A gentle way to spend the day! Mervyn Hancock takes a trip on a horse-drawn barge – the last of its kind in the West Country. Pictures: Fran Stothard.

THERE comes a time in life when it might be time to slow down a little. You know what I mean: just relax, take a stock of things, and watch the world go gently by.

And there cannot be a better way of achieving that aim than settling down in an old canal barge, listening to the gentle clip-clop of hooves as a magnificent shire horse pulls you along at walking pace, to a backdrop of the Devon countryside in all its glory.

A few ducks, the odd water vole, maybe a passing swan or an inquisitive fish, is about all the traffic that you are likely to encounter on a glorious day out on the Grand Western Canal on the edge of the historic market town of Tiverton.

Almost 200 years ago, years of hard work was completed to create the canal, which was a much- needed facility to carry stone from the local quarries to the kilns at Tiverton. In those days, the waterway would have been buzzing with horse-drawn tub boats.

Today, the canal beautifully restored, allows day-trippers to enjoy floating along the still water, which meanders through 11 miles of agricultural land and woods. The only buzz comes from the dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies avoiding the hungry kingfishers and reed warblers hunting in the bank- side vegetation.

Thanks to the Tiverton Canal Company, there's a chance to turn the clock back a couple of centuries, and enjoy a morning, afternoon or evening cruise on the West Country's last working passenger barge.

Don't expect anyone to rush around when you arrive at the old wharf alongside the canal – captain and barge owner Philip Brind will gently ease the craft from its mooring, before selecting one of the “engines” – Prince, a 17-year-old shire horse, Taffy, an eight-year-old Welsh cob or Dandy – to provide one horse-power for your two-and-a-half hour trip back in time.

The original bargees probably carried a flagon of local cider and some bread and cheese to fortify them on the journey – times have changed, but the barge does have a small galley, a bar, and a shop for some souvenirs.

The peaceful waters of the canal were declared a Country Park in 1971 and a Local Nature Reserve in 2005, and the canal is owned and managed by Devon County Council, in partnership with Mid-Devon District Council.

The Grand Western Canal dates back to 1814, when it was built as part of a major transportation plan to link the Exeter Ship Canal to the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, thus avoiding the long and dangerous voyage around Lands End. John Rennie, who supervised the construction work between 1810 and 1814, surveyed the canal's route.

The canal was built primarily for the use of the lime trade, conveying stone from the quarries at Loudwells to Tiverton Lime Kilns for firing and producing lime for farming and house building. In 1838, the canal was extended from Loudwells to Taunton, which had seven lifts and an incline plane.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the horse- drawn barge was one of the cheapest and fastest means of commercial transport and the canal worked commercially for 130 years.

The canal also witnessed the intrusion of the railways with the building of an aqueduct and then the opening of the Tiverton Branch Line in 1838, which resulted in the canal's decline whereupon it was sold to GWR. The last steam train on this line was the “Tivvy Bumper” now preserved at Tiverton Museum.

Today, the most unique and intriguing way to explore the canal is aboard the horse-drawn barge. It is the last of its kind in the West Country and one of only six remaining in England today.

From April to October, “Tivertonian”, a traditionally painted barge pulled by a shire horse in colourful harness and brasses, plies the canal.

The barge operates in all weathers and offers varying lengths of leisurely trips.

There are also varied walks to be enjoyed along the canal, including the unrestored sections with the historical remains of James Green's tub-boat lifts.

Course fishing is also a popular pastime, with many a story to be told of the catch. A canal permit and rod license is required and there is plenty of perch, roach and pike for all. You can bring your own boat to catch that fish, or perhaps take a picnic trip.

For more information about the horse-drawn barges tel: 01884 253345 or visit www.tivertoncanal.co.uk