Top 7 canal boat holidays for beginners

Drifters Top 5 Summer Canal Boat Holidays

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Narrowboat holidays are great for families – giving the chance to set off together on a micro-adventure afloat, learning how to work the locks and speak the boating lingo, as well as spot wildlife and explore waterside attractions along the way.

It’s easy to learn how to steer a narrowboat and you don’t need a licence.  Tuition is included as part of all our holiday packages.

All our narrowboats are modern with heating, well-equipped kitchens, quality furnishings, flushing toilets, hot water, showers, TVs and DVD players, and many now have WiFi on board too.

Our short break summer holiday prices on a boat for four people start at £625, £965 for a week.

Here are our top five summer holidays afloat for 2017:

  1. Glide across the awesome Pontcysyllte Aqueduct – passing through stunning North Wales landscapes, the Llangollen Canal is one of the most popular on the network. From our canal boat hire base at Chirk, the journey to the pretty Eisteddfod town of Llangollen and back offers a fantastic short break holiday for families, with four locks to go through and the magnificent World Heritage status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct to pass over, offering incredible views of the Dee Valley 30 metres below.
  2. Travel through the Scottish Lowlands to Edinburgh – from Drifters’ base at Falkirk, Edinburgh Quay is a sedate 11-hour journey along the lock-free Union Canal, perfect for a gentle week away. The journey starts with a trip through the iconic Falkirk Wheel (the world’s first rotating boat lift) and then passes through the lovely lowland villages of Linlithgow, Broxburn and Ratho.  Visitor moorings are available at Edinburgh Quay, just a five-minute walk from Princes Street and many of the City’s, Mary King Close, frozen in time beneath the Royal Mile.
  3. Cruise along the River Thames to Oxford – from our narrowboat hire base on the River Thames at Eynsham near Witney, it’s a peaceful three-hour journey to the beautiful City of Oxford. Most of the locks on the Thames are manned so it’s a nice easy journey for beginners.  Once in Oxford, moor up close to the City Centre and take time to explore some of the its historic attractions, including Oxford Castle, an 11th century motte-and-bailey castle and the Bodleian Library with its stunning 17th century Schools Quadrangle.  On a week’s holiday, canal boat holiday makers can continue travelling east along the Thames to Henley, passing through Abingdon and Wallingford along the way.
  4. Journey One-way across the Pennines – starting from Drifters’ base at Sowerby Bridge on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal near Skipton, this week-long holiday is truly one of the great canal journeys, taking boaters across the backbone of England. The scenery varies from the timeless calm of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal summit to the hubbub of the Leeds City Centre waterfront, and includes the Bingley Five Rise locks, one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways, and the opportunity to visit Sir Titus Salt’s World Heritage Status model town at Saltaire.
  5. Take the Grand Union Canal to Warwick Castle – from our boat yard at Stockton on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire, it takes just one day to cruise to the historic centre of Warwick. Here canal boat holiday-makers can take time to explore the magnificent Warwick Castle on the banks of the River Avon, said to be ‘Britain’s greatest medieval experience’.  On a week’s holiday, boaters can cruise the Warwickshire Ring, travelling 101 miles, through 94 locks in around 54 hours through a mixture of urban and rural landscapes, with highlights including the pretty canal village of Braunston, the awesome flight of 21 locks at Hatton and Birmingham’s Gas Street Basin.

 

Top 7 canal boat holidays for beginners

Drifters’ Top 5 Literary Escapes Afloat

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VisitEngland has declared 2017 as the “Year of Literary Heroes” – recognising the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s death, 20 years since the first Harry Potter book, and other publishing phenomena that have helped put England on the map.

