En route I picked up food supplies from a supermarket and plumbing supplies from a DIY store. Well, it would be odd to do it the other way around. - Grassed OffE27
Grassed OffBy mid-July it was time for the final gentle amble up the last bit of the north Coventry canal to Fradley Junction. The main thing of note was how thick the overgrowth was not only on the offside but the towpath side as well - and quite a lot of weeds growing up within the canal itself. I've been told this whole area is earmarked for a good cut back by CRT's volunteer team and you can see it really does neeed it! - Special KE28
Special KAt the end of July 2019 I was delighted to welcome fellow vlogger Karen Nisbet to the boat, visiting all the way from New Zealand. Karen lives and tours NZ in her caravan, filming her travels on the channel "Travelling K". She was in the UK for several weeks, touring the sights, visiting other vloggers and meeting viewers. - Digging DeepE30
Digging DeepA few weeks ago, I cruised past what remains of the Lichfield canal, now used by the Lichfield Cruising Club, and mentioned that the canal is under restoration. In this vlog I've been to meet the team who are heading up that restoration and see the scale of the works underway. - Cruising for a BruisingE31
Cruising for a BruisingThe end of August meant the resumption of my travels on the canals so I set off again from where I left off in Vlog 184 - Fradley Junction - and went up the Trent and Mersey canal towards Handsacre, in the process managing to look like an utter incompetent as I bashed into another, stationery, boat at a lock queue. Woe is me :-( - Feeling SheepishE32
Feeling SheepishIn this episode, I set off from Handsacre and squeeze through the tiny narrow section just after the town where it's only just wide enough for one boat and you can't see if anyone's coming the other way... Then I went through Rugeley, which was very busy and moored near Weston, waking up to an emergency involving a sheep. Yes, really. - Stairway to CaldonE35
Stairway to CaldonA video in which Jasmin (who is still my guest at this point) and I turn off the Trent and Mersey canal and onto the Caldon, going through the suburbs of Stoke on Trent and I get very grumpy about how many narrow sections and tight, blind corners it has not to mention a distinct lack of convenient spots to moor up. - Endon's GameE36
Endon's GameWith Jasmin now gone back to her own boat in London, I carried on along the Caldon canal out of Stoke on Trent towards Endon where I'd stop to get some supplies from a convenience store. Along the way I had to deal with two lift bridges, the first of which was easy and the second quite the nuisance. - Going to the FrogsE37
Going to the FrogsHaving stocked up with provisions at Endon I carried on down the Caldon canal, stopping briefly to empty the loo and top up the boat's water tank then going to Denford where the canal splits into two branches. I took the Froghall branch which soon after runs underneath the Leek branch. It gets very dense, there are deep locks, a heritage railway and I bumped into Aussie Boater as well as going past a historic mill. - Taking a LeekE38
Taking a LeekHaving stopped overnight at the end of the Froghall arm, I turned the narrowboat and headed back the way I'd come, up to the junction where the Caldon canal had split into two. One very sharp left turn later and I was going down the Leek branch through heavily wooded sections and a very narrow tunnel indeed, emerging at the navigable end of that part of the canal. - Macc the NiceE39
Macc the NiceHaving explored the furthest, murkiest depths of the Caldon canal, I turned around, came back the way I'd come and continued up the Trent & Mersey canal, through Harecastle tunnel and then took a sharp left onto the Macclesfield canal. Spoiler alert: it's utterly *lovely*. - Hoping for AngelsE40
Hoping for AngelsPressing on from the mooring at LMH - see last vlog - I unexpectedly stop early for a week when the Bosley lock flight is closed due to a leak in the canal at the top. Once it's re-opened, I go up the flight in a pretty good time, all things considered, despite the peculiar "dual top gate" installation on these locks. - It Don't Mean A ThingE41
It Don't Mean A ThingMy journey up the Macclesfield canal continued, leaving a lovely mooring at the top of Bosley locks and going through two swing bridges which weren't as bad as I feared even though they are a nuisance when you're travelling solo. Through Macclesfield itself where I stopped to nip to the shops, and then Bollington before stopping just on the north of the town. - The Turn Off The MaccE42
The Turn Off The MaccThe northern end of the Macclesfield canal was in sight (well, about six miles away) and a beautiful day dawned so the engine was engaged and the boat chugged along up to Marple where, at a T-junction, you meet the Peak Forest canal. I turned right and headed south along the Upper Peak Forest, just a little way to find somewhere to stop. - Journey's EndE43
Journey's EndFor the final leg of my 2019 autumn cruise, I continued along the Upper Peak Forest canal, south towards Whaley Bridge and Bugsworth basin. The six mile stretch of canal includes two swing bridges and two lift bridges so I shamelessly took advantage of some passing hire boaters to help me through. - High and DryE44
High and DryAfter coming back down the Macclesfield canal (which I didn't film, as it was exactly the same as going up as shown in prior vlogs, albeit in the other direction), I turned south and retraced my path along the Trent & Mersey until I got to Stone, Staffordshire. There I'd booked the boat into a dry dock for re-blacking. This video shows that process. Yes, this is where Minimal List had theirs done too :-) - The Liver BoardsE45
The Liver BoardsIn mid-October I moored the narrowboat on the Macclesfield and hopped on a bus and a train to Liverpool where I met with Jo and Michael of "Minimal List". They had a rather interesting trip planned, to take their narrowboat across the Mersey estuary and up the Manchester Ship Canal. Joined by Lorna (aka "London Boat Girl"), we got up at a ridiculous time of the morning and set off. This is Part 1 of that journey, covering the Mersey crossing.