Tag Archive for: Calder & Hebble Navigation

Best spring canal boating breaks

Best spring canal boating breaks

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Britain’s beautiful inland waterways are a great place to visit in the spring time, when the countryside is bursting with new life.

As you cruise gently along on a narrowboat holiday, you’ll see blossom on the hedges and waterside trees, birds busy rearing their young, spring lambs playing in the fields and bluebells in waterside woodlands.

Here’s a guide to our best spring canal boating breaks for 2025:

1. Drift through the prehistoric Vale of Pewsey

From our boat hire base on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Devizes, it takes around 20 hours, travelling 27 miles through 53 locks to reach the historic town of Hungerford, perfect for a week afloat.  Along the way, you’ll travel up the spectacular flight of 29 locks at Caen Hill and cruise through the beautiful Vale of Pewsey.  You’ll pass closeby to prehistoric Avebury and along the edge of the ancient Savernake Forest, home to thousands of ‘Ancient’, ‘Veteran’ and ‘Notable’ trees and carpets of bluebells in the spring.  Once at Hungerford, there’s a choice of places to eat and drink and antique shops to browse in.

2. Explore the ancient woods at Skipton Castle

On a short break from Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire, you can travel to the historic town of Skipton. There you’ll find Skipton Castle with ancient woods bursting with bluebells to see on a canal boat holiday in spring.  Skipton’s 900-year old castle is one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England. Its extensive woodlands are home to at least 18 species of trees, and hundreds of flowering plants, including wild orchids and bluebells. The journey to Skipton and back takes around seven hours, travelling 13 miles with no locks.

3. Glide through the Brecon Beacons

Isolated from the main canal network, the beautiful Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal runs through the Brecon Beacons National Park. This route offers canal boat holiday-makers incredible mountain views and wooded sections full of the sound of woodland birds.   On a short break from Goytre Wharf, near Abergavenny, you can cruise lock-free to Llangynidr and back, passing the Lion Inn at Govilon and the Bridge End Hotel at Llangattock.  On a week’s break, you can travel on to Brecon, passing through Talybont-on-Usk, with walks to the waterfalls at Blaen y Glyn and the popular Star Inn.

4. Boat to Brewood and back

From Gailey on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, it takes around five hours to reach the historic village of Brewood, perfect for a short break. This historic village with its half-timbered cottages and Georgian houses, offers one of the best spring canal boating breaks. The 13-mile journey, which passes through just one lock, takes you through beautiful stretches of Shropshire countryside, and passes the waterside Anchor Inn at Cross Green.  On reaching Brewood, there’s a choice of pubs, restaurants and tea rooms to dine at, including the canalside Bridge Inn.

5. Float across ‘The Stream in the Sky’

From Chirk on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, the pretty Eisteddford town of Llangollen on the edge of the Berwyn Mountains can be reached on a short break. You’ll cruise across the awesome World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct along the way.  Standing at 38 metres high above the Dee Valley, this incredible 300-metre long structure consists of a cast iron trough supported by 18 enormous pillars and 19 arches.  On reaching Llangollen, you can moor up in Llangollen Basin and enjoy visiting the town’s independent shops, pubs and restaurants. And visitor attractions such as the Steam Railway and Horseshoe Falls. 

6. Visit the old mill town of Hebden Bridge

On a short break from Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire, you can travel along the leafy Calder & Hebble Navigation to the old mill town of Hebden Bridge.  Cruising through the Calder Valley and climbing through woods, fields and small stone towns, the journey covers seven miles, passes through 10 locks and takes around five-and-a-half hours. Once at Hebden Bridge, you can enjoy an amazing variety of shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs. And stunning countryside walks with woods, crags and the Calder running alongside.

7. Cruise through Shakespeare country

From Wootton Wawen, on the Stratford Canal near Henley-in-Arden, it takes around six hours, travelling through 17 locks to reach Stratford-upon-Avon.  Travelling through the Warwickshire countryside, you can stop off along the way to visit Mary Arden’s Tudor Farm in the canalside village of Wilmcote, where Shakespeare’s mother grew up.  Once in Shakespeare’s Stratford, you can moor up in Bancroft Basin, just a stone’s throw from the Swan Theatre and the town’s many shops, restaurants and museums. 

8. Navigate the Cheshire Ring

Starting from Anderton, this epic cruising ring takes you on a 97-mile tour through some of the most beautiful Cheshire countryside.  The route passes through 92 locks and takes around 55 hours, taking you through the heart of Manchester and the Peak District via the Ashton, Macclesfield, Peak Forest, Rochdale, Trent & Mersey and Bridgewater canals.  Highlights include the spectacular vertical Anderton Boat Lift, also known as ‘The Cathedral of the Canals’, Dunham Massey Hall and its working Elizabethan Mill alongside the Bridgewater Canal, Manchester’s China Town, the Top Lock at Marple on the Peak Forest Canal with fantastic views of the Peak District, and the Cheshire Plain with its heavily locked ‘Heartbreak Hill’. The Cheshire Ring can be done on a 10-day or two week break from Anderton, Bunbury or Acton Bridge.