To celebrate, we’ve put together our Top 5 Literary escapes afloat:

  1. Explore Ted Hughes’ Calderdale by canal – on a short break (three or four nights) from Drifters’ base at Sowerby Bridge, narrowboat holiday-makers can travel along the Rochdale Canal to Todmorden and back, exploring the beautiful Calder Valley and passing through Mytholmroyd, where Ted Hughes played as a child, and Hebden Bridge, where Sylvia Path is buried. The journey there and back travels 20 miles of waterway, passing through 34 locks, and takes around 16 hours.
  2. Find out about Jane Austen in Georgian Bath – on a short break from our canal boat hire base at Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire, it’s a delightful six-hour journey along the picturesque Kennet & Avon Canal to Bath Top Lock and back. Here canal boat holiday-makers can moor-up and walk 15 minutes to Bath City centre, where they can visit the Jane Austen Centre to find out about the writer and the City that inspired ‘Northanger Abbey’ and ‘Persuasion’, and enjoy a truly elegant afternoon tea at the Regency Tea Rooms.
  3. Mark the 150th anniversary of Arnold Bennett’s birth with cruise through the Potteries – from our base at Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal in Staffordshire, it takes around 10 hours, travelling through 18 locks to reach Stoke-on-Trent, where events and exhibitions are being staged throughout the year to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Enoch Arnold Bennett. A prolific writer with close ties to the Potteries, Bennett’s novels include ‘Anna of the Five Towns’, which told the social and industrial history of the local people.  On a week’s holiday, boaters can continue on from Stoke to complete the Four Counties Ring, which passes through Cheshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire and the West Midlands, travelling a further 90 miles, through 76 more locks, and cruising for another 45 hours.
  4. Celebrate 80 years of The Hobbit with a journey through Tolkien country – Published in 1937 to wide critical acclaim, the popularity of JRR Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ endures. Tolkien spent much of his childhood exploring the village of Sarehole (now Hall Green), Moseley Bog, the Malvern Hills, and nearby Bromsgrove, Alcester and Alvechurch.  From Drifters’ base on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal at Alvechurch, narrowboat holiday-makers can travel through some of the landscapes that inspired Tolkien’s masterpiece.  On a short break, travel along beautiful tree-lined waters to the village of Lapworth and back, perfect for canal boat holiday beginners.  On a week’s holiday, more experienced boaters can tackle the Stourport Ring, travelling 74 miles through 118 locks in around 45 hours.  To celebrate 80 years since the book’s publication, Drifters will gift a copy of The Hobbit to customers quoting “Tolkien” when booking a boat departing from Alvechurch in 2017.  Please note this offer won’t be applied retrospectively.
  5. Unearth infamous pirate lairs in Bristol – from Drifters’ narrowboat hire base on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Hilperton near Trowbridge, Bristol’s Floating Harbour is a two-day cruise away, travelling 30 miles along the Kennet & Avon Canal and the Bristol Avon, passing through Bradford on Avon and the City of Bath. Once there, canal boat holiday-makers can moor-up and take time to discover Bristol’s exciting maritime history with a guided Pirate Walk, encountering Long John Silver’s treasure chest in the smuggler’s cave, Treasure Ireland’s Spy Glass Inn and Pirate Captain Blackbeard’s lair.

 

 

