Tag Archive for: Droitwich Canals

Top canalside events to visit on a canal boat holiday in 2024

Top 9 canalside events to visit on a canal boat holiday

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

Here’s our pick of the best canalside events to head to on a canal boat holiday in 2024:

1. Easter Boat Gathering, Friday 29 March to 1 April

The annual Easter Boat Gathering at the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port marks the official start of the cruising season.  Over the weekend, dozens of boats will moor up across the Museum’s seven-acre site and visitors can enjoy live music, children’s activities, workshop tours and historic boats.  Drifters’ nearest narrowboat hire base is at Bunbury.

2. Crick Boat Show, Northamptonshire, 25-27 May

Over 300 exhibitors will gather at Crick Marina on the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal near Daventry for the Crick Boat Show.  The event, which is organised by Waterways World and the Canal & River Trust, will showcase thousands of inland waterways products and services. And there’ll be an exciting programme of entertainment, including boat trips, live music, boating seminars and a wide variety of food and drink stalls. Our nearest bases are at Gayton and Braunston.

3. St Richards Canal Festival, Worcestershire, 3-6 May

This annual event organised by the Worcester-Birmingham and Droitwich Canals Society takes place in Vines Park alongside the Droitwich Barge Canal. The event offers family entertainment, live music, boats, classic cars, markets, duck races and a real ale bar. Our nearest bases are at Worcester, Stoke Prior and Tardebigge.

4. IWA Canalway Cavalcade, London, 4 May

The Inland Waterway Association’s annual Canalway Cavalcade takes place at Little Venice in London. This unique waterways and community festival offers fun for all the family with a boaters’ gathering, pageant of boats, trade stalls, live music, kids’ activities, competitions, Morris Dancers, a real ale bar and variety of food stalls. Our nearest base is on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Aldermaston.

5. Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Wales, 2-7 July

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. The Llangollen Eisteddfod is one of the world’s great music and culture events with six days of world-class competitions and concerts featuring an array of international performers. Our nearest bases are Trevor, Chirk and Blackwater Meadow.

6. Stone Food & Drink Festival, Staffordshire, 5-7 July

Staffordshire’s biggest celebration of all things gastronomic takes place at the Georgian market town of Stone on the Trent & Mersey Canal. As well as a range of themed food marquees, the festival hosts demonstrations by top chefs, a beer festival, live music, gourmet dining, street food and a farmers’ market. Our nearest bases are Great Haywood, Brewood and Stoke on Trent.

7. Rickmansworth Canal Festival, Hertfordshire, 18-19 May

Celebrating canals, the community and the environment, the Rickmansworth Canal Festival attracts a spectacular array of canal boats from across the country. Occupying part of the Aquadrome and the Grand Union Canal towpath between Stockers Lock and Batchworth Lock, the event hosts a range of music, performing arts, displays, presentations, traders and catering. Our nearest base is on the Grand Union Canal at Braunston.

8. Fairport Convention at Cropredy, Oxfordshire, 8-10 August

This annual festival of folk and rock music is held in the village of Cropredy, next to the Oxford Canal. The event is run by the Fairport Convention, often credited with being the first English electric folk band.  Drifters’ nearest narrowboat hire base is at Napton.

9. Edinburgh Canal Festival, Scotland, 17 June

Organised by the Fountainbridge Canalside Community Trust, this annual event takes place at Lochrin Basin, at the Edinburgh end of the Union Canal.  The event includes free boat trips, canoe taster-sessions, children’s entertainment, music, dance and food. Our nearest base is at Falkirk.

Top 5 Wildlife Spotting Canal Boat Holidays for #EarthDay

Britain’s canals and rivers provide havens for wildlife and are great places to visit to celebrate #EarthDay2023 (22 April).

Cruising gently through the countryside, canal boat holiday-makers can enjoy spotting anything from ducks, moorhens, swans and dragonflies, to kingfishers, otters, bats and water voles.  Even in city centres, waterways provide safe havens for a wide variety of plants and animals.

To celebrate #EarthDay, we’ve published a guide to the best narrowboat holidays for wildlife spotting:

1. Spot Kingfishers on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal

Isolated from the main canal network, this beautiful waterway in South Wales meanders peacefully for 36 miles through the Brecon Beacons National Park, providing excellent habitat for many woodland and water birds, including kingfishers. Usually glimpsed as a sudden flash of glistening blue, the ‘King of Fishers’ travels at lightning speeds catching several fish each day.

We have a narrowboat hire base on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal at Gotyre Wharf.

2. Watch out for Bats on the Caldon Canal

The 17-mile long Caldon Canal in Staffordshire has stunning wooded sections, providing rich habitat for bats. There are 18 different kinds of bat in Britain, including Daubenton’s bats, also known as the ‘water bat’.  They use the canal and river network extensively for foraging and they can frequently be found roosting in hollowed out tree trunks and many of the 200 year old engineering structures, such as bridges and aqueducts, which were built alongside the canals themselves.

