How to Travel Like Robbie Cumming in Canal Boat Diaries Series 7 

You can travel as Robbie does on Naughty Lass without buying a narrowboat by hiring one. A bonus is that you don’t have to spend weeks at a time on the water if you don’t want to, as you can venture on a canal boat holiday for a few days or a long weekend to get a feel for what it’s like to cruise along Britain’s waterways.  

You’ve been watching Robbie ease the Naughty Lass across the west side of the UK in the latest series of Canal Boat Diaries. Maybe you were in awe of the 38-metre drop above the River Dee from the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, maybe you imagined what it felt like to see the water catch the summer light while pouring your morning coffee. Now you’re thinking, “I want to do that”.  

That’s the whole point of Canal Boat Diaries. Adventuring on a canal boat is entirely achievable without owning a narrowboat and without years of boating experience. Yes, that does mean canal boat holidays are perfect for beginners. Explore Robbie’s routes and how you can travel as he does.  

What’s Canal Boat Diaries about? 

Image Credit: Channel 4 / UKTV

Canal Boat Diaries follows Robbie Cumming as he travels Britain’s inland waterways aboard his narrowboat, the Naughty Lass. Series 7 is his first trip to Wales, covering nearly 200 miles from the Llangollen Canal to Sowerby Bride in West Yorkshire.  

Series 7 aired from 18 May 2026 on U & U&Yesterday (free streaming on U app) with 10x60-minute episodes. The routes include Wales to West Yorkshire via Llangollen Canal, River Weaver, Bridgewater Canal, Macclesfield Canal, Peak Forest Canal, and Rochdale Canal. 

Where to watch Canal Boat Diaries Series 7 

The latest series of Canal Boat Diaries is free to stream on the U app, with all previous series available, although you don’t have to watch all series to feel the pull of it. You don’t even need a subscription, just set up a free account. It also airs on U&Yesterday if you have it through your TV provider.   

What does Robbie Cumming get up to in Series 7? 

In Series 7, Robbie Cumming takes the Naughty Lass on a first-ever narrowboat trip to Wales, crossing the UNESCO-listed Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. He later travels through Northern England via the Bridgewater, Macclesfield and Peak Forest Canals, finishing on the Rochdale Canal, the highest navigable canal in England.  

Series 7 is Robbie’s first trip to Wales in his decade-long boating history, and it opens with one of the most breathtaking stretches of waterways in Britain. The Llangollen Canal winds through steep wooded hillsides and cuts through the Chirk Tunnel before arriving at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.  

From Wales, the route moves through the northwest of England, including the River Weaver, the grandeur of the Bridgewater Canal from Runcorn into Greater Manchester, then into the stone villages and autumn colour of the Macclesfield Canal. The Peak Forest Canal climbs towards the edge of the Pennines, with episodes later venturing into the Rochdale Canal before finishing at Sowerby Bridge. 

Nearly 200 miles over six canals and one river. It’s a journey through a version of Britain that most people don’t think about seeing. And all of it’s possible to explore.  

Canal boat holidays exist precisely for people who want to experience England, Wales and Scotland in a unique, quieter way. The canals are the same ones on screen. The only thing missing is you won’t have a film crew following you around (unless you’re recording your own journey!)  

Which canals from Series 7 can you hire a canal boat on? 

Image Credit: Macclesfield Canal

The Llangollen Canal, Macclesfield Canal and Bridgewater Canal, all featured in Series 7, can be travelled on through ABC Boat Hire and are suitable for beginners. The Rochdale Canal is best for experienced boaters because of its more frequent and heavier, wider lock gates. The Llangollen Canal is a popular beginner choice with the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct as its centrepiece. 

Not every canal in the series is a practical starting point. The Rochdale Canal is best left to experienced boaters who know what to expect with 10 consecutive locks in a mile. But several of the Series 7 canals are excellent choices for a first or second trip, with each one offering something different.  

Llangollen Canal 

It’s one of the most popular canal boat holiday routes for a reason. The Welsh border scenery is inspiring from the first mile, with sights of stone architecture and stretches of meres. And then, when you cross the Pontcysyllte, 38 metres above the valley floor, your boat trip becomes something you’ll describe for years. It’s achievable in a week without rushing and needs no previous experience to enjoy. 

Macclesfield Canal 

The Macclesfield Canal is a lot quieter after the tourist hotspot of Llangollen. It winds through Congleton and Bollington, up towards the edge of the Peak District. The unhurried pace is a refreshing way of life, and Robbie captures it well in the series.  

Browse routes from Anderton Marina

Bridgewater Canal 

This canal is a good option for people based in the north west who want a shorter break. Historically significant with urban stretches compared to the waters in Wales, it’s the route Robbie takes from Runcorn into Greater Manchester, past Preston Brook, through the Saltersford Tunnel and into Middlewich.  

Rochdale Canal 

Not every canal in the series is practical for a first hire, particularly the ‘Everest of Canals’. Although it runs across the Pennines and through the centre of Manchester, the hilly terrain, heavier locks, more walking and stiff paddle gear can make it tricky to manage, especially with solo boaters.  

Although if you’re an experienced boater with enough physical endurance, it’s an incredible stretch of waterways to cruise. You’ll come across the Tuel Lane Lock, one of the deepest locks in the UK and historic mill architecture, along with a blend of city life and picturesque countryside landscapes.  

Explore easy canal routes

Do you need experience to hire a narrowboat? 

No prior experience is needed to hire a narrowboat on a canal boat holiday. ABC Boat Hire provide a full handover before you set off, covering boat operation, lock use and common on-water situations. There are many routes suited to first-timers, too.  

One of the things Canal Boat Diaries does well, almost accidentally, is demystify canal boating. Robbie shares the realistic cases of needing to nudge the boat out of silt or waiting for other boats to pass by. It’s not effortless but the show is reassuring if you’re a first-time boater. Canal boats aren’t fast and the canal network is designed for people who are learning as they go. It’s an experience where the journey quite literally is the exciting part. 

Ready to try it? 

Watching Canal Boat Diaries is a great way to spend an evening. Hiring a narrowboat and doing it yourself is a better one. 

ABC Boat Hire offers canal boat holidays for complete beginners through to experienced boaters, with bases across the English and Welsh canal network. If you’ve been watching Series 7 and thinking about it, this is your sign to stop thinking and pick your adventure.