Behind the Helm

The Story, Challenges, and Triumph Behind Road House Narrowboats

Have you ever really stepped out of your comfort zone? Taking on a new business was the first leap, but a few weeks ago, we found ourselves doing it again. This time, in front of the camera with Emily from Big Picture Spotlight to do a podcast. Sitting in front of both the camera and the microphones quickly reminded us that we are far more at home on the towpath or pottering about the workshop than under the studio lights! However, once we got talking, we relaxed, laughed and looked back at our wonderful journey and were delighted to be asked to share our experience.

We were able to reflect and talk about how and why we came to buy Road House Narrowboats, what we really experienced in those first few chaotic months and how we have grown the business over the last 15 years to be the proud fifth owners of this historic boat company.

It's very easy to lose sight of the journey we’ve had when we’re in the thick of it: the amount of love, care, tears and sweat that have gone into the boats and the business. Everything was laid bare during this podcast, and we’d love to share this with you, to tell our story, but also to showcase what a truly wonderful part of Wales we work and live in.

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Watch the full Podcast here

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Jumping Into The Unknown

It began over 16 years ago. We knew we wanted to do something completely different, life-changing, so we took a huge leap of faith, took the plunge, pardon the pun, and took over the established boat business, Road House Narrowboats.

There was a great deal to learn in a very short space of time: mastering the mechanics of traditional engines, understanding the unique flow of the Mon & Brec canal, and of course, restoring the narrowboats to ensure our newly acquired fleet of narrowboats were everything we wanted them to be. What followed were long days, well into the cold winter months, and if we’re honest, many, many moments where we thought, what have we done!

But we persevered, as we really did have this shared passion for the life we believed we could look forward to: the gentle ebb and flow of the canal and the unique experience like no other that we could offer so many with a gentle and relaxing canal holiday.

Crafting our Goal

Over the past 15 years, we have literally poured our hearts and souls into the business, ensuring we upgraded the boats, maintained and refined them to ensure we could offer the best experiences, making life on the water as comfortable and welcoming as possible, allowing for many cherished memories amongst our guests.

We quickly realised it was important to cater for the entire family, dogs included, so we worked hard to ensure our narrowboats were dog-friendly, designing the interiors with easy-clean surfaces and secure deck spaces, whilst also providing tips on the best towpath walks. This has led to our dog-friendly narrowboats seeing many repeat bookings year after year.  However, if you have pet allergies, then be assured that Gilwern Countess is kept pet-free for your comfort.

We also wanted to ensure we provided a stress-free holiday. We’ve never forgotten that for many guests it's the very first time taking the tiller, so we ensure we always give each guest the time they need to go through a full handover. There's no rush; we want them to feel confident navigating the waterways, so they can experience the relaxing holiday they've dreamed of. We want them to have a getaway where they unwind and don’t want to cause any anxiety, which is why we also provide an all-inclusive canal boat holiday experience where everything you need for a comfortable stay on board is ready from the moment you set foot on deck. Whether you choose to have a long or short stay, we’ve tailored routes so everyone can enjoy the canals at their own pace. No matter how much time you have, detailing where the canalside pubs and great mooring spots can be found.

Reflecting

As anxious and as uncomfortable as we were in front of the cameras, when we look back, we are so grateful to all those guests we’ve welcomed over the years. We still passionately believe that the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal remains one of the most breathtaking, peaceful stretches of canal in the UK, and having the opportunity to run a business alongside it and being able to share it with guests every season is an absolute privilege.

If you are looking for a unique experience, plan a narrowboat holiday and bring your dogs with you; it truly is a peaceful getaway, and we’d love to welcome you aboard.

Grab a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits and enjoy the full podcast below, and let us know what you think!

Sally & Nigel

Bookings for 2027 are now open!

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Watch the full Podcast here

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