This website is an account of the adventures of Ben, Sue and children Nicola (12) and Lauren (10) when we hired a canal boat for a week from Black Prince and took it out on the Stourport Ring. 

When we first considered this holiday, three out of the four of us had never been on a canal boat before. Hence, there were some feelings of trepidation, even anxiety, prior to the holiday.  Were we going to be able to cope with the physical demands of locks etc.? Were we all going to enjoy it or might the children find it boring?  We didn't know what the answers to these questions would be until we had tried it.

It is my hope that, as well as amusing and entertaining those who already know us, this website might be found by other families considering a similar holiday and perhaps sharing similar concerns and doubts to those we initially had.  In an attempt to resolve their quandry they turn to the Internet for answers and a quick search produces this: the diary of a totally inexperienced family of four, let loose on the canal system.  If we could manage, surely so could anyone.

So did we cope?  Did we even go as far as to enjoy it?  Read on to find out.

 Saturday: Stoke Prior to Hanbury Wharf
 Sunday: Hanbury Wharf to Diglis Basin, Worcester
 Monday: Diglis Basin to Stourport
 Tuesday: Stourport to Stewponey
 Wednesday: Stewponey to the Waterfront, Merry Hill Centre
 Thursday: Merry Hill Centre to Alvechurch
 Friday: Alvechurch to Queen's Head, Stoke Prior
 Saturday (final day): the Home Strait
 Conclusions and Links
 Extra comedy