All aboard for an Autumn canal boat holiday
A canal boat holiday is a great way to enjoy the splendid colours of autumn in the hedgerows and trees that line our waterways.
Narrowboats are like floating holiday cottages, with everything holiday-makers need on board for a self-catering adventure afloat.
Autumn 2022 hire prices start at £561 for a short break (three or four nights) on a boat for four people, £865 for a week.
Here’s a guide to Drifters’ top seven canal boat holiday destinations for Autumn 2022:
1. Potter through the Shropshire countryside to Market Drayton
From our canal boat hire base at Autherley on the Shropshire Union Canal, it takes around 12 hours to reach the historic market town of Market Drayton, home of the gingerbread man. Along the way, you’ll pass through 26 miles of beautiful Shropshire countryside, seven locks, and a series of wooded canal cuttings, now havens for wildlife. The route passes through the historic villages of Brewood, Wheaton Aston and Gnosall. And a series of canalside pubs, including the Junction Inn at Norbury and the Hartley Arms at Wheaton Aston. There are nature reserves to visit at Wheaton Aston (Mottey Meadows), Norbury (Loynton Moss), and Brewood (Belvide Reservoir). The journey to Market Harborough and back takes around 24 hours, perfect for a relaxed week away.
2. Visit Georgian Bath afloat
On a four-night mid-week break from our Devizes base on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Wiltshire, you can travel to the World Heritage Status City of Bath and back. The journey to Sydney Wharf takes around 10 hours, travelling across two magnificent aqueducts and passing through 10 locks. There’s a choice of canalside pubs, including the Barge Inn at Seend and the Cross Guns at Avoncliff. There are moorings a short walk from Bath City Centre at Sydney Wharf.
3. Explore Skipton and its medieval castle
On a short break from our Barnoldswick base, you can head east along he Leeds & Liverpool Canal to Skipton. The journey there and back travels 26 miles, passes through 30 locks (15 each way) and takes around 20 cruising hours. This breath-taking route winds along the contours of the side of Airedale. There are extensive views of sheep country – farmhouses, barns, stone walls and the occasional village or town. Once in Skipton, you can moor in the centre of the town, visit shops and restaurants and explore the 900-year old Skipton Castle.
4. Cruise to Manchester
On a week’s break from our narrowboat hire base at Acton Bridge, you can cruise to Manchester and back. The route, which passes through a mixture of urban and rural landscapes, travels 68 miles of waterway (34 each way) and passes through just one lock. Places to stop off at along the way, include Stockton Heath, with a choice of shops, boutiques, restaurants and pubs, and the historic village of Lymm. On arrival in Manchester, there are places to moor at Castlefield Basin, within easy reach of City Centre attractions. And to visit the Trafford Centre, you can return via Worsley on the Bridgewater Canal.
5. Travel along the Stratford Canal to Stratford upon Avon
From our base at Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal, it’s a picturesque seven-hour cruise to Stratford upon Avon. The route, which is perfect for a short break, passes through 17 locks. Along the way, you’ll cruise through the Warwickshire countryside, with plenty of hedgerow foraging opportunities along the way. Once at the birthplace of the Bard, there are over-night moorings in Bancroft Basin. This is perfect to use as a base to explore the town’s many independent shops, restaurants, theatres and museums.
6. Glide across The Stream in the Sky
On a week’s break from our canal boat rental base at Wrenbury Mill on the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire, you can cruise through the Shropshire Lake District to the pretty town of Llangollen. The journey takes 19 hours, passes through 12 locks and two tunnels. It crosses the magnificent World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, also known as ‘The Stream in the Sky’, with amazing views across the Dee Valley and the Welsh Mountains.
7. Cruise through the Scottish lowlands to Ratho
From our base at the Falkirk Wheel boat lift, it’s a peaceful eight-hour cruise along the Union Canal to the historic village of Ratho. The route to Ratho travels 24 miles, passes through three locks, two tunnels and over two aqueducts. It also passes close to the historic town of Linlithgow, home to the ruins of Linlithgow Palace, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots.
