canal boat journeys channel 4

Timothy West, Prunella Scales, Sheila Hancock and Gyles Brandreth embark on spectacular canal journeys across Britain and abroad

Sheila and Gyles boat the beautiful Peak Forest Canal to Manchester, where they have a go at dry stone walling and discover the hatting history of Denton

Series 13 Episode 4: Peak Forest Canal

Sheila and Gyles boat the beautiful Peak Forest Canal and have a go at dry stone walling

Series 13 Episode 3: Grand Union and Stratford Canal

Sheila and Gyles learn about brewing ale and brave the 500-foot-long Edstone Aqueduct

Series 13 Episode 2: West Lancashire Coastal Plain

Gyles takes on the world pie-eating champion in Wigan. Then all canals lead to Liverpool.

Series 13 Episode 1: Cambridgeshire Fens

Sheila and Gyles explore the Cambridgeshire Fens and make a pilgrimage to Ely Cathedral

Best of Wales and the West Country

A look back at Tim and Pru's adventures on the waterways of Wales and the West Country

Best of Scandinavia

A look back at Timothy West and Prunella Scales' 350-mile journey across Sweden by boat

North of England

Tim and Pru look back over their many great adventures along northern England's canals

Best of Scotland

Tim and Pru look back at one of their favourite locations

Global Adventures

Tim and Pru share a stash of memories of their canal journeys overseas

The British Isles

Tim and Pru go on a voyage through the beautiful Cherwell Valley

Series 10 Episode 2: Asian Odyssey (Part Two)

Timothy and Pru complete their tour of South East Asian waterways on the Mekong Delta

Series 10 Episode 1: Asian Odyssey (Part One)

The 'ancient mariners' travel the waterways of Vietnam - from Halong Bay to Hanoi

Series 9 Episode 6: Rideau Canal, Canada

Tim and Pru embark on an epic journey along Canada's Rideau Canal

Series 9 Episode 5: Lancaster Canal

Tim and Pru navigate the Lancaster Canal, an early masterpiece of the waterways

Series 9 Episode 4: Argentina

Tim and Pru take a boat ride in the Argentine jungle

Series 9 Episode 3: Manchester

Tim and Pru explore the waterways of north west England, from Manchester to Ellesmere

Series 9 Episode 2: North Italy

Tim and Pru cross Italy's largest lake and travel down Europe's oldest working canal

Series 9 Episode 1: The River Nile

Tim and Pru explore one of the world's great waterways

Series 2 Episode 4: Forth and Clyde and Union Canals

Timothy and Pru travel through the stunning scenery of central Scotland

Series 2 Episode 3: Canal du Midi

Timothy and Pru explore the picturesque Canal du Midi in the south of France

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Great Canal Journeys

Timothy West and Prunella Scales travel across canals in both Britain and Europe. Timothy West and Prunella Scales travel across canals in both Britain and Europe. Timothy West and Prunella Scales travel across canals in both Britain and Europe.

• Timothy West
• Prunella Scales
• Samuel West
• 19 User reviews

Episodes 48

• Self - Host …

• Self - Actor and Son of Timothy and Prunella …

• Self - Timothy's Daughter …
• Self - Son of Timothy and Prunella
• Self - Canal and River Trust Naturalist
• Self - Local Historian
• Self - Local Resident
• Self - Ted Hughes Expert

• Self - Actor and Friend

• Self - Current Owner of Chateau Paraza and Descendant of Pierre-Paul Riquet
• Self - Worked on Restoration of Shannon Erne Canal
• Self - Waterways Historian and Author
• Self - Chief Executive, Scottish Canals

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[repeated line: as he collides with yet another bridge or canal bank]

Timothy West : Buggeration!

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Great Canal Journeys: how a bittersweet boating show captured viewers' hearts

The swansong of Timothy West and Prunella Scales’s narrowboat adventures aired this week, having elevated the humble travelogue to a touching saga of love and loss

‘M y name’s Timothy West, and this is my wife, Prunella Scales.” Much of the tender magic of Great Canal Journeys is in that proud, robustly jolly, semi-formal introduction, habitually included in the narration as one venerated actor refers to his beloved other. The Channel 4 show – the probable last episode of which was broadcast last night – is one of many travel series that amount to watching celebrities go on holiday, but it’s one of the few that truly feels as if it’s inviting us to come along too.

