Tag Archive for: Kennet & Avon Canal

Top 8 canal boat holidays for wellbeing this summer

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

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

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

1. Navigate the Peak Forest Canal to Whaley Bridge

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

2. Explore the Staffordshire countryside & Cannock Chase

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

3. Drift through the prehistoric Vale of Pewsey to Hungerford

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

4. Glide around the Breacon Beacons

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

5. Cruise to the Aylesbury Vale

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

6. Float through the Dee Valley in North Wales

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

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

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

8. Travel through the Yorkshire Dales to Skipton

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

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

 

Bank holiday boating rural retreats Llangollen Canal

Enjoy May bank holiday boating on the canals

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The bank holidays in May offers the perfect excuse to plan a long weekend boating break on Britain’s peaceful inland waterways.  Prices start at £1,005 for a three night break on a boat for up to four people.

To celebrate the forthcoming bank holidays in May, including the Whitsun May bank holiday weekend (27-29 May), we’ve listed our Top 6 weekend breaks afloat:

1. Potter through the Shropshire countryside to Market Drayton

From our canal boat hire base at Brewood it takes around 10 hours to reach the historic market town of Market Drayton, home of the gingerbread man.  Cruising along the Shropshire Union Canal, you’ll pass through six locks and a series of deep cuttings full of trees and the sound of birdsong. There’s a choice of canalside pubs along the way, including the Junction Inn at Norbury and the Royal Oak at Gnosnall.

2. Drift through the Calder Valley to Hebden Bridge

On a weekend break from Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire, you can travel along the leafy Calder & Hebble Navigation 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 up to enjoy a choice of places to eat, as well as walks up to Heptonstall or Hardcastle Crags.

3. Glide along the Forth & Clyde to visit Glasgow

From Falkirk, it’s a peaceful nine-hour cruise along the Forth & Clyde Canal to the City of Glasgow.  The journey travels 22 miles and passes through five locks.  Beginning at the home of the magnificent Falkirk Wheel boat lift, the route passes through Auchinstarry. Then on through the River Kelvin Valley with magnificent views of the Campsie Fells above. And past the historic town of Kirkintillock.  Once at Glasgow, there are moorings at Applecross Street Basin, close to Glasgow’s many cultural centres, including the Hunterian Museum. 

4. Navigate to Bradford on Avon

From our narrowboat hire base at Devizes in Wiltshire, you can travel gently along the beautiful Kennet & Avon Canal to the historic town of Bradford on Avon.  There you’ll find a choice of independent shops, restaurants and cafes, and the fascinating 14th century Tithe Barn.  The journey travels 10 miles, passing through seven locks and takes around five-and-a-half hours.

5. Cruise to Warwick Castle and back

From 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.

6. 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 our base at Trevor to Ellesmere takes around seven hours.  There are two locks and two tunnels to pass through, and two magnificent aqueducts to cross.  One of the aqueducts is the awesome UNESCO World Heritage status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, also known as ‘The Stream in the Sky’. As you cross, you’ll experience incredible views of the Dee Valley 30 metres below.

Top 7 summer canal boat holidays in 2023

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Travelling through the countryside at just four-miles-an-hour, canal boat holidays are the fastest way to slow down this summer.

Drifters offers 550 narrowboats for hire from 45 bases across England, Scotland and Wales.  Our summer holiday prices for a short break (three or four nights) on a boat for four people start at £835, and at £1,145 for a week.

We’ve published a guide to our Top 7 Summer Canal Boat Holidays for 2023:

1. Yorkshire: Toddle to Todmorden for some stunning Pennine scenery

On a short break from Sowerby Bridge, you can travel along the Rochdale Canal to Todmorden.  This historic town offers visitors fine Victorian architecture, plenty of pubs and restaurants, and a busy market.  Along the way, you’ll pass through the village of Mytholmroyd, the birthplace of Ted Hughes. And the old mill town of Hebden Bridge, where the BBC’s popular ‘Happy Valley’ drama is set.  The journey to Todmorden and back travels 20 miles, passes through 34 locks (17 each way) and takes around 16 hours.