Top 8 Waterside Destinations for 2017

Top 8 Waterside Destinations for 2017

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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. 1. Warwick Castle – said to be Britain’s greatest medieval experience, the magnificent Warwick Castle next to the River Avon, is just a short riverside walk from the Grand Union Canal. Developed from the original castle built by William the Conqueror in 1068, Warwick Castle offers visitors a fantastic day out with ramparts to climb, flight of the eagles displays, mighty trebuchet firing, the Horrible Histories Maze, The Castle Dungeon, daily history team tours and 64 acres of landscaped gardens to explore.  From our Stockton base on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire, Warwick can be reached in seven hours, passing through 20 locks.
  2. The Hepworth Wakefield – this beautiful gallery alongside the Calder & Hebble Navigation boasts the largest purpose-built exhibition space outside London, with over 1,600 square metres of light-filled gallery spaces. Exhibiting rarely seen works by Barbara Hepworth, as well as Tim Sayer’s extensive collection of modern and contemporary British art, including works by Henry Moore, Naum Gabo, Antony Gormley, David Hockney, Paul Nash, Bridget Riley and Anthony Caro, this exciting gallery also hosts changing exhibitions by world-famous artists.  From our Sowerby Bridge base at the junction of the Calder & Hebble Navigation and Rochdale Canal in West Yorkshire, it’s an 11-hour cruise to Wakefield, travelling 20 miles and passing through 26 locks.
  3. The Shugborough Estate – from Drifters’ Peak District base at Stoke on Trent, Shugborough Hall on the banks of the Trent & Mersey Canal is a peaceful 11-hour cruise away, travelling 19 miles through 18 locks. Once the home of Lord Patrick Lichfield, this Georgian Manor house with magnificent riverside grounds, said to have an association with the legendary ‘Holy Grail’, is now the UK’s only Complete Working Historic Estate, with working kitchens, dairy, water mill, brewhouse and farm.  As one of just 20 Rare Breeds Survival Trust Farms in the UK, Shugborough is also home to a number of breeds rarer than the Giant Panda, including Boreray sheep and Middle White Pigs.
  4. The Black Country Living Museum & Dudley Tunnel – from Drifters’ Tardebigge base on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove, it’s an eight-hour, three-lock journey to the Black Country Living Museum. Visitors to this 26-acre open-air museum can step back in time with costumed characters to meet, period shops and houses to explore, forge demonstrations to watch, a coal mine to descend into, fun fair rides to enjoy, traditional fish and chips to eat and vintage vehicles to travel on.  And just across the canal, the Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust operates regular boat trips into the spectacular limestone tunnels under Castle Hill.
  5. National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port – from Drifters’ Anderton base at the junction of the River Weaver and Trent & Mersey Canal, it’s a 21-hour journey along 44 miles of waterway, travelling through 22 locks, to reach the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port. Here canal boat holiday-makers can explore historic working docks, boats, warehouses, forge, pump house, stables and workers cottages, where homes from the 1830s, 1900s, 1930s and 1950s are recreated, and costumed characters tell stories of the workers lives.
  6. SS Great Britain – from Drifters’ base on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Bath, Bristol’s Floating Harbour is a 10-hour, 13 lock journey away. From here, narrowboat holiday-makers can reach the Great Western Dockyard, home to Brunel’s masterpiece the SS Great Britain.  This former passenger steamship was once the world’s first great luxury liner, launched in 1843 by the Great Western Steamship Company for their transatlantic service between Bristol and New York.  Today visitors to this museum ship can explore the decks and be transported by sights, sounds and even smells of life at sea.
  7. The Royal Armouries – our National Museum of Arms and Armour is on the banks of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Leeds Dock. Visitors can explore collections from across the world and throughout time in six themed galleries, including medieval horse armour in the War Gallery, Henry the VIII’s incredible Foot Combat Armour in the Tournament Gallery, elephant and Samurai armour in the Oriental Gallery, and the Swords of Middle Earth display based on the weapons in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films.  From our Sowerby Bridge base in West Yorkshire, canal boat holiday-makers can reach Leeds in 19 hours, travelling 38 miles through 39 locks.
  8. The Royal Shakespeare Theatre – the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre, alongside the River Avon at Stratford-upon-Avon, can be reached in six hours, travelling along the Stratford Canal from Drifters’ base at Wootton Wawen, near Henley-in-Arden. With over 1,000 seats held within this stunning Grade II listed building, the Shakespeare Theatre is the place to see the Bard’s plays.  2017 performances will include Anthony & Cleopatra, Julius Caesar and Titus Andronicus.

 

 

Drifters' A to Z of canal boat holidays

Drifters’ A to Z of canal boat holidays

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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 & Liverpool Canal near Bradford, raises (or lowers) boats 18 metres in five cavernous chambers.

C is for Caen Hill Flight – with 16 of its 29 locks falling in a straight line, the Caen Hill flight of locks on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Devizes in Wiltshire is visually the most impressive in the country.

D is for Docks – built to accommodate ships and store cargoes, such as London Docklands, once the busiest in the world and Liverpool’s Albert Dock, a World Heritage site.

E is for Everywhere – there are over 2,000 miles of navigable waterways to explore in Britain, and half the UK’s population lives within five miles of a navigable canal or river.

F is for Falkirk Wheel – the world’s first and only rotating boat lift which stands 35 metre high and moves boats between the Union Canal and Forth & Clyde Canal in Scotland.

G is for Gongoozling – the leisurely watching of boats, often passing through a lock, it’s thought the word may have arisen from the Lincolnshire dialect ‘gawn’ and ‘goozle’, both meaning to stare or gape.

H is for Heritage – canals were built to transport goods and materials to support the Industrial Revolution and are vital part of our nation’s industrial heritage.

