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Enjoy a spring day out afloat on a canal boat

Spring days out afloat

March 4, 2026/in News/by Debbie Ludford

Drifters offers canal boats for day hire at 19 locations in England and Wales

Spring is a great time of year to get family and friends together for a day out boating.

Britain’s 2,000-mile network of canals and rivers in England and Wales wind through some of the nation’s best-loved countryside. You can pack a picnic or stop off at a canalside pub for lunch.

We offer day boat hire at 19 locations in England and Wales. Full tuition is included and all our day boats are equipped with cutlery, crockery and a kettle. Most also have a toilet, cooker and fridge.

Boats range in size and can accommodate between 8 and 12 people. Our boats are pet-friendly and many have electric engines.

Here’s a guide to some of our best spring days out afloat:

Cruise through Shakespeare country to Wilmcote (Warwickshire)

On a day out boating from Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal you can cruise to the village of Wilmcote and back. The journey takes 2.5 hours each way and crosses the impressive Edstone Aqueduct, with beautiful views across the Warwickshire countryside. You can visit the Mary Arden Inn at Wilmcote or the View Restaurant at Hill Farm Marina, close to Edstone Aqueduct.

*Day boats ‘Dolly’, ‘Charlie’ and ‘Emma’ can carry up to 10 people each. Weekday hire is £120. Weekend and bank holiday day boat hire is £165.

Boat through the Shropshire Lake District to Prees (Shropshire)

From Blackwater Meadow Marina on the Llangollen Canal near Ellesmere, you can cruise through the Shropshire Lake District to Prees and back. The lock-free return journey takes around 6 hours and goes through one short tunnel. The route passes Blake Mere and Cole Mere where there are some great walking and picnic spots.

*Day boat ‘Lazy Days’ can carry up to 10 people. Weekday hire starts at £119. Weekend and bank holiday day hire starts at £149.

Navigate through Cannock Chase to the Wolseley Arms (Staffordshire)

From Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal near Stafford, you can cruise to the historic market town of Rugeley and back. The journey takes around 2 hours and goes through 2 locks. You’ll pass through the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. And you’ll pass the popular Wolseley Arms pub at Wolseley Bridge. When you reach the village of Rugeley, you walk to the canalside Colliers pub.

*Day boats ‘Daphne’ and ‘Abi’ can carry up to 10 people each. Weekday hire is £120. Weekend and bank holiday day boat hire is £165.

Glide along the leafy Worcester & Birmingham Canal (Worcestershire)

On a day out from Alvechurch Marina near Bromsgrove you can cruise through the remains of the Forest of Arden to Kings Norton Junction and back. Along the way you can stop off at the canalside Hopwood House pub and enjoy a walk around the Bittell Reservoirs, a haven for bird life. The route is lock-free and takes you through Wast Hills Tunnel, which is over 1.5 miles long.

*Electric day boats ‘Away Day’ and ‘Fun Day’ can carry up to 10 people. Weekday hire starts at £131. Weekend and bank holiday day hire starts at £164.

Navigate to The Star Inn at Mamhillad in the Brecon Beacons (Monmouthshire)

On day out boating along on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal from Goytre Wharf you can cruise through the beautiful Usk Valley. It takes around 2.5 hours to reach moorings close to the popular Star pub at Mamhillad, a short walk from bridge 62.

*Electric day boat ‘Golden Day’ can carry up to 10 people. Weekday hire starts at £131. Weekend and bank holiday day boat hire starts at £164.

Cruise along the Grand Union Canal to Napton-on-the-Hill (Northamptonshire)

On a day boat from Braunston in heart of the canal network you can reach the historic village of Napton-on-the-Hill. The lock-free journey goes through the Northamptonshire countryside and into Warwickshire. When you reach Napton, you can moor up and walk into the village where there’s a choice of pubs, including the Kings Head. There’s also a shop with a deli, local produce and homemade meals. The journey to Napton and back takes around 6 hours.

*Day boat ‘Ouzel II’ can carry up to 12 people. Weekday hire is £150. Weekend and bank holiday day boat hire is £195.

Float across ‘The Stream in the Sky’ (Wrexham)

From Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales you can travel across the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Standing at over 38 metres high above the Dee Valley, this incredible structure offers amazing views of the Dee Valley below. After cruising across the Aqueduct, there are 2 tunnels and another aqueduct to cross, before you reach the Bridge Inn at Chirk Bank. The journey to Chirk and back takes around 5 hours.

*Day boats ‘Jacob’, ‘Daniel’ and ‘Lotty’ can carry up to 10 people. Weekday hire is £155. Weekend and bank holiday day boat hire is £199.

Boat along the Kennet & Avon Canal to Brassknocker Basin (Wiltshire)

From Bradford on Avon Marina you can cruise west through the Bath Valley to Brassknocker Basin and back. The route takes you through Bradford on Avon Lock and across the magnificent Bath stone Avoncliff and Dundas aqueducts. At Brassknocker Basin you can stop off at the Angelfish café. The journey there and back travels 9 miles and takes around 4 hours.

*Day boats ‘Jacy’, ‘Emily’, ‘Katherine’, ‘Sally’ & ‘Grace’ can carry up to 10 people each. Weekday hire is £185. Weekend and bank holiday day boat hire is £199.

