Tag Archive for: boating holidays

Top 8 canal boat holidays for wellbeing this summer

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It’s well known that spending time in green space connecting with nature is good for our mental health and wellbeing. Recent research by the Canal & River Trust confirms the combination of green and blue space with wildlife experienced by visitors to the inland waterways gives an extra wellbeing boost*.

Britain’s 3,000-mile network of inland waterways flow through some of our most beautiful and unspoilt countryside, including National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).

Here’s a guide to Drifters’ Top 8 wellbeing destinations for narrowboat holidays in Summer 2023:

1. Navigate the Peak Forest Canal to Whaley Bridge

On a week’s holiday from our narrowboat hire base at Stoke on Trent, you can travel along the Trent & Mersey and Macclesfield canals to connect to the Peak Forest Canal and Whaley Bridge.  The Peak Forest Canal is said to be one of Britain’s most scenic waterways, running through beautiful countryside on the edge of the Peak District National Park.  The journey to Whaley Bridge travels 39 miles, passes through the Harecastle Tunnel and 13 locks, and takes around 20 cruising hours.

2. Explore the Staffordshire countryside & Cannock Chase

On a short break from Kings Orchard on the Coventry Canal in Staffordshire, you can cruise to the beautiful waters at Tixall Wide and back, passing through the Cannock Chase AONB along the way.  The journey there and back travels 32 miles, passes through 10 locks (five each way) and takes around 16 hours.

3. Drift through the prehistoric Vale of Pewsey to Hungerford

On a week away from our base on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Devizes, you can cruise to the historic town of Hungerford, passing through the Vale of Pewsey, in the North Wessex Downs AONB.  The journey there and back takes around 40 hours, travelling 54 miles through 106 locks.

4. Glide around the Breacon Beacons

The beautiful Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal runs through the Brecon Beacons National Park.  Stretching 35 miles from Brecon to Cwmbran, this peaceful waterway offers canal boat holiday-makers incredible mountain views.  On a week’s break from our base at Goytre Wharf, near Abergavenny, you can cruise to Brecon and back.  The journey takes you through Georgian Crickhowell, with its fascinating 13th century castle. And Talybont-on-Usk, with wonderful walks to the waterfalls at Blaen y Glyn.  Brecon is home to a cathedral, theatre, cinema, castle ruins and stunning Georgian architecture. And you can enjoy some of the best views of the Brecon Beacons from Pen y Fan, the highest point in Southern Britain at 886 metres.

5. Cruise to the Aylesbury Vale

On a week’s break from Gayton Marina you can travel south to the Aylesbury Arm and into the Vale of Aylesbury, part of the Chilterns AONB.  The journey to Aylesbury passes through a series of canalside towns and villages, including Stoke Bruerne with its Canal Museum. And Marsworth next to Tring Reservoirs, a nature reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).  The route travels 44 miles, passes through 41 locks and takes around 22 hours.

6. Float through the Dee Valley in North Wales

On a short break from Chirk on the Llangollen Canal, you can float through the Dee Valley AONB to the pretty Eisteddfod town of Llangollen. You’ll pass over the UNESCO World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct along the way.  And you’ll cruise across the Chirk Aqueduct and through Whitehouses Tunnel. The journey to Llangollen and back takes around eight hours, travelling 14 miles, with no locks.

7. Take a Thames boating holiday to the edge of the Cotswolds

On a four-night mid-week break from Oxford, you can travel west along the River Thames to the pretty market town of Lechlade, in an AONG on the edge of the Cotswolds.  The route passes through 22 miles of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire countryside. You’ll pass close-by to Kelmscott Manor, once the Cotswold retreat of William Morris.  It takes around 17 hours to cruise there and back, passing through seven locks each way.

8. Travel through the Yorkshire Dales to Skipton

On a short break from Barnoldswick, you can head north-east along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal to historic Skipton. The journey travels 13 miles through the Yorkshire Dales, passing through 15 locks in around 10 hours.  This breath-taking route winds along the contours of the side of Airedale, with extensive views of the Yorkshire Dales.  You see sheep, farmhouses, barns, stone walls and the occasional village or town.  Once in Skipton, you can moor up to visit shops and restaurants. And explore the 900-year old Skipton Castle, one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England.

*The Canal & River Trust’s research was carried out by King’s College London, Nomad Projects and J&L Gibbons using Urban Mind, a smartphone based app to collect thousands of real time audits about participants’ location and mental wellbeing. Proof that time by water helps boost your mood | Canal & River Trust (canalrivertrust.org.uk)

 

Get the family afloat this summer

Get the family afloat this summer

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Narrowboat holidays offer families the chance to set off on an adventure together – learning how to work the locks, navigate tunnels, speak the boating lingo, spot wildlife, explore mile upon mile of traffic-free towpaths and visit waterside attractions along the way.

All our 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 boats.

Here are some ideas for family canal boat holiday destinations this summer:

Explore the markets of Skipton…On a week’s holiday from our base at Foulridge on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in Cumbria, boaters can reach the historic and vibrant market town of Skipton on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.

