Navvies' Barge

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Navvies' Barge

Navvies' Barge is a workers co-operative set up in Glasgow. We offer boat trips along the Forth and C

03/09/2022

Nice to be out again with Hamiltonhill Claypits!

30/05/2022

Had a great day on Saturday taking trips out from the claypits. If you haven't already been up for a wander we strongly recommend it. Beautiful nature reserve managed by the community in North Glasgow. Stunning views of the city from the top too.

13/05/2022

Ania painting the lettering on the cupboard. It will make a beautiful addition to our history snug we are creating in the back room.

09/05/2022

Some beautiful canal art painted by Ania.

08/05/2022

We would like to introduce you all to the newest member of the Navvies' Barge crew. This lovely lady loves to jump up for a natter and a bite to eat. Open to suggestions for her name!

08/05/2022

Three great trips this weekend. From hen parties doing dance offs down the pontoon to families enjoying the peacefulness of the canal. I shouted over to a cyclist taking our photo as we passed through the new bridge and he kindly sent them over. They are great, thanks John.

01/05/2022

Not our most successful trip today... Navvies Barge decided to down tools for international workers day! As we started the trip we realised we had a lack of propulsion and steering. We went into the w**d hatch to find an old jacket wrapped around the prop. To add to insult to injury Skipper Sean managed to rip his trousers! Thankfully we managed to find a modesty apron. We were unlucky with the boat today but our customers were fantastic and very kindly left us some beautiful cakes. We are very blessed to have such great people on board and will certainly re-arrange in the future.

30/04/2022

Out on the canal again for our first trip of the season and passing under the new Stockingfield bridge. Looks great to go under it by boat and the heron seemed to quite like watching us go through too!

30/11/2021

Looking for something a bit different as a Christmas present? A gift voucher for Navvies' Barge is a great treat and something to look forward to after the winter has passed. Get in touch and we can get a voucher sent out to you.

29/10/2021

This should quite spectacular on Sunday. Come along to see the incredible art work and pop along to Navvies Barge for a cup of tea!

Organisers Carnival Arts Yard say the event will help 'Shine a Light' on the climate crisis and 'highlight the issues around climate change in the most enjoyable and carnivalesque way possible'.

24/10/2021

We got lucky with the weather today and had two great Maryhill trips. A pleasure to take so many people out along the cut and see Glasgows the autumnal canal leisurely at 4mph. Thank you for the lovely cake, tennents and pork pies! Made our day... A fantastic end to what has been a truly unique boating season.

23/10/2021

Beautiful autumnal trip to Kirkintilloch today. Blustery winds and a little cold but really nice talking to some lovely customers, made all the lovelier by leaving us some delicious homemade cupcakes!

18/10/2021

This is a great fun activity by the side of the canal! Having been ourselves we can highly recommend it!

14/10/2021

Great opportunity to work with a fantastic co-op that has been leading the way on the Glasgow branch of the canal.

03/10/2021

Volunteer and join the Navvies crew! We are looking for people to help out with trips next season, if you would be interested get in touch. You would join our crew on boat trips chatting to customers, driving the boat and generally having a lovely time!

21/09/2021

Should be a great day! Come along to see the flotilla at two, really excited to see the boats with the art work on.

15/09/2021

A beautiful building near the canal and a great project. Well worth a visit.

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+447770048896

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http://www.navviesbarge.co.uk/

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Lettering

Ania painting the lettering on the cupboard. It will make a beautiful addition to our history snug we are creating in the back room.

Painting the roses.

Some beautiful canal art painted by Ania.

Bouncing rain drops

So glad our trip was this morning before the rain set in! A lovely trip celebrating a 30th birthday with family. Based in Glasgow it is a good job the canal looks so lovely in the rain!

Wakeboard Sunday

Bit of a change of pace on the canal this morning, great seeing the canal used in such a thrilling way. Search for Glasgow wakeboard park if you fancy a go yourself! Great what the Glasgow canal has to offer.

Cornering Spiers wharf

Turning the corner onto Spiers wharf on chestnut this morning. Beautiful day for moving the boat even if it was just around the corner. Very much looking forward to an end to lock down when we can get moving properly again!

First fire after the summer and it is lovely and cosy in the boat today.

3 point turn in only 1 minute and 46 seconds! #navviesbarge #lifeinthefastlane #maryhill #boatlife #Glasgow #threepointer

Ania skippering the boat back from Kirkintilloch #navviesbarge #canal #Glasgow #nature #boatlife

Thought we might not get Navvies' Barge back in the water today but "if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all the borders with frogs" #exodus8:2 #navviesbarge #frogs #canal #wildlife #nature #boatlife

Like a duck out of water #navviesbarge #forthandclydecanal #wrongturn #uphill #narrowboat #canal

"My only love is the river breeze that takes me to the open seas, if I could choose the life I please then I would be a boatman" #thelevellers #Glasgow #kelvingrovebandstand #canal #navviesbarge

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Navvies’ Barge

Navvies' Barge is a canal boat operating in Glasgow and along the Forth and Clyde Canal. We run boat trips taking in the charm of the canal and are currently in the exciting process of turning our beautiful boat into a cafe.