We have a canal boat hire base in Stoke on Trent, where the Caldon Canal meets the Trent & Mersey Canal.

3. Count Dragonflies on the Ashby Canal

A six-mile section of the Ashby Canal in Leicestershire is designated a Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI), recognising the diversity of its plant, insect and animal life, including nine species of dragonfly. These colourful insects, whose origins began 300 million years ago, are voracious hunters.  They use the reed fringes of our canals and rivers as breeding and hunting grounds.

You can reach the Ashby Canal on a week-long canal boat holiday from our bases at Braunston, Napton and Stockton.

4. Look out for Otters on the Montgomery Canal

This beautiful canal runs for 38 miles between England and Wales.  Designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on both sides of the border, and the entire length in Wales is also recognised as a Special Area of Conservation, making it one of the most important sites for wildlife in Europe.  Thanks to the work of conservationists, the UK’s population of otters is showing healthy signs of growth after its sad decline in the 1950’s.  Lakes, rivers and coastal areas are the otters’ natural habitats but these timid nocturnal creatures can also be seen hunting on quiet stretches of the canals.  You can reach the Montgomery Canal on a short break or week away from our narrowboat rental bases at Blackwater Meadow, Chirk, Trevor and Whixall.

5. Listen for Reed Bunting on the Droitwich Canals

Many birds live and nest amongst the reeds that line sections of our inland waterways, including the chirruping reed bunting.  One of the best waterways to see these lively little birds, perched up high on reed tops singing at the top of their voices, are the Droitwich Canals in Worcestershire, which offer a linear mosaic of habitats, including substantial reedbeds. Reed buntings are sparrow-sized but slim with long, deeply notched tails.  The male has a black head with a white collar in the summer.  The black head becomes a dull brown in the winter.  Females have a brown head, buff throat and buff-coloured lines above and below their eyes.

You can cruise the Droitwich Canals on a short break or week away from our Stoke Prior, Tardebigge and Worcester bases.

Top 7 May Bank Holiday canal boat breaks for beginners

Narrowboat holidays provide a floating holiday home.  Cruising along at just four miles per hour, watching out for wildlife along the way, you can take all the supplies you need for an adventure afloat.

Drifters offers over 550 boats for hire, operating from 45 bases across England, Scotland and Wales.  Narrowboats range from 32ft to 70ft and can accommodate up to 12 people.  All our boats are equipped with essential home comforts, including central heating, hot water, TV, showers and flushing toilets.  Many now have WiFi too.

A licence isn’t required to steer a canal boat, and all our operators provide boat steering tuition as part of their holiday packages.  To celebrate the two bank holidays in May, we’ve listed our top seven short break narrowboat holidays for beginners:

  1. Potter through the Shropshire countryside to Market Drayton – from our canal boat hire base at Brewood on the Shropshire Union Canal, it takes around 10 hours to reach the historic market town of Market Drayton.  Home of the gingerbread man, Market Drayton has a choice of places to eat and regular street markets. Along the way, you will pass through six locks and a series of villages with canalside pubs, including the Royal Oak at Gnosnall.
  2. Drift through the Calder Valley – on a weekend break from our canal boat rental base at Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire, you can travel along the leafy Calder & Hebble Navigation through the Calder Valley to the old mill town of Hebden Bridge. Climbing through woods, fields and small stone towns, the journey to Hebden Bridge covers seven miles, 10 locks and takes around five and a half hours.  Once at Hebden, you can moor in the centre of town to enjoy a good choice of places to eat, as well as stunning walks up to Heptonstall or Hardcastle Crags.
  3. Complete the Droitwich Mini-Ring – the Droitwich Ring is the only canal boat holiday cruising circuit in Britain which can be completed on a short break. The 21-mile route takes boaters through the Worcestershire countryside along the River Severn, the Worcester & Birmingham Canal and the Droitwich canals. There are 33 locks to pass through and it takes around 16 hours.
  4. Glide along the Forth & Clyde to visit Glasgow – from our canal boat hire base at Falkirk, at the junction of the Union and Forth & Clyde canals, it’s a peaceful nine-hour cruise along the Forth & Clyde Canal to the City of Glasgow. Along the way, you will travel 22 miles and will pass through five locks.  This scenic route begins at the home of the magnificent Falkirk Wheel boat lift.  It then passes through Auchinstarry, the River Kelvin Valley with magnificent views of the Campsie Fells above, and the town of Kirkintillock.  Once at Glasgow, there are moorings at Applecross Street Basin, close to Glasgow’s wealth of cultural centres, including the Hunterian Museum.  
  5. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage City of Bath – from our base at Devizes in Wiltshire, you can travel gently along the Kennet & Avon Canal to reach moorings at Sydney Wharf, close to Bath City Centre. The journey travels 19 miles, passing through eight locks and takes around nine hours.  Along the way, you’ll passes through the village of Seend with its popular canalside Barge Inn.  And the historic town of Bradford on Avon with its fascinating 14th century Tithe Barn.  You’ll also pass over the beautiful Avoncliff and Dundas Bath stone aqueducts.
  6. Cruise to Warwick Castle and back – from our canal boat hire base at Stockton, on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire, you can cruise to Warwick and back. The journey there and back takes around 14 hours, and passes through 40 locks (20 each way), perfect for a long weekend away.  Overnight moorings are available close to Warwick Castle on the banks of the River Avon, said to be Britain’s greatest medieval experience.
  7. Float across ‘The Stream in the Sky’ to Ellesmere – passing through stunning North Wales landscapes, the Llangollen Canal is one of the most popular navigations on the network. The journey from Drifters’ base at Trevor to Ellesmere and back takes boaters through four locks, and into the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. This journey takes around seven hours and includes the experience of travelling across the awesome UNESCO World Heritage status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, also known as ‘The Stream in the Sky’.