2. South Wales: Glide through the Usk Valley to Brecon and back

On a week’s holiday from Goytre Wharf near Abergavenny, you can navigate through the Usk Valley on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal.  You can reach the pretty market town of Brecon, in the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park.  Brecon offers theatre, cinema, cafes and restaurants and access to the National Park, with walking routes, cycle hire and pony trekking.  Along the way, you can stop off at Llanfoist to take the old tramway into the Black Mountains.  You could visit the 13th century caste at Crickhowell or walk to the Blaen y Glyn waterfalls at Talybont-on-Usk.  The journey there and back travels 51 miles, passing through 12 locks (six each way) and takes around 25 hours.

3. Scotland: Travel through the Scottish Lowlands to Edinburgh

On a four-night mid-week break from Falkirk, you can cruise along the Union Canal to Edinburgh Quay.  The journey starts with a trip through the world’s first rotating boat lift, the Falkirk Wheel.  You’ll then pass through two tunnels and soon after across the magnificent Avon Aqueduct.  Then it’s on through the lovely lowland villages of Linlithgow, Broxburn and Ratho.  The journey to Edinburgh Quay and back travels 64 miles, passes through four locks (two each way) and takes around 22 hours.

4. Wiltshire: Visit Georgian Bath afloat

On a short break from Devizes you can navigate along the Kennet & Avon Canal to Georgian Bath.  Along the way, the route passes a series of canalside pubs and the historic market town of Bradford on Avon.  You’ll also travel across the beautiful Bath stone Avoncliff and Dundas aqueducts.  There are moorings at Sydney Wharf, a 15-minute walk from Bath City centre. The journey to Bath and back travels 39 miles, passes through 20 locks (10 each way) and takes around 19 cruising hours.

5. North Wales: Glide across the awesome Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Passing through stunning North Wales landscapes, the Llangollen Canal is one of the most popular waterways on the network.  On a short break from Chirk, you can travel to the pretty Eisteddfod town of Llangollen and back.  The route cruises the 11 miles of the Llangollen Canal UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the awesome Chirk and Pontcysyllte aqueducts. The journey from Chirk to Llangollen Basin and back travels 14 miles and takes around four hours.

6. Northamptonshire: Travel along the peaceful Ashby Canal to Shakerstone

On a week’s holiday from Braunston base on the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire, you can explore the beautiful Ashby Canal.  There no locks along this peaceful 22-mile waterway.  Just mile-upon-mile of countryside to enjoy, as well as the pretty town of Market Bosworth and the site of the Battle of Bosworth Field.  The journey to Shakerstone and back, travels 95 miles, passes through eight locks (four each way) and takes around 37 hours.

7. Shropshire: Cruise through the Shropshire countryside to Market Drayton

On a four night mid-week break from Brewood on the Shropshire Union Canal, you can reach the historic market town of Market Drayton.  The route passes through a series of villages with canalside pubs, including the Junction Inn at Norbury and the Royal Oak at Gnosnall.  And through tunnels of trees in a series of deep canal cuttings. The total journey Market Drayton and back travels 42 miles, passes through 12 locks and takes around 19 hours.

Top 5 Easter 2023 Canal Boat Holidays

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Canal boat holidays are great for families, offering the chance to set off on an adventure together out in the open air, learning how to work the locks and speak the boating lingo, as well as spotting wildlife, exploring traffic-free towpaths and visiting waterside attractions along the way.

To celebrate the coming Easter holidays, we’ve published our top five narrowboat holiday destinations for Easter 2023:

1. Join the annual Easter Boat Gathering at Ellesmere Port

Over the Easter Weekend (7-10 April), the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire celebrates the start of the Summer boating season with a large boat gathering, live music, workshop tours, historic boats and museum activities.  From our canal boat hire base at Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire, it takes 10 hours to reach Ellesmere Port – perfect for a week afloat.  The journey, which takes you through the Ancient City of Chester, travels 21 miles and passes through 12 locks.

2. Navigate to the old mill town of Hebden Bridge, home of ‘Happy Valley’

On a short break from Sowerby Bridge, you can travel along the Rochdale Canal to Hebden Bridge, made famous by the hit BBC drama ‘Happy Valley’.  The journey to Hebden travels seven miles, passes through 10 locks and takes around 5.5 hours.  On the way, the route passes through Mytholmroyd, birthplace of Ted Hughes.  Once at Hebden Bridge, yous can choose from a series of scenic waymarked walks, and a great variety of shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs.