Visit a bluebell wood on a canal boat holiday

Bluebell woods to see on a canal boat holiday

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Canals meander through some of Britain’s best loved countryside with bluebell woods to explore

The UK is home to almost half the world’s bluebells, and they are one of the nation’s favourite wildflowers.  Native bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) are an ancient woodland indicator.

The Woodland Trust says, “most flowering usually happens in April, so this is the best time to see that iconic carpet of blue.”

To celebrate the bluebell woods to see on a canal boat holiday, we’ve listed the best bluebell woods near canals and rivers in England and Wales:

1. Copley Woods on the Calder & Hebble in West Yorkshire

The bluebells are stunning in the woods alongside the Calder & Hebble Navigation at Copley.  From our narrowboat hire base at Sowerby Bridge, it takes just under 30 minutes by boat to reach Copley.

2. Coed Cefn at Crickhowell on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal

This ancient woodland managed by the Woodland Trust has an iron age hill fort at its centre.  There’s a circular walk perfect for enjoying fantastic displays of bluebells.  From our base at Goytre in South Wales, it takes around five hours to reach Llangattock Wharf.  From there it’s a two-mile walk to Coed Cefn.

3. Chirk Castle Woods, close to the Llangollen Canal in Wrexham

Owned by the National Trust, the grounds of Chirk Castle include 480 acres of woodland and parkland.  There are carpets of bluebells, veteran trees and a section of the historic Offa’s Dyke trail to discover.  Setting out from our Chirk base on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, it takes just 40 minutes to cruise to visitor moorings at Chirk Bank.  From there, it’s a 30-minute walk up to Chirk Castle to explore bluebell woods on a canal boat holiday.

4. Cliveden on the River Thames in Berkshire

Set high above the River Thames near Maidenhead, Cliveden has 375 acres of glorious gardens and woodlands to explore.  These include a magnificent carpet of bluebells alongside the beautiful tree-lined Green Drive.  From our canal boat hire base at Aldermaston, it’s a 14 hour journey to Cliveden Reach.

5. Packwood House near the Stratford Canal in Warwickshire

The National Trust’s magnificent Packwood House has 150 acres of parkland to explore, including an area of ancient woodland with bluebells.  From our base at Alvechurch, it takes around six hours to cruise to moorings on the Stratford Canal at Lapworth, close to Packwood House.

6. Savernake Forest on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Wiltshire

There are over 4,500 acres of woodlands to explore at Savernake Forest, and it’s a bluebell paradise in spring. The Kennet & Avon Canal runs alongside the Savernake Forest, with bluebell woods to see on a canal boat holiday. From our Devizes base, it takes around 10 hours to reach the village of Wootton Rivers. This is a great starting point for a variety of walks around the Forest.

7. Skipton Castle Woods on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire

The woods at Skipton Castle Woods are a rare ancient woodland habitat cared for by the Woodland Trust. These woods close to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal are said to be one of the best places to spot bluebells in Yorkshire.  From our base at Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire, it takes just around four cruising hours to reach Skipton.

The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in North Wales

Canal boat holiday ‘bucket list’

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The most iconic sites to experience on a canal boat holiday

Our canal boat holiday ‘bucket list’ guide is based on Robert Aickman’s ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’ list, compiled over 70 years ago.

Aickman co-founded the Inland Waterways Association.

We’ve added the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland (which opened in 2002) to create the perfect Canal Boat Holiday ‘Bucket List’ guide for 2025:

1. The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Carrying the Llangollen Canal 38 metres (126ft) high above the River Dee, the awesome World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is the highest and longest aqueduct in Britain. Built between 1795 and 1805, it has 18 magnificent stone piers, supporting a 307-metre (1007ft) long canal trough. With not even a hand rail on the south side of the aqueduct to obscure the views of the breath-taking Dee Valley below, boaters literally feel like they are floating above the earth! Our nearest bases are at Trevor, Chirk and Blackwater Meadow.

2. The Anderton Boat Lift

Also known as ‘The Cathedral of the Canals’, this extraordinary structure, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, raises boats 15 metres (50ft) from the River Weaver to the Trent & Mersey Canal. Designed by Edwin Clark and opened in 1875, it consists of two caissons, each large enough to take a barge or pair of narrowboats. In 1983 problems with the mechanism caused the lift to close but after a Heritage Lottery Funded restoration, it reopened in 2002. Our nearest bases are at Anderton and Acton Bridge. Please note, the Lift will be closed for a major refurbishment project from autumn 2025 for 12-18 months.