Travel round the Droitwich Ring on a narrowboat

The Droitwich Ring is one of a small number of mini-rings on Britain’s canal network.

It re-opened in 2011 when the restoration of the Droitwich Canals was completed.

The route takes canal boat holiday-makers on a 20 mile circuit, passing through 33 locks along the way.  You’ll need around 16 hours to cruise this ring, perfect for a short break.

To complete the circuit you can set off from our narrowboat hire base at Worcester Marina.  The marina is on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal.

Travelling anti-clockwise the journey begins climbing up out of the Severn Valley.  A series of locks take you out of the City, reaching open countryside at Tolladine.

The pretty hamlet of Oddingley with an ancient half-timbered manor house is worth a visit.

Another good place to stop is at the country pub close to the south entrance of Dunhampstead Tunnel.

At Hanbury Junction, you need to transfer onto the Droitwich Junction Canal.  Consider at stop at the popular Eagle & Sun pub close to the turn.

The Droitwich Junction Canal is just two miles long with seven locks.  It joins the Droitwich Barge Canal at Barge Lock.

Soon after you’ll reach picturesque Vines Park in the ancient salt town of Droitwich.  You can moor up and take time to explore its half-timbered buildings, shops, restaurants and tea rooms.

Continuing along you’ll soon leave the suburbs of Droitwich and be back out into the countryside.  The waterway is lined with reed beds here, so look out for little reed bunting birds.

The ancient village of Salwarpe is another good place to stop and explore.

From there the route starts heading downhill again to the Severn Valley, including five locks at Ladywood and two at Hawford.

At Hawford Junction, you turn left onto the River Severn for the final leg of the journey.

Soon after Bevere Lock you’ll start to travel through the outskirts of Worcester, with views of the magnificent Cathedral.

Turn at Diglis Junction to get back onto the Worcester & Birmingham Canal and return to Worcester Marina.

You can also complete the Droitwich Ring departing from our base at Stoke Prior.  But you’ll need to allow an extra hour-and-a-half each way to connect with the ring at Hanbury Junction.

Loveexploring reviews a holiday travelling round the Droitwich Ring

Jo Kessel, her husband and three teenage children set off for their first canal boat holiday from our Worcester base in July.

Travelling aboard the 69ft ‘Aquatic Warbler’ narrowboat for up to eight people, Jo and her family took a four night midweek break and completed the Droitwich Ring, also known as the Mid-Worcestershire Ring.

This journey took them on a 21-mile circular route – the only canal boat ring that can be completed comfortably on a short break.  They passed through 33 locks in around 16 hours.  They travelled along sections of the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, the Droitwich Canals and the River Severn.

Jo says, ‘A holiday on a narrowboat ticks so many boxes: it’s different, it’s active, it’s adventurous and it’s more about the journey than the destination.’

She describes the facilities on board the boat, their top stops (including Hanbury Hall and the village of Salwarpe) and how they worked as a team to navigate their route: ‘While the boat’s captain has to stay put, the crews’ jobs are unexpectedly physical. We winded paddles on lock gates back and forth; we hammered pegs into the ground; we pulled and tethered ropes; we pushed away swing bridges. And in between we walked the towpath, foraging for fruit. Blackberries, raspberries and greengages were ripe for the picking.’

Summing up, Jo says the holiday was ‘a perfect blend of physical activity and relaxation’, saying they slipped into a ‘new rhythm’ they ‘dubbed the slow life’.