West and Scales have no need to feign canal enthusiasm for the cameras. In their show’s best episodes, they revisit their own, real narrowboating holidays, re-enacting scenes from a romance that’s endured for more than half a century. A simple thing that sets them apart is that they’re a lot older than almost anyone else on British television. What has made this series such a gift is their willingness to share the emotion of navigating that last phase of life together, a bittersweetness made all the more powerful by Scales’s Alzheimer’s disease. West is the boat’s skipper, cajoling and comforting and forever worrying about the welfare of his mate.

The success of the series has demanded that Tim and Pru venture overseas, as near as France and as far as India. Their foreign jaunts were fine, but this new trip put them back where they look most comfortable, in the veins of green England . Going up the familiar Oxford Canal from Banbury in Oxfordshire to Braunston in Northamptonshire offered a chance to relax, enjoy choice excerpts from previous seasons, and update us on the topic discussed whenever we and they reconvene: how Pru’s doing. The news was not good.

Since the first instalment in 2014, the series has charted the long, slow goodbye that is living with dementia, cherishing every moment of precious normality and celebrating how an immersion in nature is the surest way to bring the old Pru back. But that task of loving a person whose powers are fading only ever gets harder. Now we heard not only that Pru’s mental decline was accelerating, but that deafness was also encroaching.

The show’s editors have been masters of holding the shot for an extra second after Tim has finished speaking, long enough for us to discern pain clouding the full-hearted, wrinkly eyed smile that takes over his face when he talks about how happy Pru makes him. As Tim explained that Pru’s hearing loss was denying him the pleasure of ordinary conversation – the quick exchange of ideas and feelings with his best friend, treasured every day since 1963 – we saw more sadness than smile.

This episode was broadcast on West’s 85th birthday and possessed an air of soft valediction throughout. In the ancient St Peter’s Church at Wormleighton, Warwickshire, the vicar boldly asked for clarification of what the rest of the programme was only hinting at: was this the couple’s last ever Great Canal Journey? Tim looked at Pru and thought about the bustling community of hobbyists and holidaymakers on Britain’s manmade waterways . “They can carry on without us. I just wonder if we can carry on without them.”

So a saga that has been – quietly, let’s not make a fuss about it – one of the greatest love stories on TV seems to be over. There’s another new episode next week, but it’s even more heavily based on old clips, with the linking scenes showing Tim taking care of Pru at home rather than judging tight turns and ratcheting locks.

This was the swansong, and in the loveliest of many lovely moments, Fairport Convention came on board at Cropredy to perform the exquisitely appropriate Who Knows Where the Time Goes? “Who knows how my love grows? And who knows where the time goes?” Oh, for a little more time. But what times we’ve had.

• Timothy West
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• Alzheimer's
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Season 6 episodes (8)

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What happened to Pru and Tim from Great Canal Journeys? Duo replaced on Channel 4 series!

Prunella Scales and Timothy West are known for being the husband-wife duo on Great Canal Journeys. So, where are they?

The twelfth season is set to air on Monday March 15th, confirming that it looks like Prue and Tim won’t be coming back to host the series.

Instead, a new presenting duo are taking their place, following their recent appearance in season 11.

So, what actually happened to Pru and Tim, the original duo who presented Great Canal Journeys? Here’s the latest on the couple…

Who are Pru and Tim from Canal Journeys?

They are a married couple who presented the Channel 4 series.

Prunella Scales, now 88, and Timothy West, 86, quit the show in early 2020, having appeared in over 30 episodes of Great Canal Journeys.

Pru was Sybil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers , and was also known for her BAFTA-nominated role as Queen Elizabeth II in A Question of Attribution .

Film, stage, presenter and television actor Timothy, on the other hand, has more than fifty years of work in the TV industry.

Like Gyles and Sheila but I miss Tim and Prue #GreatCanalJourneys — ᑕᒪᗩIᖇᗴ 💙 🐻 (@ClairEar1273) November 8, 2020

• CHANNEL 4: Where is The Celebrity Circle 2021 filmed?