3. The 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. The locks were the final link in the Kennet & Avon Canal’s construction, opening in 1810. By 1950 they had become derelict but after a major restoration effort, they were reopened by HM The Queen in 1990. Our nearest bases are at Devizes, Hilperton and Bradford on Avon.

4. The Bingley Five-Rise Locks

Completed in 1774, this spectacular staircase of locks on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal 17 miles from Leeds, raises (or lowers) boats 18 metres (60ft) in five cavernous chambers. The locks open directly from one to another, with the top gate of one forming the bottom gate of the next. Our nearest canal boat hire base is on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Silsden, a distance of six miles away. With five locks to pass through along the way, the journey to Bingley takes around four-and-a-half hours.

5. The Standedge Tunnel

Tunnelling for over three miles beneath the Pennines, this incredible feat of 18 and 19th century engineering is the longest, highest and deepest tunnel on the canal system. Cutting through solid rock, it took the navvies 16 years to build, opening in 1811. In the 20th century, the Huddersfield Canal fell into disrepair, becoming un-navigable by 1948, but after a long restoration programme, both the canal and tunnel were reopened in 2001. Today you need to book your passage though the tunnel with the Canal & River Trust. There’s also a trip boat operating from the Marsden end. Our nearest base is at Sowerby Bridge, on the junction of the Calder & Hebble Navigation and Rochdale Canal, 20 miles and 65 locks away. The journey to Standedge takes around 21 hours (three days).

6. Barton Swing Aqueduct

Originally built in 1761 by James Brindley to take the Bridgewater Canal across the River Irwell, the Barton Aqueduct was considered a marvel at the time of its opening. But when the Manchester Ship Canal company decided to use the course of the Irwell at Barton as part of its navigation channel, Brindley’s Aqueduct was replaced by the Barton Swing Aqueduct in 1893. The 1,450 tonne, 100-metre long aqueduct swings open, full of water, to allow the passage of ships along the Manchester Ship Canal. Our nearest base is at Acton Bridge, on the Trent & Mersey Canal near Northwich in Cheshire. From there, it takes around nine hours, travelling 26 miles and through just one lock, to reach the Barton Swing Aqueduct.

7. The Burnley Embankment

Also known as ‘The Straight Mile’, the mile-long Burnley Embankment carries the Leeds & Liverpool Canal over 18 metres (60ft) high across part of the town, offering boaters breath-taking panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Though costly and difficult to build, the Burnley Embankment, which spans the Calder Valley, avoided the need for a series of locks which would have slowed cargo-carrying boats down. Designed by Robert Whitworth, the embankment was built between 1796 and 1801 and involved the mammoth task of transporting (by horse and cart) around half a million tons of earth from the nearby canal cutting at Whittlefield and tunnel at Gannow. Our nearest base is at Barnoldswick is just 11 miles and seven locks away from Burnley.

8. The Falkirk Wheel

Built as part of the Millennium Link project to restore the canals linking the east and west coasts of Scotland, The Falkirk Wheel is the world’s first and only rotating boat lift. Standing at a height of 35 metres, it moves boats between the Union Canal and Forth & Clyde Canal, replacing a flight of 11 locks which had been dismantled in 1933. It can carry up to 600 tonnes (eight or more boats) and uses just 1.5KWh of energy to turn – the same amount it takes to boil eight kettles. We offer canal boat rental at Falkirk, right next to the Wheel.

Best October Half Term narrowboat holidays for families

Best October Half Term narrowboat holidays

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There are dozens of great family destinations to choose from this October Half Term

We’ve published a guide to our best October Half Term narrowboat holidays.

Narrowboats are like floating holiday cottages, with everything you need on board for a self-catering adventure afloat. All our boats are equipped with essential home comforts, including central heating, hot water, TV, showers, flushing toilets, and most now have WiFi too.

Prices this October Half Term start at £706 for a short break (three or four nights) on a boat for four people, £952 for a week. Here’s a guide to our top six destinations this October Half Term:

1. Travel along the peaceful Ashby Canal to Shakerstone

On a week’s holiday from Braunston on the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire, you can explore the beautiful Ashby Canal.  With no locks, and miles of countryside to enjoy, this peaceful canal stretches for 22 miles. It passes the pretty town of Market Bosworth, close to the site of the Battle of Bosworth Field and the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre.  The journey to Shakerstone and back, travels 95 miles, passes through eight locks (four each way) and takes around 37 hours.

2. Drift through the Calder Valley to the old mill town of Hebden Bridge

One of our best October half term narrowboat holidays takes you Hebden Bridge. You can reach this old mill town on a weekend break from Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire.  You’ll travel through the Calder Valley along the leafy Calder & Hebble Navigation.  Climbing through woods, fields and small stone towns, the journey to Hebden Bridge, covers seven miles, passes through 10 locks and takes around 5.5 hours.  Once at Hebden, you can moor in the centre of town to enjoy a good choice of places to eat, as well as walks up to Heptonstall or Hardcastle Crags.

