Adventure Category: Travels on Tilly Mint

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A Weekend in Thrupp and Classic Cars at Blenheim Palace

Some weekends offer peaceful days on the water. Others promise spectacular locations, historic surroundings and rows of beautifully preserved classic cars.

This weekend managed to combine both.

With Tilly Mint moored beside the Oxford Canal at Thrupp, we enjoyed the tranquillity of one of Oxfordshire’s best-known canalside villages before heading to Blenheim Palace for its Classic Car Show. It was a wonderful combination of relaxed boating life and magnificent British motoring heritage.

A peaceful morning in Thrupp

Thrupp is the sort of place that seems perfectly suited to the gentle pace of canal life.

The Oxford Canal passes quietly through the village, bordered by moored narrowboats, leafy towpaths and welcoming waterside pubs. With Tilly Mint safely moored, there was no need to rush anywhere. We could simply enjoy being beside the water and watch the canal gradually come to life.

Boats passed at an unhurried pace while walkers and cyclists made their way along the towpath. It was a pleasantly slow beginning to the day and a welcome contrast to the considerably more polished machinery awaiting us later.

Before leaving, there was time to explore the village and enjoy the atmosphere around the canal. Thrupp may be small, but its character, attractive moorings and proximity to Oxford make it a particularly memorable stopping place.

From narrowboats to classic cars

After a relaxing morning, we exchanged the waterways for the grandeur of Blenheim Palace.

The journey from Thrupp was short, but the surroundings could hardly have been more different. Instead of towpaths, lock gates and narrowboats, we were greeted by sweeping parkland, monumental architecture and an extraordinary collection of classic vehicles.

Even before reaching the show, the approach to Blenheim Palace felt suitably impressive. The magnificent house and Capability Brown landscape provided a backdrop capable of making even the most glamorous classic car work hard for attention.

It was an ideal setting for a celebration of motoring history.

Classic motoring in a magnificent setting

The show brought together an enormous variety of vehicles, from elegant British classics to distinctive American cars and much-loved models that immediately transported their admirers back to another era.

Rows of beautifully presented cars filled the grounds, their chrome gleaming and paintwork polished to near perfection. Some represented the height of motoring luxury, while others were cherished everyday cars that had survived long enough to become part of Britain’s social history.

Adam was in his element, stopping to examine particular models and discussing their finer details. Each row revealed something new: familiar badges, unusual designs and vehicles that had clearly benefited from many hours of devoted restoration.

That was part of the pleasure of the event. These were not simply machines placed on display. Every vehicle had a history, and many had an owner who was delighted to explain its restoration, peculiarities and place in their life.

Chris, meanwhile, could appreciate the elegance of the cars while also enjoying the spectacular surroundings. With Blenheim Palace rising beyond the displays, almost every view offered an irresistible photograph.

A celebration of preservation

Although narrowboats and classic cars may initially appear to belong to different worlds, the day revealed how much they have in common.

Both inspire devoted communities of enthusiasts. Both require considerable maintenance and practical knowledge. Most importantly, both allow people to experience history as something living rather than something confined to a museum.

A historic narrowboat travelling along the Oxford Canal and a lovingly restored car crossing the Blenheim estate each preserve a small but important part of Britain’s story.

The show celebrated not only beautiful vehicles but also the dedication of the people who keep them running. Their enthusiasm was infectious, even if it left us wondering whether maintaining one narrowboat might ultimately prove sufficient.

Returning to Tilly Mint

After an afternoon surrounded by polished chrome, powerful engines and grand architecture, returning to Tilly Mint felt wonderfully peaceful.

The activity of the show gave way once again to the quiet rhythm of the Oxford Canal. As evening settled over Thrupp, the water became still and the moored boats formed dark reflections beneath the fading sky.

That contrast made the day particularly memorable. We had begun beside the canal, spent the afternoon among some remarkable examples of motoring history and returned to the comfort of the boat as daylight disappeared.

There was time to reflect on our favourite cars, the scale of Blenheim Palace and whether any vehicle at the show could truly compete with the character of Tilly Mint.

We may have been slightly biased.

The best of both worlds

Our weekend in Thrupp offered a perfect mixture of relaxation, heritage and adventure.