To read the full review, go to https://www.loveexploring.com/news/98895/family-canal-boat-holiday-uk

To see Jo’s tour of their narrowboat, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mmx69LQSv0

drifters

Top 10 canal boat holidays for 2019

From rural retreats to vibrant city centres, narrowboat holiday-makers can use their boat as a floating holiday home to explore hundreds of waterside destinations and enjoy taking refreshment at historic canalside pubs.

Here are Drifters’ Top 10 canal boat holidays for 2019:

1. Go star gazing on the Mon & Brec – isolated from the main canal network, the beautiful Monmouth & Brecon Canal runs through the Brecon Beacons National Park, said to have some of some of the highest quality dark skies, perfect for star gazing. Stretching 35 miles from Brecon to Cwmbran, this peaceful waterway, with very few locks, offers canal boat holiday-makers incredible mountain. On a short break (three or four nights) from Drifters’ base at Goytre Wharf, near Abergavenny, you can cruise lock-free to Talybont-on-Usk and back, with excellent walking trails and eateries, the Canalside Café and the Star Inn.

2. Travel to Leicester and the new King Richard III Visitor Centre – from our canal boat hire base at Union Wharf on the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal in Market Harborough, on a week’s narrowboat holiday you can travel to Leicester and back. The 13-hour cruise through the Leicestershire countryside, travels 23 miles, encountering 24 locks, and passing through a series of villages with friendly rural pubs to enjoy, including The Three Horseshoes at Wistow, and the canalside Navigation Inn at Kilby. Once in Leicester, moorings at Castle Gardens are the perfect base for exploring local attractions, including the new award-winning King Richard III Visitor Centre which chronicles the last Plantagenet King’s life and remarkable story of the discovery of his remains.

3. Drift through the prehistoric Vale of Pewsey to Hungerford – from our canal 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, boaters travel up the spectacular flight of 16 locks in a row at Caen Hill and cruise through the beautiful Vale of Pewsey, passing close to prehistoric Avebury and along the edge of the ancient Savernake Forest. Once at Hungerford, narrowboat holiday-makers can enjoy dining at a choice of pubs and browsing in dozens of antique shops.

4. Watch out for wildlife on the Ashby Canal – on a week’s holiday from Drifters canal boat hire base at Braunston, you can travel to the pretty village of Snarestone and back, travelling a total of 47 miles, passing through eight locks and taking around 32 hours. This largely rural route takes canal boat holiday-makers up the North Oxford Canal to Rugby and on to Hawkesbury Junction to join the Coventry Canal. Five miles later, the route transfers onto the peaceful lock-free Ashbury Canal, which winds gently through countryside for 22 miles. From Carlton Bridge to Snarestone, the canal is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), recognising the diversity of its plant, insect and animal life, including nine species of dragonfly, the water shrew, water vole and rare native white-clawed crayfish.

5. Float across ‘The Stream in the Sky’ to Llangollen and back – from Drifters’ base at Chirk on the beautiful Llangollen Canal in North Wales, the awesome World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and the stunning hill surrounded town of Llangollen, can be reached on a short break. Standing at over 125ft high above the Dee Valley, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is 1,000ft long, supporting a cast iron trough holding the canal across iron arched ribs and 19 enormous hollow pillars. With not even a hand rail on the south side of the aqueduct to obscure the stunning views of the valley below, canal boaters literally feel like they are floating above the earth.

6. Cruise the Birmingham mini-ring – with more canals than Venice, travelling by boat is the best way to tour Britain’s vibrant second City. On a week’s holiday from Drifters’ Tardebigge boat yard on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove, canal boat holiday-makers can travel the Birmingham Mini-Ring, cruising for 27 hours and passing through 49 locks. The route begins by passing through the remains of the Forest of Arden, with quiet villages and historic waterside pubs to enjoy along the way, and then heads right into the heart of Birmingham. Here boaters can moor up and explore some of the City’s top attractions, including the Thinktank Science Museum and Mailbox Shopping Centre. Travelling out of Birmingham on a different canal, the route connects with the Grand Union Canal and the journey becomes gradually more rural again as it loops back round through Lapworth and along part of the Stratford Canal.

7. Travel one-way across the Pennines – starting from Drifters’ narrowboat hire base at Sowerby Bridge or Ashton-under-Lyne, this week-long epic journey takes around 40 cruising hours, travelling 33 miles and passing through 97 locks. If beginning at Sowerby Bridge, the route first travels down the Calder & Hebble Navigation past Brighouse, then after a short river section the journey switches onto the Huddersfield Broad, taking boaters into Huddersfield City Centre. After that the canal goes up the Colne Valley into the hills and on to the villages of Slaithwaite, then Marsden, before reaching the summit over 644 feet above sea level and the entrance to the Standedge Tunnel. The passage of boats through the incredible three-and-a-quarter mile long tunnel is guided by Canal & River Trust staff and volunteers. After the tunnel, the canal descends quickly through the Diggle Flight and into the Saddleworth villages, before reaching the centre of Stalybridge, and finally Ashton.

