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Narrowboat going into a lock on Britain's inland waterways

Drifters Press Coverage 2026

April 22, 2026/in Press/by Debbie Ludford

Drifters Canal Boat Holidays press and media coverage in 2026

Drifters Press Coverage 2025

January 9, 2026/in Press/by Debbie Ludford

Drifters Canal Boat Holidays press and media coverage in 2025

January

International Travel Writers Alliance, mid Jan 2025, Canal boating in Scotland

February

Towpath Talk, 1 Feb, ‘Top six new narrowboats for hire in 2025’
The Sun, 2 Feb, Valentine weekend breaks ‘Rock my boat’
International Travel Writers Alliance, 7 Feb 2025, ‘Plying the Kennet & Avon Canal in winter’

March

Towpath Talk, 1 March ‘Top 8 canal boat holidays for spring’
Daily Express, 1 March 2025 ‘Canal Urges’
Daily Mirror, 1 March 2025 ‘Canal Urges’
Sunday People, 2 March 2025 ‘Canal Urges’
Daily Star Sunday, 2 March 2025 ‘Canal Urges’
com, 10 March ‘Nostalgic holidays boom takes travellers back to the 1990’s and beyond’ Nostalgic holidays boom takes travellers back to 1990s and beyond | escape.com.au
com, 17 March Profile of Marion/Love Travelling Soaring Over the Atherton Tablelands with Marion Collinson of Love Travelling Blog | Hot Air Balloon Australia
H&N Magazine, 17 March ‘Drifters brings you great British boating experiences’ Drifters Brings You Great British Canal Boating Experiences – HN Magazine
The Times, 22 March ‘Book a last-minute holiday for Easter’
Travel with Spirit, 23 March 2,000 Miles of Waterway Adventures
Towpath Talk, 26 March ‘Boating breaks get top marks’ BOATING BREAKS get top marks | Towpath Talk
MSN, 26 March ‘Discover where the wild things really are in the UK this spring’ spot bats on the Mon & Brec
Irish News, 26 March ‘Discover where the wild things really are in the UK this spring’ spot bats on the Mon & Brec
Ten reasons to take a canal boat holiday, 27 March 10 reasons to take a canal boat holiday this summer | Canal & River Trust
About Manchester, 27 March 10 reasons to take a canal boat holiday this summer – About Manchester
Canal Boat, 28 March 10 reasons to take a canal boat holiday this summer – Canal Boat
Scotland on Sunday, 30 March ‘Where wild things roam’ spot bats on the Mon & Brec

April

Towpath Talk, 1 April ‘Cracking Easter Destinations’
H&N Magazine, 1 April Enjoy a Canal Boating Summer – HN Magazine
The Sunday Post, 6 April ‘Answering the call of the wild is good for your soul’ spot bats on the Mon & Brec
The Gazette (Middlesborough/Teeside) 9 April ‘Where the wild things are’ spot bats on the Mon & Brec
Derby Telegraph, 9 April ‘Where the wild things are’ spot bats on the Mon & Brec
Grimsby Telegraph, 9 April ‘Where the wild things are’ spot bats on the Mon & Brec
Burton Mail, 9 April ‘Where the wild things are’ spot bats on the Mon & Brec
Surrey Advertiser, 10 April ‘Where the wild things are’ spot bats on the Mon & Brec
Bristol Post, 10 April ‘Where the wild things are’ spot bats on the Mon & Brec
Liverpool Echo, 10 April ‘Where the wild things are’ spot bats on the Mon & Brec
H&N Magazine, 11 April Top 10 Summer Days Out Boating on the Canals – HN Magazine
Shropshire Star, 12 April ‘Take a walk on the wild side to discover the UK this spring’
Express & Star, 12 April ‘Take a walk on the wild side to discover the UK this spring’
The Hinkley Times, 16 April ‘Where the wild things are’ spot bats on the Mon & Brec
Loughborough Echo, 16 April ‘Where the wild things are’ spot bats on the Mon & Brec
Leek Post & Times, 16 April ‘Where the wild things are’ spot bats on the Mon & Brec
North Devon Journal, 17 April ‘Where the wild things are’ spot bats on the Mon & Brec
Monkey and Mouse, 28 April 15 Reasons Why You Should Take a Narrowboat Holiday On the Llangollen Canal – Including Itinerary – Monkey and Mouse