Navigate through the West Berkshire countryside to the Spring Inn (Berkshire)

From Aldermaston on the Kennet & Avon Canal near Reading you can cruise through the West Berkshire countryside to Theale and back. There you can take a 10-minute walk to enjoy lunch at the Spring Inn at Sulhamstead. The total journey takes just over 4 hours and passes through 2 locks each way.

*Day boat ‘Happy Days’ can carry up to 10 people. Weekday hire starts at £149. Weekend and bank holiday hire starts at £249.

Enjoy views of the Peak District on the Peak Forest Canal (Derbyshire)

On a day out boating from New Mills Marina you can cruise to Marple and back, enjoying fantastic views of the rolling countryside along the way. There are moorings at the bottom of the Marple Lock flight and the chance to watch boats passing through one of the steepest lock flights in Britain. The Hatton Arms in Marple is a short walk away. The journey to Marple and back takes 5.5 hours and there are no locks.

*Electric day boat ‘Field Day’ can accommodate up to 10 people. Weekday hire starts at £119. Weekend and bank holiday day boat hire starts at £149.

Float along the Shropshire Union Canal to Nantwich (Cheshire)

From Bunbury Wharf near Tarporley you can cruise south for 6 miles to Nantwich and back. The journey travels across the impressive Grade II* listed Nantwich Aqueduct, with panoramic views across the town, and passes the canalside Olde Barbridge Inn. The journey to Nantwich takes around 2.5 hours and there are no locks.

*Day boat ‘Bella’ can carry up to 10 people. Weekday hire is £99. Weekend and bank holiday day boat hire is £165.

Boat along the Kennet & Avon Canal to Avoncliff Aqueduct (Wiltshire)

From Hilperton Marina, near Trowbridge you can cruise west through the Bath Valley to Avoncliff and back. Along the way you’ll pass through the medieval market town of Bradford on Avon. There’s just one lock to pass through at Bradford on Avon. When you reach the impressive Bath stone Avoncliff Aqueduct you can moor up visit The Cross Guns pub. Or the No.10 canalside cafe. The journey to Avoncliff and back takes around 6 hours.

*Electric day boat ‘Seize the Day’ can carry up to 10 people. Weekday hire starts at £131. Weekend and bank holiday day boat hire starts at £219.

Cruise through the countryside to Atherstone (Warwickshire)

On a day out from Springwood Haven Marina on the Coventry Canal near Nuneaton you can cruise through the Warwickshire countryside to the historic market town of Atherstone and back. The route passes the canalside Anchor Inn and return journey takes around 3 hours.

*Electric day boat ‘Sunny Day’ can accommodate up to 10 people. Weekday hire starts at £119. Weekend and bank holiday hire starts at £149.

Navigate to the Fenn’s, Whixall & Bettisford Mosses National Nature Reserve (Shropshire)

From Whitchurch Marina on the Llangollen Canal you can cruise through the Shropshire countryside to the Fenn’s, Whixall and Bettisford Mosses National Nature Reserve. The journey there and back takes around 6 hours. There are no locks but there are 3 lift bridges to negotiate. Whixall Mosses Nature Reserve is the perfect spot for a walk and a picnic.

*Electric day boat ‘Perfect Day’ can accommodate up to 10 people. Weekday hire starts at £131. Weekend and bank holiday hire starts at £219.

Canal boating on the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire

Top 8 Easter 2026 narrowboat holidays

December 22, 2025/in News/by Contact

Choose from hundreds of Easter canal boat holiday destinations with Drifters

Britain’s beautiful inland waterways are a great place to visit at Easter, when the countryside is bursting with new life.

With over 40 canal boat hire locations, and over 3,000 miles of canals and rivers, there are hundreds of destinations to choose from.

Drifters 2026 Easter break prices start at £689 for a short break (3 or 4 nights) on a boat for up to 4 people, £1,030 for a week.

Here’s a guide to our top 8 Easter 2026 narrowboat holidays:

1. Cruise to Market Drayton, famous for its gingerbread

On a 4-night break from Brewood on the Shropshire Union Canal in Staffordshire you can cruise to the historic market town of Market Drayton and back. The journey through the Staffordshire countryside takes you through a series of villages with historic canalside pubs. These include the Boat Inn at Gnosall and the Junction Inn at Norbury. The route also passes Cadbury’s Wharf at Knighton, where chocolate crumb used to be transported to Bournville. And through Woodseaves Cutting, which is full of vegetation and wildlife. When you reach the Market Drayton visitors’ moorings, you can walk into the historic town, famous for its gingerbread men.

The journey to Market Drayton and back travels 42 miles, passes through 12 locks (6 each way) and takes around 19 hours.

2. Navigate to Hawkesbury Junction and the Greyhound Inn

On a weekend break from Braunston on the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire you can cruise to Hawkesbury Junction and back. The route goes up the North Oxford Canal through Hillmorton with its Stag & Pheasant pub and Newbold with the canalside Barley Mow pub. The journey passes through the outskirts of Rugby and close to the village of Brinklow, home to castle ruins. At Hawkesbury Junction, where the North Oxford Canal meets the Coventry Canal, you can moor up to visit the popular Greyhound Inn.

The journey to Hawkesbury Junction and back travels 46 miles, passes through 8 locks (4 each way) and takes around 14 hours.