8. Navigate the Droitwich Ring – setting off from Drifters’ narrowboat hire base at Worcester on the beautiful River Severn, canal boat holiday makers can navigate the Droitwich Ring, the only waterway cruising ring in Europe which can be completed on a short break (three or four nights). The restoration of the Droitwich Canals was completed in 2011, reconnecting them to the Worcester & Birmingham Canal and the River Severn, and creating a 21-mile loop with 33 locks along the way, that can be completed in just less than 15 hours.

9. Potter through the Scottish lowlands to Linlithgow – from Drifters’ canal boat hire base at the Falkirk Wheel boat lift, it’s a peaceful five-hour cruise along the Union Canal to the historic town of Linlithgow – perfect for a short break. The route begins by passing over the 35-metre high Falkirk Wheel – the world’s first rotating boat lift and then passes through two tunnels and two aqueducts, and on through miles of peaceful countryside before reaching Linlithgow. Once there, narrowboat holiday-makers can visit the beautifully preserved remains of Linlithgow Palace on the shores of Linlithgow Loch, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots, and sample some of the town’s excellent eateries.

10. Glide through the Peak District to Cheddleton and back – on a short break from Drifters’ Peak District narrowboat hire base at Etruria in Stoke on Trent, you can travel into the Peak District along the beautiful Caldon Canal, reaching Cheddleton Flint Mill in around eight hours, passing through 12 locks and travelling just over 11 miles. As the Caldon Canal leaves Stoke, it begins to pass through gently rolling hills and wooded areas, past old mills and then alongside the stunning River Churnet. At Denford, the Hollybush Inn is popular with boaters and at Consall Forge, the secluded Black Lion pub serves good food and real ales.

Top 5 bank holiday boating breaks

Top 5 bank holiday boating breaks

To celebrate the approaching May bank holiday holidays, Drifters has put together its top five short break narrowboat holidays:

1. See the pop-up art installations on the Droitwich Ring – as part of the Canal & River Trust’s Arts of the Waterways programme, the charity has commissioned artists to produce dynamic temporary artworks and live events along the 21-mile long Droitwich Ring, for visitors to enjoy this Spring and Summer. The restoration of the Droitwich Canals was completed in 2011, reconnecting them to the Worcester & Birmingham Canal and the River Severn, and creating a canal boat holiday cruising ring that can be completed on a short break from our Worcester and Stoke Prior canal boat hire bases.

2. Step back in time at Mary King’s Close beneath Edinburgh’s Royal Mile – from Drifters’ narrowboat hire base at Falkirk, at the junction of the Union and Forth & Clyde canals, on a mid-week (four night) break narrowboat holiday-makers 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, which 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, boaters can moor up at Edinburgh Quay, just a five-minute walk from City Centre attractions, including Mary King’s Close, a warren of streets frozen in time beneath the Royal Mile.

3. Celebrate 950 years of history at Warwick Castle – from our narrowboat hire centre at Stockton on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire, it takes around eight hours, travelling 11 miles and passing through 22 locks, to reach the historic centre of Warwick. Here canal boat holiday-makers can take time to explore the magnificent Warwick Castle established 950 years ago by William the Conqueror on the banks of the River Avon, and said to be ‘Britain’s greatest medieval experience’ with ramparts to climb, birds of prey displays, trebuchet firing, Horrible Histories Maze, Kingmaker exhibition and many other attractions to explore.

4. Travel across the incredible Pontcysyllte Aqueduct – from Drifters’ canal boat rental base at Chirk on the beautiful Llangollen Canal in North Wales, the awesome World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct can be reached on a short break. Standing at over 125ft high above the Dee Valley, this incredible 1,000ft long structure consists of a cast iron trough supported on iron arched ribs, carried on 19 enormous hollow pillars. With not even a hand rail on the south side of the aqueduct to obscure the stunning views of the valley below, canal boaters literally feel like they are floating above the earth.

5. Visit the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford – from our canal boat hire base at Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal near Henley-in-Arden, it’s a six-hour, 17-lock cruise through the beautiful Warwickshire countryside to Bancroft Basin in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon. From there, it’s a short walk to the town’s restaurants, shops, markets, museums and theatres, including the 1,040 seat Royal Shakespeare Theatre, home to the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Travel the Mid-Worcestershire Ring and enjoy inspiring artworks along the way

Travel the Mid-Worcestershire Ring and enjoy inspiring artworks along the way

From March, a series of events and art installations will take place to celebrate the 21-mile circle of historic waterways which make up the Mid-Worcestershire Ring.