May

Travel and Holidays – Sixtyplusurfers
Allways Traveller, ‘The canal community is truly one of a kind’
The Scottish Sun, 6 May ‘I live on a canal boat and it’s the best way to holiday in the UK’
The Sun, 6 May I live on a canal boat and it’s the best way to holiday in the UK – here are my two favourite towns to visit | The Sun
Yahoo Life!/The Telegraph, 8 May Britain’s best and most underrated canals to explore this summer
Daily Telegraph, 8 May The best canal holidays in Britain and tips for beginners
Hull Daily Mail, 10 May Travel bUzz, ‘Bradford-on-Avon for £1,358’
Wales on Sunday, 11 May Travel bUzz, ‘Bradford-on-Avon for £1,358’
Sunday Mercury, 11 May Travel bUzz, ‘Bradford-on-Avon for £1,358’
Sunday Sun, 11 May Travel bUzz, ‘Bradford-on-Avon for £1,358’
Liverpool Echo, 11 May Travel bUzz, ‘Bradford-on-Avon for £1,358’
Manchester Evening News, 11 May Travel bUzz, ‘Bradford-on-Avon for £1,358’
Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 12 May Travel bUzz, ‘Bradford-on-Avon for £1,358’
South Wales Echo, 12 May Travel bUzz, ‘Bradford-on-Avon for £1,358’
Grimsby Telegraph, 12 May Travel bUzz, ‘Bradford-on-Avon for £1,358’
The Gazette (Middlesborough/Teesside), 12 May Travel bUzz, ‘Bradford-on-Avon for £1,358’
The Journal (Newcastle), 12 May Travel bUzz, ‘Bradford-on-Avon for £1,358’
Stoke Sentinel, 12 May TravelbUzz, ‘Bradford-on-Avon for £1,358’
H&N Magazine, 20 May Heaven is Going Totally ‘Off Grid’ on a Canal Barge – HN Magazine
Parent’s News, 22 May https://parents-news.co.uk/2025/05/best-family-canal-boat-holiday-escapes-into-the-countryside-this-summer/

June

Premier Magazine (BidVest Airport Lounges), July 2025 ‘Exploring the UK’s waterways’
The Irish Post, 31 May 2025 ‘Birmingham’s Balti’s, blinders and Irish backbone’ Birmingham’s Balti, blinders and Irish backbone | The Irish Post
H&N Magazine, 10 June 2025 Grand Union Narrowboats Joins Drifters Boating Holidays – HN Magazine
Narrowboat World, 11 June https://narrowboatworld.com/16267-another-boat-hire-company-joins-drifters
Boaters’ Update, 20 June ‘Drifters offers peace of mind when it comes to network disruptions’ Boaters’ Update 20 June 2025 | Canal & River Trust
Drift Travel Magazine, 24 June, ‘Best Waterside Pubs to Visit on a Narrowboat Holiday’ Best Waterside Pubs to Visit on a Narrowboat Holiday
The Buddy Moon, 21 June ‘Living on a boat in Wales (Llangollen Canal)’ TUI Lates Deals 20 Sec | 1920×1080 | 80483
The Scotsman, 28 June 2025 ‘The perfect canal boat getaway’
The Buddy Moon, 29 June ‘Full Tour of Our Off-Grid 54ft Narrow Boat (Llangollen)’ FULL TOUR of Our OFF-GRID 54ft NARROW BOAT (Llangollen) – YouTube

July

Love Travelling Blog, ‘The Falkirk Wheel & Kelpies’, 7 July The Falkirk Wheel & Kelpies – Love Travelling Blog
Sunday Mirror, 13 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’
The Chronicle (Newcastle), 30 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’
Cambridge News, 30 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’
Hull Daily Mail, 30 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’
Manchester Evening News, 30 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’
Nottingham Post, 30 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’
South Wales Evening Post, 30 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’
The Gazette (Middlesborough/Teeside), 30 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’
The Journal (Newcastle), 30 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’
The Sentinel (Stoke), 30 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’
Grimsby Telegraph, 30 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’
Liverpool Echo, 30 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’
Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 30 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’
Coventry Telegraph, 30 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’
Derby Telegraph, 30 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’
South Wales Echo, 30 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’
Evening Standard, 30 July ‘Best last minute summer holidays to book before they are gone’ The best last-minute summer holiday deals to book before they’re gone
Yahoo Lifestyle, 30 July The best last-minute summer holiday deals to book before they’re gone
Birmingham Mail, 31 July ‘Fancy a lock-in?’