3. Glide through the Usk Valley to Brecon and back

On a week’s break from Goytre on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal you can navigate through the wooded Usk Valley to Brecon, in the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park.  Along the way, you can stop off at Llanfoist to take the old tramway into the Black Mountains.  You can visit the 13th century castle at Crickhowell and walk to the Blaen y Glyn waterfalls at Talybont-on-Usk.  The total journey there and back travels 51 miles, passing through 12 locks (six each way) and takes around 25 hours.

4. Cruise along the Kennet & Avon Canal to Georgian Bath

On a four-night mid-week break from the bottom of the Caen Hill flight of locks at Devizes, you can cruise to Bath and back.  The journey takes around 10 hours, travelling across two magnificent aqueducts and passing through 10 locks.  There’s a choice of canalside pubs, to stop-off at along the way, including the Barge Inn at Seend and the Cross Guns at Avoncliff.  Once in Bath, you can moor up at Sydney Gardens, a short walk away from the centre of this World Heritage city.

5. Glide across the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

On a short break from Trevor in North Wales, you can reach the historic Shropshire town of Ellesmere, in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District.  The route takes you along the Llangollen Canal and across the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, 38 metres high above the Dee Valley.  In Ellesmere, you can moor up and spend time exploring the Mere with its Victorian gardens, woodland paths and historic castle.  The journey to Ellesmere and back takes around 14 hours and passes through four locks (two each way).

6. Navigate to Market Drayton, home of the gingerbread man

On a week’s break from Gailey you can travel along the Staffordshire & Worcestershire and Shropshire Union canals to the historic market town of Market Drayton and back.  The route passes through the historic village of Brewood with its choice of pubs and through a series of deep wooded cuttings.  At Market Drayton there’s a Wednesday market and a great choice of places to eat and drink, many offering the town’s famous gingerbread.  The journey to Market Drayton and back cruises 68 miles, passes through 14 locks and takes around 30 hours.

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in North Wales Top 10 canal boat holidays 2025

Top 10 canal boat holidays for 2025

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The best boating breaks on Britain’s inland waterways in 2025

To help plan your next boating adventure, we’ve published a guide to our top 10 canal boat holidays for 2025.

With boats travelling at a maximum speed of 4mph, and over 3,000 miles of navigable inland waterways to explore across Britain, canal boat holidays really are the fastest way to slow down.

You can use your canal boat as a floating holiday home to set off on an adventure afloat. From rural retreats to vibrant city centres, there are hundreds of routes and destinations to choose from.

Drifters’ offers over 550 boats for hire from 45 locations across England, Scotland and Wales.

2025 hire prices start at £630 for a short break (three or four nights) on a boat for four, £875 for a week. Tuition is included in our holiday hire price.

There are hundreds of routes and destinations to choose from. :

1. Visit the iconic Piece Hall in Halifax

From Sowerby Bridge, Salterhebble Basin on the Halifax Branch of the Calder & Hebble Navigation is a two mile cruise away. From there, it’s a two mile walk to Piece Hall, one of the most iconic heritage buildings in Britain. Once the centre of the global woollen trade, this monumental Georgian structure has an immense open air piazza. At Piece Hall you’ll find a mix of independent bars, shops and cafes, and a seasonal programme of events.

2. Travel round the Droitwich Ring

At just 21 miles long, the Droitwich Ring is the smallest canal circuit and can be done on a short break from Worcester. The restoration of the Droitwich Canals was completed in 2011, reconnecting them to the Worcester & Birmingham Canal and the River Severn. To complete the circuit, you’ll pass through 33 locks and it takes around 16 cruising hours.

3. Marvel at the Caen Hill Flight at Devizes

The spectacular 16 locks in a row climbing Caen Hill on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Devizes is one of the most impressive sights on the canal network. It’s part of a flight of 29 locks stretching for two miles and raising the canal up by 237ft. The Caen Hill Locks were the final section of the canal to be completed in 1810. And they were one of the final sections to be restored before the re-opening of the Kennet & Avon Canal in 1990. It takes around five hours to go up or down the flight. Canal & River Trust volunteer lock keepers are on hand to help and there are restricted opening hours. Our Devizes boat yard is at the base of the Caen Hill flight and you can also reach it on a short break from Hilperton, Bradford on Avon, Monkton Combe and Bath.

