It was a decade ago that I first wrote about “cool canal boating”. I stayed on one of the first design-led barges, based in London’s Primrose Hill and explored east London’s canalside cafes, joking that perhaps even the dowdy canal boat-holiday company Black Prince would go all trendy.
Well, a decade on, with Hackney Wick’s canalside now as lively as Ibiza, it seems it finally has. Black Prince’s new Signature range has been upgraded, with naff orangey woodwork traded for cool grey tones, modern black radiators replacing perfunctory white, Scandi-ish furnishings and kitchen nooks reconfigured with sleek modern appliances. A new exterior paint job conjures a folksy, Gypsy caravan vibe.
The boats are available at two of Black Prince’s nine bases: Napton in Warwickshire and Stoke Prior in Worcestershire, to which I head with my family to take one for a (sedate) spin.
This location appeals because it’s home to the only loop on the canal network that can be completed in a weekend: the mid-Worcestershire (or Droitwich) Ring, covering 21 miles and 33 locks.
Except when I speak to Black Prince they tell me that actually, as rental is from 2pm Saturday, we’d be hard pushed to complete it, even though it’s a bank holiday.
“People always ask how far they can go?” says spokesman Daniel Johnson, “but you have to get out of that mindset, relax and take your time. Canal boating is all about slowing down.”
He recommends a shorter there-and-back route to Droitwich instead. But he doesn’t know us – we like a challenge.
It’s a beautiful sunny day when we step aboard our 20-metre Ivy, beside a jolly group who proclaim they’ve come all the way from Canada for this experience. I ask if they’ve done everything else in England already, but no, turns out Midlands canal boating is on the world’s bucket list, and, in fact, much of Black Prince’s business comes from overseas.
We set out south down the Worcester and Birmingham canal fresh from a 90-minute briefing that seemed exceedingly thorough at the time, covering everything from clearing the weed hatch to working the new blue mood lighting. But now, as I’m careering towards an oncoming boat, I realise we missed a few key details, such as which side of the canal you’re supposed to stay on.
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