I is for Iron Trunk Aqueduct – built in 1811 by canal engineer Benjamin Beavan, this impressive 10-metre high structure carries the Grand Union Canal over the River Ouse near Wolverton in Buckinghamshire

J is for Jessop – one of the great canal engineers who worked on the Grand Union, Rochdale and Llangollen canals.

K is for Kennet & Avon Canal – which travels 87 miles through spectacular scenery, linking the River Thames and the Bristol Avon.

L is for Locks – there are over 1,650 locks on the canal system, all enabling boaters to travel up and down hills.

M is for Mooring – along the length of the majority of our inland waterways boaters are free to choose where they stop to moor for the night.

N is for Navigation – another word for a canal and travelling by vessel, you don’t need a licence to skipper a canal boat and tuition is provided as part of canal boat hire packages.

O is for Oxford Canal – one of the oldest canals in Britain meandering slowly through the countryside, this canal opened in sections between 1774 and 1790 to transport coal from the Coventry coalfields to Oxford and the River Thames.

P is for Pubs – there are hundreds of waterside inns along Britain’s canals and rivers, many of them historic rural locals, so you’re never too far away from the next watering hole.

Q is for Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park – the six-mile network of historic industrial rivers that criss-cross the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London were restored to full navigation as part of preparation for the London 2012 Olympics.

R is for Relax – with canal and river speed limits of just 4mph, canal boat holidays are said to be the fastest way to slow down, relax and escape the stress of busy modern lives.

S is for Standedge Tunnel – at over three miles long tunnelling beneath the Pennines, this incredible feat of 18th and 19th century engineering is the longest, highest and deepest tunnel on the canal system.

T is for Telford – another of the great canal engineers, Thomas Telford worked with William Jessop on the Llangollen Canal and was responsible for the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

U is for Underwater – canals support a thriving underwater ecosystem of many varieties of fish, eels, invertebrates, larvae and underwater plants.

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V is for Vole – best known as ‘Ratty’ from ‘Wind in the Willows’, but sadly now one of our most endangered species, to spot a water vole look out for closely grazed ‘lawn’ areas, often covered with neat piles of chopped grass and listen for the ‘plop’ sound as they enter the water.

W is for Wildlife – waterways provide homes for large numbers of birds, plants and animals, including many protected species, like water voles, otters, bats and kingfishers, so there’s always something special to look out for.

X is for Station X – close to the Grand Union Canal at Fenny Stratford in Milton Keynes, Station X at Bletchley Park is where Britain’s wartime code breakers helped win the Second World War.

Y is for Yesteryear – with a much slower pace of life, a friendly camaraderie amongst boaters and a structure that hasn’t fundamentally changed for 200 years, the canals are often described as an escape to yesteryear.

Z is for Zoo – the Regent’s Canal passes alongside ZSL London Zoo, giving boaters the chance to spot a variety of exotic birds in the spectacular Northern Aviary, designed by Lord Snowdon.

Top 7 Autumn Breaks Afloat

Top 7 Autumn Breaks Afloat

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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 arriving in October to search out the hawthorn berries in our hedgerows and small mammals like wood mice and bank voles, busily stocking up on berries before the winter.

And there are plenty of foraging opportunities along the way – narrowboat holiday-makers can look out for apples, blackberries, elderberries, damsons and sloes and make freshly-picked fruit crumbles and drinks on board.

Here are our top seven autumn destinations:

1. Star gaze at Talybont-on-Usk…the beautiful Monmouth & Brecon Canal offers 35 miles of quiet countryside to explore with incredible views of the Brecon Beacons. From our base at Goytre Wharf near Abergavenny, boaters can journey through the the wooded Usk Valley, visiting historic market towns like the Georgian town of Crickhowell with its 13th century castle and picturesque Talybont-on-Usk, with walking access to Blaen y Glyn waterfalls and some of the darkest night skies in Britain, perfect for star gazing.

