There was so much to see and do, but we needed a (flexible) plan

If there is one thing we have learned from boating, it is that plans are useful, but they are rarely set in stone.

For an overview of the journey and an interactive map, visit our About the Trip page.

The first question was simple: where do we go? We knew we would be leaving London and crossing to mainland Europe, but beyond that the possibilities seemed endless.

Our original plan was relatively straightforward. We would travel from Portsmouth to Le Havre, make our way up the Seine through Paris, and then head south through the French canals to the Mediterranean. We expected to spend around six months travelling during the summer, taking our time to explore towns, villages and waterways along the route.

Then we discovered just how connected Europe's inland waterways really are.

While researching possible routes, we came across the remarkable European waterway maps produced by Grade (https://maps.grade.de/). Suddenly, the dream expanded. Instead of stopping in the Mediterranean, we realised it was possible to travel across the continent by river and canal all the way to the Black Sea.

Naturally, this discovery led to a complete rethink of both the route and the timeline.

Using a combination of waterway maps, cruising guides and route-planning tools, we began plotting a course through France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and beyond. Like many cruising plans, our route evolved as we discovered places we wanted to visit, waterways we wanted to experience and recommendations from other boaters.

Planning the first leg of the journey proved surprisingly straightforward thanks to the wealth of information available online. Resources such as French Waterways and numerous cruising blogs provided detailed information about locks, waterways, moorings, distances, regulations and places of interest, helping us turn a vague dream into a realistic cruising plan.

The voyage will be completed in a number of stages, allowing us to enjoy the journey at a relaxed pace while returning to the UK during the winter months.

And finally, a small confession. When I say "we" planned the route, what I really mean is Patrick. My contribution generally involved reviewing the latest version of the plan, approving the interesting bits, questioning the ambitious bits and occasionally suggesting places that looked nice on a map.