The route, which reopened seven years ago following the restoration of the Droitwich Canals, flows through the urban and rural landscapes of Worcester and Droitwich, via the Droitwich Canals, part of the River Severn and a section of the Worcester & Birmingham Canal.

The Mid-Worcestershire Ring, also known as The Droitwich Ring, can be explored on a short break canal boat holiday from Drifters’ canal boat hire bases at Worcester or Stoke Prior, or on a week’s holiday from Tardebigge and Alvechurch.

The Ring arts programme, which is supported by the Canal & River Trust, features internationally acclaimed artists working with local communities to create a series of unexpected and inspiring artworks that explore the heritage, ecology and people along the waterways of Worcestershire.

Between March and September, audiences are invited to explore The Ring by boat, on foot or bicycle to discover activities taking place along the Mid-Worcestershire Ring waterways.
From sculpture and street art to music and poetry, the artists confirmed for The Ring include:

Rich White, Occupation (Diglis Island Residency), Diglis Island, Worcester (March – Sept 2018)
Bristol-based sculptor Rich White who will be taking residence on and exploring the heritage of Diglis Island, during which he will explore the island’s history and future, and create a temporary, large-scale sculpture, entitled Occupation.

Heather Wastie, The Muck and Shovel Brigade, Droitwich Canals
Former Worcestershire Poet Laureate, Heather Wastie has written a series of poems that sparkle with wit and warmth, inspired by the Droitwich Canals, the people who restored them.

Katy Beinart, Saltways, Vines Park, Droitwich and Droitwich Heritage Centre (May – Sept 2018)
Brighton-based interdisciplinary artist Katy Beinart will explore Droitwich’s historic past as a salt production centre, exporting salt around the world via vital canal routes and other ‘Saltways’.

NEON, Weorgoran Pavilion, South Quay, Worcester City Centre (15 – 24 June 2018)
This innovative performance pavilion will host a vibrant programme of literature, music, dance and workshops led by local artists.

Dave Crowe, Shire Skies, South Quay, Worcester City Centre (15 – 24 June 2018)
Beatboxer Dave Crowe and Stranger Faces headline our opening night performances on The River Spectacle stage (15 June) with a lively mix of funk and beatbox sounds.

Emily Speed, Hollowware, Diglis Canal Basin, Worcester (August 2018)
Working with the Museum of Royal Worcester, sited a short walk from The Ring’s route, Emily Speed presents an interactive performance work.

Lucy McLauchlan, Opening the Floodgates, Oil Dock Basin, Worcester (August – September 2018)
Lucy is one of the UK’s leading female street artists and her internationally acclaimed, large-scale monochromatic paintings combine ancient, almost prehistorical influences with graphic sensibilities.

To find out more about narrowboat holidays on the Mid-Worcestershire Ring visit https://www.drifters.co.uk/

Drifters' Top 5 new canal boats for hire in 2018

Drifters’ Top 5 new canal boats for hire in 2018

There are now over 30,000 canal boats on our inland waterways, more than at the time of the Industrial Revolution, and half a century after the 1968 Transport Act officially recognised Britain’s canal network as a major leisure resource, the popularity of canal boat holidays continues to increase.

Today’s canal boats for hire are fully equipped with all the essential mod cons – central heating, hot water, TV, fully-equipped kitchens, showers and flushing toilets. To create ever higher standards of accommodation, the length of boat per berth is increasing and new canal boats for hire are arriving on the network with extras like baths, drinks fridges, larger showers, solid-fuel stoves, King-sized beds and WiFi.

Here are our top five new narrowboats available for hire in 2018:

1. Float across ‘The Stream in the Sky’ aboard ‘Lily’ – the brand new luxury four-berth ‘Lily’ Heritage class boat is now available to hire from Drifters’ narrowboat hire base at Trevor, on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales. This 66ft long semi-traditional stern narrowboat offers ‘heritage’ features, including a Belfast sink, port holes and a solid fuel stove in the saloon, alongside modern home comforts, including two showers and two toilets, two double beds (which can be made into twin beds) in separate cabins, LED lighting, full radiator central heating and WiFi. ***ROUTES – on a short break from Trevor, canal boat holiday-makers can travel across the awesome World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, a pioneering masterpiece of engineering. Standing at 38 metres high above the Dee Valley, this incredible 307-metre long structure offers stunning views of the valley below. ***PRICES for ‘Lily’ start at £740 for a short break, or £1,060 for a week. Price includes bed linen, towels, cancellation protection, first pet, parking and tuition on arrival. A £50 non-refundable damage waiver and fuel deposit (£50 for a short break, £90 for a week) are extra. Fuel charge is based on use, circa £10-15 per day.