4. Follow the Lime Kiln Trail on the Mon & Brec

Isolated from the main canal network, the beautiful Monmouth & Brecon Canal runs through the Brecon Beacons National Park. The canal is home to a series of historic lime kilns. Stretching 35 miles from Brecon to Cwmbran, this peaceful waterway offers canal boat holiday-makers incredible mountain views. It also offers a fascinating insight into the history of lime production with historic lime kilns to visit Goytre, Gilwern and Llangattock. On a short break from Goytre Wharf, near Abergavenny, you can cruise lock-free to Llangynidr and back. On a week’s break you can continue on the Brecon.

5. See the ancient topiary at Packwood House

From Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal, it’s a seven-mile, 31-lock and 10-hour journey through the Forest of Arden to Lapworth Lock No 6. From there it’s a half-mile walk to the National Trust’s beautiful Tudor manor house Packwood House. Here, according to legend, the famous 350-year old trees in Packwood’s iconic Yew Garden represent Christ’s ‘Sermon on the Mount’.

6. Float across ‘The Stream in the Sky’

From Chirk on the Llangollen Canal, the awesome World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct can be reached on a short break. Standing at 38 metres high above the Dee Valley, this incredible structure consists of a cast iron trough carried on 19 enormous hollow pillars. With not even a hand rail on the south side of the aqueduct, you’ll literally feel like they are floating above the earth!

7. Discover the story of the Staffordshire Hoard

From Alvechurch on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove, it takes five hours to reach Gas Street Basin in the centre of Birmingham. From there, it’s a short walk to the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. There you can see the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found and learn about its warrior history. Hundreds of pieces from the Hoard are on show, along with hands-on displays exploring how these intriguing items were used, before they were buried 1,400 years ago.

8. Cruise the Cheshire Ring for some stunning Pennine views

On a 10-day or two-week break from Anderton on the Trent & Mersey Canal, you can cruise the mighty Cheshire Ring. The journey travels 97 miles, passes through 92 locks and takes around 48 hours. You’ll travel along six different waterways. Highlights include: spectacular views of the Pennines from the Macclesfield Canal; gentle rolling Cheshire countryside on the Trent & Mersey Canal; and Manchester city centre on the Rochdale Canal.

9. Climb Edinburgh’s extinct volcano for stunning views of the city

From Falkirk, on a four-night or week-long break  you can travel through the Scottish Lowlands to Edinburgh and back. The journey starts with trip through the iconic Falkirk Wheel, the world’s first and only rotating boat lift. The wheel lifts boats 100ft from the Forth & Clyde Canal to the Union Canal above. The 32-mile journey along the Union Canal to Edinburgh passes through three locks and takes around 11 hours. Once at there, you can moor up at Edinburgh Quay, and walk through Holyrood Park to the top of Arthur’s Seat for stunning views of the city below.

10. Pass through Blisworth Tunnel to reach the Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne

On a week’s break Stockton on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire, you can cruise through the countryside to Stoke Bruerne. The journey will include passing through the 2,813-metre long Blisworth Tunnel, the third longest on the network. Once in Stoke Bruerne, you can enjoy a choice of canalside pubs and woodland walks. And browsing the intriguing waterway history collections at the Canal & River Trust’s Canal Museum. The journey to Stoke Bruerne and back travels 57 miles, passing through 32 locks and takes around 24 hours.

Top leafy canals to cruise this autumn

Top leafy canals to cruise this autumn

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Explore our top leafy canals to cruise this autumn

Britain’s 3,000-mile network of inland waterways meanders through some of our best-loved countryside, including woodlands and forest remains.

To celebrate the beautiful autumn colours in our trees and hedgerows, we’ve listed our top five leafy canals to cruise this autumn:

1. The Calder & Hebble in West Yorkshire

The 21-mile long leafy Calder & Hebble Navigation links Wakefield with Sowerby Bridge.  On a short break from our base at Sowerby Bridge, you can cruise along the part-canal, part-river Calder & Hebble to Shipley. The route will take you through wooded valleys and the towns of Elland and Brighouse along the way.  The journey there and back travels 22 miles, passes through 32 locks and takes around 16 hours.

2. The Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal in South Wales

This 35-mile long peaceful waterway follows the line of the wooded Usk Valley through the Brecon Beacons National Park.  It has to be one of the most leafy canals to cruise on Britain’s beautiful inland waterways network. On a short break from our base at Goytre, you can cruise to Talybont-on-Usk and back, passing the villages and hamlets of Llaellen, Llanfoist, Govilon, Llangattock and Llangynidr along the way.  The journey there and back travels 39 miles, passes through 10 locks and takes around 18 hours.

3. The Macclesfield Canal in Cheshire

This 26-mile long tree-lined canal runs from Marple in Cheshire to Hall Green, on the Trent & Mersey Canal.  On a week’s break from our base at Stoke on Trent, you can connect to the Macclesfield Canal and cruise to Macclesfield and back.  You’ll pass through the 1.5 mile long Harecastle Tunnel on the Trent & Mersey Canal before transferring onto the Macclesfield Canal.  Then you’ll meander through the countryside to enjoy a series of wooded sections, as well as views of the distant hills.  The journey to Macclesfield and back travels 42 miles, passes through 26 locks and takes around 21 hours.

