Tag Archive for: Llangollen Canal

Celebrate Mother’s Day Afloat

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Day boat hire on Britain’s peaceful network of inland waterways is a great way to celebrate Mother’s Day.

You can enjoy slow time together, watching out for Spring wildlife and blossom on the trees.  And you can pack a picnic or stop off for lunch at a canalside pub along the way.

Drifters offers day boat hire from 17 boat yards across England and Wales.  Prices start from less than £10 per person.

Full tuition is included, so it’s a great way to get the hang of navigating the canals.  All our day boats are equipped with cutlery, crockery and a kettle.  Most also have a toilet, cooker and fridge.

Here’s a guide to our Top 11 day boat destinations for Mums in 2020:

  1. Cruise through the Staffordshire countryside for a pub lunch at Hopwas. From our new day boat hire centre at Kings Orchard, you can cruise through the countryside to Bonehill Bridge. The route takes you through the villages of 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. 
    ***Day boat ‘Happy Days’ can take up to 10 people.  2021 prices start at £137.

  2. Boat through the Berkshire countryside to The Spring Inn. From our day boat hire base at Aldermaston, you can cruise to Tyle Mill Lock and back. The journey travels two miles and passes through three locks. It takes around one and a half hours.  From there, it’s a short walk to the popular Spring Inn gastropub in Sulhamstead.
    ***‘Hey Day’ can carry up to 10 people.  2021 prices start at £129 per day.

  3. Explore Shakespeare’s country. From Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal, you can head south to the pretty village of Wilmcote. Here you can enjoy lunch at The Mary Arden Inn or visit the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s Mary Arden’s Farm.  The journey takes two-and-a-half hours each way.  It takes you across the impressive Edstone Aqueduct, with beautiful views of the Warwickshire countryside. ***Day boats ‘Dolly’ and ‘Charlie’ take up to 10 people each.  2021 prices per boat are £99 weekdays, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.

  4. Cruise through the countryside to Hillmorton.  From our day boat hire base at Braunston, it takes three hours to reach the canalside village of Hillmorton. The journey travels seven miles of the North Oxford Canal.  There are lovely views of the countryside to enjoy along the way.  At Hillmorton there’s a choice of pubs – the canalside Old Royal Oak or the Stag & Pheasant in the village. 
    ***Day boat ‘Ouzel II’ can carry up to 12 people.  Weekday hire is £140, and £175 on weekends and bank holidays.

  5. Travel across ‘The Stream in the Sky’ in North Wales. From our base at Trevor on the Llangollen Canal, it takes 20 minutes to reach the World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Standing at over 38 metres high, this incredible structure offers boaters stunning views of the Dee Valley below.  After cruising over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, there are two tunnels to pass through.  Plus another magnificent aqueduct at Chirk.  In total, it takes around two-and-a-half hours to reach the Poacher’s Pocket pub at Glendrid. 
    ***Day boats ‘Jacob’, ‘Daniel’ and ‘Lotty’ take up to 10 people each.  2021 prices per boat are £120 weekdays, £180 on weekends and bank holidays.

  6. Cruise along the Grand Union Canal to Stoke Bruerne. From our day boat centre at Gayton near Northampton, it takes an hour to reach the pretty village of Stoke Bruerne. Along the way, you’ll pass through the 2,795-metre long Blisworth Tunnel.  Stoke Bruerne is home to Canal Museum, where stories, films and collections provide a fascinating look at the history of our canals.  And there are plenty of places to eat, including the Boat Inn, Navigation Inn and the Museum’s Waterside Café.
    ***‘Daylark’ can carry up to 12 people.  2021 prices start at £129.

  7. Glide through the Brecon Beacons. Cruise from Goytre Wharf on the Monmouth & Brecon Canal to enjoy incredible mountain views. From there, it takes two-and-a-half-hours to reach the village of Mamhillad.  You’ll find the popular Star pub a short walk from bridge 62.
    ***‘Rooster’ can carry up to eight people. 2021 day boat hire prices start at £139.

  8. Travel along the Kennet & Avon Canal to Bradford on Avon. From Hilperton Marina near Trowbridge, you can head west to the picturesque town of Bradford on Avon. This historic town on the edge of the Cotswolds has a great choice of pubs, independent cafes and restaurants, including the canalside Barge Inn.
    ***‘Cheers’ can carry up to 10 people.  2021 day hire starts at £122.