August

H&N Magazine, 9 August We Fell in Love with Narrowboat Life – HN Magazine
Drift Travel, 15 August Cruise the UK’s Waterways: Top Autumn Canal Boat Day Trips
Love Travelling, 28 August Sand Lark narrowboat on the Llangollen Canal – Love Travelling Blog
Little Wandering Wren, 28 August Supporting The Canal & River Trust : Life is better by the water – LittleWanderingWren
Love Travelling, 31 August Cruising the Llangollen Canal: Part One – Love Travelling Blog

September

The Mirror, 4 Sep Beautiful UK canal is one of ‘best leafy spots’ for a long weekend this autumn – The Mirror
Travel Bunny, 14 Sep Narrow Boat Holidays: a weekend on the waterways
City Girl Network, 15 Sep UK Adventure Holiday Guide: Brecon and Monmonth Canal — City Girl Network
Little Wandering Wren, 16 Sep A Stress-Free Narrowboat Escape on the Coventry and Ashby Canals – LittleWanderingWren
Food & Drink Life, 18 Sep 4 miles an hour might be the perfect British vacation speed
Luxe Beat, 25 Sep Touring English Canals—Our First Narrowboat Adventure – Luxe Beat Magazine
Exploring More, October 2025 ‘Great Canal Boat Holidays’

October

Food & Drink Life, 30 Sep https://fooddrinklife.com/travelers-rethink-overtourism/

Food & Drink Life, 30 Sep https://fooddrinklife.com/canal-journeys-setcation-travelers/

com, 1 October 2025 A British Canal Vacation Is An Ideal Slow-Travel Family Adventure

The Howarths, 28 Oct Drifters Expands Narrowboat Fleet – The Howorths

Escape Magazine, Autumn Adrift, Oct 2025 (Australia)

November

Yorkshire Post Saturday Magazine, 1 Nov 2025 (pdf circulated)
Urban & Beyond (Olivia Ellis), 3 Nov 2025 A Guide to Canal Boating in the UK: Tracing the Waterways of History
Parents News, 5 Nov 2025 Christmas Canal Boat Holidays 2025: Cosy Winter Cruising with Drifters Waterway Holidays
H&N Magazine, 5 Nov 2025 Drifters Top 10 New Narrowboats for Hire in 2026 – HN Magazine
The Scotsman Magazine, 22 Nov 2025 (pdf circulated)

Drifters narrowboat crossing Dundas Aqueduct on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Somerset

Drifters Press Coverage May to Dec 2024

January 9, 2026/in Press/by Debbie Ludford

Drifters Narrow Boat Holidays Press Coverage from May to December 2024

May

Daily Telegraph, 8 May ‘Britain’s best and most underrated canals to explore this summer’ The best canal holidays in Britain and tips for beginners (telegraph.co.uk)
Manchester Evening News, 25 May ‘Late Breaks Pontcysyllte Aqueduct’
Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 25 May ‘Late Breaks Pontcysyllte Aqueduct’
Hull Daily Mail, 25 May ‘Late Breaks Pontcysyllte Aqueduct’
Birmingham Mail, 25 May ‘Late Breaks Pontcysyllte Aqueduct’
Liverpool Echo, 25 May ‘Late Breaks Pontcysyllte Aqueduct’
Nuneaton Telegraph, 25 May ‘Late Breaks Pontcysyllte Aqueduct’
Parents News, 29 May ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’ ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’ – Parents News UK (parents-news.co.uk)

June

Be Seeing You, 13 June ‘Embrace the Slow Pace Aboard a Canal Boat in Wales’ Embrace the Slow Pace Aboard a Canal Boat in Scenic Wales (beseeingyou.world)

July

National World 9 July Travel review: A wonderful week on the Welsh waterways (nationalworld.com)
International Travel Writers Alliance Bulletin, July ‘Cruising UK canals in autumn’
The Sun, 21 July ‘Meet the Gruffalo, see dinosaurs, jousts and more on a fab day out’
Daily Telegraph, 19 July ’20 ways to escape the summer heat in Britain’s cooler corners’ – ‘no.15 Canal Cruise: Brecon Beacons’ How to escape the summer heat in Britain’s cooler corners (telegraph.co.uk)
Average Jones, 22 July ‘Narrowboat Nirvana: Navigating the Mon & Brec Canal’ Narrowboat Nirvana: Navigating the Mon and Brec Canal – Average Joes
The Spectator, 24 July ‘My canalboat obsession is causing me trouble’ My canalboat obsession is causing me trouble | The Spectator
Marine & Aviation, 30 July ‘Narrowboat holidays for October Half Term’Narrowboat holidays for October Half Term – The Howorths

August

Daily Mirror, 9 August ‘Britain’s stunning waterways’ Britain’s stunning waterways – ‘UK’s Venice, three mile tunnel and a huge rotating canal’ – Mirror Online
The Sun, 31 August. ‘Tiller instinct The UK canal cruise holiday through one of the country’s prettiest cities’ The UK canal cruise holiday through one of the country’s prettiest cities | The Sun
Blissful Family Adventures posted two reels/videos of their press trip with Union Canal Carriers, 14 August (916 likes) and 20 August (611 likes). They will also provide us with images, text and video for a Drifters blog.