3. Cruise through the Bath Valley to Claverton and back

On a 4-night break from Devizes in Wiltshire, you can cruise along the beautiful Kennet & Avon Canal to Claverton and back. The journey passes a series of canalside pubs. These include the Barge Inn at Seend, the Canal Tavern at Bradford on Avon and the Cross Guns at Avoncliff. There are 8 locks to pass through each way and 2 magnificent Bath stone aqueducts to cruise across. Once at Claverton in the beautiful Bath Valley, you can moor up to visit the American Museum at Claverton House and Claverton Pumping Station.

The journey to Claverton and back travels 32 miles, passes through 16 locks (8 each way) and takes around 16 hours.

4. Boat to Birmingham & visit Cadbury World

On a short break from Alvechurch on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove, you can travel lock-free to Birmingham. Along the way, you can stop off at Bournville to find handmade Easter eggs in the World’s biggest Cadbury shop. With more canals than Venice, canal boats can travel right into the heart of Birmingham and find over-night moorings at Gas Street Basin. From there, it’s a short walk to Brindleyplace and city centre attractions, including Birmingham’s Science Museum Thinktank.

The journey to Birmingham and back travels 22 miles and takes around 10 hours. There are no locks to go through.

5. Join the Easter Gathering at the National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port

Over the Easter Weekend (3-6 April 2026), the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire will celebrate the start of the summer boating season. It will also be the Museum’s 50th anniversary. There will be a large boat gathering, live music, children’s activities and guided tours. The Museum was recently transformed into 19th century graving docks in Dublin for Stephen Knight’s spectacular House of Guinness series on Netflix. From Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal near Tarporley in Cheshire, it’s a 10-hour journey to Ellesmere Port, perfect for a week away. The route takes you through the ancient City of Chester.

The journey to Ellesmere Port and back travels 42 miles, passes through 24 locks and takes around 20 hours.

6. Cruise through the Staffordshire countryside and 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. Along the way, you’ll pass Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Fradley Nature Reserve. There are also a series of villages with canalside pubs, including the Crown at Handsacre. There are visitor moorings between Tolson’s Footbridge and Coleshill Road Bridge on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal. From there it’s a short walk to Drayton Manor Park.

The journey there and back travels 48 miles, passes through 10 locks (5 each way) and takes around 22 hours.

7. Star gaze in the Brecon Beacons

The beautiful Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal runs through Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park, designated an International Dark-Sky Reserve. This peaceful waterway has very few locks, offers canal boat holiday-makers incredible mountain views, a series of historic village pubs to visit and on clear nights, views of the Milky Way. On a weekend break from Goytre Wharf, near Abergavenny, boaters can cruise lock-free to Llangynidr and back. The journey takes boaters past the Lion Inn at Govilon and the Bridge End Inn at Llangattock.

The journey to Llangynidr and back travels 32 miles and takes around 13 hours.

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

From Chirk on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, you can reach the Eisteddfod town of Llangollen on a short break. You’ll travel across the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct along the way. Standing at 38 metres high above the Dee Valley, this incredible 300-metre long structure consists of a cast iron trough supported by 18 enormous pillars and 19 elegant arches. When you reach Llangollen you can moor up in Llangollen Basin and enjoy visiting the town’s independent shops, pubs and restaurants. You can also take a journey along the Steam Railway and see the Horseshoe Falls.

The journey to Llangollen and back travels 14 miles and takes around 7 hours. There are no locks, but there are two aqueducts and two tunnels.

New Narrowboats for hire in 2026

October 28, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

Every year new boats are added to the Drifters fleet.

We offer the choice of over 500 canal boats for hire from 40 locations across England, Wales and Scotland. Every year we build new boats overs the winter, ready to launch the following spring.

Here’s a guide to our new narrowboats for hire in 2026:

The new ‘Princess 2 Royal’ will launch at Falkirk

This 47ft cruiser stern narrowboat for two will be available from Falkirk on the Scottish Lowland Canals. The Princess 2 Royal is perfect for couples and beginners, as the shorter length makes it easier to steer. The boat features a galley kitchen at the back of the boat with microwave, 4-ring gas cooker, oven, grill, small fridge, toaster and cooking equipment. There’s a full-sized double bed in the front of the boat (which can be extended to king size). The saloon has a smart TV, and a seating/dining area that can be converted into a double-bed. The boat also has a bathroom with a full sized shower, wash basin and flushing toilet.

*2026 prices for the new Princess 2 Royal start at £1,049 for a short break, £1,499 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.

The new ‘Crown Royal’ narrowboat will be available from Stoke Prior

This new 65ft Royal range ‘Crown’ cruiser stern narrowboat for up to six people will be available from Stoke Prior on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Worcester. The Crown is a great choice for friends holidaying together as there are two separate bedrooms with full-sized double beds (or two singles) and two toilet and shower rooms. The Crown also features a spacious galley kitchen with microwave, a large flat screen TV and DAB/Bluetooth Radio.

*2026 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.

The new ‘Crown Royal’ narrowboat will be available from Napton

This new 65ft Royal range ‘Crown’ cruiser stern narrowboat for up to 6 people will be available from Napton, where the South Oxford Canal meets the Grand Union Canal. The Crown is a great choice for friends holidaying together as there are two separate bedrooms with full sized double beds (or two singles) and two toilet and shower rooms, allowing for more space and privacy. The Crown also features a spacious galley kitchen with microwave, a large flat screen TV and DAB/Bluetooth Radio.

