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Chirk Castle close to the Llangollen Canal in Wales

Castles to visit on a narrowboat holiday

August 4, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

There are many castles close to canals and rivers in England and Wales

From prison cells and dungeon tours, to ramparts and banqueting halls, there are some great castles to visit on a narrowboat holiday.

1. Explore the 18th century prison cells at Oxford Castle & Prison

Cruising from our base at Lower Heyford on the Oxford Canal, it’s a tranquil 8-hour cruise to moorings at Hythe Bridge, close to Oxford Castle. The journey to Oxford and back travels 29 miles and passes through 20 locks (10 each way). Oxford Castle was founded by the Norman baron Robert D’Oilly the elder in 1071, but most of the fortress was destroyed in the English Civil War. By the 18th century, the remaining buildings had become Oxford’s local prison. Today, as well as exploring the castle’s tower, crypt and mound, you can take a guided tour of the old prison.

2. See the Changing of the Guard at Windsor Castle

You can visit Windsor Castle on a narrowboat holiday departing from Aldermaston on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Berkshire. It takes 2 days to reach Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. The journey travels 39 miles and passes through 22 locks. With 1,000 years of Royal history to discover, including Charles II’s magnificent State Apartments, Windsor Castle is packed with treasures from the Royal Collection. The Changing of the Guard ceremony, which takes place on Thursdays and Saturdays at 11am, is a colour spectacle of British pageantry.

3. Climb the ramparts at Warwick Castle

From Stockton on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire, it’s a 7-hour journey, passing through 20 locks, to Warwick Castle on the banks of the River Avon. This is an amazing castle to visit on a narrowboat holiday! Dating back to William the Conqueror, Warwick Castle has ramparts to climb, the spooky Castle Dungeon tour to experience and the Great Hall and Staterooms to explore. You’ll also find the sights, sounds and smells of the medieval period to witness in the Kingmaker exhibition. And there are soaring birds of prey displays to watch, landscaped gardens wonder through and regular special live action performances.

4. Find out about the siege at Skipton Castle

Cruising from Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire, it takes around 3.5 hours to reach Skipton Castle. This 900-year old fortress is one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England. And it’s very close to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, so it’s a great castle to visit on a narrowboat holiday. Skipton Castle withstood a 3-year siege during the English Civil War. Today, visitors can climb from the depths of the Dungeon up to the top of the Watch Tower, and explore the magnificent Banqueting Hall, Kitchen, Bedchamber and Privy in between.

5. Discover murder holes at Chirk Castle

From Chirk on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, it takes just 40 minutes to cruise to Chirk Bank visitor moorings. From there, it takes around 30 minutes to walk up to Chirk Castle. Owned by the National Trust, Chirk Castle is one of several medieval marcher fortresses built on the Welsh-English border. Started in 1295, Chirk Castle had the most up-to-date defences of the time. These include round ‘drum’ towers that allowed archers a wide firing field, and created a ‘killing zone’ where the fields of fire overlapped. Today, you can explore the Castle’s lavishly furnished rooms and Adam Tower, complete with two-level dungeons, medieval toilets and murder holes. There’s also 480 acres of parkland with walking trails to enjoy, and glorious gardens to stroll through.

Best summer days out canal boating

July 10, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

We offer canal boat day hire from 19 locations

Drifters offers day boat hire from 19 places across England and Wales for the best summer days out canal boating.

Full tuition is included, so if you’re new to narrow boating, you can get the hang of steering, mooring up and working the locks.

All our day boats are equipped with cutlery, crockery and a kettle, and most also have a toilet, cooker and fridge. So you can plan a picnic afloat or stop-off for lunch at a canalside pub along the way.

Boats range in size and can accommodate between eight and 12 people. Day boat prices start at £99 on week days, and £150 on weekends and bank holidays.

To help you plan your family day out afloat, we’ve listed our best summer days out canal boating:

1. Navigate through the Staffordshire countryside to Hopwas

From Kings Orchard Marina, on the Coventry Canal near Lichfield, you can cruise through the Staffordshire countryside to Bonehill Bridge and back. The route takes you through the villages Huddlesford, Whittington and Hopwas. At Hopwas there are two pubs to choose from – the Tame Otter and the Red Lion. The journey to Bonehill and back takes 5.5 hours and there are no locks.

2. Glide along the leafy Worcester & Birmingham Canal to Kings Norton

On a day out from Alvechurch Marin near Bromsgrove, you can cruise north through the remains of the Forest of Arden to Kings Norton Junction. There’s a choice of pubs to visit along the way, including the canalside Crown and Weighbridge pubs at Alvechurch. The route is lock-free but there are 3 tunnels to pass through, including Wast Hill Tunnel, which is nearly 2.5km long.

3. Navigate to The Star Inn at Mamhillad in the Brecon Beacons

Heading out for a day afloat from Goytre Wharf, day boaters can travel along the beautiful Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal, enjoying incredible mountain views. It takes around 2.5 hours to cruise to moorings close to the popular Star pub at Mamhillad, a short walk from bridge 62.

4. Cruise along the Grand Union Canal to Napton-on-the-Hill

From our day boat hire centre at Braunston in heart of the canal network, you can cruise to the historic village of Napton-on-the-Hill. The journey, which takes around 3 hours, takes you through the Northamptonshire countryside and into Warwickshire. Once at Napton, you can moor up and walk into the village where there’s a choice of pubs, including the popular Kings Head.

5. Boat along the Shropshire Union Canal to Nantwich

From our canal boat hire base at Bunbury Wharf on the Shropshire Union Canal near Tarporley, you can cruise south for 6 miles to Nantwich. There you can travel across the impressive Grade II* listed Nantwich Aqueduct, enjoying panoramic views across the town. You’ll pass the Barbridge Inn along the way, and there’s a choice of places to eat and drink in Nantwich. The journey to Nantwich takes around 2.5 hours.

6. Cruise through Shakespeare country to Wilmcote

From Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal, you can cruise to the pretty village of Wilmcote, home of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s Mary Arden Farm. The journey takes 2.5 hours, and crosses over the Edstone Aqueduct with amazing views across the Warwickshire countryside. From moorings at the top of the Wilmcote lock flight, it’s a short walk into Wilmcote and the Mary Arden Inn.

7. Float across ‘The Stream in the Sky’ in North Wales

From Trevor on the Llangollen Canal, day boaters can cruise across the UNESCO World Heritage status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Standing at over 38 metres high above the Dee Valley, this incredible structure offers stunning views of the Dee Valley below. After cruising over the Aqueduct, there are two tunnels and another aqueduct to cross, before reaching the Bridge Inn at Chirk. It takes around 2.5 hours to reach Chirk.