September

Mark Nicholls’ review of his press trip from Anderton Sailing Away On A Narrowboat Break From Anderton To Manchester (tripreporter.co.uk)
Motor Caravanner, Sep 2024 ‘Kindred Spirits’ https://thehoworths.com/2024/09/east-midlands/
Daily Mirror, Daily Express, 21 September ‘Smooth Sailing’
Downie Live Travels by Boat Narrowboating the LONGEST canal locks in the UK – YouTube
Downie Live Travels by Boat Boating the city with MORE CANAL than VENICE (youtube.com)
Downie Live Travels by Boat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAnYKDhs3wY&feature=youtu.be

October

Little Wandering Wren, 4 Oct ‘Canal boating on the Stratford Canal’ Drifters Waterway Holidays: Canal Boating on the Stratford Canal. – LittleWanderingWren
Little Wandering Wren, 11 Oct ‘Your Ultimate Canal Boat Beginners Guide’ Your Ultimate Canal Boat Beginners Guide – LittleWanderingWren
Sunday Mirror, 13 October ‘Deals of the Week’
Daily Star Sunday, 13 October ‘Deals of the Week’
Sunday Express, 13 October ‘Deals of the Week’
Irish Sunday Mirror, 13 October ‘Deals of the Week’
Sunday Mirror Northern, 13 October ‘Deals of the Week’
Stoke Sentinel, 18 Oct ‘Deals of the Week’
Bristol Post, 18 Oct ‘Deals of the Week’
Parents News, 14 Oct ‘Top 7 October half term narrowboat holidays’ Top 7 October Half Term Narrowboat Holidays (parents-news.co.uk)
Parents News, 22 Oct ‘Spend Christmas or New Year on a narrowboat’Spend Christmas or New Year on a Narrowboat

November

Kickbacktimes, 4 Nov ‘Drifters Waterway Holidays: dog-friendly canal boating on the Kennet & Avon Canal Drifters Waterway Holidays: dog-friendly canal boating on the Kennet and Avon Canal – Kick Back Times
5 Star Stories, 5 Nov ‘5 Reasons Why You Should Go Canal Boating in the UK’ 5 Reasons Why You Should Go Canal Boating in the UK – 5 Star Stories
Allways Traveller, 17 Nov ‘Narrowboating in the UK’
A luxury travel blog (120,000 unique visitors per month, combined social media following 1.2 million), 25 Nov ‘Long boating with Drifters Waterway Holidays’ UK family attractions that are worth the money – A Luxury Travel Blog

December

Go World Travel (US based digital magazine for world travellers, awarded a Silver for Best Digital Travel Website in 2020 by the Society of American Travel Writers and has over 1 million readers) 17 Dec 2024 A Longboat Adventure in the United Kingdom
Love Travelling Blog, Narrowboating on The Four Counties Ring – Part 1 Staffordshire Narrowboating on The Four Counties Ring – Part 1 Staffordshire – Love Travelling Blog
Love Travelling Blog, Narrowboating on The Four Counties Ring – Part 2 Cheshire Narrowboating on The Four Counties Ring – Part 2 Cheshire – Love Travelling Blog
Parents News, 30 Dec 2024 Top 5 canal boat holidays on the Scottish Lowland Canals
Sixtyplussurfers, ‘Top Six Drifters Narrowboats for Hire’, 2 Jan 2025 Travel and Holidays – Sixtyplusurfers

Blue Light Card Discount

Blue Light Card holders save 10% with our Blue light card discount. It’s our way of saying thanks to our NHS, social care & emergency workers.

Blue Light Card Discount

Drifters price promise

If you see the same holiday elsewhere at a lower price, we will match it. It would be good to flesh out this offer a little more to balance out

Drifters Price Promise

Hire Boat Survey

The national waterways charity wants to know about your experience of hiring a boat on the canals and rivers in its care, to help make the experience better.

Launch Survey