A new ‘Ocean Class’ narrowboat will launch at Trevor

A new 60ft ‘Ocean’ Class cruiser stern narrowboat for up to 10 people will be available to hire from Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales. The boat will feature: two double cabins and three sleeping areas that can either be configured as a doubles or singles; a toilet/shower room; and an extra toilet.

*2026 ‘Ocean’ Class prices start at £1,245 for short break, £1,615 for a week. Price includes bed linen, towels, first pet, 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. There’s a compulsory £50 damage waiver. Second and third pets are charged at £25 each for a short break, £35 each for a week.

A new ‘Ocean Class’ narrowboat will launch at Wootton Wawen

A new 60ft ‘Ocean’ Class cruiser stern narrowboat for up to 10 people will be available to hire from Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal in Warwickshire. The boat will feature: two double cabins and three sleeping areas that can either be configured as a doubles or singles; a toilet/shower room; and an extra toilet.

The ‘Ringed Plover’ will launch at Hilperton

The 58ft ‘Ringed Plover’ semi-traditional stern narrowboat for up to 5 people will be available to hire from Hilperton, on the Kennet & Avon Canal near Trowbridge. The ‘Ringed Plover’ will have two cabins: the rear can be configured as one double or 2 singles, with optional wider beds; and the mid cabin will have a permanent double bed. The seating/dining area in the saloon can be converted into a single bed in the evening, if required. The bathroom has a hand basin, flush toilet and shower with bi-fold doors. The boat has a fully equipped galley kitchen, two televisions and free wifi.

*2026 prices for ‘Ringed Plover’ start at £899 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 £60 deposit is taken for a short break, £110 for a week’s holiday. Actual cost based on use, circa £15 per day.

The ‘Oriental Plover’ will launch at Whitchurch

The 58ft ‘Oriental Plover’ semi-traditional stern narrowboat for up to 5 people will be available to hire from Whitchurch on the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire. The ‘Oriental Plover’ will have two cabins: the rear can be configured as one double or 2 singles, with optional wider beds; and the mid cabin will have a permanent double bed. The seating/dining area in the saloon can be converted into a single bed in the evening, if required. The bathroom has a hand basin, flush toilet and shower with bi-fold doors. The boat has a fully equipped galley kitchen, 2 televisions and free wifi.

*2026 prices for ‘Oriental’ start at £899 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 £60 deposit is taken for a short break, £110 for a week’s holiday. Actual cost based on use, circa £15 per day.

The ‘Peregrine Falcon’ will navigate from Gayton

The 69ft ‘Peregrine Falcon’ semi-traditional stern narrowboat for up to 8 people will be available to hire from Gayton on the Grand Union Canal near Northampton. The ‘Peregrine Falcon’ will have three cabins. Two at the front which can either be configured as a double or 2 singles, with the option to make them wider. The mid cabin has a permanent double bed and the seating area can be converted into a double bed in the evening, if required. There are two bathrooms with hand basins, flush toilets and showers with bi-fold doors. The boat has a fully equipped galley kitchen, two televisions and free wifi.

*2026 prices for ‘Peregrine Falcon’ start at £1,249 for short break, £1,799 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.

‘Bamboo Partridge’ will cruise from Blackwater Meadow

The 66ft ‘Bamboo Partridge’ semi-traditional stern narrowboat for up to six people will arrive at Blackwater Meadow on the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire. The ‘Bamboo 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.

*2026 prices for ‘Bamboo Partridge’ currently start at £1,199 for a short break, £1,649 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.

‘Blackpoll Warbler’ will be bookable from Aldermaston

The new 69ft ‘Blackpoll Warbler’ semi-traditional stern narrowboat for up to 8 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. ‘Blackpoll Warbler’ will have LED lighting, a front deck table, optional wider beds, two shower/toilet rooms, WiFi and two TV’s.

*2026 prices aboard ‘Blackpoll Warbler’ currently start at £1,249 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.

The new ‘Duchess 6 Royal’ will be available from Acton Bridge & Stoke Prior

The new Duchess 6 Royal cruiser stern narrowboat for up to six people will be available from Acton Bridge on the Trent & Mersey Canal and Stoke Prior on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. The Duchess 6 Royal features full-sized double beds (which can be extended to king size) in two cabins, and two toilet and shower rooms. The saloon seating area can be made up into an extra double bed at night. There’s a spacious galley kitchen with microwave, a large flat screen TV and DAB/Bluetooth Radio.

*2026 prices for the new Duchess 6 Royal 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.

Autumn events to visit on a canal boat holiday

September 17, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

Drifters offers over 500 boats for hire from 40 locations across England, Scotland and Wales.

We’ve published a guide to autumn events to visit on a canal boat holiday.

Our autumn 2025 hire prices start at £713 for a short break (3 or 4 nights) on a boat for up to four people, £980 for a week. Tuition is included in our prices.

Enjoy Taste Worcestershire afloat

From 6-26 October 2025, Worcestershire restaurants and food producers will be offering exclusive deals through a Golden Ticket, free to download from the Visit Worcestershire website. Drifters offers canal boat hire from Worcester, giving boaters the chance to cruise through the City of Worcester and the Worcestershire countryside, stopping off at participating venues along the way.