8. Boat along the Kennet & Avon Canal to Avoncliff Aqueduct

From Hilperton Marina, near Trowbridge in Wiltshire, you can head west to the picturesque town of Bradford on Avon. You pass through one lock and then on to the impressive Bath stone Avoncliff Aqueduct. The No.10 Cafe is next to the Aqueduct. The journey to Avoncliff takes around 3 hours.

9. Cruise the Peak Forest Canal to Marple Junction

From New Mills Marina on the Peak Forest Canal in Derbyshire, you can cruise to Marple Junction and back. You’ll enjoy fantastic views of the rolling countryside along the way. At Marple Junction, you can visit the Hatters Arms. And walk up along the Marple Lock flight, to see boats passing through one of the steepest lock flights in Britain.

10. Glide through the Warwickshire countryside to Marston

On a day out boating from Springwood Haven Marina on the Coventry Canal in Warwickshire, you can cruise to Marston and back. You can stop off at the canalside Horseshoes pub along the way.

For more information about Drifters day boat hire, go to https://www.drifters.co.uk/day-boats/

Top 10 aqueducts to glide across on a narrowboat holiday

Top 10 aqueducts to cruise across on a narrowboat holiday

July 10, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

Britain’s 3,000-mile canal network is made up of thousands of historic structures, including dozens of aqueducts.

Aqueducts were originally invented by the Romans. The idea of a ‘canal in the sky’ was initially ridiculed by the canal builders. They were concerned about the amount of masonry required to support the weight of the water above.

However, the engineers found a way and built dozens of canal aqueducts across the canal network.

They have survived to become some of the most iconic sights on our waterways.

To help plan your next adventure afloat, we’ve listed the top 10 aqueducts to glide across on a narrowboat holiday:

1. The Stream in the Sky in North Wales

Standing 38 metres high above the Dee Valley, the awesome Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales has UNESCO World Heritage Status. Designed by Thomas Telford, its 305-metre long cast iron trough in which narrowboats float, is supported by 19 enormous hollow pillars. Ox blood was added to the lime mortar used to bind the masonry together. It was believed the blood of a strong animal would help strengthen the structure. You can reach this aqueduct from our hire boat yards at Trevor, Chirk, Blackwater Meadow, Whitchurch, Wrenbury and Whixall.

2. Avoncliff Aqueduct in Wiltshire

Designed by canal engineer John Rennie, the beautiful Bath stone Avoncliff Aqueduct carries the Kennet & Avon Canal across the Avon Valley near Bath. It is over 100 metres long and 18 metres wide. You can reach this aqueduct on a canal boat holiday from our bases at Bath, Monkton Coombe, Bradford on Avon, Hilperton and Devizes.

3. Chirk Aqueduct on the Welsh border

Also part of the Llangollen Canal World Heritage site, the striking Chirk Aqueduct was completed in 1801. It was designed by William Jessop and Thomas Telford. It is 220 metres long and carries the Llangollen Canal 21 metres high above the River Ceiriog, using 10 circular masonry arches. You can easily reach the Chirk Aqueduct from our bases at Trevor, Chirk, Blackwater Meadow, Whitchurch and Whixall.

4. The Iron Trunk Aqueduct in Buckinghamshire

This magnificent engineering structure was the world’s first wide canal cast iron trough aqueduct. It takes the Grand Union Canal 12 metres high across the River Great Ouse, close to the village of Cosgrove. It was built in 1811 by canal engineer Benjamin Beavan, and is made up of two cast iron trough spans, with a single masonry pier. Our nearest narrowboat hire base is a five hour cruise away at Gayton.

5. Dundas Aqueduct in Somerset

Another magnificent Bath stone aqueduct designed by John Rennie, this structure on the Kennet & Avon Canal near Bath was completed in 1810. It’s designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument and connects the Kennet & Avon Canal to the Somerset Coal Canal. You can easily be reach Dundas Aqueduct on a canal boat holiday from our bases at Bath, Monkton Coombe, Bradford on Avon, Hilperton and Devizes.

6. Edstone Aqueduct in Warwickshire

Carrying the Stratford Canal across three railway tracks, a minor road, a stream and a field, this 146 metre long structure is the longest cast iron aqueduct in England. Completed in 1816, it was amongst the earliest prefabricated structures, made up of 35 separate sections bolted together. Our nearest canal boat hire base is just under an hour away at Wootton Wawen.

7. The Lune Aqueduct in Lancashire

This Grade I listed iconic structure carries the Lancaster Canal 16 metres high above the River Lune. It was designed by John Rennie and has five 21 metre high semi-circular arches. The nearest Drifters’ base is a week’s cruise away at Acton Bridge on the River Weaver.

8. Nantwich Aqueduct in Cheshire

The Nantwich Aqueduct offers canal boat holiday-makers panoramic views across the historic market town of Nantwich. This Grade II* listed historic structure carries the Shropshire Union Canal over the A534 Chester Road. It was designed by the famous canal engineer Thomas Telford and completed 1826. Our nearest bases are at Nantwich and Bunbury.

9. Barton Swing Aqueduct in Greater Manchester

This Grade II* listed aqueduct carries the Bridgewater Canal across the Manchester Ship Canal. It opened in 1893 and was the first and only swing aqueduct in the world. Weighing 1,450 tonnes, the 100-metre long aqueduct swings open, full of water, to allow the passage of ships along the Manchester Ship Canal. Our nearest base is a nine-hour cruise away at Acton Bridge.

10. Avon Aqueduct in Scotland

At 247 metres long, the impressive Avon Aqueduct in Scotland is the second longest aqueduct in Britain. It carries the Union Canal 29.5 metres high above the River Avon near Linlithgow. Designed by Hugh Baird, with advice from Thomas Telford, the aqueduct was constructed between 1819 and 1821. Our nearest canal boat hire base is around three cruising hours away at Falkirk.

To find out more about visiting the canals in England and Wales, go to https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/

Grand Union Narrowboats has joined Drifters

June 10, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

We have a new canal boat hire base on the Grand Union Canal at Weedon

Grand Union Narrowboats, based at Weedon in Northamponshire, has joined the Drifters boating holidays group.

Now made up of 10 canal boat hire operators, Drifters aims to share best practice and promote canal boat holidays to newcomers.

Drifters offers the choice of over 500 canal boats for hire from 40 locations across England, Wales and Scotland. The group now represents over half the number of holiday hire boat available across Britain’s 2,000-mile canal network.

The Weedon hire fleet was been operating since 1963. The Furniss family bought the business in 2015, and Grand Union Narrowboats currently offers the choice of 14 narrowboats for hire. Boats range in size from narrowboats for two to eight people.

Grand Union Narrowboats owner Steve Furniss explains: “We’re pleased to be part of the Drifters group, helping to bring newcomers to our holidays. The tuition and reassurance we provide to newcomers is a key part of the service we provide to our customers. During our boat handovers, we show people how all the controls on the boat work and we ensure all our novice customers get practical steering tuition along with instruction through their first locks.

