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Narrow Dog to Wigan Pier
At seventy-five, Terry and Monica Darlington had done everything they could think of doing, including starting a business and becoming athletes and running a literary society.Lately they had become boating adventurers and Terry a bestselling writer. But in their Midlands canal town in November, life was looking dull and short on surprises.
Then their famous canal boat was destroyed by fire. Within a few days they had bought a new one and soon headed north in the Phyllis May 2 – to Liverpool, Lancaster, the Pennines and Wigan Pier. Terry recorded the journey, and alongside it the story of his life and his marriage and his dog Jim, with his broken ear like a flat cap, and Monica’s dog Jess, known with heartbreaking reason as the Flying Catastrophe.
Funny, affecting and beautifully told, this is a story that brims with incident and excitement, and is full of the famous and fascinating people the Darlingtons have met - a story of an adventurous life well lived.
Then their famous canal boat was destroyed by fire. Within a few days they had bought a new one and soon headed north in the Phyllis May 2 – to Liverpool, Lancaster, the Pennines and Wigan Pier. Terry recorded the journey, and alongside it the story of his life and his marriage and his dog Jim, with his broken ear like a flat cap, and Monica’s dog Jess, known with heartbreaking reason as the Flying Catastrophe.
Funny, affecting and beautifully told, this is a story that brims with incident and excitement, and is full of the famous and fascinating people the Darlingtons have met - a story of an adventurous life well lived.
353 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2012
7 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
Terry Darlington
6 books16 followersTerry and Monica Darlington sail the waterways on their narrowboat. Terry writes books, Monica acts as his manager, and Jim and Jess act as their dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 21, 2023
We Have now read all 3 books, authentically told accounts of a very quirky narrow boat voyage. Recommended if you enjoy other people's travels and their obsession with their dogs!!
June 30, 2012
So now Terry Darlington has an ilogy. After the delights of Narrow Dog to Carcassonne and the further pleasures of Narrow Dog to Indian River the Darlington fan club can complete the trilogy nearer to home. Terry and Monica have a new narrow boat, Phyllis May 2 (her predecessor having gone up in flames) and a new narrow dog, Jess, a wrestling partner for Jim (who has started to go white from the nose).
From Stone they travel, not without scary moments, as far north as the English canal system will allow. Whereupon Terry contracts a very nasty case of shingles. They lay up and sort of recover before setting off by a different route to cross the Pennines from underneath, and then back home to the Trent and Mersey by way of a genuflection to an unexpectedly lovely discovery, the Macclesfield canal.
Intercut with the journey are selected episodes from the autobiography of T Darlington, business man of more shrewdness than he confesses, and of Terry the founder of Stone Master Marathoners and a runner unspoiled by false modesty.
Travelling with them has been unalloyed joy. I was pleased to revisit The Convergence of the Twain, I do remember Kathy Kirby but I had forgotten Secret Love. Dipping into this book is like plunging into the bran tub of my youth - a prize for everyone.
From Stone they travel, not without scary moments, as far north as the English canal system will allow. Whereupon Terry contracts a very nasty case of shingles. They lay up and sort of recover before setting off by a different route to cross the Pennines from underneath, and then back home to the Trent and Mersey by way of a genuflection to an unexpectedly lovely discovery, the Macclesfield canal.
Intercut with the journey are selected episodes from the autobiography of T Darlington, business man of more shrewdness than he confesses, and of Terry the founder of Stone Master Marathoners and a runner unspoiled by false modesty.
Travelling with them has been unalloyed joy. I was pleased to revisit The Convergence of the Twain, I do remember Kathy Kirby but I had forgotten Secret Love. Dipping into this book is like plunging into the bran tub of my youth - a prize for everyone.
August 30, 2013
I wanted to love this book - I've loved both the others - but even though I'd read of the difference in this one - it's too different for me.
Carcassone took me on a beautiful holiday in France full of humor and populated by funny, engaging people. I'd found it by accident in a B&B in Scotland (as we holidayed along the Caledonian Canal in Fort Augustus. What good timing!) and I loved it enough to order the next when I arrived home to the States.
Indian River I loved because it gave me Terry's very funny, irreverent and honest look at my own country and my fellow Americans.