What happened to Pru and Tim?

• They were reportedly forced to quit due to Pru’s declining health

Pru, who has Alzheimer’s, revealed back in 2013 that she was struggling with her memory, but continued to film episodes up until October 2019.

She couldn’t remember the year she married Tim, which took place in 1963.

Since their departure, Pru and Tim were replaced on Great Canal Journeys by another duo, who presented a couple of episodes before series 12.

Never get tired of watching #timandprue on their canal trips. #truelove #greatcanaljourneys — Chris (@Poppyblew) May 4, 2019

• CHANNEL 4: Who is the voiceover of The Celebrity Circle?

Who is replacing Pru and Tim?

• Sheila Gyles and Gyles Brandreth

The friends are best known for appearing on Channel 4’s Gogglebox .

They began to feature on Great Canal Journeys in November 2020, and are now officially becoming the hosts of season 12.

Sheila, 88, is an English actress and author, who trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before starting her career in repertory theatre.

Gyles, 73, is a writer, broadcaster, actor, and former politician. He studied at the University of Oxford, before beginning a career in the media.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gyles Brandreth (@gylesbrandreth)

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• St. Petersburg - Moscow Cruise

This 8-day Russian river cruise by luxury ship will take you to the jewels of Russia - St. Petersburg and Moscow as well as the most significant towns between these 2 magnificent cities: Mandrogui village, Kizhi island with its amazing wooden architecture and Uglich and Goritsy with their tranquil, country atmosphere.

• Route St. Petersburg - Mandrogui - Kizhi - Goritsy - Uglich - Moscow
• Languages English-speaking guide is guaranteed. Other languages are on request.
• Cruise Ship 5-star cruise ship MS Rostropovich
• Group Tour This is a group tour. There will be other people in your group.

This is a great Russian river cruise on a comfortable 4-star ship that will take you to St. Petersburg and Moscow and the most significant places between these 2 cities: Mandrogui village, Kizhi island with its amazing wooden architecture and Uglich and Goritsy with their tranquil atmosphere.

• Route St. Petersburg - Mandrogui- Kizhi - Goritsy - Uglich - Moscow
• Cruise Ship 4-star cruise ship: MS Crucelake

This is our shortest St. Petersburg to Moscow cruise and it is a perfect choice for those who have already been to Moscow and St. Petersburg and would like to explore the small, charming towns lying between the Two Capitals.

• Route St. Petersburg - Shlisselburg - Valaam - Svirstroy/Lodeynoe Pole - Mandrogui - Kizhi - Kuzino - Myshkin - Uglich - Moscow
• Cruise Ship 3-star cruise ships: MS Swan Lake, MS Moonlight Sonata

This is our most popular St. Petersburg to Moscow cruise. Besides in depth visits to St. Petersburg and Moscow, the cruise covers all the most important areas between the two capitals: Mandrogui - a colorful village famous for local handicrafts, amazing Kizhi Island with its beautiful nature and wooden architecture, as well as the ancient towns of Goritsy, Yaroslavl, and Uglich.

• Route St. Petersburg - Mandrogui - Kizhi - Goritsy - Yaroslavl - Uglich - Moscow
• Cruise Ship 3-star cruise ships: MS Zosima Shashkov

This is a classic St. Petersburg - Moscow cruises that takes you to the Two Capitals as well a number of charming ancient towns on the way: Mandrogui village, Kizhi island, Goritsy, Yaroslavl, and Uglich.

• Cruise Ship 4-star cruise ships:, MS Nikolay Chernyshevsky, MS Nizhny Novgorod, MS Konstantin Fedin, MS Sankt-Peterburg, MS Kronshtadt

This St. Petersburg to Moscow cruise is a great way to discover Russia. The cruise includes in-depth visits to Russia’s two capitals and also makes stops at all of the important sites along the route including Mandrogui - a colorful village famous for local handicrafts, amazing Kizhi Island with its beautiful nature and wooden architecture, as well as the ancient towns of Goritsy, Yaroslavl, and Uglich.

