Anjodi, cruising along the Canal du Midi, painting by Stanley Rose

Hello lock-keeper readers,

Welcome to our November edition of the lock-keeper,

This month we feature Concorde, the great British Airways supersonic flying phenomenon which retired from active service recently. Concorde is such an icon, and we wanted to give it our salute on it's final fly past.

We feel a sense of pride in Concorde, and also on reflection, we feel that we have a lot in common with Concorde due to the proximity of our head offices to Heathrow (we're in the flight path) and the fact that European Waterways is a wholly owned British company, operating in a luxury market.

So, for a bit of fun, we have put together some Concorde facts and a comparison with one of our own luxury barges - hardly supersonic, but nevertheless good fun to compare..

We also feature a marvellous article by Evelyn Hannon on her journey down the Nivernais canal in Burgundy, aboard La Belle Epoque.

We have something for the whisky connoisseur and also for anyone who would like to learn more - a feature on single malt Scottish whiskies with interesting details of how whisky is made, where all the different malt varieties originate and more..

We hope you enjoy this fifth edition of the lock-keeper, and we look forward to hearing from you, and seeing you at www.gobarging.com, where you will find out all about GoBarging and keep up to date with the latest news as it breaks....

please read on and welcome aboard,
best regards,

Derek Banks, Chairman
Derek Banks - Chairman


Adapted from "She Barges the French Nivernais Canal"...
by Evelyn Hannon, for Journeywoman.com - the Premiere travel resource for Women

This summer I chose a barge holiday in Burgundy, France aboard "La Belle Epoque" cruising the Yonne River and Nivernais canal. While the word "barge" might suggest a rustic, cramped experience, let me dispel that idea up front. This is a state-of-the-art luxury hotel barge that sleeps twelve passengers and five crew members. It quickly exceeded all my 'pamper-me' expectations.

Let the pampering begin...

.....Approaching the shore of the Yonne River, we could see La Belle Epoque moored opposite one of the town's small squares. Brightly painted in red, white and blue and looking in tip-top shape, our decidedly chic vessel stood out easily from the other more mundane river barges. La Belle Epoque cruising in Burgundy

Large flower boxes bursting with blooms lined all the railings while casually arranged wooden tables and blue striped sun chairs beckoned invitingly from the two-level deck. A large rack held the bicycles we'd use to explore the towns and footpaths on our week's itinerary.

Lovely goodies and chilled champagne...

The complete staff was outside to welcome us, inviting their new charges to sit and enjoy copious, piping hot appetizers and chilled glasses of champagne. That first warm welcome and friendly attitude would repeat itself continuously over the next seven days. A large basket of fresh fruit was always available; the open bar crammed with wines, sodas, juices and bottled water. Guests' requests were taken care of immediately. This crew made it exceedingly clear that they were there to help us enjoy our stay to the fullest.

Choose your own pace...

A barging holiday can be as active or inactive as you wish. Each day La Belle Epoque continued it's unhurried journey through the locks of the Nivernais canal meandering from one tiny town in Burgundy to the next. The boat moved so slowly that guests could hop on and off, walking solo alongside the barge or biking ahead to explore a tow path or bustling country market.

Going through the manually operated locks was an unhurried process. Barges lined up for their turn and often we were left waiting as the lockkeeper went off for lunch. That sometimes put our barge behind schedule but we enjoyed every minute of the delay. It gave us time to laze on the deck, reading, chatting, taking photos and studying the distinct character of each lockkeeper and the small, stone cottages that served as their headquarters.

There were gorgeous summer flowers on display everywhere -- a riot of pinks, reds and whites in baskets, informal beds and huge ceramic pots. The sun shone, the sky was bright blue and we were happily becoming acquainted with a tiny, charming corner of rural France.

Food glorious food...

All onboard meals were served in the barge's 'country formal' wood-panelled dining room. Breakfast was a tempting buffet affair -- fresh fruit, cereal, yogurt, local jams, and French cheeses. Each morning we were treated to French baguettes, pain au chocolat and heavenly croissants purchased 'warm from the oven' in the village closest to where we were moored.

