Category: Gentian

Vlog 383A: Tow’s Company

Posted on November 19, 2025 by David Johns

We launch into the final stages of my trip bringing narrowboat Gentian down from Lincoln to the East Midlands, here departing Springwood Haven marina and heading for Brinklow, pausing at Hawkesbury Junction.

Vlog 381B: A Spring in my Step

Posted on October 29, 2025 by David Johns

Continuing my journey aboard my narrowboat, this time from Polesworth down to Springwood Haven marina, where it would remain for a further three weeks before I was able to move it again. On the way, I went through the 11-lock Atherstone lock flight, with surprising ease due to help from lockies and fellow boaters.

Vlog 381A: Polepole

Posted on October 19, 2025 by David Johns

As part of my ongoing journey bringing narrowboat Gentian down from Lincoln to the Midlands over the summer, I had stopped at Kings Orchard marina in Lichfield. The next step was to take it to Springwood Haven marina near Nuneaton so in this video I begin this leg, getting as far as Polesworth, and sharing a (narrow) lock with another tiny narrowboat on the way.

Vlog 379B: Country Roads

Posted on October 1, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

This is a further continuation of my journey taking narrowboat Gentian from where I bought it down to the Midlands where it will be moored for the foreseeable future. Here I go from Alrewas to Kings Orchard marina, managing to let the boat crash forwards in a turbulent lock through not paying attention.

Vlog 379A: And Mondays

Posted on September 20, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

We return to the journey of narrowboat Gentian in this episode, documenting the trip from Mercia Marina down to the village of Alrewas – and it rained, a lot, on the way.

Vlog 376b: Mercia Me!

Posted on August 20, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

At the end of the last video, I came to the end of the River Trent at Derwent mouth where it joins the start of the Trent & Mersey canal. In this video, I take the boat onto the canal and up to Mercia marina, where I’d be leaving the boat for a week until I could move it again.

Vlog 376A: The Endless River

Posted on August 10, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

Having left my narrowboat at Beeston marina for four weeks, I now returned for a weekend to move it onto the canals and stash it at Mercia Marina temporarily (until the next move!) This is part 1 of that move.

Vlog 375B: Nottingham Forests

Posted on July 30, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

Day 2 of my weekend spent moving narrowboat Gentian from Newark-on-Trent to Beeston Marina. In this episode, I take the boat from Stoke Lock on the River Trent, onto the Nottingham & Beeston canal.

Vlog 375a: Rush Hour

Posted on July 20, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

Part 2 of my trip to bring the narrowboat Gentian down from Lincoln to the East Midlands, here I move it from Newark-upon-Trent to Stoke Lock which is not a million miles away from Nottingham. It was a bank holiday weekend (first weekend in May) and there was a lot of traffic on the river, all of which overtook me with ease!

Vlog 374: Tide Up

Posted on July 9, 2025October 19, 2025 by David Johns

Back in April, I began the slow process of moving my recently-purchased narrowboat from Burton Waters marina near Lincoln, down to the East Midlands. This video is Step 1 of that journey.

Canal Life