Stephen Sugg

Same, I've never been. We went to Ypres last year and I've sort of fallen for Belgium a bit. Last year was to look around the battlefields, I've promised not to do that this time around. We've already booked for next year, staying near Ypres and we're going to watch some cycle races.

I looked into hiring a boat for the end of May for a long weekend, just me and my wife, far too expensive, so we're driving to Bruges and staying on a hotel boat instead, half the price, all in, including the tunnel. Unless we go with another couple, my (narrow) boating days are over.

And I got one delivered from you yesterday, thank you very much, super speedy. Have put the John Lilley book (not the Journey's of the Swan, the other one) on my wife's radar for my birthday.

We missed the beginning, when we switched on the Bull was getting the hump with the arguing people. I thought it was great. I liked the fact that the country name signs for the athletes parade were narrowboaty in style.

Nope, no idea, but I know that the pro canoeists at the UK training facility swear by it. and.... http://www.ironmate.co.uk/how-prevent-illness-after-open-water-swimming

I walked around there in December during a visit to the hugely disappointing Christmas markets. Your assailant is almost certainly on CCTV. As for Wiels, drink full fat coke. Canoeists drink it following a dip - I should add, I'm glad you're okay.

I canoed the length of the Basingstoke last summer - it was lovely. It's funny, but I suppose not surprising that it has changed little since i first walked then in the 80's, apart from the odd housing development.

I love old hire boats. Fascinating stuff. Our first family boating holiday was in 1980 (ish) on a broad beam from Guildford called Guildford Duchess. It was terrible, somehow I persuaded my parents to give it another go and we hired a narrowboat from somewhere in Oxford called Cloquin 2 - I have never been able to find any trace of the boat or the yard, after that it was Anglo Welsh for years.....love the window smashers!

Well, you would think so. Immediately that we discovered what had happened, via phone call from the bank, I emailed the restaurant for a comment, I asked them through facebook and twitter to explain. Nothing was heard, so I gave them a couple of days and emailed the local rag. Still nothing from the restaurant. The bank are taking it forward (whatever that means).

Indian Restaurant - Canal side - Stoke Bruerne. Should narrow it down.

Just an update, we had a good weekend, weather could have been better, we had hail and all sorts. Met some lovely people. Only down side was my mum had a her card cloned in a canal side restaurant, that, we later found out on TripAdvisor, has a history of such things. How can they get away with it?

Hello, haven't been on for quite some time. Going for a short break from Friday from Gayton. Looking forward to it. Taking my wife, my mum and my daughter, who is now 13 ( I remember announcing her birth on here). Different wife now though. Will wave if I see any boats I recognise.

Went for a lovely ride on the K&A yesterday, from Bradford on Avon to Caen Hill and back again. A fair few boats on the move and a few walkers and cyclists. There was also a fishing match on so we had to play "dodge the poles", luckily our bells are quite loud so most of the fishermen heard us coming. We helped a lady who had fallen in trying to get on her boat and then for my good deed I was rewarded with a puncture - which was annoying as I had left my spare tube at home!. Still, it was only a 2 mile walk back to the car so not too bad.

Good luck and well done. Having just returned from Samos and seen first hand the struggles that people must be going through, you have my support.

Had my one and only capsize on one of those Medway things. Not nice, it was a very cold November day. I have actually been in a collision with a narrow boat, glancing blow in Thrupp. My fault, forgot my corrective stroke.