“From Weedon, we offer a great choice of routes on the Grand Union Canal, Oxford and Ashby canals, as well as the River Thames. Our most popular short breaks routes for beginners, include cruising south along the Grand Union Canal to Wolverton and back. This journey takes boaters through the historic canal villages of Bugbrooke, Stoke Bruerne and Cosgrove. Canal features include the Blisworth Tunnel, the flight of locks at Stoke Bruerne and famous Iron Trunk Aqueduct, and there are plenty of canalside pubs to choose from.”

Drifters 2025 hire prices start at £715 for a short break, £970 for a week on a boat for up to four people. Day hire prices start at £99 for a boat for up to 10 people.

Step off the grid for a mindfulness break

June 6, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

Step off the grid for a mindfulness break on Britain’s inland waterways

Travelling at just 4 miles per hour on a canal boat is the chance to step off the grid for a mindfulness break.

Research by Canal & River Trust, the charity that cares for the nation’s 2,000 miles of canals and rivers, shows spending time by the waterways can lower levels of anxiety and make you happier*.

Waterways are described as ‘great places to relax and de-stress’ and canal boat holidays are often said to be ‘the fastest way to slow down’.

Britain’s canals and rivers are an important place for biodiversity, with over 1,000 wildlife conservation sites. Getting close to nature is widely recognised to benefit our mental and physical health and wellbeing.

Here are some insights into the relaxing effect of a narrowboat holiday, described by journalists who have enjoyed the experience:

Step back in time to a slower era

Paul Miles lives on a boat and says, ‘Holidaying on the inland waterways is to step back in time to a slower era. Grooves on bridges worn by ropes are a visible reminder of the days when life proceeded at the walking pace of a horse, 4mph, still the speed limit today.’

The Telegraph, ‘Britain’s best and most underrated canals to explore this summer‘, 8 May 2025

A slow boat to happiness in Wiltshire

Annabel Abbs reviewed her family holiday on the Kennet & Avon Canal in the Guardian, and said ‘the gentle, soothing monotony of a canal had taken away all desire to show and share on social media’ and everyone’s ‘phones showed an average 70% drop in useage.

The Guardian online, ‘A slow boat to happiness: our family holiday on Wiltshire’s Kennet & Avon Canal‘, 18 May 2025

Off grid on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire

Angela Riches of H&N Magazine holidayed on the Grand Union Canal and said, ‘It’s been a long time since we were so completely off grid but this slow pace of life gave us a complete reset.’

H&N Magazine, ‘Heaven is going totally off grid on a canal barge‘, 22 May 2025

The perfect antidote in Shropshire

Dan Sanderson described his family holiday on the Shropshire Union Canal as ‘the perfect antidote to the stresses of modern city life’ and said ‘chugging along at an average speed of just 2mph…time and distance become an obscure concept and you are left with little option than to sit back and enjoy the view’.

The Mailonline, ‘Ready, steady…slow!’, 8 July 2023

A Wiltshire retreat

Paul Miles, while on the Kennet & Avon Canal, explained: “Life in the slow lane is the norm on the canals. It heightens my sense of observation.’

The Telegraph, ‘I’ve been in happy self-isolation for the last 10 years’, 20 March 2020

Northamptonshire slow zone

Fiona Whitty enjoyed a narrowboat holiday on the Grand Union Canal and said: “As an antidote to fast living, travel is all about going slow nowadays – and you don’t get much slower than a canal boat with a speed of 4mph.”

Sunday Mirror, ‘Slow-go zone’, 27 March 2022

A Shropshire escape

In his review of a Drifters’ canal boat holiday on the Shropshire Union Canal, Dixe Wills says: “The sedateness of our progress up to Shropshire, coupled with an almost complete absence of intrusions from the modern world, created a bubble that we were reluctant to burst.”

The Guardian, ‘The ripple effect: a leisurely boating break in Shropshire’, 29 July 2020

Putting the brakes on in Leicestershire

Gareth Butterfield reviewed a holiday on the Ashby Canal saying: “there’s something incredibly cathartic about slowing yourself down to canal pace…a week at walking pace is just the tonic for people who need to put the brakes on from time to time.”

Manchester Evening News, ‘I raise eyebrows taking a big lizard on a narrowboat trip along the Ashby canal’, 17 April 2022

Meandering into North Wales

Mary Novakovich, who took a narrowboat holiday on the Llangollen Canal, setting out from Chirk, said “Meandering along at a languid 3mph – slower than my walking pace – we had plenty of time to absorb our surroundings as we spotted herons and steered under pretty arched bridges.”

The Independent, ‘Knot Too Shabby’, 16 May 2021

A break from modern life in Yorkshire

Jaymi McCann enjoyed a holiday on the Leeds & Liverpool and said: “The canal remains unchanged over its two centuries but its purpose has been transformed: coal barges have given way to leisure boaters. Its engineers could have little envisaged its current use but the languid pace is what makes it such a break from modern life.”

Sunday Express, ‘A Slow Boat To Yorkshire’ 22 May 2016

Bucolic scenes in Warwickshire

Lyn Hughes describes her journey along the Grand Union Canal from Napton, observing “bucolic scenes of gently rolling farmland, dotted with grazing cows and sheep. The bank was thick with overhanging willows, bulrushes, rosebay willowherb and purple loosestrife. Dragonflies buzzed past, and clouds of butterflies danced over the wildflowers.”

Wanderlust, ‘Tales from the Riverbank’, November 2020

A balming power

Richard Morrison says: “I do believe that today the canals have a mysterious, balming power that is without equal in Britain – not just because they trundle holidaymakers through glorious landscapes at a maximum of 4mph, but also because they stealthily, almost secretly, carry the peace of rural England into the heart of frenetic cities.”

The Times, ‘Canals – a calming, beautiful antidote to modern life’, 5 February 2007

*’Assessing the wellbeing impacts of waterways usage in England and Wales’, 2018

Off grid on the Grand Union Canal

May 20, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

Angela Riches of H&N Magazine took a press trip on the Grand Union Canal

Setting off from our base on the Grand Union Canal at Napton in Warwickshire, Angela, Dave and their crew cruised to Hillmorton and back.

They did the journey to Hillmorton and back on a four-night mid-week break with Drifters.

She says: “From start to end, this journey took us gently (between one and four miles an hour), through gorgeous English countryside.”

Starting on the Grand Union Canal at Napton, they transferred onto the North Oxford Canal at Braunston.

Angela’s article describes the facilities on board their narrowboat for up to six people ‘Sienna’. She lists the pubs they visited, including The Admiral Nelson at Braunston and The Folly at Napton.

