How Coolcanals Guides startedWho are we? Phillippa & Martine - relentless waterways nomads. Writing about the waterways became a habit when we went to live off-grid on our eco-friendly self-built narrowboat, ’Bhaile, and travelled the water with our four cats. Our eco-escape opened our eyes and hearts to the secret world of Britain's waterways and we began freelance writing and photography to help support our self-sufficient lifestyle.    
When we swapped our boat for boots, we discovered even more waterways' secrets, hidden gems and amazing things to do in one of Britain's quietest, slowest places. We got the bug and wanted to tell everybody everything we loved about the waterways. We saw a need for our alternative guides, with everything for the traveller like us who wants to get away from the mayhem and enjoy the escape of the real waterways. From live-aboards to publishers Amazingly, other than navigational guides, there didn't appear to be any guidebooks dedicated to leisure time on the canals, so the next thing we knew we were starting a small but innovative publishing company writing guides about the waterways. Coolcanals Guides was born.
We launched with our online leisure directory guide, coolcanalsguides.com, then the first of our exciting new canal guidebooks was published in March 2009
Our current mission is to walk all the canals of Britain, backpacking from the Highlands of Scotland to the sands of Cornwall, in every season and all weathers! Over 2,000 miles meandering over the Welsh mountains, the Peak District, across the Pennines, and through almost every rural contour and major city of the land. Coolcanals Guides will grow with more discoveries and ideas as we cover the ground. Out on the towpaths, there are swans to chat to, views to soak up and waterways' balm to bask in. This is real slow walking and could take us some time...to hurry would be to miss the point.
Some of the canals we've walked so far (Dec '09):
Staffs & Worcs, Trent & Mersey, Worcs & Birmingham, BCN, Stourbridge, Dudley No.1, Peak Forest, Macclesfield, Oxford, Kennet & Avon, Caledonian, Regent's, Stratford, Grand Union, Exeter, Bude, Mon & Brec, Llangollen, Caldon, Coventry, Droitwich, Rochdale, Huddersfield Narrow, Leeds & Liv, Grand Western, Glos & Sharpness, Shroppie, .... A fresh look at the inland waterways, with more than just narrowboats and boating holidays in mind. We aim to promote the canals and give all the essential info about leisure activities, days out, short breaks, holidays, events, and life on the waterways, with comprehensive directory listings. We especially like to highlight canal businesses that are ethical and/or eco-friendly. Our books uniquely explore the linear world of canals as a leisure destination as different as any far-off place, with its own culture, lingo, landscape, architecture and heritage - and inspire you with as many things to do and see as your imagination will allow. The nitty gritty stuff that we think makes our guidebooks what they are:
We care about the waterways environment We want to inspire visitors to discover and keep using their waterways to help Britain's canals stay alive. Without careful management, and constant costly maintenance our canals could be lost forever. At the same time, because we respect the special community and traditions that make canals unique, we appreciate the dangerously fine line between unhealthy neglect and irresponsible commercial development. So we share some of the best secrets we discover but never knowingly support any business or activity not in keeping with the traditional values and special culture of the canals. Because we care about the whole earth as well as the waterways, we 'think' green throughout every part of the process of making our guides. From choosing the environmental award-winning Butler, Tanner and Dennis to print our books to using Ecotricity for our electricity and never driving anywhere if we can walk instead. |
Our guidebooks are packed full of ideas, colourful photos, and some of the best highlights we've found along the canals...
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