  9. Travel through leafy rural Worcestershire. From Tardebigge near Bromsgrove, you can cruise north to Kings Norton Junction, passing through the remains of the Forest of Arden. Historic pubs along the way include the family-friendly Hopwood House at Hopwood.  There are no locks, but there are two tunnels to pass through, including the 2493-metre long Wast Hill Tunnel.
    ***Day boat ‘Emma’ can carry up to 10 people.  2021 weekday hire is £99, weekends & bank holidays are £150.

  10. Cruise through the Shropshire countryside to Whitchurch. On a day afloat from our day boat hire base at Whixall in Shropshire, you can reach the historic market town of Whitchurch. The lock-free journey, which takes just under two hours, travels six miles of the Llangollen Canal. Once at Whitchurch, you can moor up to explore the town.  Here there are independent shops, way-marked circular walks and a choice of places to eat. 
    ***Day boat ‘Julia’ can take up to 10 people.  2021 prices are £99 on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.

  11. Travel along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Rugeley. From Drifters’ boat yard at Great Haywood near Stafford, you can cruise to the market town of Rugeley. This four mile journey passes through two locks, and takes around two hours. Along the way, you’ll pass the National Trust’s Shugborough Estate.  Plus the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s Wolseley Centre and Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 
    ***Day boats ‘Daphne’ and ‘Abi’ can carry up to 10 people each.  Weekday hire from Great Haywood is £99, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.

Beginners narrowboat holiday on the Llangollen Canal

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Elaine Wilson of Eccentric England took her first canal boat holiday in October.

She and her friend Julie set off from our narrowboat hire base at Whixall Marina.  This is on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal.

They pottered slowly along, getting the hang of the steering.

Elaine describes the wildlife they saw, and the places where they moored up.

They visited Ellesmere, in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. They also visited the historic town of Whitchurch.

You can read Elaine’s blog here https://eccentricengland.co.uk/home/canal-boat-holidays/

Visit an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty by canal boat

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Britain’s 3,000-mile network of inland waterways flow through some of our most beautiful and unspoilt countryside.  This includes many Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).  So a canal boat holiday is a great way to explore the countryside.

From gliding through the Vale of Pewsey, to cruising through Cannock Chase, here’s our Top 6 AONB cruises:

  1. Explore the Staffordshire countryside & Cannock Chase

    On a short break from our new narrowboat hire base at Kings Orchard on the Coventry Canal, you can cruise to the wildlife rich Tixall Wide and back.  Along the way you’ll pass through Cannock Chase AONB. The journey there and back travels 32 miles, passes through 10 locks (five each way) and takes around 16 hours.

  2. Drift through the prehistoric Vale of Pewsey to Hungerford

    From our canal boat hire base on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Devizes, on a week away, you can cruise to the historic town of Hungerford.  You’ll pass through the beautiful Vale of Pewsey, part of the North Wessex Downs AONB. The journey there and back takes around 40 hours, travelling 54 miles through 106 locks.

  3. Navigate along the Pennine Summit to Barrowford

    From our narrowboat hire base at Barnoldwick on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal you can travel Barrowford.  This is close to Pendle Hill and the Forest of Bowland AONB. The journey there and back covers 20 miles, passes through six locks and takes around eight hours.

  4. Cruise to the Aylesbury Vale

    On a week’s break from our canal boat hire base at Gayton Marina on the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire, you can travel south to the Aylesbury Arm. This will take you into the Vale of Aylesbury, part of the Chilterns AONB. The journey to Aylesbury, which passes through Stoke Bruerne, travels 44 miles, passes through 41 locks and takes around 22 hours.

  5. Float through the Dee Valley in North Wales

    From our canal boat rental base at Chirk on the Llangollen Canal, you can float through the Dee Valley AONB.  On a short break, you can reach the pretty Eisteddfod town of Llangollen. Along the way the route passes over the UNESCO World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. The journey to Llangollen and back takes around eight hours, travelling 14 miles, with no locks.

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

    On a four-night break from our narrowboat rental base on the River Thames at Oxford, you can reach the pretty market town of Lechlade. This is in an AONB on the edge of the Cotswolds. The route passes through 22 miles of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire countryside.  It takes you past Kelmscott Manor, once the Cotswold retreat of William Morris.  It passes through 14 locks (seven each way) , and takes around 17 hours.