3. See the Tiger Who Came To Tea at Theatre Royal Bath 

From our narrowboat hire base at Hilperton in Wiltshire, you can travel gently along the beautiful Kennet & Avon Canal to the edge of Bath.  The journey there and back travels 25 miles, passing through six locks (three each way) and takes around 13 cruising hours.  Along the way, the route passes through the historic town of Bradford on Avon with its fascinating 14th century Tithe Barn.  And over the beautiful Avoncliff and Dundas Bath stone aqueducts.  At Sydney Wharf, boaters can moor up and take a 15-minute walk into Bath City Centre to visit a choice of attractions, including the The Tiger Who Came To Tea at Theatre Royal Bath, 9-10 April.

4. Stop off at the World’s biggest Cadbury shop

You can travel lock-free to Birmingham in just five hours from our Tardebigge base on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, stopping off along the way for handmade Easter eggs at Cadbury World.  With more canals than Venice, you can travel right into the heart of the City of Birmingham, where there are over-night moorings at Gas Street Basin.  There’s plenty for families to see and do, including a visit to the National Sea Life Centre at Brindleyplace or the Planetarium at Birmingham’s Science Museum Thinktank.

5. Float across ‘The Stream in the Sky’ to Llangollen

From our base at Chirk on the Llangollen Canal, the pretty town of Llangollen on the edge of the Berwyn Mountains can be reached on a short break.  Along the way, you’ll cross the UNESCO World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, towering 38 metres above the Dee Valley.  On reaching Llangollen, you can enjoy visiting the town’s independent shops, pubs and restaurants, as well as its Steam Railway and Horseshoe Falls.

Top 9 New Narrowboats for 2023

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Every year we add dozens of new boats to our fleet.

All our narrowboats have the essential mod cons, including central heating, hot water, televisions, fully-equipped kitchens, showers and flushing toilets.

Some offer extras like king-sized beds, drinks fridges, larger showers, baths, deck tables, solid-fuel stoves, underfloor heating and WiFi.

Here’s a run-down of our Top 9 new boats for hire in 2023:

1. ‘Lyra’ will be available from Falkirk

The 47ft ‘Lyra’ Princess Signature Class canal boat for up to four people, will be available to hire from our Falkirk base on the Scottish Lowland canals from March 2023.  She will have a permanent double bed in the forward cabin, and an option to convert the dining area into a double or single bed.  The kitchen areas are larger in the new Signature Class fleet, with more worktop space, a microwave, multiple USB charging points.  She’ll have black-out blinds and bespoke mattresses to ensure a good night’s sleep.

ROUTES: On a weekend break from Falkirk you can cruise to Ratho, Linlithgow or the Kelpies.  On a mid-week or week-long break, you can reach Edinburgh or Glasgow.

***Lyra’s 2023 prices start at £849 for a short break, £1,249 for a week.  Price includes boat hire, damage waiver, gas, car parking, tuition, buoyancy aids, bed linen and towels. Diesel is extra, charged based on use on return, circa £15-20 per day. An additional licence is required to cruise from Falkirk, priced at £15 for three days, or £25 for longer.

2. ‘Rebecca’ will be available at Autherley

From next Spring, the new 60ft Discovery Class narrowboat for up to eight people, ‘Rebecca’ will be available to hire from Drifters’ narrowboat hire base at Autherley near Wolverhampton.  She has three double cabins (which can also be made up as twins), two full bathrooms, and an extra outside table for alfresco dining.  She 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.

ROUTES: On a short break from Autherley, you can travel to Norbury, Market Drayton, Kinver or Tixall Wide.  On a week’s break, you can reach the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port, Stourport-on-Severn or complete the Black Country or Stourport rings.

***Rebecca’s 2023 prices start at £995 for a short break, £1,495 for a week.  Price includes up to six adults, fuel, diesel, parking, tuition and bed linen.  There’s a compulsory extra £60 damage waiver, pets are charged at £45 each per week and extra adults are charged at £50 each.