Life aboard Tilly Mint gave us the freedom to slow down and enjoy the Oxford Canal, while the Classic Car Show provided colour, excitement and an impressive glimpse into Britain’s motoring past.

It was another reminder that a narrowboat journey is about far more than travelling along the water. Mooring in the right place can open the door to historic houses, special events and experiences well beyond the towpath.

One day we were admiring narrowboats on the Oxford Canal; the next, classic cars beneath the towers of Blenheim Palace. It was an unlikely combination—but an exceptionally enjoyable one.

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Cruising Down the River Lee Navigation

After our first memorable adventure aboard Tilly Mint, we were delighted to return for another journey with Neil and Naomi—this time cruising south along the River Lee Navigation towards London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The day began under encouraging blue skies, but the closer we came to London, the greyer the weather became. Before long, the sunshine had disappeared entirely, replaced by persistent rain and the unmistakable feeling that spring had reconsidered its arrival.

Fortunately, a wet day on the waterways is still a day on the waterways.

Setting off aboard Tilly Mint

With Neil at the helm and Naomi keeping a watchful eye on proceedings, we set off aboard Tilly Mint.

There is a calming rhythm to travelling by narrowboat. The gentle movement of the water, the steady hum of the engine and the changing scenery encourage you to slow down and enjoy the journey rather than rush towards the destination.

Initially, the weather appeared to be on our side. The riverbanks looked fresh and green, the water was calm and the journey ahead promised a relaxing day’s cruising.

Then the clouds gathered.

Cruising through the rain

By the time the rain arrived, it had clearly committed itself to the entire day.

The light drizzle soon became persistent, indifferent rain—the sort that ignores waterproof clothing, finds its way down the back of your neck and makes anyone standing at the helm question the fairness of enclosed steering positions.

Neil remained remarkably calm as he guided Tilly Mint along the navigation. Naomi stayed close beside him, offering loyal companionship and, presumably, silent moral support. Whether she was also judging everyone who had chosen to remain inside remains unknown.

The soft patter of rain on the roof became the soundtrack to our journey. Occasionally, it was interrupted by the call of a waterbird, the engine changing note or the splash of rain striking the river’s surface.

Where countryside meets the city

One of the pleasures of the Lee Navigation is the way its surroundings gradually change.

We passed stretches bordered by reeds, trees and pockets of greenery, where herons stood motionless at the water’s edge and the city felt surprisingly distant. Elsewhere, bridges, warehouses and remnants of the area’s industrial past revealed the waterway’s long connection with the growth of London.

The transition was gradual rather than sudden. Nature, industry and modern regeneration sat alongside one another, each contributing a different layer to the landscape.

Even beneath heavy grey skies, there was plenty to see. Trees and buildings shimmered in broken reflections, their shapes distorted by the rain and the movement of Tilly Mint. The muted colours gave the navigation an atmospheric, almost watercolour-like appearance.

Approaching the Olympic Park

As we continued south, the unmistakable structures of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park began to appear.

Only seven years earlier, this part of East London had welcomed the world for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Arriving by water offered a very different perspective from approaching by road or rail. Modern landmarks rose above a historic navigation that had carried boats through the area for generations.

It was a striking contrast: the slow, traditional pace of a narrowboat set against one of London’s most prominent areas of modern regeneration.

Despite the rain, there was something special about reaching the Olympic Park aboard Tilly Mint. We had watched the landscape evolve around us, from quieter green stretches to an unmistakably urban waterway, all at the wonderfully unhurried pace of canal travel.

The simple pleasure of slow travel

By the end of the journey, the weather had tested both our waterproofs and Neil’s endurance at the helm. Yet the rain had not spoilt the day. If anything, it had given the cruise a character of its own.

Travelling slowly allows you to notice the details that would otherwise pass unnoticed: a heron among the reeds, an old industrial building beside the water, rain dancing across the surface or a famous London landmark gradually emerging ahead.

That is one of the great pleasures of narrowboating. The destination matters, but the journey is never simply the space between where you started and where you planned to finish.

We arrived damp but content, having enjoyed another memorable day aboard Tilly Mint. We would not have changed a thing—although Neil, after spending hours exposed to the rain at the helm, might reasonably have requested better weather, a hot drink and a considerably longer break.