 

 

Wanderlust Magazine, November 2020

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Debbie Walker lists the ‘Top 10 Canal Boat adventures for beginners’

Daily Telegraph online, 28 October 2020

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Emma Cooke and Paul Miles explore ‘Canal boat holidays: the best UK routes, from the Avon Ring to Welsh waterways’

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/river-cruises/best-canal-boat-holidays-uk-yorkshire-wales-norfolk-broads-scotland/

Experience winter cruising on the canals

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Drifters offers winter cruising on the canals from a number of its bases.  Boats range from snug narrowboats for two, to family vessels for 12.

It’s free to moor almost anywhere on the network, so a narrowboat could provide the perfect base for a rural retreat.  You can stop off along the way at historic waterside pubs with roaring log fires.

Or visit exciting waterside destinations like Birmingham, Warwick and Stratford upon Avon.

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.

Some of our narrowboat hire yards also offer boats for hire over Christmas and New Year.

Cheryl Howes, owner of Drifters operator Kate Boats, explains:

“Cruising is different in the winter.  People cover much less distance and it’s more about just enjoying being away from home.  And being completely isolated in the little bubble that is the boat.  It’s more about reading books, than going through lots of locks.

“The winter months are when the Canal & River Trust does most of its maintenance work.  This means some routes aren’t available, but there are always alternatives to choose from.

“Because boat hire is cheaper off season, people will often take a larger boat to give themselves a bit more space.  All our boats are centrally heated, so it’s always nice and cosy on board.  But you do need to wrap up warm when you are underway.  And the person at the tiller needs a supply of hot drinks to keep them going!

“Our boats have plenty of storage on board so you can bring lots of warm clothes. You just need to accept that with limited day length you aren’t going to get as far.  And some towpaths do get muddy.”

Drifters’ winter cruising prices start at £535 for a short break (three or four nights) on a boat for four, £740 for a week.  Here are our Top 5 winter cruising destinations for 2020-21:

  1. Take a winter cruise through the Warwickshire countryside – from our base at Stockton on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire, you can cruise to Warwick and back.  There you can explore the town’s stunning medieval castle on the banks of the River Avon. Along the way, you will pass through the village of Long Itchington with a choice of pubs. Also the town of Leamington Spa.  The journey to Warwick travels 12 miles of waterway.  It passes through 22 locks and takes around eight hours. Alternatively, you can head to the pretty canal village of Braunston, where there’s a choice of pubs.  Along the way, you’ll pass through Braunston Tunnel, six locks and miles of peaceful countryside.

  2. Travel along the Oxford Canal to Napton – on a short break from our narrowboat hire centre on the North Oxford Canal at Rugby, you can travel through the countryside to Napton.  You will travel along the Oxford Canal. The journey passes through just six locks (three each way).  It goes through the villages of Hillmorton and Braunston, with a choice of pubs.

  3. Cruise through the Shropshire Lake District – from our narrowboat hire base at Blackwater Meadow on the Llangollen Canal you can travel to Whitchurch and back.  It’s perfect for a short break in the Shropshire countryside.  You will pass Blake Mere and Whixall Moss along the way. The journey travels 12 miles.  There are no locks but there are four moveable bridges and one tunnel to negotiate.  Once at Whitchurch, you can moor up and take time to explore this historic town.  It has a choice of independent shops and restaurants and way-marked circular walks.  There’s also the Brown Moss nature reserve and the award-winning Black Bear pub to visit. 

  4. Glide gently through the Staffordshire countryside to Fradley – from our canal boat holiday hire base at Great Haywood you can cruise along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Fradley.  This takes you through the Staffordshire countryside, reaching Fradley Junction in five hours. The journey travels 12 peaceful miles, with just five locks to negotiate along the way.  It goes past the Wolseley Centre run by the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust.  It also passes the Wolseley Arms and the village of Rugeley with its canalside Mossley Tavern.  At Fradley, you can enjoy refreshments at the Canalside Café or The Swan Inn.  You can also explore the Fradley Pool Nature Reserve.

  5. Visit historic Chester afloat – from our base on the Shropshire Union Canal at Bunbury near Tarporley you can reach Chester in seven hours.  The cruise takes you through 12 miles of Cheshire countryside and through nine locks.  You can moor up at Northgate visitor moorings in the ancient city of Chester.  From there you explore the city and its Roman Walls, Cathedral and Chester Rows.

