Boat Hire Service

Boat hire service on Britain’s canal network

Drifters offers professional boat hire service from 40 locations in England, Scotland and Wales.

With our established boat hire service you can travel slowly through the countryside and into some Britain’s most popular historic towns and cities.

Newcomers are welcome and tuition is included in our boat hire service. You don’t need a licence to drive a canal boat.

We offer the choice of over 500 canal boats, ranging in size for cosy boats for two, up to narrowboats for 12 people.

Our boats are like floating holiday cottages. They have everything you need on board, including comfortable beds, showers, flushing toilets, central heating and well-equipped kitchens. Some of our boats also have Wifi, king-sized beds, baths, wine fridges and other extras.

Boat hire service and the Seven Wonders of the Waterways

With Drifters Boating Holidays there are hundreds of destinations to choose from, including the Seven Wonders of the Waterways:

• The Caen Hill flight of locks on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Wiltshire;
• The UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales;
• The Bingley Five Rise Locks on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire;
• The Burnley Embankment on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in Lancashire;
• The Standedge Tunnel on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal in West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester;
• The Barton Swing Aqueduct on the Bridgewater Canal in Greater Manchester; and
• The Anderton Boat Lift connecting the Trent & Mersey Canal with the River Weaver in Cheshire.

Drifters offer everything you need to experience a relaxing canal boat holiday on Britain’s beautiful inland waterways.

Visitors from overseas might find Great British Boating a helpful alternative website.