I've always heard;
"Careful what you wish for, as it might just happen"
I'm not superstitious, but man, I am mindful of this one!
For many years I've dreamed and tried to imagine just how beautiful the colours of autumn would be on a narrowboat on the canals of the UK; and now, I'm living that dream in live and vibrant colours.
One of the things I wrote about at the start of my narrowboat journey, was my anticipation of experiencing the changes and the colours of the seasons, and I think autumn is spectacular.
Fallen Leaves
At least I'm not the only one who expected to see more colours in the trees at this time; An elderly lady, who without a doubt has witnessed way more autumns than I'll do in my lifetime, commented that she noticed and was disappointed, that most of the leaves have fallen before changing colours; Therefore, there's a lack of orange and red colours, that I'd anticipated.
Could it be just this section of the canals?
I would not be surprised, because a fortnight ago, I saw a tree that had completely turned red, but I was without my camera at that particular time.
The leaves also fall into the bow of the boat, and onto my bed, if the door is open.
I love nature, but not that much :)
Still I think the leaves on the towpath do add atmosphere, compared to what is yet to come.
Do you also admire the fallen leaves?
Does the earthy colours warm your soul?
With all the fallen leaves, there's still greenery everywhere.
Is it cold?
A legitimate question, many ask.
Of course it's freaking cold!
However, narrowboats can be warm and cosy, as most come with multi-fuel stoves. Usually you'll see smoke coming from the chimney's on the boats, and throughout the year narrowboat owners tend to collect wood, chop, and dry them out in preparation for colder temperatures.
My narrowboat in particular did not come with a fireplace, instead it came with a diesel ebaspacher heater, which we have replaced with a traditional stove; to be installed in a few days time.
It is freezing cold. The cold reaches deep inside you, still there are breathtaking reflections everywhere.
More Narrowboats
There's far less traffic on the canals this time of year, as narrowboaters tend to moor at marinas during the winter season. Also there will be closure along some sections of the canals, and some flooding of rivers also make it safer for boaters to avoid cruising.
The narrowboats that we do encounter, are mainly other continuous cruisers, like us, who are making their way to an area that is convenient for shopping, water, and waste disposals.
One thing for sure, we are all wrapped up in woolly hats, boots, and winter gear, yet all smiling and happy; I guess this is what nature does.
The towpaths are also a lot quieter, and I have been told by other seasoned boaters, that the towpaths will pretty much be private for us, during these colder months.
However, I do like seeing dog walkers with their happy dogs along the towpaths. I also have a great admiration for runners and walkers; I love determined persons with goals, and fitness is important for our well-being.
Occasionally you'll see people just casually strolling by.
Rolling Hills
Spectacular views in sight as we slowly chug along. It's a lazy pace, and the green fields look like a big endless bed, where you'd like to lay your head.
This beauty remains hidden.
I feel charmed to be able to witness these fields so intimately from the bow and stern of my narrowboat.
The contrasting colours of blue skies, clouds, green fields and hills, aesthetically add dimensions to the dark dirty canal water.
Still clear skies, and the air is fresh and frosty. As a matter of fact I can leave my milk outside for a week and it remains fresh.
Not long from now these fields will be all white.
I am loving autumn.
Endless Fields With Sheep Here And There
On the opposite side of the canal, I see lots of sheep everywhere. After all, they have the perfect coats for this frosty season.
Clouds, Birds, and Reflections
Three things that I feel are important especially this time of year.
Clouds; do change, and send different messages. Do you observe clouds?
Birds; I'm a big lover of birds, and feel honoured to see flocks flying high, and I do admire the freedom they have even if birds tend to remain local to an area.
Reflections; so many dimensions, and I think this time of year lends itself to us being more reflective (well I am). It's also nice to see reflections, because it feels like seeing the beauty around me two-fold.
Overhead shot of the canal, with reflections of trees, clouds, and birds flying above the canals
All images are my own, taken with my Olympus camera.
This is my first autumn/winter season in 8 years, and my first on narrowboat, Badger. It's still early November, so maybe I'll see more colourful trees before the leaves all fall, and everything becomes barren. Any which way; cold, but I'm still happy living this nomadic life, regardless of the seasons and the temperatures.
Thank you for reading my blog, and I hope you've enjoyed and lived vicariously through my autumn photo compilation.