Take part in a Peaky Blinders Night

On 27 September 2025, the Black Country Living Museum in Birmingham will host a special Peaky Blinders evening event, inviting visitors to step back in time in search of the Shelby family. Guests are encouraged to dress to impress in their finest flat caps, threads and frocks, and to immerse themselves in the industrial world of 1920s Birmingham, with an evening of live music, immersive street drama and vintage food and drinks. From Drifters canal boat hire base at Alvechurch, on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove, it takes around nine hours to cruise to the Black Country Living Museum.

Visit the Stoke-on-Trent 100: Heritage Festival for the Centenary

From Autumn 2025 until March 2026, Stoke-on-Trent’s Centenary Heritage Festival will celebrate 100 years of the city’s rich cultural legacy. Autumn 2025 events include the 40^th Stoke Beer & Cider Festival 15-18 October and Festival of Craft on 18 October. Drifters has a canal boat hire base in Stoke-on-Trent on the Trent & Mersey Canal at Etruria.

Experience Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein horror event

From 18 October to 1 November 2025, Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein in Bath will be hosting its notorious After Dark horror event. You can reach moorings on the edge of Bath city centre in four hours from Drifters base at Bradford on Avon.

Best autumn days out boating on the canals

August 15, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

Hire a canal boat for the day this autumn

Drifters members hire canal boats for the day from 19 narrowboat hire bases across England and Wales, offering the chance to enjoy a family day out boating on the canals this autumn.

Our best autumn days out boating on the canals include cruising along the Stratford Canal to the historic village of Wilmcote. On a day out canal boating, you can see the beautiful autumn colours in the trees and hedges that line our canals reflected in the water.

Full tuition is included, so if you’re new to canal boating, day boat hire is a great way to 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. Boats range in size and can accommodate between eight and 12 people.

Our day boat hire prices start at £99 and are pet-friendly.

1. Cruise through Shakespeare country to Wilmcote (Warwickshire)

From our day boat hire centre at Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal, you can cruise to the village of Wilmcote and back. The journey takes 2.5 hours each way and crosses the impressive Edstone Aqueduct with beautiful views across the Warwickshire countryside. For refreshments, The Mary Arden Inn is at Wilmcote and The View Restaurant is at Hill Farm Marina, close to Edstone Aqueduct.

*Day boats ‘Dolly’, ‘Charlie’ and ‘Emma’ can carry up to 10 people each and prices start at £99.

2. Navigate through Cannock Chase to the Wolseley Arms (Staffordshire)

From Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal near Stafford, you can cruise to the historic market town of Rugeley and back. The journey takes around two hours and passes through two locks. It takes you through the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and past the popular Wolseley Arms pub at Wolseley Bridge. At Rugeley, you can walk to the canalside Colliers pub.

*Day boats ‘Daphne’ and ‘Abi’ can carry up to 10 people each and prices start at £99.

3. Glide along the leafy Worcester & Birmingham Canal (Worcestershire)

On a day out from Alvechurch Marina near Bromsgrove, you can cruise north through the remains of the Forest of Arden to Kings Norton Junction and back. Along the way, you can stop off at the canalside Hopwood House pub. And take a walk around the Bittell Reservoirs. The route is lock-free but passes through Wast Hills Tunnel, which is over a mile-and-a-half long.

*Electric day boats ‘Away Day’ and ‘Fun Day’ can carry up to 10 people and prices start at £155.

4. Navigate to The Star Inn at Mamhillad in the Brecon Beacons (Monmouthshire)

On day out boating along on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal from Goytre Wharf, you can cruise through the beautiful Usk Valley. It takes around two-and-a-half-hours to reach 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 prices start at £149.

5. Cruise along the Grand Union Canal to Napton-on-the-Hill (Northamptonshire)

From Braunston in heart of the canal network, you can reach the historic village of Napton-on-the-Hill. The lock-free journey 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. The journey to Napton and back takes around six hours.

*Day boat ‘Ouzel II’ can carry up to 12 people and prices start at £150.

6. Float across ‘The Stream in the Sky’ (Denbighshire)

From Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, you can travel across the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Standing at over 38 metres high above the Dee Valley, this incredible structure offers amazing views of the Dee Valley below. After cruising over the Aqueduct, there are two tunnels and another aqueduct to cross, before you reach the Bridge Inn at Chirk Bank. The journey to Chirk takes around two-and-a-half hours.

*Day boats ‘Jacob’, ‘Daniel’ and ‘Lotty’ can carry up to 10 people each and prices start at £120.

7. Boat along the Kennet & Avon Canal to Brassknocker Basin (Wiltshire)

From Bradford on Avon Marina, you can cruise west through the Bath Valley to Brassknocker Basin and back. The route takes you through Bradford on Avon Lock and across the magnificent Bath stone Avoncliff and Dundas aqueducts. At Brassknocker Basin, you can visit the Angelfish café for lunch. The journey there and back travels nine miles and takes around four hours.

*Day boats ‘Jacy’, ‘Emily’, ‘Katherine’, ‘Sally’ & ‘Grace’ can carry up to 10 people each and prices start at £185.