2. Amble along the Ashby…on a short break from our narrowboat hire base at Stoke Golding on the pretty Ashby Canal, boaters can travel lock-free to Snarestone and back, passing close to Market Bosworth and the site of the Battle of Bosworth Field, which ended the reign of Richard III and led to Henry Tudor becoming Henry VII, the first of the Tudor monarchs. The hawthorn bushes at Stoke Golding are said to be where Richard’s crown was discovered following the battle. Rich in wildlife, the tranquil Ashby Canal winds peacefully through the countryside for almost the whole of its 22-mile length and from Snarestone to Carlton Bridge, the canal is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

3. Go blackberry picking on the Stratford Canal…from our canal boat hire base at Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal, it’s a picturesque seven-hour cruise through the Warwickshire countryside to Stratford upon Avon, with plenty of hedgerow foraging opportunities along the way. Once at the birthplace of the Bard, boaters can moor up in Bancroft Basin, just a stone’s throw from the Swan Theatre and town’s shops, restaurants and museums.

4. Visit the old mill town of Hebden Bridge…from our base at Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire, canal boat holiday-makers can travel along the leafy Calder & Hebble Navigation through the Calder Valley to the old mill town of Hebden Bridge, nestled in a fork in the hills. Climbing through woods, fields and small stone towns, the journey there and back covers 14 miles, 20 locks and takes around 11 hours.

5. Enjoy stunning views of the Leicestershire countryside…Foxton Locks, on the Grand Union Canal Leicester Line, can be reached on a short break from our base at Market Harborough. From the top of the Foxton staircase of locks, boaters can enjoy panoramic views of the Leicestershire countryside and check out the tiny Museum dedicated to the Foxton Inclined Plane boat lift, an extraordinary feet of Victorian engineering which once operated there.

6. Step back in time in Bradford on Avon…the historic town of Bradford on Avon can be reached on a short break from our Hilperton base on the Kennet & Avon Canal near Trowbridge, with beautiful views of the Wiltshire countryside and southern Cotswold hills to enjoy along the way. Bradford on Avon is an architectural treasure chest, with gems including the magnificent 14th century Tithe Barn and striking Town Bridge over the River Avon. The town has many independent shops and places to eat, including the canalside Barge Inn and Mr Salvat’s 17th century Coffee Room, where customers are served by staff in period clothes.

7. Cruise through the Scottish lowlands to Linlithgow…from our base at the Falkirk Wheel boat lift, it’s a peaceful five-hour cruise through the Scottish lowlands along the Union Canal to the historic town of Linlithgow. Here, narrowboat holiday-makers can visit the beautifully preserved remains of Linlithgow Palace on the shores of Linlithgow Loch, and sample some of the town’s excellent eateries, including the award-winning Four Marys pub.

Visit a National Park by Canal Boat

Visit a National Park by Canal Boat

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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 of home on board.

Here are our Top 3 narrowboat holidays for exploring National Parks:

1. Travel through the Yorkshire Dales to Skipton – on a short break (three or four nights) from Drifters’ canal boat hire base at Barnoldswick, boaters can head east along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal to Skipton and back (total journey there and back of 26 miles, 30 locks, 20 hours). This breath-taking route winds along the contours of the side of Airedale, with extensive views of the Yorkshire Dales – sheep, farmhouses, barns, stone walls and the occasional village or town. Once in Skipton, boaters can moor in the centre of the town, visit shops and restaurants and explore the 900-year old Skipton Castle, one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England. On a week’s break from Barnoldswick, hire-boaters can travel on to Sir Titus Salt’s Model Town of Saltaire, designated a World Heritage Status destination.

2. Glide around the Breacon Beacons – isolated from the main canal network, the beautiful Monmouth & Brecon Canal runs through the Brecon Beacons National Park. Stretching 35 miles from Brecon to Cwmbran, this peaceful waterway, with very few locks, offers canal boat holiday-makers incredible mountain views. From Drifters’ base Goytre Wharf, near Abergavenny, on a week’s break, boaters can cruise to Brecon and back, passing through Georgian Crickhowell, with its fascinating 13th century castle, and Talybont-on-Usk with walks to the waterfalls at Blaen y Glyn. Brecon itself is home to a cathedral, theatre, cinema, castle ruins and stunning Georgian architecture, as well as some of the best views of the Brecon Beacons from Pen y Fan, the highest point in Southern Britain at 886m. On a short break from Goytre, canal boat holiday-makers can travel lock-free to Llangynidr and back, stopping off at village pubs along the way, including the Lion Inn at Govilon.