This 11-day St. Petersburg to Moscow cruise covers all the important places: Mandrogui - a colorful village famous for local handicrafts, amazing Kizhi Island, as well as the ancient towns of Goritsy, Yaroslavl, and Uglich.

• Cruise Ship 3-star cruise ship: MS Moonlight Sonata

This 8-day Russian river cruise on a luxury ship takes you to Russia’s two capitals – Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as to the ancient towns of Uglich and Goritsy, Kizhi island with its outstanding wooden architecture, and Mandrogui village, famous for traditional handicrafts, and Valaam archipielago with its amazing monastary.

• Route St. Petersburg - Valaam - Mandrogui - Kizhi - Goritsy - Uglich - Moscow
• Cruise Ship 5-star cruise ship MS Mustai Karim

We would like to thank you very much for making the arrangements for our river cruise from St. Petersburg to Moscow in Sept-Oct. We were very pleased with every aspect of the cruise. The accommodation and the meals were excellent, the staff very knowledgeable & courteous, the quality of the tours was excellent. We found the lectures on the boat very interesting & everything possible was done to make sure the tourists had a wonderful experience. Thank you, too, for arranging the hotel for us the night before the cruise. It was in a great location & very comfortable. All aspects of the trip were wonderful & it was great value for money spent. Our sincere thanks.

We just wanted to thank you again for your help in setting up our Russian cruise. We've appreciated your support all the way through - from taking us through the complex paperwork of the visa application to talking to our taxi driver in St Petersburg to make sure that we were in the right place. Great service! We absolutely loved the cruise! We learned a lot, relaxed a lot and were dazzled by beautiful cities and landscapes. We couldn't have asked for a better introduction to Russia. Thanks again!

St. Petersburg Cruise

This St. Petersburg cruise to Moscow Cruise is a great combination of ancient Russian cities, famous for their history, architecture and art. Travel along the magnificent Volga River that links these 2 beautiful and historic cities. Port calls include the Russian capital Moscow , Saint Petersburg , Kizhi , Goritsy and Uglich . The river cruise ship will take you along the Neva River , Lake Ladoga ,the Svir River , Lake Onega , the Baltic canal , White Lake and the Volga River . The beauty of the countryside will make your trip unforgettable. Come to Russia in the summer of 2021 with Express to Russia.

Frequently Asked Questions From Our Travelers

A russian land tour or a river cruise - which is better.

This decision completely depends on your preferred way of travelling. During the Russian river cruise you will not only visit the two largest cities of Russia, but also small towns and villages along the route and you will have a chance to participate in master classes, learn a little Russian language and dive into local Russian culture and hospitality. For those who prefer custom-made programs and more free time in the cities of their choice we recommend a land tour, both are excellent options. To find out more about the differences click here .

Do I need a visa for a Russian River Cruise?

If your citizenship is not on the list of countries with visa-free access to Russia, you will need a valid Russian visa. Please make sure to start the process in a timely manner, so as to avoid any last-minute pressure. More details on Russian Visas can be found here .

What is the best Russian river cruise line?

There are several Russian river cruise lines. Each cruise line offers a number of ships and programs at different price ranges. You call feel confident in choosing any of them. All of these cruise lines are well trusted and have been in business for a long time. We also recommend checking guests' reviews and asking our reservation specialist for more details regarding any concerns.

How far in advance should I book a Russian river cruise?

Usually the cruise operating companies set their schedules and prices well in advance - at least one year before the actual cruise starts. So, we may recommend that you book your cruise and place a deposit as early as possible so that you have enough time to arrange all other components of your journey. Please also note that cruise cabins sell out quickly, so it is always a good idea to book your cabin of choice in advance.

What should I pack for a Russian River Cruise?

The weather here can be unpredictable. So first of all it is important to have comfortable clothes and some wind/waterproof items. We highly recommend that you check our new article that contains full information on packing for a Russian river cruise .