8. Navigate through the West Berkshire countryside to the Spring Inn (Berkshire)

From our day boat hire centre at 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 at Sulhamstead, a 10-minute walk from the canal. The total journey takes just over four hours and passes through two locks each way.

*Day boat ‘Happy Days’ can carry up to 10 people and summer prices start from £155.

October Half Term canal boat holiday city breaks

July 11, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

Britain’s canals weave through the countryside and into some of our best-loved cities.

You can use your canal boat as a base to explore city centre attractions that are perfect for families.

We’ve published a guide to the best October Half Term canal boat holiday city breaks. Prices start at £845 for a short break (three or four nights) on a boat for up to four people.

Oxford

From our base on the Oxford Canal at Lower Heyford, you can cruise to Oxford in around eight hours, passing through 10 locks along the way. There are places to moor up near Isis Lock, a short walk into the city centre. City centre attractions include the Carfax Tower, Oxford Castle, the Bodleian Library and Ashmolean Museum.

Bath

From Bradford on Avon on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Wiltshire, you can cruise to UNESCO World Heritage Bath. The six hour journey to Sydney Gardens on edge of the city centre travels nine miles through the Avon Valley, passing through three locks along the way. You can moor up at Sydney Gardens and take a 15 minute walk into Bath City Centre to visit attractions, including the Roman Baths, Royal Crescent and Theatre Royal.

Birmingham

From Alvechurch on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove, it takes just five hours to reach Birmingham city centre moorings in Gas Street Basin. From there, it’s a short walk to Brindleyplace, home of the National Sea Life Centre Birmingham. And other attractions, including Thinktank, Birmingham’s Science Museum, China Town and the Jewellery Quarter. The route cruises 22 miles of canal (11 each way) and there are no locks.

Cambridge

On a short break from Drifters base on the River Ouse at Ely, you can cruise to the world famous historic city of Cambridge and back. There are moorings just below Jesus Green Lock on the River Cam. From there, you can explore Cambridge, including King’s College Chapel and quaint streets filled with antique shops, museums, art galleries, restaurants and tearooms. The journey from Ely to Cambridge and Wicken Fen and back travels 38 miles, passes through six locks (three each way) and takes around 13 hours.

Worcester

This beautiful Cathedral City on the River Severn is connected to the canal network at Diglis Junction. Drifters offers canal boat holidays from Worcester Marina. From there, you can complete the Droitwich Ring on a 4-night break. This 20-mile circuit takes you through Worcester via the River Severn, along the Droitwich Canals and a section of the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. There are 33 locks and it takes around 16 hours.

Edinburgh

On a 7-night break from Falkirk, where the Scottish Lowland canals meet, you can cruise along the Union Canal to Edinburgh Quay and back. The route starts at the site of the Falkirk Wheel, the world’s first rotating boat lift. The journey then takes you through the Falkirk Tunnel, across the magnificent Avon Aqueduct and through the villages of Linlithgow and Ratho. Once in Edinburgh, you can moor up in Edinburgh Quay and walk into the city centre to visit attractions including Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh Castle and Mary King Close.

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/

Best waterside pubs to visit on a narrowboat holiday

June 24, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

Waterside pubs are popular destinations for canal boat holiday-makers, and there are hundreds to choose from.

We’ve published a guide to some of the best waterside pubs to visit on a narrowboat holiday this summer.

It’s great to be beside water, especially in the summer. Canal and riverside pubs are popular destinations, and there are hundreds to choose from across Britain’s 3,000-mile network of navigable inland waterways.

With names like The Lock Inn, The Navigation Inn, The Narrowboat, The Tunnel and The Bridge, canalside pubs often date back to the days when canals were the transport network of the industrial revolution. Canalside inns provided refreshment for working boat families, their horses, and professional leggers who propelled boats through tunnels.

Today they are popular destinations for narrowboat holiday-makers, as well as people wanting to sit in a canalside pub garden, watching the boats go by.

1. The Bridge Inn, Chirk Bank in Shropshire

You can reach this popular watering hole on the Llangollen Canal on a short break from Chirk, Trevor or Blackwater Meadow. Also known as The Trap, the historic Bridge Inn is on the 11-mile stretch of the Llangollen Canal designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and has views of the magnificent Chirk Aqueduct.

2. The Hollybush Inn at Denford in Staffordshire

Housed in an old flour mill on the Caldon Canal, the Hollybush Inn is surrounded by Staffordshire Moorlands. The pub offers award winning ales and delicious homemade food. It has a large canalside beer garden and is both family and dog friendly. From Stoke on Trent it takes around 7 hours to reach The Hollybush.

3. The Stubbing Wharf at Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire

The Stubbing Wharf on the Rochdale Canal offers home cooked food, including Sunday lunch roasts. It has a choice of real ales and a canalside beer garden. The pub was built soon after the completion of the Rochdale Canal in 1789. It served travellers on both the canal and the turnpike road. Its curious name derives from the ancient settlement of Stubbing, an Anglo-Saxon word for clearing where the tree stumps have been left. From Sowerby Bridge it takes around 5.5 hours to reach Hebden Bridge.

4. The Swan at Fradley Junction in Staffordshire

At the junction of the Trent & Mersey and Coventry canals at Alrewas, the historic Swan pub is known locally as the ‘Mucky Duck’. The pub offers traditional home cooked meals and a choice of cask ales. The Swan’s bar area is decorated with Roses & Castles narrowboat art. The Swan at Fradley is a 1.5-hour cruise from Kings Orchard and a 6-hour cruise from Great Haywood.

