Boating on the canals in England is THE way to experience the countryside.

I have just spent an immensely pleasurable weekend aboard my mate Shaun's boat, sailing from the marina at Barbridge and up the first part of the Llangollen canal, reputed to be the prettiest in Britain.

We went as far as a tiny place called Wrenbury, which has two pubs, a camping ground and a marina , but not much else. However it was charming (the pub has free wi-fi!). The weather was perfect, about 26 degrees both days, and we slept on board overnight, aided by a couple of glasses of whisky.

The thing about boating on the canals is that you are restricted to a maximum speed of about 5kms an hour, which means you get nowhere fast. Or slow, in this case. Pensioners walking along the tow path overtake you.

The upside of this is that you have ample time to appreciate the delights of the countryside.... the meadows, the endless trees, the wildlife (moorhens, ducks, wood pigeons, squirrels etc), and even time to enjoy a glass of wine while cruising. Well, let's face it, at that speed you're not likely to cause a major crash.

One of the more pleasurable aspects of boating like this is reading the names of the various boats as you pass them, or as they glide by. Most of them are narrowboats, what most people call barges, very traditional canal craft, many with lovely paintings on the doors or sides. But the names are often puns, such as Thurzaway, Barely A Wake, or Onion Bargee.

But the one that raises many smiles on the canal is Shaun's boat. When he bought it, it was called His'n''Hers. But, to celebrate that his ex-wife could have no claim on his boat he renamed it His not Hers!

PS: I've added a short video of the trip. Click on Videos. Enjoy!