Buffet lunches and formal dinners were incredibly satisfying. Not only was the food tastefully prepared and the table impeccably set but each meal was a perfect lesson in the wines, cheeses and culinary specialties of the region.


Think Paté Campagne, Beef Bourguignon, warm asparagus dressed with herb scented Sabayon, duck foie gras and filet mignon done-to-perfection. Imagine the tastes of fruit baked-in-custard, orange-flavoured crème brulé, Nougat Glacé, and you get a small sampling of the veritable feast we enjoyed those seven days.

Fun and informality...

Meal times were also the catalyst for lively, interesting conversation as travellers around the table (some couples, others single) exchanged ideas, told stories, swapped recipes and recounted the day's highlights. Soon guest nicknames began to emerge and lots of light hearted teasing and bantering took over. Informality reigned.

During the day Chef Guy and his partner Barbara practiced a welcoming open kitchen policy. If guests wanted to see a particular dish being prepared, they were free to come in by appointment, observe and ask any questions they might have.

Back to the real world...

Too soon our suitcases reappeared, packing was completed, farewells made and our relaxing, first-class barge experience was over.

Bravo and merci to the generous crew of La Belle Epoque who did their best to introduce us to the pleasures of their little French corner of the world and spoilt us silly in the process!

You can read the full story of Evelyn's trip at journeywoman.com


Salute to Concorde

British Airways Concorde
From her first supersonic flight on October 1st, 1969, Concorde has captured the imagination of the public.

The first commercial supersonic flight flew from London Heathrow to Bahrain on January 21, 1976, and her first transatlantic crossing happened on May 24, 1976 to Washington, with her first commercial flight to New York in November 1977.

Since her maiden flight, more than 2.5 million passengers have travelled in just under 50,000 flights...quite a record

Here are some interesting Concorde statistics (courtesy of British Airways) and for a bit of fun, a comparison to one of our own luxury fleet...

ConcordeAnjodi
Dimensions
Concorde measures 204ft in length - stretching between six and ten inches in-flight due to heating of the airframe. She is painted in a specially developed white paint to accommodate these changes and to dissipate the heat generated by supersonic flight. The wingspan is 83ft 8ins - much less than conventional subsonic aircraft as Concorde flies in totally a different way using "Vortex Lift" to achieve her exceptional performance. The height is 37ft 1ins. The characteristic droop nose is lowered to improve pilots' visibility for take-off and landing. Built in 1929, commissioned as a luxury hotel barge in 1983 and recently upgraded in 2003, Anjodi measures 100ft in length and 16 ft 6ins wide - perhaps stretching in the sunshine.

She is painted in bright colours and has an air-conditioned saloon and cabins to dissipate the heat generated by the southern French sunshine.
Power
Concorde's four engines - specially designed Rolls-Royce/ Snecma Olympus 593s - give more than 38,000lbs of thrust each, with 'reheat'. This adds fuel to the final stage of the engine to produce the extra power required for take-off and the transition to supersonic flight. They are the most powerful pure jet engines flying commercially. Anjodi's main engine is a 185 hp Perkins Turbo, equipped with silent night running. She also has two on-board 220 volt generators. On a typical trip she carries 9 tons of water and 3 tons of fuel
Speed
Concorde takes off at 220 knots (250mph) (compared with 165 knots for most subsonic aircraft). She cruises at around 1350mph - more than twice the speed of sound - and at an altitude of up to 60,000 ft (over 11 miles high). Anjodi's departure is a little more leisurely at a few knots. She cruises at 4-5 knots - just about walking speed, and at an altitude of well...canal level really. Her maximum speed is 10 knots.
Journey time
Average flight time between London Heathrow and New York JFK is three hours and 20 minutes. A Boeing 747 averages more than seven hours for the same journey. Travelling Westwards, the five-hour time difference means Concorde effectively arrives before she has taken off. She travels "faster than the sun". Anjodi's takes 6 nights to travel some 30 miles....but for us it's all about relaxation, not getting there fast...but you do travel in style, and luxury.... just like Concorde...!!

visit Anjodi here..


