Robbie Cumming’s slow-and-steady trek across England’s waterways continues, but this week’s Canal Boat Diaries is less about idyllic tranquility and more about the practical headaches of life on the water. Airing Monday at 8:00 PM BST on U&Yesterday, the episode finds Robbie and his narrowboat, the Naughty Lass, dealing with a persistent leaky pump—a mundane but critical problem that threatens to derail his 300-mile trip.
The episode, titled Cowley to Hunton Bridge, tracks his progress along the Grand Union Canal, where the immediate concern of boat maintenance gives way to a few unexpected encounters. After a necessary stop to buy gas from a friendly fuel boat, Robbie moors up in Watford, where a planned visit takes a surprising turn with a tour of the home of a television legend. It’s a moment that briefly pulls him out of the isolated world of canal travel and into a different kind of British history.
For a series built on the quiet rhythms of life on the canals, this episode provides a solid mix of the practical and the personable. The mechanical issues are a real part of the boat-owning experience, while the brief social stops give context to the communities that exist along the towpaths. It’s a grounded hour that stays true to the show’s established, unhurried pace, reminding audiences that even the most picturesque routes come with their own set of challenges.
Canal Boat Diaries airs on U&Yesterday, Monday, June 16 at 8:00 PM BST.
