10 reasons to take a canal boat holiday
Step back in time and connect with nature on a boating holiday this summer
The clocks go forward this weekend and, with summer on the horizon, we’ve listed 10 reasons to take a canal boat holiday this summer.
There are over 1,000 self-drive canal boats available to hire on the 2,000 miles of navigable inland waterways in England and Wales cared for by the Canal & River Trust charity.
Canals run through the UK’s most stunning landscapes, pretty towns and villages, and into the heart of major cities. So there are hundreds of destinations to choose from for families, friends and couples.
Matthew Symonds, head of boating & customer service at Canal & River Trust, explains:
“Our unique British canals are still navigated by boats just as they were hundreds of years ago. Today, people recognise that spending time on the water is a tonic for mind and body. Boating holidays are a way people can step back in time and connect with nature and our nation’s living heritage.
“Nine out ten people who responded to our Hire Boat Survey last year said they would recommend canal boat holidays to others. And nearly one in five had travelled from overseas to experience boating on our peaceful inland waterways.”
10 reasons to take a canal boat holiday this summer
1. It’s a floating safari
Canals provide homes for birds, plants, animals and insects, including herons, kingfishers, bats, water voles, swans, ducks, coots, moorhens, woodland birds, butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies. So there’s always something special to look out for.
2. It’s a time for nostalgia
There’s a slower pace of life on the canals and it’s a bit like stepping back in time. Parents enjoy seeing their children getting away from their screens to help with steering the boat and opening the locks, as well as playing cards and board games together in the evening, bringing back memories of their own family holidays when they were children.
3. Narrowboats are like floating holiday cottages
There’s everything you need on board our narrowboats for a self-catering holiday afloat. This includes fully equipped kitchens, showers, toilets, beds, storage, televisions and may have Wifi too.
4. It’s good value for money
Over 92 per cent of respondents to last year’s Canal & River Trust Hire Boat Survey felt their narrowboat holiday was value for money and 87 per cent would definitely recommend it to others.
5. A licence isn’t required to hire a narrowboat
You don’t need a licence and boat steering tuition is provided as part of all our holiday packages, so it’s easy for newcomers to take to the water.
6. It’s better for the planet
As soon as you swap your car for a boat, you’ll be using around a third of the fuel.
7. They’re pet-friendly
We welcome dogs and many other pets, including tortoises, cats and fish.
8. It’s an outdoor workout
Working the locks, as well as walking, running and cycling along traffic-free towpaths and local footpaths makes a narrowboat holiday great for keeping fit.
9. There are hundreds of pubs
Hundreds of historic inns dating back over 200 years to the heyday of canals as an industrial transport network can be found along all our waterways. And in the towns and villages they pass through.
10. We feel happier by the water
Research carried out by the Canal & River Trust shows we feel happier and less stressed by our waterways, and the longer we spend there, the more relaxed we become.
