Boating holidays on the UK canals & inland watersways UK
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  • Drifters Standards

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    There are hundreds of narrowboat and canal boating holiday routes to choose from, find the best one for you here

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Welcome to Drifters

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Drifters narrowboat and canal boating holidays offers over 550 canal boats for hire from 45 bases in England, Wales and Scotland.  We offer you a one stop shop, from just finding out about canal boating holidays to online booking.

All Drifters operators uphold certain industry standards of excellence, ensuring we are among the best in the business and all our customers can expect professional care and attention.

Please click here to view the measures we have put in place to help control the spread of Covid-19

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Try out our Interactive map

See the canals and all the holiday options

Click here

Drifters price promise

means our prices are always competitive.

If you see the same holiday elsewhere at a lower price,
we will match it.

Tuition is included in all Drifters holiday packages and if you’ve never been on a canal boat holiday, there couldn’t be a better time to try it.  Managed by the charity the Canal & River Trust, Britain’s waterway network is enjoying an incredible renaissance with hundreds of miles of waterways restored in recent years, and over 2,000 miles of fabulous navigable waterways to choose from.Britain’s canals and rivers run through many miles of beautiful unspoilt countryside, as well as passing pretty villages with historic canalside pubs, and finding their way into the regenerated heart of many cities.

The fact that you take your holiday home with you as you travel, and that you can stop more or less where you wish, means you can tailor your holiday adventure to suit your tastes. The countryside looks so different from the wonderful viewpoint of the water that there is a potential adventure round each bend.

On a canal boat holiday you will discover so much more about our wildlife and countryside as you drift along, leaving everyday cares behind.

The world of the waterways is a place of its own, in some ways it is a way to slip back in time, but with a modern boat.  Drifters boats are all fully equipped with essential mod cons, including central heating, hot water, TV, fully-equipped kitchens, showers and flushing toilets.  And some offer five star accommodation, with extras like WiFi, wider beds, larger showers and solid-fuel stoves.

DRIFTERS TOP 10 CANAL BOAT HOLIDAYS FOR 2013
Top 5 Yorkshire Canal Boat Holidays
New to the

Canals?

If you’ve never been on a narrowboat and canal boating holiday before, it’s easy to learn how to drive a boat and all our operators include tuition in their holiday packages.

You don’t need a licence and it’s easy to learn how to drive a boat. All our operators include tuition in their holiday packages.

We’ve got lots of advice for beginners, including the best routes, what to pack and how to prepare for a holiday afloat.

Drifters Narrowboat Holidays

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Latest news from

The Blog

Top 9 Aqueducts to cruise across on a canal boat holiday

August 10, 2022
Read more
https://www.drifters.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Avoncliff-aqueduct-e1656685225732.png 541 900 Debbie Ludford https://www.drifters.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/logo-300x62.png Debbie Ludford2022-08-10 16:29:102022-08-12 12:47:46Top 9 Aqueducts to cruise across on a canal boat holiday

Top 8 Halloween canal boat holiday destinations

August 7, 2022
Read more
https://www.drifters.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Braunston-2-scaled-e1659871812295.jpg 667 1000 Debbie Ludford https://www.drifters.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/logo-300x62.png Debbie Ludford2022-08-07 11:32:032022-08-07 11:32:03Top 8 Halloween canal boat holiday destinations

Visit a castle on your next narrow boat holiday

July 26, 2022
Read more
https://www.drifters.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Oxford-Castle-Unlocked-2.jpg 768 960 Debbie Ludford https://www.drifters.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/logo-300x62.png Debbie Ludford2022-07-26 13:56:102022-07-26 13:56:10Visit a castle on your next narrow boat holiday

Top 6 August Bank Holiday canal boat short breaks

July 1, 2022
Read more
https://www.drifters.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Avoncliff-aqueduct-e1656685225732.png 541 900 Debbie Ludford https://www.drifters.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/logo-300x62.png Debbie Ludford2022-07-01 14:21:022022-08-01 13:23:21Top 6 August Bank Holiday canal boat short breaks

Popular Pages

  • Day Boat Hire
  • Map of the Canals
  • Canal Boats

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Twitter

Day boat hire on the canals offers a great family day out on the water. Prices start at £99 per day for a boat for up to 10 people #daysout #lifesbetterbywater drifters.co.uk/enjoy-a-day-ou… pic.twitter.com/bGZ3qsfngM

About 12 minutes ago from Drifters Waterways Holidays's Twitter via Twitter Web App

RT @CRTBoating Boaters have a really important role in helping us to save water by making sure that all the gates and paddles are closed after use, sharing a lock if possible, and waiting for oncoming boats where appropriate. Thanks in advance for your help with this. pic.twitter.com/YgDbquVdGm

About 4 hours ago from Drifters Waterways Holidays's Twitter via Twitter Web App

We've published a guide to our Top 8 canal boat holiday destinations for Halloween 2022 #lifesbetterbywater #staycation #canalboatholiday drifters.co.uk pic.twitter.com/9DkWyWUnTZ

About 5 days ago from Drifters Waterways Holidays's Twitter via Twitter Web App

Elaine Wilson reviews her @Drifters6 press trip, setting off from our base at Whixall on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire #lifesbetterbywater #canalboatholiday #staycation neverstoptraveling.com/canal-… pic.twitter.com/DSsAFEFUrk

Last week from Drifters Waterways Holidays's Twitter via Twitter Web App

Take part in @CanalRiverTrust Spot that Habitat survey and you'll be entered into a prize draw to win an £800 @Drifters6 voucher #lifesbetterbywater #canalboatholiday #prizedraw #climatecrisis #biodiversity canalrivertrust.org.uk/pilot-… pic.twitter.com/LIjo9r3Ozc

About 2 weeks ago from Drifters Waterways Holidays's Twitter via Twitter Web App

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