On the way, enjoy extensive views of sheep country, stone walls, farm houses and the occasional village or small town.

It takes ten hours to travel the 16 miles and 15 locks to Skipton, where you can find moorings in the centre of town and explore the medieval castle, street markets, quirky shops, tea rooms and restaurants.

Visit Bristol’s Floating Harbour, home of Blackbeard the Pirate…on a short break from Sydney Wharf in the centre of the beautiful World Heritage City of Bath, canal boat holiday-makers can head west on the River Avon to moor up in Bristol’s Floating Harbour.

There you can visit Brunel’s masterpiece, the SS Great Britain, as well as the new Blue Reef Aquarium and find out more about the city’s fascinating marine history, including Blackbeard the Pirate, said to have been born there.

The journey from Bath to Bristol takes eight hours, passing through 13 locks.

Watch the Lion King at the Birmingham Hippodrome…Boaters can travel lock-free to Birmingham City Centre in just five hours from our base at Tardebigge. Centrally located over-night moorings can be found at Gas Street Basin.

Birmingham offers plenty for families to see and do including a visit to the Sea Life Centre at Brindley Place, shopping at the Mailbox and Bullring or a visit to the fantastic Lion King show, on at the Birmingham Hippodrome from 29 June to 28 September.

Meander down the Oxford Canal…one of the oldest in the country, the pretty Oxford Canal follows the contours of the land. From our base at Napton on the North Oxford Canal in rural Warwickshire, it takes a week to travel to Oxford and back on a boating holiday.

Along the way, you pass through Banbury and some lovely canalside villages, including Thrupp, Lower Heyford and Shipton-on-Cherwell, with stone built houses, cosy pubs, ancient churches and village greens.

There are centrally located moorings in Oxford, giving boaters the chance to visit some Oxford’s world famous sites, including the Bodleian Library and Ashmolean Museum.

Travel to Chester by boat…Our base at Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal near Tarporley in Cheshire is just seven hours by boat away from historic Chester.

Famous for its Medieval architecture and city walls, Chester also offers a vibrant market hall, an award-winning zoo, busy racecourse, trendy bars, shopping malls, restaurants and a series of festivals across the summer.

DRIFTERS DISCOUNTS SUMMER HOLIDAYS

DRIFTERS DISCOUNTS SUMMER HOLIDAYS

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DRIFTERS DISCOUNTS SUMMER HOLIDAYS

…Drifters Waterway Holidays is now is offering 15 per cent off all its July and August bookings, giving people the chance take to the water for less this Summer and enjoy some holiday fun afloat.  From lazing on the Llangollen to cruising through the Capital, Britain’s canals offer the fastest way to slow down and a great family holiday. www.drifters.co.uk T 0844 984 0322

Drifters offer the choice of over 500 boats from 35 bases across the country.  Here are some ideas for Summer holiday cruising.

Visit London by boat and cruise through the heart of the Capital…a short break from Drifters’ new base at Willow Tree Marina, near Greenford in West London could take you along the Grand Union Paddington Arm and on to the Regent’s Canal at Little Venice.  This historic canal takes you right through the Capital, past London Zoo and Regent’s Park, through Camden and on to Limehouse Basin.  Here boaters can lock onto the River Thames and complete the London Ring, or stick to the canals and cruise past the Olympic Park on the River Lee.

Try a short break on a boat for four from Willow Tree (5-8 August or 8-12 August 2011) for £583, saving £103.  A boat for four for a week (8-15 August) would cost £896, saving £159.

Explore crags and historic towns in Yorkshire…a short break from Sowerby Bridge could take you along the leafy Calder & Hebble Navigation to Hebden Bridge and Todmorden, navigating 20 miles and 32 locks.  Hebden Bridge is an historic mill town nestled in a fork in the hills, with house piled tier upon tier.  Visit its excellent shops and take a walk up the valley to crags, trees and stunning views of the moors above.  Todmorden boasts fine Victorian buildings, including the Town Hall and a lively market.  It offers many places to eat and drink.

Try a short break on a romantic boat for two (5-8 August) from Sowerby Bridge for £386, saving £69 or a week (6-13 August) for £879, saving £156.

Glide along the Grand Union Canal…Drifters’ base at Gayton on the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire is one of the most popular in the country.  Not only is it easy to get to located just minutes away from junction 15a of the M1, but it also offers a great variety of cruising routes for boaters, whether novices or experienced navigators.

A short break (four nights) could take you south to Fenny Stratford and back, cruising through miles of delightful countryside and negotiating a total of 18 locks.  On the way you’ll pass through the picturesque village of Stoke Bruerne, with its friendly waterside pubs and fascinating Canal Museum housed in an old corn mill.

Try a short break on a boat for five (8-12 August) for £806, saving £143 or a week on a boat for four (6-13 August) for £1241, saving £219.

Enjoy a trip to the theatre in historic Stratford-Upon-Avon…running from Birmingham’s suburbia to Shakespeare’s Stratford in 25 picturesque miles, the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal is a delightful waterway.  Drifters’ base at Wootton Wawen is just a six-hour cruise from Shakespeare’s birthplace at Stratford, with 17 locks to negotiate along the way.  Town centre moorings offer the ideal base for exploring the town’s pubs, restaurants, historic sites and the chance to take in a show at the famous Swan Theatre.