And she offers tips for beginners and says: “It’s been a long time since we were so completely off grid but this slow pace of life gave us a complete reset. We could have easily done another week!”

You can read Angela’s article here.

Top of the Locks 2025

May 20, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

There are over 1,800 locks on Britain’s canal network

Our Top of the Locks 2025 guide lists the top 7 flights of locks on canals in England and Wales.

Locks enable canal boats to travel up and down hills. There’s no mystery to using locks – just a series of step-by-step tasks.

A lock is simply a chamber with gates at either end. By emptying or filling the chamber with water, boats can move up or down onto a new section of waterway.

There are many different kinds of locks, but they all on work on a similar principle.

With the lock gates closed, boaters should open the sluices (paddles) to let the water in or out. When the water level under the boat is the same as the level it’s moving to, the boat can move in or out of the lock.

Some locks are operated by boaters, others by lock keepers.

Tuition is included in all our canal boat holiday packages.

During your handover procedure, our boat yard staff will usually be able to take you through your first lock.

To celebrate these marvels of canal engineering, we’ve put together a guide to the Top 7 lock flight destinations for 2024 narrow boat holidays:

1. Caen Hill on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Wiltshire

Caen Hill at Devizes in Wiltshire is one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’ and a scheduled monument. With 29 locks spread out over two miles, raising the canal by 72 metres, it takes around six hours to passage through. The 16-lock section clustered together up the hill is truly a magnificent site, and one of the most iconic on the waterway network. Our Devizes narrowboat hire base is at the base of the Flight at Foxhangers Marina.

2. Hatton on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire

The Hatton Flight was nicknamed ‘The Stairway to Heaven’ by the boaters who once carried cargos on the canals. This impressive flight of 21 locks raises boats up 45 metres over two miles, and takes around four-and-a-half hours to travel through. Just below the Top lock, you’ll find the Hatton Locks Café. Our nearest canal boat hire base is eight cruising hours away at Stockton. The journey travels 11 miles and passes through 22 locks.

3. Wigan on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in Lancashire

This epic flight of 21 locks is said to be one of the most fearsome on the waterways. Descending 70 metres in less than two miles, it takes around five hours to pass through all the locks. The flight travels through New Springs, a suburb of Wigan which was once an industrial hub with collieries and ironworks lining the canal. Today it’s a post-industrial landscape of waste ground, modern housing and terraced streets. From our Barnoldswick base, it takes around 19 cruising hours to reach Wigan Top Lock Junction, travelling 48 miles and passing through 20 locks.

4. Tardebigge on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal in Worcestershire

With 30 locks spread out over two-and-a-quarter miles, this awesome flight of locks is the longest on the inland waterways system. In total, the locks raise and lower boats 67 metres and it takes around five-and-a-half hours to travel through them. Our nearest canal boat hire base is an hour’s cruise away at Alvechurch.

5. Bingley Five Rise on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire

Another one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’, this spectacular staircase of five locks is near Bradford. It raises (or lowers) boats 18 metres in five cavernous chambers. The locks open directly from one to another, with the top gate of one forming the bottom of the next. It takes around one-and-a-half hours to work through. The size of the chambers can be intimidating even for experienced boaters, but friendly lock-keepers are on hand to help. You can reach the Bingley Five Rise Locks on a short break from Silsden.

6. Foxton on the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal in Leicestershire

Surrounded by stunning views of the Leicestershire countryside, this set of 10 locks raises boats up 23 metres in just a quarter-of-a-mile. Foxton Locks is the longest set of staircase locks in the UK, and is a Grade II Listed structure. In staircases, the locks open directly one from another so that the top gate of one forms the bottom of the next. It takes around 45 minutes to pass through. There are lock keepers on hand to help. They offer key advice when it comes to opening the paddles: “Red before white, you’ll be alright. White before red, you’ll be dead.” Drifters’ nearest narrowboat boat hire base is around 13 cruising hours away at Braunston. The journey to Foxton Top Staircase travels 27 miles and passes through 13 locks.

7. Marple on the Peak Forest Canal in Cheshire

One of the steepest flights on the system, the 16 locks at Marple raise boats by 64 metres over just one mile. The locks are built of local stone and are mostly tree-lined, giving the canal a lovely secluded feeling. The Peak Forest Canals is said to be one of Britain’s most scenic waterways, running through beautiful countryside on the edge of the Peak District National Park. From Stoke on Trent it takes around 19 hours to reach Marple Bottom Lock. The journey there travels 32 miles and passes through 14 locks.

Top 8 waterside museums to visit on a canal boat holiday

Top 8 museums to visit on a canal boat holiday

May 9, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

Britain’s canal network is home to exciting waterside museums

We’ve published a guide to the top 8 museums to visit on a canal boat holiday.

The fascinating history of Britain’s 3,000-mile network of navigable canals and rivers and our nation’s industrial past are brought to life through our waterside museums.

1. National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port

On the banks of the Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal, the National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port brings together a unique fleet of historic boats. There are also docks, warehouses, forge, stables and workers cottages to explore. And a rich collection of archives telling the story of Britain’s canals. From Bunbury, it takes around 18 hours to cruise to Ellesmere Port and back. The journey takes you through the 12 locks each way, and the ancient City of Chester.

2. Birmingham Black Country Living Museum

Famous as a filming location for The Peaky Blinders, this 26-acre open air museum on the Birmingham Canal Navigations, gives visitors an insight into life in one of the world’s most heavily industrialised landscapes. From our narrowboat hire base on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal at Alvechurch, it takes around eight hours to cruise to the Birmingham Black Country Museum. You’ll pass through three locks each way.

3. Leeds Industrial Museum

Next to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Canal Road, the Leeds Industrial Museum explores the inventions that shaped Leeds. From Scootacars to steam engines, and space food to Spirograph. It takes around 16 hours to cruise to the Leeds Industrial Museum from our hire base at Silsden. The journey there and back passes through 22 locks, including the famous Bingley Five Rise Locks.

4. Hepworth Wakefield Museum

Located on the banks of the Calder & Hebble Navigation, the Hepworth Wakefield showcases the extraordinary work by the British sculptor Barbara Hepworth. There are also works on display by Henry Moore, Antony Gormley, David Hockney, Bridget Riley and Anthony Caro. From Sowerby Bridge it takes around 22 hours to reach the Hepworth Wakefield Museum, passing through 26 locks each way.

5. Warwick Castle

Over 1,000 years of history can be explored at Warwick Castle on the banks of the River Avon. This medieval wonder offers a fantastic day out, with birds of prey displays, Horrible Histories Maze, live shows, Princess Tower, Kingmaker exhibition and ramparts to climb. From Stockton on the Grand Union Canal it takes around eight hours to reach Warwick. The journey travels 11 miles and passes through 22 locks.

6. Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne

On the banks of the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire, this quirky little museum tells the story of Britain’s canals through archive films, models and artefacts. It takes around 1.5 hours to reach the Canal Museum from our canal boat hire rental at Gayton. The route takes boaters through the Blisworth Tunnel, which at 3,076 yards long is the third longest on the canal network and takes 30 minutes to cruise through.

7. Anderton Boat Lift

Built 150 years ago, the Anderton Boat Lift connects the River Weaver and the Trent & Mersey Canal. The lift’s museum tells the story of this incredible Victorian structure, nicknamed ‘The Cathedral of the Canals’ and considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways. It was the world’s first major commerical boat lift and still transports around 3,000 boats a year. We have a canal boat hire base at Anderton and nearby at Acton Bridge.

8. World of Wedgewood

The award-winning World of Wedgewood Museum is next to the Trent & Mersey Canal near Stoke-on-Trent. As well as galleries featuring the V&A Wedgewood Collection, there are hands-on Creative Studios, the Wedgewood Factory and Tea Room to experience. From our narrowboat hire base at Stoke-on-Trent, it takes around three hours to reach moorings close to the World of Wedgewood. The journey takes you through five locks.

Take to the water this August bank holiday

Canal anniversaries in 2025

April 23, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

Most of the canal network was built over 200 years ago

With dozens of canals and hundreds of iconic structures, every year there are canal anniversaries to be celebrated across the network.

Here are some of the canal anniversaries in 2025, and our nearest bases for visiting on a canal boat holiday:

The Anderton Boat Lift is 150 years old

Also known as ‘The Cathedral of the Canals’, this extraordinary structure 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, Acton Bridge & Bunbury.

The Shropshire Union Canal is 190 years old

Completed in 1835, the 76-mile long Shropshire Union Canal runs from Ellesmere Port on the River Mersey to Autherley Junction, near Wolverhampton. There it meets the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal. Much of its length is isolated and rural, with stretches where there are no towns for miles. The northern section follows the gently rolling Cheshire landscape. While the southern section has long embankments and deep cuttings, so fewer locks. The cuttings are full of vegetation and wildlife, with a feeling of stepping back in time. We have bases on the Shroppie at Brewood in Shropshire & Bunbury in Cheshire.

The Worcester & Birmingham Canal is 210 years old

Completed in 1815, the 29-mile long Worcester & Birmingham Canal links the River Severn at Worcester with Birmingham’s Gas Street Basin. There it joins the Birmingham Canal Main Line. The canal also connects with the Stratford Canal at Kings Norton Junction and the Droitwich Canals at Hanbury Junction. There are 58 locks along the length of the canal, including the 30 at Tardebigge, the longest lock flight in the UK. Chocolate crumb was one of the cargoes once carried along the canal, taken to the Cadbury factory at Bournville. We have bases on the Worcs & Birm Worcester, Stoke Prior & Alvechurch.

Blisworth Tunnel is 220 years old

At 1.74 miles long, Blisworth Tunnel on the Grand Union Canal at Stoke Bruerne in Northamptonshire is the second longest navigable tunnel on the canal system. Construction began in 1793, and it opened in 1805. It’s wide enough to accommodate two narrowboats, so it’s not necessary to book a passage through it. Stoke Bruerne is home to the Canal & River Trust’s Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum. Our nearest bases are at Gayton & Braunston.

Dundas Aqueduct is 220 years old

Completed in 1805, this magnificent Bath stone aqueduct at Limpley Stoke in Wiltshire, was designed by John Rennie. It’s a scheduled monument and carries the Kennet & Avon Canal over the River Avon and Wessex Main Line railway. You can reach Dundas Aqueduct on a canal boat holiday from Bath, Monkton Coombe, Bradford on Avon, Hilperton & Devizes.

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is 220 years old

Completed in 1805, the awesome Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales is part of an 11-mile stretch of the Llangollen Canal designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Towering 38 metres high above the Dee Valley in North Wales, it’s also known as ‘The Stream in the Sky’. Designed by Thomas Telford, the aqueduct’s 305-metre long cast iron trough is supported by 19 enormous hollow pillars. Ox blood was added to the lime mortar used to bind the masonry together, as it was believed the blood of a strong animal would help strengthen the structure. You can reach this aqueduct from our bases at Trevor, Chirk, Blackwater Meadow, Whitchurch, Wrenbury & Whixall.

Norwood Tunnel is 250 years old

Designed by James Brindley, Norwood Tunnel on the Chesterfield Canal, opened in 1775. At 2,637 metres (2,880 yards) at the time it was the longest tunnel in the world. Sadly there were always problems with subsidence as there are lots of mine workings in the area. After decades of repairs, there was a major collapse in 1907 which was never repaired, so the western, Derbyshire, section has been cut off from the rest of the canal for over a century. The Chesterfield Canal Trust is campaigning to restore the canal.

Best days out boating on the canals this spring

March 10, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

Drifters offers canal boat day hire from 19 locations in England and Wales.

We’ve published a guide to the best days out boating on the canals this spring.

With prices starting from just £10 per person, hiring a canal boat for the day is a great way to get the family together for a memorable day out cruising through the countryside.

Our day boats vary in size and can accommodate up to 12 people. Full tuition is included so if you are new to narrow boating, you can get the hang of steering, mooring up and working the locks.

All our day boats are equipped with cutlery, crockery and a kettle, and most also have a toilet, cooker and fridge. So you can plan a picnic afloat or stop off for lunch at a canalside pub along the way.

To help you plan your family day out canal boating this spring, we’ve listed our top 10 destinations for day boat hire:

1. Staffordshire: Navigate through the countryside for a pub lunch at Hopwas

From Kings Orchard Marina, on the Coventry Canal near Lichfield, you can cruise through the Staffordshire countryside to Bonehill Bridge and back. The route takes boaters through the villages Huddlesford, Whittington and Hopwas. At Hopwas there are two pubs to choose from – the Tame Otter and the Red Lion. The journey to Bonehill and back takes five and a half hours and there are no locks.

*Electric day boat ‘Perfect Day’ can take up to 10 people. 2025 prices start at £155.

2. Derbyshire: Cruise to Whaley Bridge in the Peak District

On a day out from New Mills Marina on the Peak Forest Canal in Derbyshire, you can cruise to Whaley Bridge in the Peak District. You’ll experience spectacular views across the Goyt Valley and Kinder Scout, the highest plateau in England. You’ll pass close by to the Crossings pub along the way and there’s a choice of places to eat in Whaley Bridge.

*Electric boat ‘Field Day’ can carry up to 10 people. 2025 prices start at £139.