Daily Express, 24 October 2020

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‘Popular haunts – brave ghosts, ghouls and walking spirits on our canals – if you dare’

Cruise through the countryside this October Half Term

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Canal boat holidays are great for families – offering the chance to ship out together on an adventure afloat, learning how to navigate the canals, work the locks and watch out for waterway wildlife along the way.

A licence isn’t required to steer a canal boat and all our operators provide hirers with boat steering tuition as part of their holiday packages.

Here are Drifters’ top five canal boat holiday destinations for this October Half Term:

1. Cruise through the Warwickshire countryside to Packwood House – from our narrowboat hire base at Tardebigge on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove, it’s a peaceful seven-hour cruise through the countryside to the village of Lapworth. With locks along the way, it’s a great short break for beginners. Once moored up in Lapworth, you can take a short walk to the National Trust’s Packwood House, with magnificent gardens, and enjoy the Packwood Welly Walk for families, or the longer Packwood House to Baddesley Clinton walk through the Arden countryside.

2. Navigate the leafy Calder & Hebble Navigation to Brighouse – on a short break from our boat yard at Sowerby Bridge, canal boat holiday-makers can travel to Brighouse and back along the leafy Calder & Hebble Navigation. This historic town, famous for its Brighouse and Rastick Brass Band, offers glorious Pennines walks, places to eat and shops. Along the way, you’ll pass through the historic market town of Elland and the village of Mirfield, with medieval stocks and ducking stool. The journey there and back travels 12 miles, passes through 20 locks (10 each way) and takes around eight hours.

3. Glide across ‘The Stream in the Sky’ to Whitchurch – on a week’s holiday from our narrowboat hire centre at Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, you can travel to Whitchurch and back. The journey there and back takes around 44 hours, passing through just four locks (two each way). Along the way, you’ll travel across the incredible UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, which carries the canal 38 metres high above the Dee Valley. The journey continues on through Ellesmere in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. Before reaching historic Whitchurch, where there are plenty of places to moor and explore the town with independent shops, pubs, restaurants and way-marked walks.

4. Potter through the Shropshire countryside to Market Drayton – from our canal boat hire base at Brewood on the Shropshire Union Canal, it takes around 10 hours to reach the historic market town of Market Drayton, home of the gingerbread man – perfect for a mid-week break afloat. Along the way, you’ll pass through miles of beautiful Shropshire countryside, six locks and a series of villages with canalside pubs.

5. Wind your way to Castle Quay in Manchester – from our canal boat hire base at Anderton on the Trent & Mersey Canal in Cheshire, it takes around 10½ hours to reach Castle Quay, cruising along 31 miles of inland waterways and passing through just one lock. This route, which begins at the site of the incredible Anderton Boat Life, AKA ‘The Cathedral of the Canals’, is perfect for a four-night mid-week break afloat. It includes three tunnels, miles of quiet countryside, the pretty village of Lymm and an urban section passing the Manchester United football ground, Salford Quays and the Old Trafford Crick Ground, before reaching moorings at Castle Quay.

To check availability, go to www.drifters.co.uk.

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

The Family Holiday Guide reviews a canal boat holiday from Trevor

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In July Victoria Pollitt and husband took their two children for a canal boat holiday aboard the 67ft barge Askrigg.

They set off from our canal boat hire base at Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales.

It was their first narrowboat holiday and it included journeying across the famous World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

Victoria says: ‘I quickly discover that canal boating is simultaneously very relaxing and stressful. Once we cross the aqueduct with its amazing views, there are other boats to dodge, tight turns to master and long tunnels to chug through.

‘At first, bridges and locks may be daunting but they quickly become part of the fun, giving the children some activity and making them feel part of the team.  Luckily, every boater seems friendly and happy to help if you get in a fix.’

Their journey takes them to the Welsh border village of Chirk, and Ellesmere, in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District.

Victoria says: ‘There’s something pretty awesome about travelling along in a floating home but I recommend mooring up as often as possible to explore the towpath and surroundings.  We love stopping where we want, discovering walks through the countryside with just cows for company. This slow pace of travel needs to be embraced.’

To read the full guide, including 10 top tips for taking children on a canal boat holiday, go to https://thefamilyholidayguide.co.uk/canal-boat-holiday/