4. The Stratford Canal in Warwickshire

This 25.5-mile long narrow canal connects Stratford-upon-Avon with the Worcester & Birmingham Canal at Kings Norton Junction.  The middle section is surrounded by trees where it passes through the remains of the Forest of Arden.  On a short break from our base at Wootton Wawen, you can cruise through quiet countryside to Hatton and back.  You’ll pass through the village of Lowsonford with its popular Fleur de Lys canalside pub, and Lapworth where you transfer onto the Grand Union Canal. The journey to Hatton and back cruises 21 miles, passes through 34 locks and takes around 14 hours.

5. The Kennet & Avon Canal in Wiltshire

The 87-mile long Kennet & Avon Canal links the Bristol Avon near Bath, with the River Thames at Reading. On a week’s break from our base at Devizes, at the foot of the famous Caen Hill flight of locks, you can cruise to Hungerford and back passing through the Vale of Pewsey, part of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  There are a series of wooded sections to enjoy, including an area of the Savernake Forest.  The journey to Hungerford and back travels 54 miles, passes through 106 locks and takes around 40 hours.

One-way canal boat holidays across the Pennines

Pennine one-way trips

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We offer one-way narrowboat holidays across the Pennines for experienced boaters

Explore Yorkshire’s inland waterways and cross the Pennines on a one-way canal boat holiday adventure with Drifters.

You’ll encounter some of the Wonders of the Waterways, including the Bingley Five Rise Locks at Bradford. And you’ll enjoy incredible views of the Pennines, Yorkshire Dales and Calder Valley.

We offer the choice of two Pennine one-way trips for crews with experience of locks. They are available for 10 or 11 day holiday hire, starting on a Friday or a Monday. Minibus transfers are included in the boat hire price.

1. One-way trips across the Pennines via Leeds (79 miles, 79 locks, 45 hours)

This epic canal journey starts either on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Barnoldswick or the Calder & Hebble Navigation at Sowerby Bridge.  You’ll travel stretches of the Calder & Hebble Navigation, the Aire & Calder Navigation and the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

Highlights along the way include: the Hepworth Wakefield gallery; Leeds Dock and Royal Armouries Museum; UNESCO World Heritage Saltaire; the Bingley Five Rise Locks; Skipton with its medieval castle; and incredible views of the Yorkshire Dales.

2. One-way trips across the Pennines via Wigan (103 miles, 136 locks, 65 hours)

This challenging narrowboat adventure appeals to very serious boaters committed to long days with lots of locks. You’ll travel sections of the Rochdale Canal, Bridgewater Canal and Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

Highlights along the way include: the historic market towns of Hebden Bridge and Todmorden; the exhilarating Pennine Summit stretch and Summit Inn; Picadilly Village, Manchester City Centre and Castlefield Basin; the Trafford Centre on the Bridgewater Canal; the Barton Swing Aqueduct; spectacular views from the top of the Wigan Flight; views of the Lancashire Calder Valley; historic Blackburn; the Burnley Mile; the deep locks at Barrowford; and Foulridge Tunnel.

There’s information about the boats available for these one-way trips here

Summer holiday boating on the canals is great for families

Summer holiday boating

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Take to the water for some summer holiday boating fun with Drifters Waterway Holidays and choose from over 550 boats and 45 locations.

From lazing on the Llangollen to bobbing through Bath, Britain’s 3,000 mile canal and river network offers the fastest way to slow down.

And there are plenty of exciting family attractions to visit along the way, including the Sea Life Centre in Birmingham and the magnificent Tithe Barn at Bradford on Avon.

Here’s a run-down of Drifters’ top 6 summer holiday boating destinations:

1. Bath and Bristol on the Kennet & Avon Canal

On a short break from our canal boat hire base on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Bath you can cruise to historic Bradford on Avon, with its stunning Tithe Barn.  On a week’s cruise you can cruise on to the base of the awesome Caen Hill flight of locks at Devizes.

2. Travel round the Droitwich Ring on a short break

On a short break from the City of Worcester, where the River Severn meets the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, you can travel round the 21-mile Droitwich Ring.  It takes around 16 hours to cruise the ring, negotiating 33 locks. Highlights along the way include: Hanbury Hall; the ancient village of Salwarpe; and Diglis Basin.