3. Monmouthshire: Navigate to The Star Inn at Mamhillad

From Goytre Wharf on the beautiful Monmouth & Brecon Canal near Abergavenny, you can enjoy incredible mountain views. It takes around two-and-a-half-hours to cruise to moorings close to the popular Star pub at Mamhillad, a short walk from bridge 62.

*Day boats ‘Robin’ and Rooster’ can carry up to eight people each, and ‘Dragon’ up to 12. 2025 prices start from £155.

4. Warwickshire: Cruise along the Stratford Canal to The Mary Arden Inn at Wilmcote

From Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal near Stratford-upon-Avon, you can head south to moorings close to the historic village of Wilmcot. There you enjoy lunch at the historic The Mary Arden Inn. The journey takes two-and-a-half hours each way, and crosses over the impressive Edstone Aqueduct with views across the Warwickshire countryside.

*Day boats ‘Dolly’ and ‘Charlie’ can carry up to 10 people each. Prices start at £99 weekdays, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.

5. Wrexham: Travel across ‘The Stream in the Sky’

From Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, it takes just 10 minutes to reach the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Standing at over 38 metres high above the Dee Valley, this incredible structure offers stunning views of the Dee Valley below. After cruising over the Aqueduct, there are two tunnels and another aqueduct to cross, before reaching the Bridge Inn at Chirk.

*Day boats ‘Jacob’, ‘Daniel’ and ‘Lotty’ can carry up to 10 people each. Weekday hire starts at £120, £180 on weekends and bank holidays.

6. Wiltshire: Boat to Avoncliff Aqueduct

From Hilperton Marina on the Kennet & Avon Canal near Trowbridge, you can head west to the historic town of Bradford on Avon. You can travel on through the Avon Valley on to Avoncliff Aqueduct. The journey to Avoncliff and back takes around six hours and there’s just one lock to pass through each way.

*Electric day boat ‘Great Day’ can carry up to 10 people. 2025 prices start at £155.

7. Berkshire: Cruise through the countryside to the Spring Inn

From Aldermaston on the Kennet & Avon Canal near Reading, you can cruise to Theale and back. Along the way, you can stop-off to enjoy lunch at the Spring Inn, a 10-minute walk from the canal. The total journey takes just over four hours and passes through two locks each way.

*Day boat ‘Heyday’ can carry up to 8 people. 2025 prices start from £155.

8. Cheshire: Boat through the woodlands of Marbury Country Park to Middlewich

From Anderton Marina, next to the incredible Anderton Boat Lift, you can cruise to Middlewich and back. The journey passes through Marbury Country Park and Marston Flash. There’s a choice of pubs to stop at, including the Broken Cross at Rudheath. The journey to Middlewich and back takes around six hours. There are no locks on this route.

*Day boat ‘Daydream’ can carry up to 12 people. 2025 prices start at £155.

9. Northamptonshire: Navigate through Blisworth Tunnel to Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum

From Gayton on the Grand Union Canal near Northampton, you can navigate to the pretty canal village of Stoke Bruerne. The village is home to the intriguing Canal Museum and waterside café, and a choice of canalside pubs. The route travels through the Blisworth Tunnel, which at 3,076 yards long is the third longest on the canal network. It takes around one and half hours to reach Stoke Bruerne, including 30 minutes to cruise through the tunnel.

*Day boat ‘Day Lark’ can carry up to 12 people. 2025 prices start at £155.

10. Shropshire: Cruise through the Shropshire Lake District to Ellesmere

From Whixall Marina, on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal, you can reach the historic market town of Ellesmere. The journey takes around two-and-a-half hours, cruising through eight miles of beautiful countryside. You’ll pass Lyneal Moss and Colemere Country Park along the way.

*Day boat ‘Julia’ can carry up to 10 people. Weekday hire is £99, weekends & bank holidays £150.

For more information about Drifters’ day boat hire go to https://www.drifters.co.uk/day-boats/

Drifters Top new narrowboats available to hire

Top new narrowboats for 2025

February 2, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

Every year we add dozens of new canal boats to our hire fleet

Drifters offers the choice of over 500 canal boats for hire from 40 locations across England, Wales and Scotland, and every year dozens of new boats are added to our fleet.

There are over 35,000 canal boats on Britain’s 3,000-mile inland waterways network, and around 1,000 of these are holiday hire narrowboats.

Here’s a guide to our top new boats for hire in 2025:

1. ‘Willow’ will be available at Napton

The 61.5ft ‘Willow’ Regency Class semi-traditional stern narrowboat for up to six people, will be available to hire from Napton, on the Oxford Canal in Northamptonshire.

‘Willow’ will have two king-sized double bed cabins and two bathrooms. The headroom is 6ft 4in throughout. There are TV’s and DVD players in both cabins and an extra large TV in the Saloon. There’s an extra outside table for alfresco dining and a bike rack is available for the front deck. ‘Willow’ has a reverse layout, so the galley is at the back of the boat. The interior dining area can be converted into a double bed.

***2025 prices for ‘Willow’ start at £1,392 for a week. Price includes up to four adults and two children, fuel, parking, tuition, towels, bed linen and welcome pack. There’s a compulsory extra £70 damage waiver, pets are charged at £45 each per week and extra adults are charged at £50 each.

2. ‘Hill Partridge’ will cruise from Anderton

The 66ft ‘Hill Partridge’ semi-traditional stern narrowboat for up to six people will arrive at Anderton on the Trent & Mersey Canal in Cheshire.

‘Hill Partridge’ will have two double cabins that can be made up as singles or doubles (with optional wider beds), and the seating/dining area can be converted into a double bed. She will have two shower/toilet rooms, a front deck table, LED lighting, two televisions and WiFi.

***2025 prices for ‘Hill Partridge’ currently start at £999 for a short break, £1,299 for a week. Price includes bedding, towels, non-refundable accidental damage waiver, two pets, car parking, tuition, buoyancy aids, helmsman’s waterproofs and a welcome pack with cleaning materials. Fuel is extra: a £60 deposit is taken for a short break, £110 for a week’s holiday. Actual cost based on use, circa £15 per day.

3. The ‘Little Swift’ will navigate from Gayton

The 49ft ‘Little Swift’ cruiser stern narrowboat for up to four people will be available to hire from Gayton on the Grand Union Canal near Northampton.

The ‘Little Swift’ will have one cabin, which can be configured either as a double or twins (with optional wider beds), and a seating/dining area which can be converted into a double bed. She will have a shower/toilet room, a front deck table, LED lighting, two televisions and WiFi.

***2025 prices for ‘Little Swift’ currently start at £699 for short break, £899 for a week. Price includes bedding, towels, non-refundable accidental damage waiver, two pets, car parking, tuition, buoyancy aids, helmsman’s waterproofs and a welcome pack with cleaning materials. Fuel is extra: a £60 deposit is taken for a short break, £110 for a week’s holiday. Actual cost based on use, circa £15 per day.

