Photo by Ian Wallman
If you have found your way to our website, we are pleased to welcome you!
Here you’ll find some of our music and media, along with a few of our favourite stories and little gems from the wonderful heritage of our waterways, especially the canals.
If you’d like to stay in touch, you can join our regular newsletter, where we keep you first in line for tickets and other news.
Welcome!
Three Idle Women on C4 Narrow Escapes
We are excited to share with you our feature on ‘Narrow Escapes’ the popular daytime show about life on the waterways. You can watch every day at 4pm from Monday 5th May or also available on streaming. Our story will be shown on week three starting 19th May!
Don’t miss our original single, Boating Woman, celebrating the strength and spirit of women on the water.
Inspired by the remarkable Rose Skinner, the song shines a light on her legacy and the vital role she played in boating history.
Click the tab or click here to get your free download!
Together Live:
Three Idle Women in Concert featuring the Idle Choir
11th October, 7pm
St Andrews Church
Linton Road, Oxford OX2 6UG
Join us for a special live performance from Three Idle Women, showcasing songs from their acclaimed All Hands Together album, plus a sneak peek at material from their forthcoming release.
The evening will also feature unique vocal arrangements with contributions from The Idle Choir, bringing rich harmonies and a sense of shared celebration to the stage.
We’re delighted to share our debut album
All Hands Together
- the result of over ten years of working together.
It is a musical journey through time, travelling along the River Thames, the Oxford Canal, and the Grand Union Canal, navigating history, politics, living folklore, and everyday life on the water.
The trio capture snapshots of life as seen through the eyes of boaters.
Blending traditional and original songs, the album offers a window into the world of those who live and work along the water: stories of love, loss, adventure, and the quiet beauty of nature’s flow.
All Hands Together is a heartfelt tribute to the spirit of the waterways that have shaped and inspired the trio for over a decade.
Exploring ideas of socio-geography, and deepening connections to place, landscape, and our relationship with nature, the trio reference and celebrate boaters and characters, both past and present, who have offered helping hands and embody the album’s themes of linear community, shared stewardship, and belonging.
Album Reviews
“All Hands Together has been a revelation – one of the best things I’ve heard all year…I’m delighted to have discovered Three Idle Women and I heartily recommend that you do the same. You won’t regret it.”
John Barlass, Off the Record
“Channelling the storytelling of The Unthanks and the warmth of The Staves, yet stands on its own as a heartfelt tribute to England's waterways and the people who call them home.”
Damon Boughen, Nightshift
“There’s many albums and songs about waterways, but whether you’re a boater or just a gongoozler, All Hands Together is definitely a cut above.”
Mike Davies
Listen up.
“Utterly charming, made me feel like home."
“if these songs don’t delight you, I can only conclude that you’re made either of iron or of concrete” AT THE BARRIER
“We loved the music, the versatile musicianship, the glimpses into canal life and the spirit that you all share”
Upcoming Gigs
Saturday 12th July 5pm
Summer Festival
Canalside Community Food
Radford Farm, Semele,
Leamington Spa
Tickets here
Thursday 26th June 2025 8:00pm
Three Idle Women singing
a pre-festival serenada
Braunston Historic Boat Rally
Braunston Marina NN11 7JH
Tickets on the door or from
Braunston Village shop