3. Potter around the Peak District – on a week’s holiday from Drifters’ Peak District base at the junction of the Trent & Mersey and Caldon canals near Stoke on Trent, canal boat holiday-makers can travel to into the Peak District to the terminus of the beautiful Peak Forest Canal at Whaley Bridge. The route goes through the Harecastle Tunnel, joining the Macclesfield Canal at Hardings Wood and then travelling through Congleton, Macclesfield and Marple, before turning onto the Peak Forest Canal. On a short break, boaters can travel along the Caldon Canal through the stunning Churnet Valley to Froghall and back.

Top 10 Summer Holidays on the Canals

Top 5 Summer Canal Boat Holidays

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Narrowboat holidays offer families the chance to set off on a summer holiday adventure together – learning how to work the locks, navigate tunnels, spot wildlife, explore traffic-free towpaths and visit waterside attractions along the way.

Drifters offers the choice of over 580 boats from 45 bases across England, Wales and Scotland. All our operators provide hirers with life jackets and boat steering tuition at the start of their holiday. Bikes can be stored on the roof of the boat and pets are welcome aboard most hire boats.

Drifters’ prices in July and August start at £625 for a short break (three or four nights) on a boat for four people, £965 for a week.

Here are our Top 5 Summer Holidays Afloat:

1. Visit Georgian Bath Afloat – on a short break from Drifters’ base at Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire, boaters can travel along the beautiful Kennet & Avon Canal and reach the centre of the World Heritage City of Bath in seven hours, with just seven locks to negotiate along the way. As well as stunning architecture, great shopping and restaurants, Bath has many fantastic family attractions, including the Roman Baths, the best preserved ancient temple and baths in Northern Europe.

2. Complete the Warwickshire Ring – from our base at Coventry Canal Basin, cruising the Warwickshire Ring makes for an energetic week’s cruise or a leisurely two-week expedition. The ring (101 miles, 94 locks, 48 hours) takes in the Grand Union, Oxford, Coventry and Birmingham & Fazeley canals. Highlights include: the flight of 11 locks into Atherstone; the pretty canal village of Braunston; Newbold and Shrewley tunnels; the awesome flight of 21 locks at Hatton; Warwick Castle; Leamington Spa; and Birmingham City Centre.

3. Glide across the Stream in the Sky – At over 38 metres high and 305 metres long, the awesome World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, is an incredible feat of engineering, offering canal boat holiday-makers panoramic views of the stunning Dee Valley below. On a short break from our base on the Llangollen Canal at Chirk, boaters can travel across the aqueduct and reach the pretty town of Llangollen, with Steam Railway and Horseshoe Falls.  On a week’s holiday, canal boat holiday-makers can also reach Ellesmere, the Shropshire Lake District, teaming with wildlife and the pretty town of Whitchurch, offering a wealth of independent shops, cafes and restaurants.

4. Visit Skipton and its medieval castle – on a short break from our base at Barnoldswick, boaters can head east along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal to Skipton and back (total journey there and back of 26 miles, 30 locks, 20 hours). This breath-taking route winds along the contours of the side of Airedale, with extensive views of sheep country – farmhouses, barns, stone walls and the occasional village or town. Once in Skipton, boaters can moor in the centre of the town, visit shops and restaurants and explore the 900-year old Skipton Castle, one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England.

5. Explore the heart of the canal network – our canal boat hire base at Braunston on the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire offers a variety of routes through the heart of the canal network. For example, on a short break, boaters can reach the “chocolate box” pretty historic village of Stoke Bruerne, where little has changed since the heyday of the canals the first half of the 19th century, and a visit the Canal Museum to follow the story of the people who created and worked on the canals. On a week’s break from Braunston, boaters can tackle the Warwickshire Ring, travelling through Warwick and Birmingham and passing through 93 locks.

Top 6 Yorkshire Canal Boat Holidays

Top 6 Yorkshire Canal Boat Holidays

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With the Leeds & Liverpool Canal celebrating its 200th birthday this year, and a new pop-up base established at Ashton-under-Lyne, we’ve put together our Top 6 Yorkshire holidays for 2016.

2016 prices from our Yorkshire bases start at £415 for a short break (three or four nights), £610 for a week on a boat for two.