4. The ‘Blackpoll Warbler’ will be bookable from Aldermaston

The new 69ft ‘Blackpoll Warbler’ semi-traditional stern narrowboat for up to eight people will arrive at Aldermaston on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Berkshire.

The boat will have three cabins: one fixed as double; and two which can be configured as doubles or singles. The ‘Blackpoll Warbler’ will have LED lighting, a front deck table, optional wider beds, two shower/toilet rooms, WiFi and two TV’s.

***2025 prices aboard ‘Blackpoll Warbler’ currently start at £1,299 for a short break, £1,799 for a week. Price includes bedding, towels, collision damage waiver, two pets, car parking and tuition. Fuel is extra: a £60 deposit is taken for a short break, £110 for a week’s holiday. Actual cost based on use, circa £10-15 per day.

5. ‘Coral’ will be found at Trevor

The 60ft ‘Coral’ Gem Class cruiser stern narrowboat for up to six people will be available to hire from Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales.

The boat will feature: two double cabins that can be configured either as a doubles or singles; a dinette double; and two toilet/shower rooms. ‘Coral’ will have a reverse layout, meaning the galley is at the rear and the main sleeping areas are at the front and middle of the boat.

***2025 ‘Gem’ Class prices start at £1,265 for short break, £1,720 for a week. Price includes bed linen, towels, up to three pets, parking and tuition on arrival. A fuel deposit (£70 for a short break, £110 for a week) is extra. Fuel charges are based on use, circa £15 per day.

6. ‘Drake’ and ‘Hamilton’ will be available at Bradford on Avon

The 67ft ‘Drake’ and ‘Hamilton’ Admiral Class cruiser stern narrowboats for up to six people will be available to hire from Bradford on Avon on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Wiltshire.

These boats will each feature: two double cabins that can be configured either as a doubles or singles; a dinette double; and two toilet/shower rooms. As well as central heating throughout, ‘Drake’ and ‘Hamilton’ will have a multi-fuel stove.

***2025 prices for ‘Drake’ and ‘Hamilton’ start at £1,370 for short break, £1,870 for a week. Price includes bed linen, towels, up to three pets, parking and tuition on arrival. A fuel deposit (£70 for a short break, £110 for a week) is extra. Fuel charges are based on use, circa £15 per day.

7. The new ‘Crown’ narrowboat will be available from Chirk and Bradford on Avon

The new Royal Range 65ft ‘Crown’ cruiser stern narrowboat for up to six people will be available from Chirk on the Llangollen Canal and Bradford on Avon on the Kennet & Avon Canal. The Crown is a great choice for friends holidaying together as there are two separate bedrooms with full sized double beds and two toilet and shower rooms, allowing for more space and privacy. The Crown also features extendable double beds, a more spacious galley kitchen with microwave, a large flat screen TV and DAB/Bluetooth Radio.

***2025 prices for the new Royal range Crown narrowboats start at £1,249 for a short break, £1,849 for a week. Price includes boat hire, gas, car parking, tuition on arrival, damage waiver, buoyancy aids, bed linen, towels and first pet. Fuel is charged on return, circa £10-15 per day.

For more information about visiting the canals go to www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

Best canalside events in 2025

January 24, 2025/in News/by Drifters

Britain’s canals and rivers host hundreds of exciting waterside events each year

Here’s our pick of the best canalside events in 2025 to head to on a canal boat holiday:

1. Easter Boat Gathering, 18-21 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. You can reach Ellesmere Port on a week’s break from Bunbury.

2. Crick Boat Show, Northamptonshire, 24-26 May

Over 200 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. You can reach Crick on a week’s break from Gayton.

3. St Richards Canal Festival, Worcestershire, 2-5 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. You can reach Droitwich on a short break from Worcester and Stoke Prior.

4. IWA Canalway Cavalcade, London, 3 May

The Inland Waterway Association’s annual Canalway Cavalcade takes place at Little Venice in London is one of the best canalside events in 2025. 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. You can reach Little Venice on a two-week break from Aldermaston.

5. Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Wales, 8-13 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. You can reach Llangollen on a short break from Trevor, Chirk and Blackwater Meadow.

6. Stone Food & Drink Festival, Staffordshire, 9-11 May

Staffordshire’s biggest celebration of all things gastronomic takes place at the Georgian market town of Stone on the Trent & Mersey Canal. This year the Stone Food & Drink Festival marks its 20th anniversary with an exciting new programme of demos, talks and tastings. The event will also host a range of themed food marquees, live music, gourmet dining and free kids’ cookery classes. You can reach Stone on a short break from Great Haywood and Stoke on Trent.

7. Fairport Convention at Cropredy, Oxfordshire, 7-9 August

This annual festival of folk and rock music is held in the village of Cropredy, next to the Oxford Canal is one of the best canalside events in 2025. The event is run by the Fairport Convention, often credited with being the first English electric folk band. You can easily reach Cropredy on week long break from Napton, Braunston and Stockton.

8. Edinburgh Canal Festival, Scotland, 21 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. You can reach Edinburgh on a week’s break from Falkirk.

Top 8 Easter canal boat holidays

January 3, 2025/in News/by Drifters

Easter is a great time to take a narrowboat holiday in England, Scotland and Wales

We’ve published a guide to our top 8 Easter canal boat holidays in 2025.

Canal boat holidays are fantastic for families, offering the chance to set off on an adventure together. Everyone can enjoy learning how to work the locks, spotting wildlife, exploring traffic-free towpaths and visiting waterside attractions along the way.

Drifters’ prices this Easter currently start at £761 for a short break (three or four nights) on a boat for up to four people, £1,026 for a week.

Here are our top 8 Easter canal boat holidays destinations in 2025:

1. Visit the World’s biggest Cadbury shop at Cadbury World

Perfect for beginners, you can travel lock-free to Birmingham in around five hours from Alvechurch on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove. Along the way, you can stop off at Bournville to find handmade Easter eggs in the World’s biggest Cadbury shop at Cadbury World. With more canals than Venice, boaters can travel right into the heart of the City where over-night moorings are available at Gas Street Basin. Here you are close to Brindleyplace with plenty for families to see and do, including visiting the Planetarium at Birmingham’s Science Museum Thinktank.

2. Follow Wallace & Gromit across ‘The Stream in the Sky’

On a short break from Chirk on the beautiful Llangollen Canal in North Wales you can cruise across the awesome UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Wallace & Gromit boated across the aqueduct in the BAFTA and Oscar nominated ‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’. The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, also known as ‘The Stream in the Sky’ stands 38 metres high above the Dee Valley. With not even a hand rail on the south side of the aqueduct to obscure the stunning views of the valley below, crossing the aqueduct by boat you literally feel like you’re floating above the earth. After you’ve crossed the aqueduct, you can continue on to Llangollen Basin and moor up visit he pretty Eisteddfod town of Llangollen on the edge of the Berwyn Mountains.

