Ten good reasons to take a canal boat holiday.

Ten good reasons to take a canal boat holiday.

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  1. It’s the fastest way to slow down – with speed limits of 4mph and hundreds of miles of tranquil unspoilt countryside to cruise through, on a narrowboat holiday stress levels are immediately reduced and a whole new much steadier pace of life takes over.
  2. Freedom – across the majority of our 3,000-mile inland waterways network moorings are free, so, glass of wine in hand, you are free to choose where to moor your canal boat for the night.
  3. Fitness – working the locks, exploring local footpaths, cycling the towpaths and standing at the tiller enjoying the fresh air – all the ideal antidote to stuffy gyms and office blues.
  4. The greener way – a boating holiday is estimated to be some 20 times better for the planet than spending two hours flying for a holiday overseas and as soon as you swap your car for a boat, you’ll be using a third of the fuel and emitting a sixth of the pollution.
  5. Plenty of pubs – with hundreds of waterside pubs, a watering hole is never far away, many of them historic rural locals.
  6. History is all around – thousands of historic structures make up the waterway system, including the soaring majesty of the World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and the extraordinary Anderton Boat Lift AKA “The Cathedral of the Canals”.
  7. Watch out for wildlife – waterways provide homes for large numbers of birds, plants and animals, including many protected species – the water vole, otter and kingfisher, so there’s always something special to look out for.
  8. Enjoy all the comforts of home – today’s canals boats are fully equipped with all the essential mod cons: central heating, microwaves, ovens, hot water, TV, DVD players, showers and flushing toilets.
  9. Help keep the local economy afloat – over £1½ billion is spent by visitors to the waterways each year on goods and services, supporting some 54,000 jobs.
  10. Try something new – around a fifth of hire boaters are new to canal boat hire each year so it’s easy to learn to steer a boat and navigate the waterways.