Canal Boat Diaries

Robbie Cumming is back onboard his boat, the Naughty Lass, and eager to explore England's canal system. On this leg, he travels through Royal Leamington Spa and the historic town of Warwick with its medieval castle. But almost as soon as he casts off, he hits a snag and sees a fairly unusual sight. A canal boat traffic jam, all converging on one of the busiest sections of water in the country.

Robbie Cumming has decided to have a change of scene and swaps the bucolic countryside he usually explores for a more urban setting. He sets out to travel the meandering waterways of inner-city Birmingham, Britain's second city, including the Soho Loop and the Engine Arm Canal. Robbie's determined to seek out the canal's hidden tributaries and lesser-used passages.

Robbie Cumming continues his canal exploration of England's Midlands by traveling from Halesowen to Stourbridge. It's a part of the canal network he's never explored before, so while there's excitement, there's also slight trepidation about what lies ahead. And disaster strikes when the Naughty Lass collides with a low bridge on the Bumble Hole Canal Branch, damaging a chimney.

Robbie Cumming continues his exploration of the Midland's canal network by traveling from South Staffordshire to the bustling city of Wolverhampton. On the way he ventures along the picturesque Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, viewing magnificent sights such as Stourton Castle, built by one of Britain's greatest architects, and the engineering marvel that is Devil's Den Aqueduct.

Robbie continues his journey through the Midlands, traveling from the city of Wolverhampton to Anglesey Basin, the most northerly point of the Birmingham canal navigation. And it proves to be one of Robbie's toughest trips yet as he battles through water weed on the Bradley Arm and gets stuck in silt on the Ridgacre Branch. Will he manage to make it to his final mooring?

Robbie Cumming is exploring the majestic waterways of the Midlands on his vintage narrowboat, the Naughty Lass. On this leg, he's traveling 26 miles between Great Barr and Warwickshire, tackling 13 locks on the way. But there's trouble when Robbie encounters a leaky lock pound on the Perry Barr Flight and gets marooned in the mud before traveling under Spaghetti Junction in Birmingham.

Robbie Cumming heads off to pastures new as he visits a rural canal he's never previously explored in the beautiful countryside. On the way, he discovers a mysterious message in a bottle on the Ashby Canal and calls in to meet a mate who lives on an old narrowboat. He also spends some time with one of the many volunteers who ensures that Britain's historic waterways continue to function.

Robbie Cumming continues his adventure along the waterways of the Midlands onboard his home, a vintage narrowboat called the Naughty Lass. On this leg he's traveling 38 miles from the city of Coventry, along the Grand Union Canal to Weedon Bec. He takes a tumble at Buckby Locks in Northamptonshire and has a problem with his boat's power supply which might put a sudden stop to his travels.

Robbie Cumming continues his adventures on Britain's waterways on the Grand Union, England's longest canal. He's hoping to get from the village of Bugbrooke all the way to the city of Milton Keynes, visiting Northampton on the way. But he soon runs into trouble when a window gets smashed onboard the Naughty Lass and he then receives a soaking inside the very wet Blisworth Tunnel.

Robbie Cumming ends his epic quest on the waterways of England by traveling from the village of Simpson to Little Tring on the Grand Union, England's longest canal. During a cold snap, Robbie gets frozen in and he's forced to use his narrowboat, the Naughty Lass, as an icebreaker. Later, on a section of canal he's never seen before, his parents pay a visit and help him through Marsworth Locks.