2. Travel to Georgian Bath and back aboard ‘Darwin’s Fox’ – from our canal boat hire base at Foxhangers on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Devizes, this season the new 65ft ‘Darwin’s Fox’, with accommodation for up to seven people, takes to the water. This luxury canal boat is perfect for two couples or small families wanting the greatest amount of privacy and comfort aboard a narrowboat. It has a central saloon and open plan galley, with the two permanent sleeping cabins privately positioned at either end of the boat. The rear double can be converted from a standard double into a king size bed and the forward cabin has a range of flexible sleeping configurations. ‘Darwin Fox’ has central heating, a 240v electrical system, fully equipped galley including a microwave and extra drinks fridge. There are TV’s in each cabin, the saloon, the master double and secondary cabin/media room where a single bed converts into a desk and TV. ***ROUTES – from Foxhangers, canal boat holiday-makers can travel west to the World Heritage Status City of Bath, famous for its stunning Georgian architecture and fascinating Roman Baths, or head east to the beautiful Vale of Pewsey, travelling up the spectacular Caen Hill flight of locks, one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’. ***PRICES for ‘Darwin’s Fox’ start at £1,098 for a week. Price includes damage waiver, diesel and gas for cooking, bed linen and towels, car parking, tuition and buoyancy aids. Pets are charged at £30 each.

3. Enjoy stunning Pennine scenery aboard ‘Lincoln’ – this 46ft cosy narrowboat for two launches this season from Drifters’ narrowboat rental base at Sowerby Bridge on the junction of the Calder & Hebble Navigation and Rochdale Canal in West Yorkshire. ‘Lincoln’ offers canal boat holiday-makers a fixed double cabin (plus convertible single bed in the saloon), an extra-large shower, LED lighting, central heating, radio CD player with 4 speakers, Bluetooth, USB, iPod and Android, TV/DVD, hairdryer, 240v electrical system, a well-equipped galley with hob and fitted oven and grill, microwave, fridge and dining table. ***ROUTES – On a short break (three or four nights) from Drifters’ base at Sowerby Bridge, canal boat holiday-makers can travel to Todmorden and back along the Rochdale Canal, passing through the beautiful Calder Valley and stunning Pennine scenery along the way. ***PRICES for ‘Lincoln’ start at £485 for a short break, £745 for a week. Price includes damage waiver, cruising guide, comprehensive instruction, fuel, gas, parking, buoyancy aids, bed linen and first pet.

4. Visit historic Warwick aboard the spacious ‘Harry Hudson’ – new for the 2018 season, the 70ft ‘Harry Hudson’ has accommodation for up to six people, with two fixed doubles (one of which can also be set up as two fixed singles), each with an en suite toilet and shower room. The spacious lounge can also be made up as either twin singles or a large double. ‘Harry Hudson’ has a fully equipped galley, with a full sized gas cooker, fridge, microwave, and plenty of worktop space. The spacious lounge is equipped with TV, DVD, radio with CD player. There are 3-pin sockets throughout the boat, and a USB charging point. ***ROUTES – on a short break from Drifters’ canal boat rental base at Warwick on the Grand Union Canal, canal boat holiday-makers can cruise to Long Itchington and back, with plenty of historic canalside pubs to enjoy a along the way. On a week’s holiday, canal boat hirers can complete the Warwickshire Ring, passing through the centre of Birmingham as well as the beautiful Warwickshire countryside. ***PRICES for ‘Harry Hudson’ start at and £720 for a short break (three or four nights), £1,000 for a week. Price includes diesel, gas, car parking, tuition on arrival, buoyancy aids and bed linen. A non-refundable compulsory damage waiver is extra, and pets are charged at £25 each.

5. Step aboard the new Warbler at Worcester and complete the Mid-Worcestershire Ring – a brand new 69ft ‘Warbler’ narrowboat, with accommodation for up to eight people, will be available to hire from Drifters’ canal boat hire centre at Worcester from this July. The ‘Warbler’ has three flexible layout cabins (all with wider beds), two bathrooms, LED lighting throughout, two TV’s, a fully equipped kitchen with a dining table and a front deck table too. ***ROUTES – from Worcester on the River Severn, canal boat holiday-makers can complete the Mid-Warwickshire Ring on a short break, travelling 21 miles, through 33 locks in around 16 hours, stopping off to enjoy ‘The Ring’ series of art installations taking place there this year. On a week’s holiday, boaters can complete the longer Stourport Ring, travelling through Wolverhampton, Birmingham and the mighty Tardebigge Flight of locks. ***PRICES for the Warbler start at £999 for a short break (three or four nights), £1,599 for a week. Price includes damage waiver, gas, parking, tuition, towels, bedding and first pet. Fuel is extra, circa £10-15 per day. A fuel deposit of £50 is taken for short breaks, £90 for a week’s hire.