I thought to myself "I love England, I wish he'd write this sort of book about his own canals at home and I could see narrow boating; in Britain, as it's meant to be, through his eye (as it were)". Lo and behold - he has! I thought!
I ordered Wigan Pier, and while it's a good book, he seems to be a bit jaded, a bit melancholic. But - my biggest complaint is that he just never seems to tell us the same stories! Who do you meet at the locks; how are the pubs, you MUST meet interesting people with great stories (I do every time I'm there!)
So, I'll finish this 3rd book, but it may sit beside the toilet and take me months - and I'll begin a new book today as well.
When he write Narrow Dog to My Local I'll be the 1st in line!!!!
Carcassone took me on a beautiful holiday in France full of humor and populated by funny, engaging people. I'd found it by accident in a B&B in Scotland (as we holidayed along the Caledonian Canal in Fort Augustus. What good timing!) and I loved it enough to order the next when I arrived home to the States.
Indian River I loved because it gave me Terry's very funny, irreverent and honest look at my own country and my fellow Americans.
I thought to myself "I love England, I wish he'd write this sort of book about his own canals at home and I could see narrow boating; in Britain, as it's meant to be, through his eye (as it were)". Lo and behold - he has! I thought!
I ordered Wigan Pier, and while it's a good book, he seems to be a bit jaded, a bit melancholic. But - my biggest complaint is that he just never seems to tell us the same stories! Who do you meet at the locks; how are the pubs, you MUST meet interesting people with great stories (I do every time I'm there!)
So, I'll finish this 3rd book, but it may sit beside the toilet and take me months - and I'll begin a new book today as well.
When he write Narrow Dog to My Local I'll be the 1st in line!!!!
August 25, 2012
This is kind of more of the same but not really. After his adventures in France and the southern US, Terry and Monica Darlington stay closer to home in the Phyllis May II (the original having been destroyed by fire). I wasn't convinced by the mixing of memoir and travelogue at first. It was interesting to learn more about his background though. And I was surprised that a self-confessed eccentric "arteest" and poet, who at one time was confined to a mental hospital, turns out to have been a very smart and successful businessman as well, with his own market research business -- not what I would have expected from the quirkiness of his writing style and adventures. I think I still enjoyed the first book best, both because of the surprises in the style, which are less surprising in subsequent books, and because it's about places I know. But this is a nice easy summer read.
Sorry to see from his website that he has since had a stroke -- I think you need to slow down a bit now, Terry!
PS the website is still rubbish ... surely the royalties will pay for a professional!
Sorry to see from his website that he has since had a stroke -- I think you need to slow down a bit now, Terry!
PS the website is still rubbish ... surely the royalties will pay for a professional!
abandoned
October 31, 2014I enjoyed the first two books about the Darlington's narrow boat adventures but the writing in this one was so jumbled, like the author's random thoughts on the page. Sometimes a little personal history was mixed in, and sometimes a little about their journey on English canals. Got about halfway through and gave up...so I released it "into the wild" on book crossing.com hopefully it will start a good journey.
August 16, 2016
felt this book didn't talk enough about their canal trip but more about the author's background which i downgraded it to 3 stars but when he did talk about the trips found it funny especially with the dogs jim and jess involved.
May 6, 2020
This book was an enjoyable read. Following Terry, Monica and the whippets on their journey through the north country, of which I know so we'll. Also it was inspiring to hear about their experiences on their narrowboat, of which I wish to have my own of someday. The book made me laugh out load too. A good read.
December 30, 2012
This is the third book by Terry Darlington about the adventures of himself, his wife Monica and their two whippets Jim and Jess in their narrowboat. This book charts their journey to the North of England in their new boat the PM2. Their original boat the Phyllis May was destroyed in a fire. Terry's poetic, stream of consciousness style of writing can be a little difficult to follow at times, one minute you're on the current journey and the next you are back in time. Mr and Mrs Darlington have certainly lead an interesting life! Terry does address the observations made about his writing style towards the end of the book with an entertaining explanation as to why he writes the way he does. I listened to the excellently narrated audiobook version which made my travel to and from work the past week or so much more pleasant as I shared his trip to Wigan Pier and beyond.