1. One-way across the Pennines…Starting from our canal boat hire base at Barnoldswick on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal near Skipton, this week-long holiday is truly one of the great canal journeys, taking canal boat holiday-makers across the backbone of England. The scenery varies from the timeless calm of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal summit to the hubbub of the Leeds City Centre waterfront, and includes the Bingley Five Rise locks, one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways, and the opportunity to visit Sir Titus Salt’s World Heritage Status model town at Saltaire.

2. Visit Skipton and its medieval castle…on a short break (three or four nights) from Drifters’ base at Barnoldswick, boaters can head east along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal to Skipton and back (total journey there and back of 26 miles, 30 locks, 20 hours). This breath-taking route winds along the contours of the side of Airedale, with extensive views of sheep country – farmhouses, barns, stone walls and the occasional village or town. Once in Skipton, boaters can moor in the centre of the town, visit shops and restaurants and explore the 900-year old Skipton Castle, one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England.

3. Travel along the beautiful Peak Forest Canal to Busgworth Basin…from our new pop-up base at Ashton-under-Lyne, on a week’s holiday canal boat holiday-makers can travel along the Peak Forest Canal, one of Britain’s most scenic waterways, to Bugsworth Basin and back (32 miles, 32 locks, 20 hours). The Peak Forest Canal, which runs through magnificent landscape to the edge of the Peak District, was originally built to transport limestone from the quarries of Derbyshire. The route passes through Marple, with its stunning newly-restored three-arch aqueduct, a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Then on to New Mills and Whaley Bridge before reaching the astonishing Bugsworth Basin, also a Scheduled Ancient Monument, all restored by volunteers. Once at Bugsworth, enjoy country walks and visit the popular Navigation Inn.

4. Bumble along to Brighouse and back for some brass band history…from 1 July onwards, on a short break (three or four nights) canal boat holiday-makers can travel to Brighouse and back along the leafy Calder & Hebble Navigation from Drifters’ base at Sowerby Bridge. This historic town, famous for its Brighouse and Rastick Brass Band, offers glorious Pennines walks, food and craft markets, places to eat and shops. Along the way, boaters pass through the historic market town of Elland and the village of Mirfield, with medieval stocks and ducking stool, plus Dumb Steeple, thought to have been a landmark to guide travellers on their way across the moor and later a Luddite rallying point (12 miles, 20 locks, 8 hours return).

5. To Rishton and back for a trip through industrial history…on a week’s holiday from our Barnoldswick base, narrowboat holiday-makers can travel west along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal to Rishton and back (insert miles, locks and hours). The journey begins on the summit before plunging into Foulridge Tunnel then down to Barrowford Locks. After 20 miles on one level, boaters sail above Burnley’s rooftops on its embankment, one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways. Boaters can stop-off the Weavers Triangle visitor centre at Burnley before carrying on through largely open scenery and the historic town of Rishton, the first place calico cloth was woven on an industrial scale. The trip includes spectacular views of the Lancashire Calder Valley and Pendle Hill, famous for its witches (53 miles 14 locks 20 hours).

6. Take a cultural cruise to Wakefield…from 1 July, on a mid-week break from our Sowerby Bridge base, canal boat holiday-makers can travel to Wakefield and back to visit the fabulous Hepworth Wakefield (40 miles, 52 locks, 22 hours). The Gallery, which has moorings right outside and is the largest purpose-built exhibition space outside London, offers over 1,600 square metres of light-filled gallery spaces, bringing together work from Wakefield’s art collection, exhibitions by contemporary artists and rarely seen works by Barbara Hepworth. Self-confessed ‘artoholic’, and retired BBC Radio 4 writer Tim Sayer has bestowed a significant gift of modern and contemporary British art to Wakefield. Amassed over the last 50 years, the extensive collection includes works by modern and contemporary artists including Alexander Calder, Kenneth Martin, Henry Moore, Sean Scully, Naum Gabo, Antony Gormley, Louise Bourgeois, David Hockney, Paul Nash, John Nash, David Nash, Sol LeWitt, Robert Motherwell, Bridget Riley, Anthony Caro, Richard Smith, Prunella Clough and Alan Reynolds. Major works from the Tim Sayer Bequest will go on display at the gallery from 30 April 2016. Boaters can also take the 96 bus from Wakefield direct to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, with open-air displays of work by some of the world’s finest artists, including Henry Moore.