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River Cruise on Luxurious Radisson Boat

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Equipped with ice-breaking technology, these huge fancy yachts are the only river cruisers running all year around. The round trip journey takes two and a half hours and floats past all the big sights like the White House, Novodevichy monastery and the Kremlin. There’s a large open air observation deck up top, while the main body of the ship houses a restaurant with a dance floor for a romantic post dinner dance. For a particularly romantic experience take one of the evening boats and admire the bright lights of the city skyline at night.

The most relaxing and picturesque tour that Moscow can offer: a great way to see the city center and its main attractions. This is a perfect alternative to exploring the city by car, if you only have time to do sightseeing during weekday rush hours.

Your English-speaking guide is eager to share every bit of their knowledge about the surrounding landscape, the architecture and historical details.

We conduct Moscow river tour on Radisson Flotilla boats all year around!  It’s warm inside during winter months, while there’s air conditioning during hot summer days. You may also treat yourself to drinks, lunch or dinner on board (drinks and food are not included in tour price).

The cost of an excursion with a personal guide for 1 person

Quay at Radisson Collection Hotel

Government Headquarters ("the White House")

Kievsky Railway Central

Novodevichy Convent

Luzhniki Stadium

Academy of Sciences

Monument to Peter I

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Moscow Kremlin

St.Basil's Cathedral

Novospassky Monastery

U-turn and back to Quay at Radisson Royal Hotel

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New channel lets long-trapped ships escape from Baltimore Harbor

Some of the biggest ships trapped behind the wreckage of Baltimore’s Key Bridge can finally escape, as a new, deeper temporary channel opened Thursday for carefully choreographed journeys in and out of the Port of Baltimore.

On Thursday morning, the Panama-flagged Balsa 94, escorted by a pair of tugboats, slipped through a new 300-foot-wide, 38-foot-deep channel and headed for the Chesapeake Bay on its way to eastern Canada’s Port of St. John. Later in the day, a large ship that carries vehicles and a third cargo ship also headed out through the channel, while others were set to come into the port, authorities said.

“The channel is active and in use,” said Petty Officer Michael Himes, a spokesman for the Key Bridge Response Unified Command.

The ships had been trapped with a handful of other large vessels since the 95,000-gross-ton Dali slammed into a bridge pier on March 26 following an electrical malfunction that remains under federal investigation. Six bridge workers were killed.

There’s been a trickle of marine traffic and commerce in recent weeks, with more than 140 smaller ships circumventing the disabled Dali and the crumpled steel debris blocking the main shipping channel by using smaller temporary channels.

The deeper channel that opened Thursday is set to offer a limited window for the passage of some bigger vessels.

The U.S. Department of Transportation earlier this month said there were three bulk carriers, two general cargo ships, a tanker and a vehicle carrier stuck behind the destroyed bridge, along with four U.S. vessels for moving Army and Marine Corps equipment.

Some of those vessels are now getting moving again, officials said.

James Harkness, chief engineer for the Maryland Transportation Authority, which had responsibility for the Key Bridge, said seven vessels that had been stuck at port will be able to leave, and another four are scheduled to come into the port using the deeper channel over the next few days.

But on Monday, that window will shut again, Himes said. Teams of workers are set to reach a particularly delicate phase of the post-disaster cleanup next week, as they pull a large steel section of the fallen span off the Dali so it can eventually be floated out of the way and the main channel fully reopened.

Authorities want to protect the crews doing that crucial work from any added disturbances from large vessels passing by, necessitating the closure of the deeper temporary channel.

“It’s two things going on at the same time,” Himes said. “There’s our commitment to restoring commerce to Baltimore in any way we can, while also balancing against the removal of bridge debris from the Dali.”

The deeper temporary channel will open again around May 10. And crews are still planning to reopen the full shipping channel by the end of May.

Unlike when the Dali was headed out of port in the early hours of March 26, deep-draft vessels using the new temporary channel must be escorted by two tugs, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. And they must be traveling at or below 5 knots.

Other smaller, temporary channels will remain open pending the planned full resumption of commercial traffic by the end of May, authorities said.

Harkness said a 20-foot-deep channel opened over the weekend, allowing some “commercially essential vehicles” to pass through. Barges are carrying sugar for Baltimore’s Domino Sugar refinery, liquid fertilizer, coal and aluminum into the port, Harkness said.