August 10, 2025
I picked up Narrow Dog to Wigan Pier to satisfy a reading challenge prompt, "A book that features an activity on your bucket list." It's a rambling memoir with some descriptions of his experiences in a narrow boat navigating the UK's canal ways with his dogs. I wish I had read one of his other two books, which are apparently better. Readers should be aware that the author uses "Orientals" multiple times to describe people he interacts with while traveling in Asia.
December 30, 2014
Written so he could say he had published a trilogy. Darlington comes across as pompous and self righteous rather than the gently humorous story teller of his previous books. Should have quit after Indian River.
November 2, 2013
Having really enjoyed the other two books, I was expecting this to be a good holiday book that I could get lost in- especially as he comes from an area I know well. However I really struggled with this book and gave up after reading nearly to the end. I was really disappointed.
November 11, 2014
Wanted to read about a longboattrip but ended wanting to read about the memoirs more than the journey. More fun, better written. In the end the chapters about the boatjourney were too long and the memoirs too short.
June 4, 2021
8/10 I read Darlington’s second of three books about 10 years ago and have had this book (and his first book) on my reading list since then. I finally picked it up because I went on a narrow boat holiday, so it was the perfect accompaniment! Terry (I feel like we’re on a first name basis now) has such a wonderful way of writing; witty, self-deprecating, poetic (lots of poetry for those who are that way inclined), fluid and highly entertaining - you can’t help but constantly smile and nod along knowingly with Terry’s observations and anecdotes.
One definitely gets to know the characters; Terry, Monica and the two dogs like they were old pals, and I certainly became very endeared with them all. The setting was probably one of the factors that let me down slightly, I loved the foreignness of the Indian River book, whereas the north of England left a lot to be desired, there was a good amount of tales from afar too to be fair. I did however thoroughly enjoy Terry’s autobiographical interludes throughout the book and it padded out well what was otherwise not much of a story. Some great life lessons and tips from a great chap.
So just the first book to read last! I look forward to it, but may save for another narrow boat holiday.
One definitely gets to know the characters; Terry, Monica and the two dogs like they were old pals, and I certainly became very endeared with them all. The setting was probably one of the factors that let me down slightly, I loved the foreignness of the Indian River book, whereas the north of England left a lot to be desired, there was a good amount of tales from afar too to be fair. I did however thoroughly enjoy Terry’s autobiographical interludes throughout the book and it padded out well what was otherwise not much of a story. Some great life lessons and tips from a great chap.
So just the first book to read last! I look forward to it, but may save for another narrow boat holiday.
June 22, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. It is at times a bit rambling and you have to stay awake to know whereabouts you are and the direction of travel. Monica, Jim and Jess remain charming. Learning more about the Terry life story was a little bit like being at a funeral of a work colleague and hearing how amazing their life has been and realising how little you really knew them. Sad that this is the last book from a truly poetic author but will happily read all three whenever I want a drop of sunshine or a ripple of laughter.
November 18, 2023
Witty and entertaining as well as disjointed and at times quite difficult and frustrating. The author uses a poetic, stream of consciousness style of writing to give a memoir of his past (which was interesting) as well a trip log of their journey through the English canals. It was disappointing in that I was hoping to learn more about narrowboats, England and it's canals - but he assumes you know all this. It just didn't supply the feel or information on the English canals and countryside that I was hoping for.
October 28, 2024
Having read Narrow Dog to Carcasson I guessed I would enjoy this one.
I wanted to know more about Darlington’s background and motivations for these trips so appreciated the way he managed to interweave his autobiography into the journey.
His slightly unconventional style adds to the humour that pervades his storytelling but now I have the challenge of reading his second book out of sequence, but look forward to it nevertheless.
I wanted to know more about Darlington’s background and motivations for these trips so appreciated the way he managed to interweave his autobiography into the journey.
His slightly unconventional style adds to the humour that pervades his storytelling but now I have the challenge of reading his second book out of sequence, but look forward to it nevertheless.
June 1, 2020
An easy read that is half memoir half travels around the UK. It's pleasant and funny and may make you want to buy a boat or a whippet, or both. There were a couple of instances where Darlington makes mildly racist comments, which in the current climate really stood out and and means that I won't feel right about recommending this book to anyone else.
September 30, 2018
This last book of the Narrow Dog trilogy is the first one I’ve read. Personally the bits about traversing the canals didn’t grab me that much, but I really enjoyed the biographical bits about Terry’s life. They were really interesting, and I’d recommend reading this for those alone.
