If you have a boat, used to have a boat or dream of buying a boat then why not brighten up your January by planning some canal-themed New Year resolutions? Here are some ideas to get you started.

1) Exercise

Cycling, walking, or canoeing; the towpaths and waterways offer 2000 miles of the great outdoors to enjoy. Even in a city your local towpath can be an oasis of natural calm populated with geese and ducks. If you have a boat then offer to operate the locks, and if you don’t have a boat try towpath walking or jogging. You could also volunteer with the Canal and River Trust as a volunteer lock keeper.

2) Get Out More

Keep an eye on the Canal and Rivers Trust events page. See ‘Red Riding Hood and the Wolf who Triedto Eat Her’ at The Puppet Theatre Barge in London, or go to a winter works open day to see the working of the inside of a lock.

3) Eat Healthily

Eating healthily can be fun if you decide to discover new places to eat beside the water. As well as the ubiquitous canal-side pub think outside the box and discover quaint rural tea rooms or slick city wine bars with watery views. In Little Venice there is a café on board a boat and also around London you may come across the Sandwich Barge. Meet a friend in an unusual location and then resolve to select a healthy option from the menu.

4) Do Good

Waterways charities that would appreciate volunteer help include The Canal and River Trust, the Inland Waterways Association and your local canal restoration project, such as The Wendover Arm Trust in the Chilterns. You could turn up to a working party (see option one: exercise!) or help from your armchair by donating cash on line. Many charities hold fund raising events such as sponsored walks . If you’d rather be on a boat than on the towpath find your nearest community boating project and train with the NCBA in topics like boat handling, rope work or leadership.

5) Sell Your Boat

If you’re planning to change boats this year, or just to sell your current boat, then use the optimism of a New Year to get motivated and begin to organise yourself. We have a free e-book that will help. How to Sell a Boat: The Ultimate Guide.

Happy New Year, from all at Boatshed Grand Union.

Peggy Melmoth
Image credit: Narrowboat Wife

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Living on a Boat: The Boatshed Guide (free) / How to Sell a Boat: The Ultimate Guide (free eBook) / How to Buy a Boat: The Ultimate Guide / Our Top 5 Articles From 2014 / Don’t miss:The Boatshed Grand Union Daily/ More articles.

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