The home mooring for Navvies’ Barge is at Applecross Basin, just 20 minutes walk from Glasgow City Centre. This is where our cafe will be based and where our boat trips will set out from, unless otherwise arranged. The canal meanders out of Glasgow and blends seamlessly into the countryside, where the peacefulness and tranquility of the canal are far removed from the harsh conditions that the “Navvies” who dug the canals were subjected to. We chose to name our business, in part, after these individuals who grafted for 20 years to see the canal completed.

Navvies' Barge also found its name as a "Hats off" to the way we have chosen to run our business; a workers cooperative. This means that decisions about how the business is run are taken equally by the workers and the business is owned by its workers. We have taken the decision that profits generated from the business will be reinvested or used to support charitable causes and community engagement with Navvies' Barge and the canal. We hope to bring a new wave of vibrancy to the canal and share our passion for a life on the water with others.

Our boat trips are a fantastic way to engage with the canal and have a day out with family and friends. There are two main trips that we do, short and long. Both trips are open to up to 12 customers, bring your own booze and picnic and tea and coffee will be provided. Recent customers have remarked on how easy it is to make themselves feel 'right at home'. This is wholeheartedly the idea of our boat trips. For the duration of the journey you will be given the run of the inside of the boat while we skipper out back. This gives you the freedom to explore the boat, wave at gongoozlers and watch the world slowly trickle by. You will be invited to try your hand at steering the boat, a fantastic way to relax and find yourself truly living in the moment.

Short trip

Our short trip takes roughly 2.5 hours and consists of a trip to the Maryhill Locks. This trip takes a secret almost forgotten route through the city of Glasgow taking in beautiful views of the West End. Upon arriving at Maryhill Locks there is a fantastic little cafe selling tapas food, the Velovan Bike Cafe. The Mary Hill Locks are a flight of 5 locks leading the way to Bowling and onto the River Clyde. Unfortunately, we are unable to go through these locks at this time. At the top of the Locks customers are given the opportunity to assist in turning the boat around using ropes and the power of the wind rather than the engine before beginning our return journey to the home mooring. The boat trip costs £100 or £120 at the weekend

Long trip

The long boat trip takes us to Kirkintilloch, the so called Canal Capital of Scotland. This trip shares the first half hour of the short trip, but then takes a turning in the direction of the River Forth before arriving at the Maryhill Locks. This is a full day out on the boat and takes roughly two and a half hours to reach Kirkintilloch. The majority of our trips call in for lunch at The Stables Pub. We can book a table for you if required. If you are joining us with children there is a fantastic barge here called Craft Daft on a Raft offering great activities for children.

Alternatively, Cadder Wharf is a beautiful spot along the canal for a picnic. The winding nature of the canal around here seems to reduce the wind, giving the water a glasslike quality reflecting the array of colour in the trees. This is one of our favourite spots along the canal, though it must be said the selection of beers in The Stables are very enticing.

We will bring a homemade cake for the long trips which last roughly seven and a half hours and costs £200 or £250 at the weekend. If you are interested in booking a boat trip please do get in touch, we will do all we can to ensure the day meets your wishes, from adjusting the length of the trip to decorating the boat.

We are currently in the busy process of turning the canal boat into a cafe which is a complicated process to say the least! The boat has been rewired and a new oven recently fitted. It's been a long and arduous task that has at times addled our brains, from confusions about 12v electrics to the power usage of appliances and how to generate enough electricity whilst on the move. The acronym of boat, 'Break Out Another Thousand' has never felt so real! The fruits of our labour are all starting to pay off now though, as piece by piece, the inner workings of the boat are prepared and adapted to service as a cafe. The arrival of our coffee machine and grinder spelt a tantalising move from a mere plan to a reality as the layout of the kitchen really started to take shape. The kitchen renovation has given us the opportunity to work with a fantastic organisation Glasgow Wood Recycling, a Social Enterprise working with reclaimed wood to create beautiful furniture.

An exciting aspect of preparing the cafe is looking at how we are going to furnish the boat. As we have busily explored furniture shops, charity shops and car boot sales for potential treasures, the strength of our Workers Cooperative has certainly been challenged, “I like that chair, that would be great” says one, “I don't like its legs” says another, “My bum doesn’t fit in it” complains another. An impromptu team building exercise carrying a pew across Glasgow sorted that. It’s safe to say, due diligence is being applied to ensure the cafe will be cosy, homely and welcoming.

Listen and watch out for when our cafe will be opening and come and say hello.

We hope to use the boat for community groups thus creating a space for meetings and/or activities. The boat will provide a unique place for discussion, activities or craft groups. We also believe that using the boat on trips could become a meaningful way to unwind and talk thus becoming a fantastic resource for charities and services working in the area. This is an aspect of the business we intend to develop in the future when time is in richer supply. Please get in touch if you have any ideas about how you could work with us and we can discuss how we can help and support each other.

Having fallen in love with the beauty and peacefulness of the Forth and Clyde Canal ourselves, we wanted to share this with others. We hope to see you in the future and welcome you onto Navvies’ Barge.

03/09/2022

30/05/2022

13/05/2022

09/05/2022

08/05/2022

08/05/2022

01/05/2022

30/04/2022

30/11/2021

29/10/2021

24/10/2021

23/10/2021

18/10/2021

14/10/2021

03/10/2021

21/09/2021

15/09/2021

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Videos

Lettering

Painting the roses.

Bouncing rain drops

Wakeboard Sunday

Cornering Spiers wharf

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Navvies’ Barge

Short trip

Long trip