3. Cruise the Four Counties Ring

From our Stoke-on-Trent base, the Four Counties Ring is one of the most popular journeys.  Predominantly rural, it travels stretches of the Trent & Mersey, Staffs & Worcs and Shropshire Union canals.  Highlights include: the world famous 2,670-metre-long Harecastle Tunnel; Market Drayton; the World of Wedgewood; stunning views of the rolling Cheshire Plains; the Roman town of Middlewich; the National Trust’s Shugborough Hall; Tixall Wide; and the flight of 15 locks at Audlem.  The Four Counties Ring is best travelled on a 10-day or two-week break.

4. Navigate to Happy Valley

On a short break from Sowerby Bridge you can cruise along the leafy Calder & Hebble Navigation to Hebden Bridge and Todmorden, navigating 20 miles and 32 locks.  At Hebden Bridge there are excellent shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants and walks in ‘Happy Valley’ and on the moors.  Todmorden boasts fine Victorian buildings, a lively market and offers many places to eat and drink.

5. Lock free cruising & the bright lights of Birmingham

On a short break from Alvechurch you can travel along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal to Birmingham and back.  The journey there and back takes less than ten hours and there are no locks.  Stop off at Cadbury World and the historic village of Bournville. Then travel on to moorings in Gas Street Basin, close to the Sea Life Centre at Brindleyplace, city centre museums and the Bullring and Mailbox shopping centres.

6. Glide across ‘The stream in the sky’

From Trevor on the Llangollen Canal you can experience one of the UK’s most stunning stretches of waterway.  You can glide across the awesome UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct – an incredible feat of engineering standing 38 metres high above the Dee Valley.  You may be travelling at just four miles an hour, but with not even a hand rail on the south side of the aqueduct to obscure your views, you feel like you are floating above the earth!

 

Best canal boat holiday cruising rings

Best canal boat holiday cruising rings

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Canal boat holiday cruising rings offer journeys along several different waterways, taking in a huge variety of urban and rural landscapes.

Some canal boat holiday rings are seriously challenging with steep flights of locks and long dark tunnels to negotiate.

Here’s a guide to our top 9 canal boat holiday rings and circuits:

1. The Droitwich Ring (21 miles, 33 locks, 16 hours)

Starting from Worcester or Stoke Prior, this canal boat holiday ring is the only one that can be completed on a short break. It re-opened in 2011 following the £13million restoration of the Droitwich Canals.  This reconnected the River Severn and the Worcester & Birmingham Canal at Worcester. Highlights include: the historic Spa town of Droitwich; the Hanbury flight of locks; and Worcester cathedral.

2. The Outer Pennine Ring (192 miles, 248 locks, 130 hours)

Not for the faint-hearted nor inexperienced, this epic three-week journey can be undertaken from Sowerby Bridge or Silsden. It crosses the Pennines twice and includes Britain’s longest canal tunnel. It takes in the Calder & Hebble Navigation, the Huddersfield Narrow, Ashton, Rochdale, Bridgewater, Leeds & Liverpool canals. And the Aire & Calder Navigation with electric locks. Highlights include: dramatic Pennine views; Tuel Lane Deep Lock; and Manchester City Centre. Also the three-and-a-quarter-mile long Standedge Tunnel which cuts through the Pennies to link Marsden and Diggle; Bingley Five Rise locks; Skipton with its medieval castle; Leeds City Centre and waterside Royal Armouries Museum.

3. The Stourport Ring (74 miles, 118 locks, 44 hours)

Starting from Autherley, Stoke Prior, Gailey or Alvechurch, this offers an exhilarating and hugely popular week. The route takes in the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, the Worcester & Birmingham Canal Navigation, the upper section of the River Severn, Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, Birmingham Canal Main Line and the Birmingham Canal Old Main Line. The Stourport Ring visits three cities: Wolverhampton; Birmingham; and the ancient City of Worcester. Highlights include: Wolverhampton 21 locks; Brindleyplace and Gas Street Basin in Birmingham; open countryside on the River Severn; Stourport Basins; Bratch Locks at Wombourne; the pretty village of Kinver with National Trust rock houses; the Black Country Living Museum; and Cadbury World.

4. The Cheshire Ring (97 miles, 92 locks, 55 hours)

Starting from Bunbury, Wrenbury, Whitchurch, Anderton or Acton Bridge, this superb canal boat holiday ring goes through the heart of Manchester and the Peak District via the Ashton, Macclesfield, Peak Forest, Rochdale, Trent & Mersey and Bridgewater canals. Highlights include: Anderton Boat Lift (also known as ‘The Cathedral of the Canals’); Preston Brook Tunnel; Dunham Massey Hall; Castlefield Basin; Manchester’s China Town; the Rochdale 9 locks; Buxworth Basin, Whaley Bridge and the glorious Top Lock at Marple on the Peak Forest Canal; the Cheshire Plain; and heavily locked ‘Heartbreak Hill’.