5. The Blue Lias Inn at Stockton in Warwickshire

Located on the Grand Union Canal, this historic rural pub was named after the limestone and clay that is quarried locally. The clay is derived from material laid down in the early Jurassic seas, when dinosaurs roamed the earth. The Blue Lias is around 2.5 hours by boat from Stockton.

6. The Plume of Feathers at Barlaston in Staffordshire

This popular pub on the Trent & Mersey Canal is part owned by the actor Neil Morrissey. Visitors can sample some of Neil’s own beers and ales, and choose from a menu of homemade dishes made from fresh local ingredients. It takes just over 3 hours to reach Barlastan from Stoke on Trent, and 7 hours from Great Haywood.

7. The Crown Inn at Alvechurch in Worcestershire

This historic country pub next to the Worcester & Birmingham Canal has a rustic charm, a good selection of ales and lagers and great value food. Our nearest base is just 15 minutes away at Alvechurch.

8. The Olde Barbridge Inn at Nantwich in Cheshire

This historic pub on the Shropshire Union Canal near Nantwich sells a selection of local ales brewed at its own local brewery. The pub serves classic British food made with local produce. Our nearest bases are at Nantwich and Bunbury.

9. The Boat Inn, Gnosall in Staffordshire

This traditional family run pub on the banks of the Shropshire Union Canal can be reached on a short break from Brewood. It has a patio area overlooking the canal and is renowned for its homemade pies and fish and chips.

10. The Fleur De Lys at Lowsonford in Warwickshire

This pretty 17th century country pub on the banks of the Stratford Canal has a lovely beer garden. The Fleur De Lys has been famous for its pies since the 1950’s, all served with seasonal vegetables, chunky chips and gravy. Our nearest base is just 3 hours away at Wootton Wawen.

Explore Birmingham city centre by boat

June 11, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

With more canals than Venice, travelling by boat is a great way to explore Birmingham

Earlier this year, James Ruddy of the Irish Post set off from our Alvechurch base to explore Birmingham city centre by boat.

Travelling with his partner Sue, James cruised along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal to Gas Street Basin.

In his article, James talks about the history of the canals in Birmingham and the part played by Irish navvies in their construction. He says, “It was hard not to think of their (the Irish workers) sacrifices when we faced our first and only real challenge, the seemingly endless and gloomy depths of the Wast Hill Tunnel, which is over a mile and a half long and took us over 35 minutes to pass through with just our boat headlight as our guide.”

James and Sue stopped at Bournville, the UK’s “Chocolate Town” and visited Cadbury World. Once moored up in Birmingham city centre at Brindleyplace, they walked into Chinatown for a meal and visited a pub in Birmingham’s famous Jewellery Quarter.

You can read James’s ‘Birmingham’s Balti, blinders and Irish backbone‘ review in the Irish Post.

Top 5 canals on screen

May 21, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

Britain’s 3,000-mile network of navigable canals and rivers has featured in many movies and television shows over the years.

Channel 4’s long running ‘Great Canal Journeys’ with Timothy West and Prunella Scales is still enjoyed across the globe.

Other more recent television series that have put canals at the centre of the action, include: Robbie Cumming’s ‘Canal Boat Dairies’; and Channel 4’s ‘Narrow Escapes’.

To celebrate filming on the waterways, we’ve put together our top 5 canals on screen destinations:

1. Slow Horses

Based in London and starring Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden, this massive Apple TV drama series features a number of scenes filmed on the Regent’s Canal, at locations including Primrose Hill, Kings Cross and Haggerston. You can reach the Regent’s Canal at Little Venice on a two-week holiday from Aldermaston on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Berkshire.

2. Archie

Depicting the life of Hollywood’s legend Cary Grant, this ITV four-part drama features scenes filmed at the National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port. The BBC’s Dodger series and the Tolkein movie also filmed there. You can reach Ellesmere Port on a four night break from Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire.

3. Peaky Blinders

The Birmingham Black Country Museum is the official home of the BBC’s epic gangster drama, the Peaky Blinders. Over the years, many scenes have been filmed at the 26-acre Museum, including new scenes that will appear in the Peaky Blinders movie, expected to be released in the autumn. You can reach the Birmingham Black Country Museum on a short break from Alvechurch on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, near Bromsgrove.

4. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, which carries the Llangollen Canal across the River Dee in North Wales, features in Wallace & Gromit’s recent BAFTA award-winning Vengeance Most Fowl movie. You can reach this UNESCO World Heritage site on a short break from our bases on the Llangollen Canal at Trevor, Chirk and Blackwater Meadow.

5. The Day of the Jackal

This HBO blockbuster starring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch, filmed some of its London scenes on the Regent’s Canal at Camden. The Regent’s Canal in Camden also features in Back to Black, the Amy Winehouse biopic and Apple TV’s series Trying, starring Rafe Spall and Sian Brooke. You can reach the Regent’s Canal at Little Venice on a two-week holiday from Aldermaston on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Berkshire.

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.

Electric day boat hire on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Wiltshire

Hire an electric canal boat for the day

May 17, 2025/in News/by Debbie Ludford

Drifters offers electrically-powered narrow boat hire for the day at six locations

You can hire an electric canal boat for the day with Drifters member ABC Boat Hire at six places in England and Wales.