3. ‘Hemplow’ will navigate from Braunston

The new 69ft narrowboat for up to eight people ‘Hemplow’ will be available to hire from Drifters’ canal boat hire base at Braunston on the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire from May 2022.  ‘Hemplow’ will have three double bedrooms (which can also be made up as twins), two toilets, two bathrooms and a large saloon area where the dining area can be converted into an extra double bed.  She will have a Semi Trad rear deck with seating.

ROUTES: On a short break from Braunston, you can cruise to Hawesbury Junction, Bugbrooke Wharf, Fenny Compton or Stoke Bruerne.  On a week’s holiday, you can reach Milton Keynes, Shakerstone, Drayton Manor, Linslade or Market Harborough.

***Hemplow’s 2023 prices start at £950 for a short break (three or four nights), £1,360 for a week.  Price includes diesel, gas, damage waiver, cancellation protection, parking, tuition and first pet. Second pet is charged at £25 per week.

4. The ‘Fairy Tern’ will depart from Anderton

The 70ft ‘Little Tern’ cruiser stern narrowboat for up to 10 people will be available to hire from our narrow boat hire base at Anderton in Cheshire.  She will have a front cabin that can be configured as one double or two singles.  The rear cabin will have two single beds, with a bunk above each. The two seating areas can be converted into a double or two single beds. She will have two shower/toilet rooms, LED lighting, two televisions, WiFi, a front deck table and wider beds.

ROUTES: On a short break from Anderton, you can travel to Lymm or Anderton.  On a week’s break you can travel on to Manchester, Chester or Marple.

***Fairy Tern’s 2023 prices start at £1,399 for a short break, £1,999 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 £50 deposit is taken for a short break, £90 for a week’s holiday.  Actual cost based on use, circa £15 per day.

5. The ‘Terek Sandpiper’ will depart from Hilperton

The new 66ft ‘Terek Sandpiper’ narrow boat will offer flexible accommodation for up to six people, from our base at Hilperton on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Wiltshire.  The boat will have two cabins, which can be configured either as doubles or twins (with optional wider beds), and a seating/dining area in the saloon which can be converted into a double bed.  She will have two shower/toilet rooms, a front deck table, LED lighting, two televisions and WiFi.

ROUTES: on a short break from Hilperton, you can travel to Bath and back, and on a week’s break you can reach Hungerford.

***Terek Sandpiper’s 2023 prices start at £1,399 for a short break, £1,999 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 £50 deposit is taken for a short break, £90 for a week’s holiday.  Actual cost based on use, circa £15 per day.

6. The ‘Sedge Warbler’ will cruise from Alvechurch

The new 69ft ‘Sedge Warbler’ narrowboat for up to eight people will be available to hire from Drifters’ base at Alvechurch on the Worcestershire & Birmingham Canal.  The boat will have three cabins, two of which can be configured as one double or two singles.  The mid cabin next to the second bathroom will have a fixed double bed. She will have LED lighting, a front deck table, optional wider beds, two shower/toilet rooms, WiFi and two TV’s.

ROUTES: on a short break from Alvechurch, you can travel into central Birmingham in just five hours.  On a week’s break, you can tackle the popular Stourport Ring, cruising a total of 74 miles and passing through 118 locks.

***Knot Sandpiper’s 2023 prices start at £1,599 for a short break, £2,299 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 £50 deposit is taken for a short break, £90 for a week’s holiday.  Actual cost based on use, circa £15 per day.

7. The ‘Arabian Lark’ will navigate from Aldermaston

The 66ft ‘Arabian Lark’ for up to six people will be available to hire from Drifters’ narrow boat hire base at Aldermaston on the Kennet & Avon Canal in West Berkshire.  She will have two cabins, which can be configured either as doubles or twins (with optional wider beds), and a seating/dining area in the saloon which can be converted into a double bed.  She will have two shower/toilet rooms, a front deck table, LED lighting, two televisions and WiFi.

ROUTES: on a short break from Aldermaston, you can travel to Newbury or Hungerford.  On a week’s holiday you can reach Oxford, Pewsey or Windsor.

***Arabian Lark’s 2023 prices start at £1,399 for short break, £1,999 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 £50 deposit is taken for a short break, £90 for a week’s holiday.  Actual cost based on use, circa £15 per day.