Try a short break on a boat for six (13-16 August) from Wootton Wawen for £705, saving £125 or a week for six (13-20 August) for £1007, saving £178.

Visit the “Stream in the Sky”…Drifters’ base at Trevor on the Llangollen Canal offers the chance to experience one of the UK’s most stunning stretches of waterway and to navigate the awesome World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct – an incredible feat of engineering standing at over 38 metres high above the Dee Valley.

Try a short break on a boat for six from Trevor (19-22 August) for £934, saving £165 or week on a boat for six from Trevor (19-26 August) for £1334, saving £236.

For more information about Drifters boating holidays call 0844 984 0322 or visit www.drifters.co.uk

SUMMER HOLIDAY BOATING

SUMMER HOLIDAY BOATING

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…take to the water this Summer for some holiday fun afloat with www.drifters.co.uk. From lazing on the Llangollen to cruising through the Capital, Britain’s canals offer the fastest way to slow down and a great family holiday.
With Britain’s 2,000-mile canal network in better shape than ever and hundreds of top quality boats available for hire, Drifters Waterway Holidays is offering some fantastic breaks on our peaceful inland waterway network this Summer.
Canal boat holidays are fantastic for families, offering the chance:
***to work together as a team to master navigation skills and operate the locks;
***to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and the school run and slow right down to four miles per hour;
***learn the boating lingo – ‘windlass’, ‘winding hole’ and ’tiller’, to name but a few;
***spot wildlife, including the flashing blue of the kingfisher and ‘plop’ of the watervole;
***dust-off long neglected cards and board games for cosy onboard evening entertainment;
***explore mile upon mile of traffic-free towpaths by foot or by bike; and
***and breathe in plenty of fresh air to aid a peaceful night’s sleep.
Drifters canal boat holidays offer the choice of over 500 boats from 35 bases across the country. Here are some ideas for Summer cruising.
Cruise through the scenic heartland of Worcestershire…a short break from Drifters’ base in the beautiful city of Worcester where the River Severn meets the Worcester & Birmingham Canal is the perfect place to start a cruise of the brand new 21-mile Mid-Worcestershire Ring. The newly restored Droitwich Junction and Barge canals are due to reopen in July, creating the only loop in Europe that can be completed in a long weekend.
Holiday breaks from Worcester in July start at £582 for a short break on a four berth boat. NB to celebrate the opening of the Droitwich Canals, Worcester is offering 20% off bookings taken by the end of July.
Visit London by boat and cruise through the heart of the Capital…a short break from Drifters’ new base at Willow Tree Marina, near Greenford in West London could take you along the Grand Union Paddington Arm and on to the Regent’s Canal at Little Venice. This historic canal takes you right through the Capital, past London Zoo and Regent’s Park, through Camden and on to Limehouse Basin. Here boaters can take the to Thames and complete the London Ring or stick to the canals and cruise past the Olympic Park on the River Lee.
Trips from Willow Tree Marina start at £686 in July.
Explore crags and historic towns in Yorkshire…a short break from Sowerby Bridge could take you along the leafy Calder & Hebble Navigation to Hebden Bridge and Todmorden, navigating 20 miles and 32 locks. Hebden Bridge is an historic mill town nestled in a fork in the hills, with house piled tier upon tier. Visit its excellent shops and take a walk up the valley to crags, trees and stunning views of the moors above. Todmorden boasts fine Victorian buildings, including the Town Hall and a lively market. It offers many places to eat and drink.
Trips from Sowerby Bridge start at £415 in July.
Enjoy a trip to the theatre in historic Stratford-Upon-Avon…running from Birmingham’s suburbia to Shakespeare’s Stratford in 25 picturesque miles, the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal is a delightful waterway. Drifters’ base at Wootton Wawen is just a six-hour cruise from Shakespeare’s birthplace at Stratford, with 17 locks to negotiate along the way. Town centre moorings offer the ideal base for exploring the town’s pubs, restaurants, historic sites and the chance to take in a show at the famous Swan Theatre.
Cruises from Wootton Wawen start at £683 in July.
Chocolate, shopping & the bright lights of Birmingham…a short break from Tardebigge could take you along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal to Birmingham and back, with just ten hours cruising and no locks to negotiate. Stop off at the delicious Cadbury World then travel on to moorings in Gas Street Basin and explore the shoppers’ paradise of the Bullring and Mailbox.
Cruises from Tardebigge start at £574 in July.
Visit the “Stream in the Sky”…Drifters’ base at Trevor on the Llangollen Canal offers the chance to experience one of the UK’s most stunning stretches of waterway and to navigate the awesome World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct – an incredible feat of engineering standing at over 38 metres high above the Dee Valley.
Trips from Trevor start at £574 in July.
For more information about Drifters boating holidays call 0844 984 0322 or visit www.drifters.co.uk
For more information about Britain’s inland waterways visit www.waterscape.com
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