April 3, 2020
For a breath of fresh air and adventure at this time of crisis, try this diverting and very funny account of life on the river. Made even better if you have or know someone who has whippets! Loved this unusual and sometimes moving book.
April 24, 2018
A bit bonkers and different.
April 13, 2019
Big fun. I chortled. Will be looking for the rest of the trilogy.
April 5, 2020
A humorous dialogue of canal boat life with whippets. Random choice perhaps, but none the less enjoyable for it.
July 11, 2021
Third and final instalment of this series which also doubles up as a memoir.
November 30, 2025
An intriguing but slow read.
July 18, 2012
I really enjoyed Narrow Dog to Carcassonne, it was funny, well written and gloriously irreverent of, well, pretty much everything it came in contact with! Narrow Dog to Indian River was kind of "more of the same", but I somehow found it less engaging, almost a formulaic repetition of the first and I find myself somewhat torn on this one.
It's different from the previous two in that it's half travel, half historical biography, a fact that I enjoyed. It was quite interesting to discover the history and real reasons behind the trilogy (not that it was a huge secret) and it had some of the laugh out loud moments that I enjoyed so much from Carcassonne. Additionally, the phrasing and structure of Terry's writing (or stirring of the English omelette, as the case may be) provides for a delightful read. That said, I found the liberal sprinkling of footnotes to be a little distracting, almost like someone pointing out exactly how learned and smart they are with references to nothing more than a sentence beginning a paragraph that is vaguely influence by some work of literature. It's possible that this was more prominent due to the medium, I read this book on a Kindle, and the little blue numbers almost demanded that I click on them, which really messed with the continuity. Perhaps if I'd been reading on paper I'd have ignored them? Having complained about that, I felt that my anger was somewhat unwarranted after reading:
You can't really complain about such an effort on the part of an author to help entertain and enlighten his audience, unless you're a savage perhaps.
The other problem I had was with the introduction of religion into the narrative. This is an element of personal inflexibility on my part, I just don't like religion and it irks me to read about it for some reason. Since the story is 50% (or more perhaps) about Terry and Terry is religious, by necessity religion and faith are mentioned several times.
Overall I'd say that if you liked the first of the trilogy, you'll enjoy this one. I'll almost definitely come back to it, even if only to dip into the footnotes :)
It's different from the previous two in that it's half travel, half historical biography, a fact that I enjoyed. It was quite interesting to discover the history and real reasons behind the trilogy (not that it was a huge secret) and it had some of the laugh out loud moments that I enjoyed so much from Carcassonne. Additionally, the phrasing and structure of Terry's writing (or stirring of the English omelette, as the case may be) provides for a delightful read. That said, I found the liberal sprinkling of footnotes to be a little distracting, almost like someone pointing out exactly how learned and smart they are with references to nothing more than a sentence beginning a paragraph that is vaguely influence by some work of literature. It's possible that this was more prominent due to the medium, I read this book on a Kindle, and the little blue numbers almost demanded that I click on them, which really messed with the continuity. Perhaps if I'd been reading on paper I'd have ignored them? Having complained about that, I felt that my anger was somewhat unwarranted after reading:
A reader with nothing worthwhile to do could seek entertainment in some of the sources mentioned. (The poem by Lord John Wilmot is rude, so you won't want to bother with that one.)
Some of these notes may appear obvious, but bear in mind that the book will be read in savage lands, where people may not have heard of Kathy Kirby.
You can't really complain about such an effort on the part of an author to help entertain and enlighten his audience, unless you're a savage perhaps.
The other problem I had was with the introduction of religion into the narrative. This is an element of personal inflexibility on my part, I just don't like religion and it irks me to read about it for some reason. Since the story is 50% (or more perhaps) about Terry and Terry is religious, by necessity religion and faith are mentioned several times.
Overall I'd say that if you liked the first of the trilogy, you'll enjoy this one. I'll almost definitely come back to it, even if only to dip into the footnotes :)
July 20, 2016
I enjoyed this such a lot. I can understand why others might not appreciate not getting 'more of the same' but I have Indian River to discover at some point. I liked not having such a definite journey beginning and end and I enjoyed putting the Darlingtons in context through Terry's memoirs. If his 'stream of consciousness' writing style appeals to you for its own sake (and it does me), then this was taking the lead off the whippet. So yes, occasionally I thought he might be taking me places and opinions I didn't especially wish to go with him.