8. ‘Onyx’ arrives at Whixall

From 3 April 2023, the new 60ft Gem Class ‘Onyx’ narrowboat for up to six people will be available to hire from Drifters’ canal boat rental base at Whixall, on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire.  The cruiser stern ‘Onyx’ will have a reverse layout – with the galley at the rear and main sleeping areas in the middle and at the front of the boat.  ‘Onyx’ will feature two shower/toilet rooms, full central heating, a well-equipped galley and flexible accommodation in two cabins, ranging from two doubles to four singles.  And the dinette area can be converted into a double bed.

ROUTES: On a short break from Whixall, you can travel to Ellesmere or Chirk. On a week’s holiday, you can continue on to Llangollen, crossing the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct along the way.  Or head the other way to Nantwich, Market Drayton or Chester.

***Onyx’s 2023 prices start at £865 for short break, £1,200 for a week.  Price includes bed linen, towels, first pet, parking and tuition on arrival.  A £50 non-refundable damage waiver and fuel deposit (£70 for a short break, £110 for a week) are extra. Fuel charges are based on use, circa £15 per day.

9. ‘Citrine’ arrives at Oxford

From 27 May 2023, the new 60ft Gem Class ‘Citrine’ narrowboat for up to six people will be available to hire from our base on the River Thames at Oxford.  The cruiser stern ‘Citrine’ will have a reverse layout – with the galley at the rear and main sleeping areas in the middle and at the front of the boat.  ‘Citrine’ will feature two shower/toilet rooms, full central heating, a well-equipped galley and flexible accommodation in two cabins, ranging from two doubles to four singles.  And the dinette area can be converted into a double bed.

ROUTES: On a short break from Oxford, you can travel to Lechlade or Wallingford. On a week’s holiday, you can reach Henley or Banbury.

***Citrine’s 2023 prices start at £865 for short break, £1,200 for a week.  Price includes bed linen, towels, first pet, parking and tuition on arrival.  A £50 non-refundable damage waiver and fuel deposit (£70 for a short break, £110 for a week) are extra. Fuel charges are based on use, circa £15 per day.

Top 9 canal boat holidays for 2023

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From rural retreats to vibrant city centres, narrowboat holiday-makers can use their boat as a floating holiday home to explore Britain’s beautiful 3,000-mile network of inland waterways.  There’s a choice of hundreds of waterside destinations and historic canalside pubs to stop-off at along the way.

Drifters offers over 550 boats for hire from 45 locations across England, Scotland and Wales.  2023 hire prices start at £590 for a short break (three or four nights) on a boat for four, £815 for a week.  Tuition is included in the price of all our holiday hires, and many of our operators are currently offering early-bird booking discounts.

Here are Drifters’ Top 9 narrowboat holidays for 2023:

1. Cruise through the Cheshire countryside to Wrenbury Mill

From our base at Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal, it’s a peaceful 10-mile cruise through the Cheshire countryside to Wrenbury Mill.  The route, which passes through 11 locks and takes around six hours, starts on the Shropshire Union Canal and transfers onto the Llangollen Canal at Hurleston Junction.  At Wrenbury Mill, you can moor up for country walks and a choice of pubs, including the popular Dusty Miller.

2. Navigate the Black Country Ring

On a week’s holiday from our base at Kings Orchard in Staffordshire, you can navigate the Black Country Ring. The journey takes in a mixture of urban and rural scenery, and travels sections of the Coventry, Trent & Mersey, Staffordshire & Worcestershire, New Birmingham Main Line and Birmingham & Fazeley canals.  Travelling 75 miles, and passing through 79 locks, the route takes around 43 cruising hours.  Highlights include: the quiet waters at Tixall Wide; Gas Street Basin in the centre of Birmingham; and Fradley Pool Nature Reserve at Fradley Junction.

3. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage City of Bath

On a mid-week break from our base at Devizes in Wiltshire, you can travel along the Kennet & Avon Canal to reach moorings at Sydney Wharf, on the edge of Bath City Centre.  The journey travels 19 miles, passes through eight locks and takes around nine hours.  On the way, the route passes through the village of Seend with its popular canalside Barge Inn, and the historic town of Bradford on Avon, with a choice of independent shops and restaurants.  Once at Sydney Wharf, you can moor up and take a 15-minute walk into Bath City Centre.

4. Explore the Llangollen Canal UNESCO World Heritage site

Setting off on a week’s holiday from our base at Whitchurch in Shropshire, you can travel to Llangollen and back, navigating along the 11-mile section of the Llangollen Canal designated a World Heritage site.  Beginning at Gledrid, the World Heritage Site comprises a series of embankments, tunnels, viaducts and aqueducts, including the stunning Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.  The whole length, described by UNESCO as ‘a masterpiece of creative genius’, has also been designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument of National Importance, and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  The journey from Whitchurch to Llangollen and back travels 61 miles, passes through four locks and takes around 27 hours.

5. Complete the Stourport Ring

On a week’s break from our base at Stoke Prior in Worcestershire, you can complete the Stourport Ring.  The route includes sections of the Worcestershire & Birmingham Canal, River Severn and the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal.  It travels 84 miles, passes through 117 locks and takes around 51 cruising hours. Highlights include: the Tardebigge Flight of 30 locks; Gas Street Basin in the centre of Birmingham; and the Cathedral City of Worcester.

6. Cruise to Fenny Compton and back

Departing on a weekend break from our base at Stockton in Warwickshire, you can cruise to the pretty village of Fenny Compton.  The journey begins on the Grand Union Canal, transferring onto the Oxford Canal at Napton Junction.  Winding gently through 15 miles of countryside, the route passes through 12 locks, and takes around eight hours. Pubs to stop-off at along the way include the King’s Arms at Napton-on-the-Hill, and The Wharf Inn at Fenny Compton.

7. Visit Skipton and its medieval castle

Enjoying a weekend break from our Barnoldswick base, you can head east along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal to Skipton.  The journey there and back travels 26 miles, passes through 30 locks (15 each way) and takes around 20 cruising hours.  This breath-taking route winds along the contours of the side of Airedale, with extensive views of sheep country.  Once in Skipton, you can moor in the centre of the town, visit shops and restaurants and explore the 900-year old Skipton Castle.

8. Travel slowly through the countryside to Hawkesbury Junction

On a weekend break from our base at Braunston, you can cruise slowly through the Northamptonshire countryside to Hawkesbury Junction. The route begins on the Grand Union Canal, transferring onto the North Oxford Canal at the Braunston Turn.  Travelling 23 miles to Hawkesbury, passing through four locks and Newbold Tunnel along the way, the journey takes around seven hours.  Pubs to stop off at include: the Bell Inn at Hillmorton; the Barley Mow at Newbold; and the Greyhound at Hawkesbury Junction.

9. Cruise along the Shropshire Union Canal to Market Drayton

From our base at Autherley in Staffordshire, on a mid-week break you can cruise to the historic town of Market Drayton and back.  This rural route, perfect for beginners, takes you along the Shropshire Union Canal through over 26 miles of peaceful countryside.  It passes through seven locks and a series of pretty villages with canalside pubs, including the Bridge Inn at Brewood and the Hartley Arms at Wheaton Ashton.

Try canal boating at one of our open days

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On Sunday 23 April 2023, Drifters is offering people the chance to try canal boating for free at 16 locations across England and Wales.

The taster sessions, which will be on from 11am to 4pm, will include free short trips on skippered narrowboats, and the opportunity to look round holiday-hire boats at many of the locations.

Haley Hadley, of Drifters Waterway Holidays, explains:

“Travelling at just 4mph through peaceful countryside, past canalside pubs, sleepy villages and vibrant waterside towns and cities, canal boat holidays are often described as ‘the fastest way to slow down’.

“Around 450,000* people enjoy holidaying on Britain’s canal network and around a fifth of hirers are new to our holidays each year.

“Our free canal boat taster sessions are a great way for people to find out what makes canal boat holidays so special and to see if this sort of holiday would work for them.

“We look forward to welcoming people to our open day events.  We are hoping around 3,000 visitors will get afloat that day, including many families enjoying a day out by the water.”

For further details of Drifters’ Open Day events and to download a free voucher for a boat trip, go to www.drifters.co.uk/openday

Please note, the trips are subject to availability on the day. Trip lengths vary depending on the location, but are usually around 30 minutes. It’s not possible to book a time. The trips are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

*Source: British Marine’s ‘Watersports Participation Survey 2018’

Northampton Chronicle & Echo, 20 October 2022

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