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Our First Trip on Tilly Mint – An Unforgettable Adventure

Long before Priscilla, Queen of the Canal became our dream, another narrowboat gave us our first real taste of life on the waterways.

Our first trip aboard Tilly Mint, Nail and Naomi’s new narrowboat, was intended to be a peaceful autumn escape along the Kennet and Avon Canal. For most of the day, that was exactly what it was. But as anyone familiar with boating will know, the canal does not always follow the plan.

Setting off

We joined Nail and Naomi aboard their beautiful new boat with considerable excitement. There is something particularly special about stepping onto a narrowboat for the first time: exploring every corner, learning where everything is kept and imagining all the journeys that lie ahead.

We set off along the Kennet and Avon Canal in high spirits. The autumn colours reflected beautifully on the water, while the steady rhythm of the engine provided a calming soundtrack to the journey.

Chris, Adam, Nail and Naomi spent the day catching up, enjoying the scenery and gradually settling into the unhurried pace of canal life. The waterway wound through the landscape beneath overhanging trees, past towpaths and moored boats, carrying us gently towards our planned evening stop.

It was peaceful, sociable and wonderfully relaxing—everything we had hoped our first trip aboard Tilly Mint would be.

As the light began to fade

Our plan was to moor near The Cunning Man, where the promise of a warm pub and a good evening meal awaited us.

As daylight faded, however, a thick mist began rising from the water. At first, it added an atmospheric quality to the canal, softening the surrounding landscape and making the autumn evening feel almost magical.

Then it became thicker.

The canal banks began to disappear. Trees became shadowy outlines and moored boats emerged from the gloom with very little warning. Before long, visibility had fallen to around 50 yards—and our peaceful cruise had become a much more demanding exercise in navigation.

The canal ahead resembled a mysterious passage through the fog. Unfortunately, mysterious passages are rather less romantic when you are responsible for steering several tonnes of narrowboat through them.

All hands on deck

Adam took up position at the bow, peering through the mist for signs of the canal bank, mooring posts, overhanging branches and other boats.

His job was to relay clear and helpful directions to the helm.

That was the theory, at least.

“Left! Left!”

A pause followed as another indistinct shape emerged from the fog.

“No—right! Go right! HARD RIGHT!”

What had started as a serene autumn cruise had become an improvised team navigation exercise. Directions were shouted along the boat, hazards appeared with little warning and everyone tried to determine whether a dark shape ahead was a tree, a moored narrowboat or simply more mist.

There were tense moments, but there was also something exhilarating about it. We were working together, responding to the canal and discovering that boating could be unpredictable, challenging and enormous fun—all within the space of a few foggy minutes.

Reaching The Cunning Man

Eventually, the welcoming lights of our destination appeared through the mist.

After carefully bringing Tilly Mint alongside, we secured the ropes and switched off the engine. The sudden quiet was accompanied by a collective sense of relief: we had made it.

Stepping from the cold, damp towpath into the warmth of The Cunning Man felt particularly satisfying. The stress of the final approach quickly began to fade as we settled around the table and looked forward to dinner.

Food always seems to taste better after a day on the water, but that evening it felt especially well earned. Over drinks and hearty pub fare, we replayed the journey and laughed about Adam’s increasingly urgent directions from the bow.

What had felt tense in the mist had already become a story—and one we knew would be told again.

The beginning of something special

Our first journey aboard Tilly Mint gave us far more than a pleasant weekend away. It offered an early glimpse of everything we would come to love about narrowboating: the slower pace, the changing landscape, the companionship and the unexpected moments that turn an ordinary journey into an adventure.

The mist had made the final stretch difficult, but it had also made the experience unforgettable. It reminded us that the best boating memories are not always created when everything goes perfectly. Often, they emerge from the diversions, surprises and moments of mild chaos along the way.

Looking back, that foggy evening feels like an important early chapter in our waterways story. It strengthened friendships, introduced us to the realities of life aboard a narrowboat and left us eager to return.

Here’s to many more adventures aboard Tilly Mint—although, next time, perhaps with a little less mist and slightly more consistent directions from the bow.