Published 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, the popularity of JRR Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ endures, not least amongst the canal boat community where dozens of boats bear the names of Tolkien’s characters. Tolkien spent much of his childhood exploring the village of Sarehole (now Hall Green), Moseley Bog, the Malvern Hills, and nearby Bromsgrove, […]
Britain’s 2,000 mile network of navigable inland waterways transports canal boat holiday-makers through rural idylls with wooded glades, sweeping farmland and sleepy villages to exciting towns and cities with world-class waterside attractions. Here’s a list of our Top 8 waterside destinations for 2017: 1. Warwick Castle – said to be Britain’s greatest medieval experience, the […]
A is for Anderton Boat Lift – also known as the ‘Cathedral of the Canals’, this fascinating example of Victorian engineering provides a 15-metre vertical link between the Trent & Mersey Canal and River Weaver Navigation. B is for Bingley Five-Rise Locks – completed in 1774, this spectacular staircase of locks on the Leeds & […]
Each year, around one fifth of canal boat hirers are newcomers. A licence isn’t required to steer a narrowboat and all our operators provide boat steering tuition as part of their holiday packages. Here’s a list of our top eight canal boat holidays for beginners: 1. Discover the Breacon Beacons afloat – the beautiful Mon […]
Cruising gently through quiet countryside and stopping off at rural local pubs along the way, a holiday on Britain’s peaceful canal network can offer a great antidote to the hustle and bustle of Christmas. We offer winter breaks* from a number of our bases, giving you the chance to enjoy snug evenings afloat, visit waterside pubs […]
Reputedly playing host to hundreds of ghosts, with bats and frogs aplenty, creepy tunnels, spooky locks and misty towpaths, Britain’s 200-year old canal network provides the perfect backdrop for a haunting Halloween. From shaggy coated beings to shrieking boggarts, we’ve put together our Top 7 spookiest spots: 1. Be stunned at Standedge Tunnel…at 3.25 miles […]
Narrowboat holidays are often said to be the best way to relax – and parents with babies probably need the chance to do that more than most. Canal boats are like floating holiday cottages, with all the comforts of home on board. Drifters’ six-berth family boat ‘Lucy May’, which operates out of our Stockton canal […]
A canal boat holiday is a great way to enjoy the splendid colours of autumn in the hedgerows and trees that line our waterways, where the colours are dramatically mirrored in the water. There’s plenty of wildlife to spot along the way during the autumn months, including the arrival of flocks of fieldfare and redwing […]
As we were once a great sea-faring nation, much of our everyday language is peppered with nautical references. We’ve put together our favourite everyday phrases with nautical origins to ‘Chew the Fat’ over on your next adventure afloat: 1. Barge in – barge has two nautical meanings: a flag officer’s boat; or a flat-bottomed workboat […]
Canal boat holidays offer the chance to explore some of Britain’s most beautiful countryside, including a number of our National Parks. Pottering along at just four mph is the perfect way to relax, unwind and take in the scenery. And narrowboat holiday-makers can wake up every day in a new location, with all the comforts […]