Ange

In answer to the OPs question - I don't know ports and stars so bear with me - our preference is if the towpath is on the left of the boat when we moor up. This is simply because the seating is on the left side of the boat, if we moor this way round we get to look out on to the canal rather than pairs of legs and dogs on the towpath, and, more importantly, we get a certain amount of privacy without having to close all the curtains on one side of the boat. We don't usually get much of a choice though - the towpath is where it is. We have lovely bus windows which let in lots of light as well mrsmelly (and a pump out toilet!) We're thinking of having sidehatches retrofitted as well

I must admit to hitting a low patch in December/January when we were iced in for just over 6 weeks. The towpath and the pavements were skating rinks, making us think twice about going out. Having no car limits your options too. I would love to do some of the things Chagall suggested, but don't possess an arty streak, so it was just books and baking for 6 weeks - it sounds idyllic but I did get bored (and probably put on a stone with all the cookies I baked!) It was a great relief when the canal thawed and we could move from that spot. Still, chin up Romarni, Spring is on its way Edited to make more sense!

Well we've finally done it and not lit the stove! We cooked in the cabin the last couple of nights and decided enough was enough. I have two sleeping bags wrapped around me now because it is still a wee bit chilly, but prefer that to baking. Roll on spring - I can't wait!

Your cold spell might have only lasted a week - we were ice-bound on the canal for 6 weeks!

Noooo - surely not!! We've been letting our stove go out overnight and not lighting it till the evening - it's still a bit chilly to do without it. Have to have the windows open though - it gets a tad warm in the cabin (still early enough in the year to have windows open and lights on without being inundated with pesky flying, swooping things) We were planning to retrieve our summer duvet from mum & dad's loft this weekend and swap it with winter duvet - news of gritters is making me wonder if we're being a bit hasty!

Is Lancashire too far away? We're currently moored in the Chorley area and would be happy to share our limited knowledge (be warned though, we're very new to this so any advice may be flawed!)

Site bookmarked - thanks for that

I'm lost for words (and that doesn't happen very often)!

We're coming down from Manchester (planning to stop overnight) and will happily detour via Birmingham to pick up Smelly and the fair Bagpuss

I take it you're not a Ubuntu user Martin

Hi Rupert Thanks for that. I doubt whether it's he touch pad as it only happens when I first sign on - once I've chased the pointer around enough to restart the lappy it behaves impeccably every time! We've somehow lost our menu on the top panel when it went silly last time (where you can get applications,etc). I don't suppose you know how I get it back? Thanks for the help Ange Edited cos I put when instead of where

Yep, we're moored on the towpath side near Botany Bay at the mo and seriously struggled to get near the side. There's a gap between the bank and the front of the boat where we get on and off, and the boat has a marked list where she's sitting on the bottom. We found the same problem in Adlington, where we normally have no problems mooring.

Totally agree! We have the curtains firmly shut on the towpath side, open on the canal side. When we hear a boat approaching we look out and wave - passing boaters will take a passing look inside our boat to see if a fellow boater is around, towpath people are far more voyeuristic. So the answer is - feel free to look in our windows if you pass us canalside and be sure of a cheery wave

Thanks for the linky - I'll register with them. I thought i'd ask on here as I know there's a few Ubuntu users on CWDF