5. The Warwickshire Ring (101 miles, 94 locks, 48 hours)

Starting from Napton, Stockton, Springwood Haven, Kings Orchard or Braunston the Warwickshire Ring is easily navigated in 10 days or two weeks. It takes in the Grand Union, Oxford, Coventry and Birmingham & Fazeley canals. Highlights include: the flight of 11 locks into Atherstone; Hillmorton locks (three pairs); the Knowle Flight of five locks; the canal village of Braunston; Napton Junction; Newbold and Shrewley tunnels; the awesome Hatton Flight of 21 locks; Warwick Castle; Leamington Spa; and Birmingham’s Gas Street Basin.

6. Avon Ring (108 miles, 130 locks, 58 hours)

Starting from Napton, Autherley, Stoke Prior or Wootton Wawen, this canal boat holiday ring has 130 locks. Most people do this trip in 10 days or two weeks. The Avon Ring navigates sections of the Stratford Canal, River Avon, River Severn and Worcester & Birmingham Canal. Highlights include: Stratford-Upon-Avon and its famous Swan Theatre; the Lapworth flight of 25 locks; the Wilmcote flight of 11 locks; the River Avon and its panoramic views across the Cotswolds; historic Evesham and Tewskesbury; Worcester and its magnificent cathedral; the tidal River Severn double river-lock at Diglis, the 30 locks at Tardebigge; and the 2,495-metre long Wast Hills Tunnel.

7. The Four Counties Ring (110 miles, 94 locks, 55 hours)

Departing from Autherley, Acton Bridge, Brewood, Great Haywood, Stoke-on-Trent, Whitchurch, Wrenbury, Nantwich or Gailey, this canal boat holiday ring is best done on a 10-day or two-week holiday. The four counties are Staffordshire, the West Midlands, Cheshire and Shropshire. The route includes the Trent & Mersey, Staffs & Worcs and Shropshire Union canals. Predominantly rural, this ring’s highlights include: the 2,670-metre long Harecastle Tunnel; deep cuttings on the Shropshire Union; Market Drayton home of gingerbread; Wedgewood Pottery Visitor Centre; views of the rolling Cheshire Plains; the Roman town of Middlewich; Waterworld at Etruria; Shugborough Hall; the waters at Tixall Wide; and the flight of 15 locks at Audlem.

8. The Black Country Ring (125 miles, 79 locks, 60 hours)

From Autherley, Great Haywood, Kings Orchard or Gailey this exhilarating canal boat holiday ring is achievable in a week. The Ring takes in the Birmingham & Fazeley, Birmingham Main Line, Coventry, Staffordshire & Worcestershire and Trent & Mersey canals. Highlights include: Birmingham’s Gas Street Basin; 21 locks at Wolverhampton; the Black Country Living Museum; Dudley Zoo & Castle; Drayton Manor Park at Fazeley; the Staffs & Worcs Roundhouses; the waters at Tixhall Wide; Fradley Pool Nature Reserve at Fradley Junction; 11 locks at Ashton; and 13 at Farmer’s Bridge.

9. The Leicester/East Midlands Ring (157 miles, 102 locks, 75 hours)

Departing from Napton, Braunston, Kings Orchard, Springwood Haven or Gayton this epic canal boat holiday ring is achievable in two weeks. The route cruises a mixture of non-tidal, broad and narrow canals, including the Birmingham & Fazeley, Coventry, Oxford, Trent & Mersey canals, the Grand Union Leicester Line and the rivers Soar and Trent. Highlights include: Saddlington Tunnel; the Foxton Staircase of Locks; the pretty canal village of Stoke Bruerne with its Canal Museum; Blisworth Tunnel; Braunston canal village; Hillmorton Locks; 11 locks at Atherstone; Coventry and views of its magnificent cathedral; and the 18th century canal village of Shardlow.

Canal boat holidays in Yorkshire

Explore ‘Happy Valley’ country by canal boat

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Simon from The Version Humax recently reviewed his multi-generation family boating holiday in Yorkshire.

They set off from our canal boat hire base at Sowerby Bridge and travelled along the Calder & Hebble Navigation to Hebden Bridge.

Simon says, “The route allowed us to explore the idyllic surroundings at a leisurely pace, making it perfect for families looking to unwind and reconnect with nature.”

Once they reached Hebden Bridge, he said they enjoyed spotting well known locations from BBC’s Happy Valley series.  And visiting the town’s independent shops, cafes and market.

They also ‘embarked on a family hike through the woodlands, marveling at the cascading waterfalls and verdant landscapes’ at nearby Hardcastle Crags.

To read Simon’s review, go to https://icymi.co.uk/2023/09/18/tie-world/tie-travel/2023-9-18-review-shire-cruisers-yorkshire/

To find out more about canals in the North East of England, go to https://www.drifters.co.uk/canals-of-north-east-england/