ENJOY THE JUBILEE WEEKEND AFLOAT
…from Gun salutes at Edinburgh Castle to picnics in the park in Bath, Britain’s waterside towns are hosting a variety of events to celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
Drifters Waterway Holidays (www.drifters.co.uk) is offering some fantastic UK breaks on our peaceful inland waterway network over the extended bank holiday weekend for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee (2-5 June 2012).
Many of our waterside towns and cities will be hosting special Diamond Jubilee events, so why not join in the celebrations afloat.
Canal boat holidays are great for families, offering the chance to work the locks together, navigate tunnels, learn the boating lingo, spot wildlife, sample family-friendly waterside pubs and explore mile upon mile of traffic-free towpaths.
Drifters members (www.drifters.co.uk) offer the choice of over 500 boats from 35 bases across the country. All its operators provide hirers with life jackets and boat steering tuition. Bikes can be stored on the roof of the boat and dogs are welcome aboard most hire boats.
Here are some ideas for a Diamond Jubilee Weekend afloat:
***Visit Bath by canal and join in the Queen’s Jubilee Picnic in the Park…from Drifters’ base in the historic town of Bradford on Avon on the Kennet & Avon Canal, the beautiful World Heritage City of Bath is just over seven hours cruise away. Visitor moorings are available in the heart of the City, providing the perfect base to enjoy all that Bath has to offer, including free celebrations taking place in the City’s Victoria Park on 5 June. The Queen’s Jubilee Picnic in the Park will feature performances from the Bath Philharmonic Orchestra and ABBA tribute act Bjorn Again. Other special Jubilee celebrations in Bath include limited edition Teddy Bears on sale at the Highgrove Shop and a special exhibition of stage and film costume celebrating the history of British Rulers at the Fashion Museum.
Short breaks from Bradford on Avon over the Diamond Jubilee Weekend start at £590, weekly cruises from £840.
***Travel to Worcester to pick up some commemorative china…Drifters’ base at Stoke Prior on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal is an eight-hour cruise from the beautiful Cathedral City of Worcester. The Cathedral City is set to host a series of events marking the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, including music and fireworks in Brinton Park from 7pm on 4 June. You could also visit Worcester’s fascinating Porcelain Museum, with collections dating back to 1751, and pick up some of Royal Worcester’s stunning Queen’s Diamond Jubilee collection as a souvenir. And Stoke Prior has a four-berth boat named ‘Elizabeth’ to help you get into the spirit of things!
Short breaks from Drifters’ base at Stoke Prior over the Diamond Jubilee Weekend start at £700, weekly cruises from £1030.
***Hear the guns salute at Edinburgh Castle…Drifters’ base at Falkirk on the Union Canal is a day and a half’s peaceful cruise away from Edinburgh. Visitor moorings are available at Edinburgh Quay, just a five-minute walk from Princes Street. A series of events to mark the Jubilee are planned in Edinburgh, including a gun salute by the 105th Regiment Royal Artillery at Edinburgh Castle at 12 noon on Saturday 2 June, marking the Anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation and a Beacon lighting event on Monday 4 June.
Short breaks from Drifters’ Falkirk base over the Diamond Jubilee Weekend start at £1000, weekly cruises from £1535.
***Jubilee Celebrations at Abingdon’s Abbey Gardens…from Drifters’ base on the River Thames at Eynsham near Oxford, Abingdon is approximately just a day’s cruise away. Abingdon is planning a series of events to mark the Diamond Jubilee, including a Dance Festival on Saturday 2 June, Proms in the Park on Sunday 3 June and a Beacon lighting event on Monday 4 June.
Short breaks from Drifters’ Oxford base over the Diamond Jubilee Weekend start at £590, weekly cruises from £840.
***Visit the Royal Pageant at Windsor, 10-13 May…Drifters’ base at Aldermaston on the Kennet & Avon Canal in West Berkshire is offering 10 per cent off one and two week breaks starting on 5 May to celebrate the Royal Pageant taking place at Windsor, 10-13 May 2012. Aldermaston is a three-day cruise from Windsor, with 21 locks to negotiate along the way. The Diamond Jubilee Pageant will take place in the grounds of Windsor Castle over three days. The event aims to take spectators on a “journey around the world” and will feature 500 horses and 800 performers, in military and equestrian displays.
Short breaks from Drifters’ Aldermaston base in May start at £600, weekly cruises from £920.
For more information about Drifters boating holidays call 0844 984 0322 or visit www.drifters.co.uk
