Now they make the most tranquil of escapes from the exhaustion of life, just as Wally Hoseason envisaged, and are shared by a mix of holidaymakers and live-aboarders whose gaily painted boats have roofs that often double as flower and vegetable gardens. Everyone is friendly and nights moored by a grassy towpath are blissfully quiet.

We didn’t have long, but we made it to Braunston, a centre of canal life where many boaters have resided and still do. Here, at Braunston Marina, we gingerly turned round – sadly no time to branch off on to the Grand Union Canal, but we’ve got the bug and will return, for – given time – the whole English canal network is at our disposal.

On board Betty, there were plug and USB sockets, Wi-Fi, a smart TV, a microwave, central heating and more. New Clifton Cruisers, thanks to advice from Hoseasons, will have air conditioning and one will even have a hot tub. It’s all a far cry from the jolly craft that plied the Norfolk Broads in Wally’s day, their skippers sporting knotted handkerchiefs to keep off the sun. But really, in 80 years of Hoseasons, nothing much has changed. 

Fiona Duncan travelled as a guest of Hoseasons, which offers a week’s cruise on a Clifton Cruisers narrowboat, sleeping between two and 10, from £549 to £1,777 .