Full tuition is included, so it’s a great way for newcomers to canal boating to get the hang of steering, mooring up and working the locks.

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

In total, our members offer day boat hire at 19 locations across England and Wales. Boats range in size and can accommodate between eight and 12 people.

Day boat hire prices start at £99 and are pet-friendly.

Here’s a guide to where you can hire an electric canal boat for the day:

1. Derbyshire – enjoy views of the Peak District on the Peak Forest Canal

On a day out boating from New Mills Marina on the Peak Forest Canal in Derbyshire, day boaters can cruise to Marple and back, enjoying fantastic views of the rolling countryside along the way. There are moorings at the bottom of the Marple Lock flight where day boaters can see boats passing through one of the steepest lock flights in Britain, and they can walk to the Hattons Arms in Marple. The journey to Marple and back takes five-and-a-half hours and there are no locks.

*Electric day boat ‘Field Day’ can accommodate up to 10 people and summer prices start at £139.

2. Worcestershire – glide along the leafy Worcester & Birmingham Canal

On a day out from Alvechurch Marina near Bromsgrove, boaters can cruise north through the remains of the Forest of Arden to Kings Norton Junction and back. Along the way, day boaters can stop off at the canalside Hopwood House pub and take a walk around the Bittell Reservoirs. The route is lock-free but takes you through Wast Hill Tunnel, which is over a mile-and-a-half long.

*Electric day boat ‘Away Day’ can carry up to 10 people and summer prices start at £155.

3. Wiltshire – boat along the Kennet & Avon Canal to Avoncliff Aqueduct

From Hilperton Marina, near Trowbridge in Wiltshire, you can cruise west through the Bath Valley to Avoncliff and back. You’ll pass through the picturesque town of Bradford on Avon with its canalside Barge Inn. There’s just one lock to pass through at Bradford on Avon, before reaching the impressive Avoncliff Aqueduct. Here you can moor up and visit the No.10 canalside cafe. The journey to Avoncliff and back takes around six hours.

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

4. Warwickshire – cruise through the countryside to Atherstone

You can hire an electric canal boat for the day from Springwood Haven Marina on the Coventry Canal near Nuneaton. On a day out boating from Springwood Haven, you can cruise through the Warwickshire countryside to the historic market town of Atherstone and back. The route passes the canalside Anchor Inn. The journey to Atherstone and back takes around three hours.

*Electric day boat ‘Sunny Day’ can accommodate up to 10 people and summer prices start at £139.

5. Northamptonshire – visit the Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne

On a day out from Gayton Marina on the Grand Union Canal near Northampton, you can navigate to the historic canal village of Stoke Bruerne and back. Along the way, the journey goes through the Blisworth Tunnel, the third longest tunnel on the canal system which takes around 30 minutes to navigate. Once through the tunnel, you can moor up in the pretty canal village of Stoke Bruerne. The Canal & River Trust’s Canal Museum offers an insight into the lives of the working boat people. There are woodland walks and a choice of canalside pubs to visit, including the Boat Inn and the Navigation. The journey to Stoke Bruerne and back takes around four hours.

*Electric day boat ‘Day Break’ can accommodate up to 10 people and summer prices start at £209.

6. Shropshire – cruise along the Llangollen Canal to Whixall Mosses Nature Reserve

From Whitchurch Marina on the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire, you can cruise lock-free to Whixall Mosses Nature Reserve and back. The journey there and back takes around four hours, and there are three lift bridges to go through each way. Whixall Moss is part of the Marches Mosses, collectively making up the largest area of lowland-raised peatbog in the UK. There aren’t any canalside pubs or cafes to visit on this route, but there are places in Whitchurch to pick up picnic supplies.

*Electric day boat ‘Perfect Day’ can accommodate up to 10 people and summer prices start at £139.

You’ll find more information about our day boat hire locations here.

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.

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.

Downie Live Travels by Boat

September 30, 2024/in News/by Debbie Ludford

Canadian Youtuber Michael Downie has published another series of Downie Live Travels By Boat

This summer Michael took three Drifters holidays for Downie Live Travels by Boat:

From Devizes on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Wiltshire where he travelled up and down the Caen Hill flight Narrowboating the LONGEST canal locks in the UK (youtube.com);
From Alvechurch on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal in Worcestershire from where he boated into Birmingham City Centre Boating the city with MORE CANAL than VENICE (youtube.com); and
From Falkirk on the Scottish lowland canals where he travelled up the Falkirk Wheel boat lift and along the Union Canal Riding the World’s ONLY ROTATING BOAT LIFT (youtube.com).

Michael’s videos offer a great insight into what it’s like to take a canal boat holiday in Britain and what the facilities are like on board our boats. Michael explains the history of the canals, locks, tunnels and other historic engineering structures. He tells you about places to moor, pubs to visit and places to stock up on supplies.

Here are links to Michael’s films about his four trips on the canals in 2022:

From Goytre on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGcGMcj2dWM
Acton Bridge on the Trent & Mersey Canal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERH0zbSxL4g
Trevor on the Llangollen Canal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evulu9dXzec
Sowerby Bridge on the Rochdale Canal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmBBnaRHkik