Tag Archive for: Llangollen Canal

Enjoy a Valentine’s escape aboard a cosy boat for two

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Cosy double berths, romantic destinations and historic canalside pubs with roaring log fires make canals the perfect romantic escapte.

We offer winter cruising* and cosy boats for two from a number of our bases, giving you the chance to getaway aboard your very own ‘love boat’.

Today’s canal boats are fully equipped with all the essential mod cons, including central heating and hot water, and some have multi-fuel stoves on board too.  So whatever the weather, it’s always nice and warm on board.

Here’s our guide to the Top 4 romantic destinations afloat this Valentine’s Day:

1. Moor up in the home of the Bard to watch a Shakespeare play

It’s a picturesque six-hour cruise to Stratford-upon-Avon from our narrowboat hire base on the Stratford Canal at Wootton Wawen.  The route crosses over the Edstone Aqueduct, with lovely views of the surrounding Warwickshire countryside.  And there are 17 locks to go through. Once in Stratford, you can moor up in Bancroft Basin to enjoy a performance of ‘The Tempest’ at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.  Or visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace, where there’s a special exhibition commemorating the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio.

2. Cruise to Llangollen and enjoy romantic mountain views

On a short break from our base on the Llangollen Canal at Trevor, you can cruise to the historic town of Llangollen, nestled in the Berwyn Mountains.  There’s a choice of restaurants to enjoy a candlelit dinner for two, including the Corn Mill, housed in a 14th century watermill on the banks of the River Dee. The journey to Llangollen takes just two hours.

3. Visit Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter for Valentine’s gift

From our canal boat hire base at Tardebigge on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove, it takes around five hours to cruise into the centre of Birmingham.  Once there, you can moor up in Gas Street Basin to enjoy visiting city centre attractions, including the City’s famous Jewellery Quarter to browse for that special Valentine’s gift.

4. Cruise gently through the Staffordshire countryside to Fradley Pool Nature Reserve

From our base at Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal, you can reach Fradley Junction in around five hours.  The journey passes through 12 peaceful miles of countryside and five locks.  Canalside pubs to enjoy along the way including the Wolseley Arms at Wolseley Bridge, which is offering a special three-course Valentine’s set menu.  At Fradley Junction, you can enjoy romantic walks around the Frradley Pool Nature Reserve.

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’

DownieLive Travels by Boat, 11 December 2022

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‘Boating the highest canal aqueduct in the world’ Michael Downie sets off from Drifters’ narrowboat hire base at Trevor and crosses the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct Boating the HIGHEST CANAL AQUEDUCT in the WORLD! – Ep.3 – YouTube

Bella, 25 October 2022

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‘Family days out – hop on a boat’ at Trevor

DownieLive Travels by Boat

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Canadian Youtuber Michael Downie has made a series of films about the canals and canal boat holidays.

In the first episode, he sets off from our canal boat hire base at Goytre Wharf and travels along the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal.

In episode two, he leaves from our Acton Bridge base in Cheshire and navigates through the Anderton Boat Lift.

In the third episode, he sets off from our Trevor base in North Wales and travels across the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

In episode four he departs from our Sowerby Bridge base in West Yorkshire, and travels through the deepest lock in the country.

In the final episode, he travels through the Standedge Tunnel, the longest, deepest and highest canal tunnel on the network.

You’ll find DownieLive Travels by Boat here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGcGMcj2dWM

Top 8 canalside events to visit by boat in 2023

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

These events make great destinations for canal boat holiday-makers, so we’ve put together our top eight events for 2023, along with information about our nearest canal boat hire bases:

1. Easter Boat Gathering, Friday 7 to Monday 10 April

The annual Easter Boat Gathering at the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port marks the official start of the cruising season.  Over the weekend, dozens of boats will moor up across the Museum’s seven-acre site and visitors can enjoy live music, children’s activities, workshop tours and historic boats.  Drifters’ nearest narrowboat hire base is 10 cruising hours away at Bunbury.

2. IWA Canalway Cavalcade, Saturday 29 April

This annual event at Little Venice celebrating the best in life on the waterways in London, will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2023.  The event includes live music, a real ale bar, food stalls, an illuminated boats procession and kids’ entertainment.  Drifters’ nearest base is 34 cruising hours away at Aldermaston.

3. St Richard’s Canal Festival, Friday 28 April to Monday 1 May

This annual event organised by the Worcester & Birmingham Canal Society takes place in Vines Park alongside the Droitwich Barge Canal.  Visitors can enjoy live music, boats, classic cars, art workshops, community stalls, a real ale bar and the annual ‘Great Droitwich Duck Race’ with over 1,000 plastic ducks competing.  Drifters’ nearest canal boat rental base is three cruising hours away at Stoke Prior.

4. Rickmansworth Canal Festival, Saturday 20 to Sunday 21 May

Celebrating canals, the community and the environment, the annual Rickmansworth Canal Festival attracts over 100 canal boats from across the country.  Occupying part of the Aquadrome and the Grand Union Canal towpath between Stockers Lock and Batchworth Lock, the event hosts a range of music, performing arts, displays, presentations, traders and catering.  Drifters’ nearest canal boat hire base is 42 cruising hours away at Braunston.

5. Crick Boat Show, Saturday 27 to Monday 29 May

Three hundred exhibitors will gather at Crick Marina on the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal near Daventry, to showcase thousands of inland waterways products and services.  Now Britain’s biggest inland waterways festival, Crick Boat Show offers visitors free boat trips, over 50 boats to look around, live music and a wide variety of food and drink stalls.  Drifters’ nearest narrow boat hire base is five cruising hours away at Braunston.

6. Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Tuesday 4 to Sunday 9 July

Every year thousands of people descend on the pretty town of Llangollen on the Llangollen Canal to celebrate dance, music, costume and culture.  2023 events will include ‘The White Flower: Into the Light’ on 5 July when massed choral and orchestral forces will come together in a concert of remembrance for the fallen of Sarajevo and Ukraine.  Drifters’ nearest base is a two-hour cruise away at Trevor.

7. Stone Food & Drink Festival, Friday 15 to Saturday 16 July 2022

Staffordshire’s biggest celebration of all things gastronomic takes place at the Georgian market town of Stone on the Trent & Mersey Canal.  The festival will host cookery demonstrations, talks and tastings, licensed bars, street food, live music and family fun.  Drifters’ nearest base is five cruising hours away at Great Haywood.

8. Fairport Convention at Cropredy, Thursday 10 to Saturday 12 August

This annual festival of folk and rock music is held in the village of Cropredy, next to the Oxford Canal. The event is run by the Fairport Convention, often credited with being the first English electric folk band.  Drifters nearest narrowboat hire base is 10 cruising hours away at Napton.

Visit a Christmas Market by canal boat

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Winter cruising* on the canals offers the chance to enjoy a narrowboat holiday, visiting a Christmas market in a waterside town or city.

All our boats have central heating and hot water, and some also have multi-fuel stoves. So, whatever the weather, it’s always nice and cosy on board.

Here’s a guide to our Top 5 Christmas markets to visit afloat in 2022:

1. Visit Stratford-upon-Avon’s Victorian Christmas Market
This award-winning event is scheduled to be held 8-11 December 2022. There are hundreds of stalls selling a host of seasonal products, with traders decked out in their finest Victorian costumes. There’s also a programme of live entertainment planned throughout the town. From our base on the Stratford Canal at Wootton Wawen, it’s a six-hour cruise to moorings in the centre of Stratford upon Avon.

2. Moor up for a festive break in Bath
Bath’s Christmas Market is on from 24 November to 11 December 2022, with 150 twinkling chalets lining the picturesque streets of Bath. There will be stylish homeware, handmade jewellery and personalised presents, as well as festive food and drink. From our base on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Devizes, it takes around 10 hours to reach moorings alongside Sydney Gardens. From there, it’s a 15 minute walk to Bath City Centre. The route travels nearly 20 miles and passes through 10 locks along the way.

3. Cruise to the famous Frankfurt Christmas Market in Birmingham
From 3 November to 23 December 2022, Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market will fill New Street and Victoria Square. Over 80 stalls will offer a variety of tempting food and drink, traditional toys, ornaments and gifts. There will also be live music and carol singers. From our base at Tardebigge on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, it takes around five hours to reach moorings in Gas Street Basin in the heart of Birmingham. There are no locks to pass through along the way.

4. Experience the magical Chester Christmas Market
From 18 November to 21 December, Chester’s Town Hall Square will be filled with over 70 stalls. Vendors will be selling everything from handmade gifts and stocking fillers, to fudge, vodka and mulled wine. From our base at Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal near Tarporley in Cheshire, it takes seven hours to cruise to Chester. There are nine locks to pass through along the way.

5. Navigate to the Whitchurch Silk Mill Christmas Fair
On 3 and 4 December, the Whitchurch Silk Mill will host a weekend Christmas Fair, with a variety of stalls in the Mill grounds. From Drifters’ narrowboat hire centre on the Llangollen Canal at Blackwater Meadow, it takes around five hours to reach Whitchurch. The journey travels 12 miles through the beautiful Shropshire Lake District.

*Please note that winter maintenance on the canals will affect some of our routes for part of the winter

Top 6 winter canal boat holiday destinations

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We offer winter cruising from eight of our canal boat hire bases, with boats ranging from snug narrowboats for two, to larger boats for up to 12 people.

It’s free to moor almost anywhere on the network, so a narrowboat provides a base for a floating self-catering holiday, with the choice of dozens of historic canalside pubs with roaring log fires to stop off at along the way.

All our boats have central heating, hot water, televisions and DVD players.  Some also have multi-fuel stoves and WiFi.  So, whatever the weather, it’s always nice and cosy on board.  Drifters’ also offers narrowboats for hire over Christmas and New Year.

Our winter 2022 to 2023 narrow boat hire prices start at £645 for a short break (three or four nights) on a boat for four, £1,023 for a week.

Here are our top 6 winter cruising destinations this winter*:

1. Wend your way to Warwick Castle

On a mid-week break from our base at Stockton on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire, you can cruise to Warwick to explore its stunning medieval castle on the banks of the River Avon.  Canalside pubs to enjoy along the way include: the Blue Lias pub at the bottom of the Stockton Flight; and the Cuttle Inn at Long Itchington.

2. Visit Georgian Bath afloat

Enjoying a four-night mid-week break from our base on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Wiltshire, you can travel to the World Heritage Status City of Bath.  The journey takes around 10 hours, travelling across two magnificent aqueducts and passing through 10 locks.  There’s a choice of canalside pubs, including: the Barge Inn at Seend; and the Cross Guns at Avoncliff.  Once at Bath, you can moor up below Sydney Wharf, a short walk away from the centre of Bath.

3. Travel across the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct to Llangollen

Taking a short break from our base on the Llangollen Canal at Blackwater Meadow, you can cruise to Llangollen and back, travelling across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct along the way.  The journey to Llangollen and back travels 37 miles, passes through four locks (two each way) and takes around 16 hours.  On arrival in Llangollen, you can moor up in Llangollen Basin and enjoy visiting this beautiful town nestled in the Berwyn Mountains.

4. Visit Birmingham for festive fun afloat

From our base at Alvechurch on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove, it takes around five hours to cruise into the centre of Birmingham.  Once there, you can moor up in Gas Street Basin, close to Brindleyplace to enjoy visiting city centre attractions, including the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, home to one of the largest pre-Raphaelite collections in the world.

5. Cruise gently through the countryside to Fradley Pool Nature Reserve

From our base at Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal in Staffordshire, you can reach Fradley Junction and Fradley Pool Nature Reserve in around five hours.  The journey passes through 12 peaceful miles of countryside and five locks.  Canalside pubs to enjoy along the way include: the Wolseley Arms at Wolseley Bridge; Mossley Tavern in Rugeley; and the Swan Inn at Fradley.

6. Moor up in Stratford upon Avon

It’s a picturesque six-hour cruise to Shakespeare’s Stratford from our boat yard on the Stratford Canal at Wootton Wawen in Warwickshire.  The route crosses over the Edstone Aqueduct, with lovely views of the surrounding Warwickshire countryside, and passes through 17 locks. Once in Stratford, you can moor up in Bancroft Basin to enjoy exploring the town’s theatres, museums, shops, markets and restaurants.

*Please note the Canal & River Trust’s winter maintenance programme will affect some of our routes for part of the winter