He probably did skimp a bit on exploring or describing some of places they visited but whilst there were disappointments (very sad about the state of Wigan Pier), he also fell in love with plenty of others, and I almost felt that he enjoyed himself more than the Carcassone trip, so much of which was a challenge (not that there were not plenty of challenges for him around the UK canal system)
I was glad it wasn't all glossy and grateful (although the overall tone is very much grateful for an interesting life) He makes a few references to old friends not wishing to renew or maintain contact, in a more sad than bitter tone and I'm not sure if he just notices stuff, that this is normal in any life, or whether there's something those of us who only know him through his own words are missing (I wondered a little about his references to 'reversed dominance')
But I loved it.
He probably did skimp a bit on exploring or describing some of places they visited but whilst there were disappointments (very sad about the state of Wigan Pier), he also fell in love with plenty of others, and I almost felt that he enjoyed himself more than the Carcassone trip, so much of which was a challenge (not that there were not plenty of challenges for him around the UK canal system)
I was glad it wasn't all glossy and grateful (although the overall tone is very much grateful for an interesting life) He makes a few references to old friends not wishing to renew or maintain contact, in a more sad than bitter tone and I'm not sure if he just notices stuff, that this is normal in any life, or whether there's something those of us who only know him through his own words are missing (I wondered a little about his references to 'reversed dominance')
But I loved it.
April 4, 2013
Sadly the author hasn't been persuaded to use speech marks after the success of the first two volumes, and is dismissive, even arrogant, about it towards the end. I don't know why he doesn't dispense with all punctuation if he has no respect for making things easier for his readers - and why bother with capital letters, paragraphs or conventional spelling either?
The book itself is an odd mix of a lifetime autobiography interspersed with a canal trip around northern England (in which Wigan Pier is not a particular objective and barely mentioned).
But despite those problems I enjoyed it and found it interesting, well written, thought-provoking and amusing. The autobiography is perhaps more interesting than the wandering canal journey but wouldn't have sold well without the narrow dog angle.
The book itself is an odd mix of a lifetime autobiography interspersed with a canal trip around northern England (in which Wigan Pier is not a particular objective and barely mentioned).
But despite those problems I enjoyed it and found it interesting, well written, thought-provoking and amusing. The autobiography is perhaps more interesting than the wandering canal journey but wouldn't have sold well without the narrow dog angle.
May 25, 2022
I was really looking forward to reading this book as I loved the other two, but was disappointed!
Mainly because it is two books in one and so therefore neither one nor the other? A bit of an autobiography and a bit of a travel book.
Its like he did not like the North West canals at all as he has very little to say on then so fills up the pages with spinets from his life although this is interesting its not why I bought the book. Wigan/ WIgan Pier doesn't even get 2 pages?
Its still a good book but not what it promises and does not live up to the two previous books IMO !
Mainly because it is two books in one and so therefore neither one nor the other? A bit of an autobiography and a bit of a travel book.
Its like he did not like the North West canals at all as he has very little to say on then so fills up the pages with spinets from his life although this is interesting its not why I bought the book. Wigan/ WIgan Pier doesn't even get 2 pages?
Its still a good book but not what it promises and does not live up to the two previous books IMO !
March 12, 2014
Yet another excellent chapter of the Narrow Dog chronicles. This one also reads as an autobiography, and who knew what a fascinating life Terry had led. I hope Terry's recent health problems don't prevent him from writing more books as I love his style of writing and his wonderfully twisted sense of humour.
June 28, 2015
I have read all The Narrow Dog books.
This one made me cry as we have just come back from our family holiday doing The Four counties ring. With our not so narrow dog who we took to The Star in Stone .
Back to work tomorrow but I'd rather be on The Collared Dove having adventures and reAding Terry's book
This one made me cry as we have just come back from our family holiday doing The Four counties ring. With our not so narrow dog who we took to The Star in Stone .
Back to work tomorrow but I'd rather be on The Collared Dove having adventures and reAding Terry's book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews