Welcome to the inland waterways!

Hello! My name’s David Johns. In 2015, I quit my job in local television news, sold my house and went to live on a narrowboat, cruising around the canals of England. I documented my time aboard in video and now make films about canal life. On this website I have the complete collection of those videos plus pages of information to help you in your canal journey whether for holiday or living aboard. Welcome along!

Click below for my latest videos or use the menus above to find what you’re after.

  • Vlog 329: Carpet Diem
    As part of the ongoing refurbishment of my cabin cruiser “Twiggy”, I have ripped the carpet out of the front cabin, as you will see in this video. You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs, as they say.
  • Vlog 328: The steepest lock flight!
    Opened in 1774, the Bingley 5-Rise lock flight is the steepest in Britain and still going strong today. The Canal & River Trust held a media day to celebrate this milestone and I went along.
  • Vlog 327: The Stream in the Sky
    At 220 years old, the world-famous Pontcysyllte aqueduct in north Wales is doing very well for its age but it does need a lot of care and maintenance. Every 20 years it’s drained of water for a full inspection and I’ve been along to see what the Canal & River Trust’s engineers have found this time around.