The Inland Waterways Association’s challenge gets people exploring off-the-beaten-track locations along the canals
A trip through Standedge Tunnel in late 2019 made narrowboat Perseverance and its crew Michael and Jo Morehouse the first to complete the Inland Waterways Association’s Silver Propeller Challenge, by visiting 20 off-the-beaten-track and little-frequented places on the waterways network.
The scheme was set up to encourage boaters to visit underused waterways, by challenging them to visit any 20 out of 38 outposts of the network (plus another 17 away from the main system for portable craft). IWA believes that “if there are no boats, whole sections of waterways will lose their charm and appeal for everyone” – and as Michael puts it, “We appreciate IWA’s cruise-it-or-lose-it ethos and wanted to highlight some of the gems of the out of the way places.”
Starting in early 2018 with Snarestone, during the rest of the year the liveaboard continuous cruisers visited Langley Mill, Little Tring, Slough, the Bow Back Rivers, Inglesham, Saul Junction, the head of the Warwickshire Avon, Coombeswood Basin and Titford Pools. Then in 2019 they cruised to Walsall Town Basin, the Cannock Extension, the limit of the Montgomery, what they could of the Dee Branch, Leek, Froghall, the top of the Weaver, Tewitfield and Liverpool Docks, finally reaching Standedge on 28 October.
They plan to collect the rest in 2020, “and maybe even ask for a gold propeller!”
See more on their YouTube channel