 

 

Top 10 canal boat holidays for 2018

Top 10 canal boat holidays for 2018

With boats travelling at a maximum speed of 4mph, and over 3,000 miles of navigable peaceful inland waterways to explore across Britain, canal boat holidays really are the fastest way to slow down.  From rural retreats to vibrant city centres, narrowboat holiday-makers can use their boat as a floating holiday home to explore.

Drifters’ offers over 580 boats for hire from 45 locations across England, Scotland and Wales. 2018 hire prices start at £395 for a short break (three or four nights) on a boat for four, £575 for a week. Tuition is included in all our holiday packages.

There are hundreds of routes and destinations to choose from, but to help plan your next boating adventure, here are our Top 10 narrowboat holidays for 2018:

1. Visit the newly reopened iconic Piece Hall in Halifax…on a short break (three or four nights) from Drifters’ base at 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, following a multi-million-pound transformation, this monumental Georgian structure with its immense, open air piazza is now home to a mix of independent bars, shops and cafes, and a seasonal programme of events.

2. See the pop-up art installations on the Droitwich Ring…as part of the Canal & River Trust’s Arts of the Waterways programme, the charity which cares for our canals and rivers is commissioning artists to produce dynamic temporary artworks and live events along the 21-mile long Droitwich Ring, for visitors to enjoy from March to September 2018. The restoration of the Droitwich Canals was completed in 2011, reconnecting them to the Worcester & Birmingham Canal and the River Severn, and creating a canal boat holiday cruising ring that can be completed on a short break (three or four nights), travelling through 33 locks in around 15 hours from Drifters’ Worcester base.

3. Marvel at the Caen Hill Flight at Devizes…arguably the most impressive flight of locks on the UK waterway network, the spectacular 16 locks in a row climbing Caen Hill on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Devizes, forms the middle section of 29-lock flight 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 one of the final sections to be restored before the re-opening of the Kennet & Avon Canal in 1990. From Drifters’ boatyard at Hilperton near Trowbridge, it’s a four-hour cruise, travelling seven miles, through seven locks, to reach Fox Hanger Wharf at the base of the Caen Hill Flight. It takes a further five hours to reach the top of the flight.

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 and is home to a series of historic lime kilns. Stretching 35 miles from Brecon to Cwmbran, this peaceful waterway, with very few locks, offers canal boat holiday-makers incredible mountain views and a fascinating insight into the history of lime production, in an area where both limestone and coal were in plentiful supply. On a short break from Drifters’ base at Goytre Wharf, near Abergavenny, boaters can cruise lock-free to Llangynidr and back, with lime kilns to visit along the way at Goytre, Gilwern and Llangattock.

5. See the ancient topiary at Packwood House…From our canal boat hire base at Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal near Henley-in-Arden, 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 timber-framed Tudor manor house, Packwood House, where, according to legend, the famous 350-year old trees in Packwood’s iconic Yew Garden represent the ‘Sermon on the Mount’.

6. Float across ‘The Stream in the Sky’…from Drifters’ base at Chirk on the beautiful Llangollen Canal in North Wales, the awesome World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct can be reached on a short break. Standing at over 125ft high above the Dee Valley, this incredible 1,000ft long structure consists of a cast iron trough supported on iron arched ribs, carried on 19 enormous hollow pillars. With not even a hand rail on the south side of the aqueduct to obscure the stunning views of the valley below, canal boaters literally feel like they are floating above the earth.

7. Discover the story of the Staffordshire Hoard…from our Tardebigge base on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove, it’s a five-hour (three-lock) journey to Gas Street Basin in the centre of Birmingham, a short walk from dozens of top attractions, including the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. Here visitors 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 some 1,400 years ago.

8. Cruise the Cheshire Ring for some stunning Pennine views…on a week’s break from our Anderton base on the Trent & Mersey Canal, narrowboat holiday-makers can cruise the 97-mile, 92-lock Cheshire Ring in around 48 hours. This popular circuit takes six different waterways, the incredible Victorian Anderton Boat Lift and a complete range of canal scenery, including spectacular views of the Pennines from the Macclesfield Canal, gentle rolling Cheshire countryside on the Trent & Mersey Canal, and the lively city centre of Manchester on the Rochdale Canal.

9. Climb Edinburgh’s extinct volcano for stunning views of the city…From Drifters’ base at Falkirk, at the junction of the Union and Forth & Clyde canals, on a week’s break narrowboat holiday-makers 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, which 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, boaters 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 from Drifters’ base at Stockton on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire, canal boat holiday-makers can cruise gently through the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire countryside to the canalside village of Stoke Bruerne, passing through the 2,813-metre long Blisworth Tunnel, the third longest on the network. Once in Stoke Bruerne, visitors can enjoy a choice of canalside pubs, woodland walks and browsing the intriguing waterway history collections at the Canal Museum. The journey to Stoke Bruerne travels 30 miles, passing through 22 locks and takes around 19 hours.