Whisky Galore...

Scots are known worldwide for their frugality and their whisky, a reputation curious for its extremes of parsimony and sensual extravagance Scotch whisky has been called the “world’s leading drink,” a claim no doubt made by a Scotsman. Broadly defined, Scotch whisky refers to whisky distilled and matured in Scotland.  Of the multitude of Scotch whiskies available to the discerning connoisseur, single malt Scotch whisky is both the finest and the rarest

Scotland's Malt Whisky producing regions

Click on the map legend below to find out more...

malt whisky producing regions of Scotland - click on the legend to get a sample of the single malts produced in each region click to find out more about the Islands and Lowland Malt whiskies click to find out more about Islay Malts click to find out more about Speyside Malts click to find out more about Highland Malts Scotland, malt whisky producing regions
“Malt Whiskies Grouped Geographically”

Highland Malt Whiskies span the largest geographical area, and are the most diverse, they are produced north of the area defined by Dundee in the east and Greenock in the west

Speyside Malt Whiskies, which technically fall within the Highland District, are produced in the Valley of the River Spey

Western Isles, including Islay Malts, are generally the heaviest malt whiskies and are described as having a “maritime” character, combining brine, smoke, and peat

Lowland Malt Whiskies, which are generally lighter, softer, and drier, are made south of the area defined by Dundee in the east and Greenock in the west


Most Scotch whisky is blended, meaning that it comes from the blending of as many as fifty malt whiskies and grain whiskies.  In fact, blended whiskies account for upwards of 95% percent of all Scotch whisky sold worldwide.

In contrast, a single malt Scotch whisky is the product only of malt and no other grain and is the product of only one distillery.  A single distillery may, however, mix or “marry” whiskies from several production batches over a period of years.  A “single single malt” is a bottling produced from a single cask.

Malt is barley which has first been allowed to germinate by soaking it in water and then dried in a kiln or furnace.  The drying, which often involves the use of peat, both stops the germination and imparts a particular aroma to the whisky.  The malting process converts the starch in the barley into a compound which makes fermentation, and hence the creation of alcohol, possible.  The malt detritus is removed and used as cattle feed.  Ever the frugal Scotsman, to say nothing of the lucky cows.

Speyside malt whisky gantry There are fewer than 100 malt whisky distilleries currently in operation in Scotland. Approximately half of all these are clustered in the Spey Valley, a region in the northeast part of Scotland.  The Northern Highland region accommodates around a third of distilleries. The remaining distilleries are situated around the Scottish Islands, Islay,  The Lowlands & Campbeltown 

Although there are fewer than 100 working single malt distilleries, approximately 120 single malts exist, including some which are the product of distilleries not currently producing or which, even more sadly, are defunct

Read on to find out how Malt Whisky is produced, click here for an interesting view on the History of Malt Whisky.

Why not visit Scottish Highlander and find out about our luxury barge cruises along Loch Ness and the Caledonian canal, where you can take in the wondeful scenery, visit castles, ancient battlegrounds, play golf and of course...taste some of Scotland's finest whisky.

If you have any suggestions, feedback or barging stories to tell us, then please e-mail us. We'll be glad to hear from you and share your inputs in the lock-keeper. There will also be some spot prizes for good submissions...

Why not email this edition on to a friend, and let them share the fun. New subscribers can sign-up here, and are very welcome. More people are joining every day, so we are building a great Barging community..!

That's about it for this fifth edition, and hopefully the above articles have whet your appetite for that well-earned luxury cruise..!

Please visit www.gobarging.com and have a look around, or follow the individual links above.

The next edition of the lock-keeper will be out in December, so we'll see you then.




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