3. Join the Easter Boat Gathering at the National Waterways Museum

Over the Easter Weekend (18-21 April 2025), the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire celebrates the start of the summer boating season with a large boat gathering and music and activities for the whole family. From our base at Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire, it’s a 10-hour journey to Ellesmere Port. You’ll travel 21 miles through 12 locks, passing through the historic City of Chester along the way, perfect for a week away.

4. Celebrate the Jane Austen 250th anniversary in Bath

On a short break from Hilperton near Trowbridge in Wiltshire, you can travel along the beautiful Kennet & Avon Canal and reach Sydney Gardens in around seven hours. There are three locks to pass through each way. From there, it’s a short walk to Georgian Bath’s City Centre attractions, including the Roman Baths and the Jane Austen Centre, celebrating 250 years since this remarkable author was born.

5. Visit Drayton Manor Theme Park

On a week-long holiday from Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal in Staffordshire, you can cruise to moorings close to Drayton Manor Theme Park. The journey there and back travels 48 miles, passes through 10 locks (five each way) and takes around 22 cruising hours. Along the way you’ll pass through the Cannock Chase, Fradley Junction and Nature Reserve, and a series of villages with canalside pubs. You can moor up between Tolson’s Footbridge and Coleshill Road Bridge on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal and walk to Drayton Manor Park.

6. Step back in time in Mary King Close in Edinburgh

On a week long break from Falkirk 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, which lifts boats 100ft from the Forth & Clyde Canal to the Union Canal above. You’ll pass through Linlithgow and Ratho along the way. Once in Edinburgh, you can moor up in Edinburgh Quay to enjoy the City’s attractions, including a tour of Mary King Close frozen in time beneath the Royal Mile.

7. See the Zog Live Show at Warwick Castle

On a short break from Stockton, on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire, you can cruise to Warwick and back. Once there, you can moor up to explore Warwick Castle, said to be Britain’s greatest medieval experience. From 12 April to 28 September 2025 the daily Zog Live Show will bring this popular children’s book to life. The journey to Warwick and back travels 23 miles, passes through 44 locks (22 each way) and takes around 17 hours.

8. Star gaze in the Brecon Beacons

Isolated from the main canal network, the beautiful Monmouth & Brecon Canal runs through Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park. Stretching 35 miles from Brecon to Cwmbran, this peaceful waterway has very few locks so it’s great for beginners. It offers canal boat holiday-makers incredible mountain views. There’s a series of historic village pubs to visit along the way and dark skies perfect for star-gazing on clear nights. On a short break from our base at Goytre Wharf, near Abergavenny, you can cruise lock-free to Llangynidr and back. You’ll pass the Lion Inn at Govilon and the Bridge End Inn at Llangattock. On a week’s break, you can travel on to Brecon, passing through Talybont-on-Usk with its popular Star Inn.

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in North Wales Top 10 canal boat holidays 2025

Top 10 canal boat holidays for 2025

August 8, 2024/in News/by Drifters

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

Caen Hill Lock flight on a Drifters waterways holiday 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.

Best canal ghost stories

July 30, 2024/in News/by Drifters

Britain’s 250-year old canal network has creepy tunnels, spooky locks and plenty of ghosts

Britain’s 250-year old canal and river network provides the perfect backdrop for a haunting Halloween.

From shaggy coated beings to shrieking boggarts, here’s a guide to the best canal ghost stories:

1. Prepare to be spooked at Blisworth Tunnel

One of the best canal ghost stories is on the Grand Union Canal at Stoke Bruerne. Here the Blisworth Tunnel has spooked a number of boaters over the years. At 2,811 metres it’s one of the longest on the canal system. When construction began in 1793, the tunnel was a major feat of engineering. Teams of navvies worked with picks and shovels for three years until they hit quicksand and the tunnel collapsed, killing 14 men. A new route for the tunnel was found and it finally opened on 25 March 1805. Over the years, a number of boaters travelling through the tunnel have reported seeing lights and a second route emerging. But the tunnel runs straight through the hill so people have must seen the flicker of candlelight at the spot where the first tunnel would have intersected with the main canal tunnel. Perhaps the ghostly navvies are still working there…? You can reach Blisworth Tunnel on a short break from Gayton and Braunston.

2. Get the chills in Chester

Visit the City’s old Northgate where the canal was dug into part of the town’s moat. Here a Roman centurion can sometimes be seen guarding the entrance to the City. And the King’s Inn, an old coaching house, is believed to be haunted by three separate spirits. You can reach Chester on a short break from Bunbury.

3. Look out for the Monkey Man on the Shroppie

The Shropshire Union Canal is said to be Britain’s most haunted canal with five ghosts along its length. One of the best canal ghost stories on the Shroppie is the ‘The Monkey Man’ at Bridge 39 near Norbury. This hideous black, shaggy coated being is believed to be the ghost of a boatman drowned there in the 19th century. You can reach Norbury on a short break from Brewood.

4. Be stunned at Standedge Tunnel

At 3.25 miles long, Standedge Tunnel on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal at Marsden is the longest on the canal network. Over its 200-year history it has witnessed some gruesome events. There are tales of leggers who were crushed between boats and navvies dying in explosions (it took 17 years to build the tunnel). But the story of the restless ghost of 15-year old Matilda Crowther, murdered there in 1935, offers visitors a particularly chilling watery tale. You can reach Standedge Tunnel on a one-way one-week trip from Sowerby Bridge or Barnoldswick.

5. Hear about a Killing at Kidsgrove

The Trent & Mersey Canal’s Harecastle Tunnel at Kidsgrove is said to be home to a shrieking boggart. This is the ghost of Kit Crewbucket who was murdered and his headless corpse was dumped in the canal. You can reach Harecastle Tunnel on a short break from Stoke-on-Trent and Great Haywood.

6. Watch out for an Aqueduct Apparition

The Llangollen Canal in Wrexham is haunted by an eerie figure that can sometimes be seen on moonlit nights. The ghost glides along the towpath by the World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. You can reach the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on a short break from Trevor, Chirk and Blackwater Meadow.

7. Beware the bloody steps at Brindley Bank

The Trent & Mersey Canal at Brindley Bank Aqueduct in Staffordshire, is said to be haunted by Christina Collins. She was murdered there on 17 June 1839 and her body was flung into the canal. Three boatmen were convicted of her killing – two were hanged and the third transported. As Christina’s body was dragged from the water, her blood ran down a flight of sandstone steps leading from the canal. It is said that the blood stain occasionally reappears on those stones. You can reach Brindley Bank on a short break from Great Haywood and Stoke-on-Trent.