Drifters creates pop-up fleet at Ashton

Drifters creates pop-up fleet at Ashton

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Despite the serious damage to Yorkshire’s waterways as a result of the Boxing Day floods, Drifters’ member Shire Cruisers has started the season on time, with holidays beginning this week from both its Sowerby Bridge and Barnoldswick bases, plus a new pop-up fleet at Ashton-under-Lyne.

Short break boaters travelling from Sowerby Bridge can enjoy the Calder Valley between Elland and Hebden Bridge.

Holiday options from here will expand as post-flooding repairs progress through the spring and, by July, canal boat holiday-makers should be able to reach Wakefield and beyond.

Shire Cruisers has created a pop-up fleet at Ashton-under-Lyne to give more customers the chance to explore the Pennine scenery of the Peak Forest and Macclesfield Canals. And the fleet on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Barnoldswick has been expanded to provide unlimited cruising for customers on longer holidays.

This spring, Shire Cruisers’s famous one-way trips will travel between Barnoldswick and Huddersfield rather than Sowerby Bridge, covering the Leeds & Liverpool, Aire & Calder and Calder & Hebble. And to cover the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, one way trips will run between Ashton and Huddersfield.

Top 10 canal & river events in 2015

Top 8 canal events in 2016

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Britain’s canals and rivers host hundreds of exciting events each year, bringing people to the waterways and celebrating all the things that make them special.

Here’s our pick of the best events in 2016:

1. Crick Boat Show, 28-30 May 2016…over 200 exhibitors will gather at Crick Marina on the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal near Daventry, showcasing thousands of inland waterways products and services. The event will offer an exciting programme of family entertainment, including boat trips, live music, food and drink stalls, plus special talks and displays celebrating the 300th anniversary of the birth of canal engineer James Brindley. Our nearest bases are at Gayton, North Kilworth and Market Harborough.

2. Saltaire World Heritage Day, 16-17 April 2016…ride the historic Shipley Glen Tramway, enjoy guided trails, Saltaire Stories, exhibitions celebrating the bicentenary of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and family activities at Sir Titus Salt’s fascinating World Heritage Status town at Saltaire on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, near Bradford. Our nearest bases are at Barnoldswick and Sowerby Bridge.

3. St Richards Boat & Car Festival, 30 April–2 May 2016…this annual event takes place in Vines Park alongside the Droitwich Barge Canal and offers family entertainment, live music, boats, classic cars, markets, duck races and a real ale bar. Our nearest bases are Worcester, Stoke Prior and Tardebigge.

4. IWA Canalway Cavalcade, 30 April-2 May 2016…the Inland Waterway Association’s Canalway Cavalcade takes place at Little Venice in London. This community festival offers fun for all the family with a pageant of boats, trade stalls, live music, kids’ activities, competitions, Morris Dancers, a real ale bar and variety of food stalls. Our nearest bases are at Aldermaston on the Kennet & Avon Canal and Oxford on the River Thames.

5. Stratford River Festival, 2-3 July 2016…the Stratford & Warwick Waterways Trust put on a free family event in Stratford-upon-Avon each year, with music, craft and food stalls, family zone, charity stalls, an illuminated boat parade and spectacular fireworks display. Our nearest base is on the Stratford Canal at Wotton Wawen.

6. Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, 5-10 July 2016…thousands of people from around the world descend on the pretty town of Llangollen on the Llangollen Canal each year to celebrate dance, music, costume and culture. With six days of world-class competitions and concerts with performers from around the globe, the Llangollen Eisteddfod is one of the world’s great music and culture events. Our nearest bases are Trevor, Chirk and Blackwater Meadow.

7. The Great British Food Festival, 9-10 July 2016…head to this event to find over 80 top local producers, stunning hot food, real ale and wine bars, craft and gift stalls, activities and rides for the kids, live music and top chef demos including Great British Bake Off finalist Luis Troyano, all in the stunning surrounds of the National Trust’s Shugborough Hall, on the Trent & Mersey Canal near Stafford. Our nearest bases are at Great Haywood, Brewood and Peak District.

8. Rickmansworth Canal Festival, 21-22 May 2016…this community and environment event attracts a spectacular array of canal boats from across the country. Occupying part of the Aquadrome and the Grand Union Canal, visitors can enjoy music, performing arts, displays, presentations, traders and catering. Our nearest base is at Gayton on the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire.