Hire a canal boat for a family day out on the water this October Half Term
Day boat hire on Britain’s peaceful network of inland waterways offers the chance to explore the autumn countryside – and with prices starting from just £10 per person, it’s a great way to get the family together for a day out.
Drifters offers day boat hire from 15 boat yards across England and Wales, with boats offering space for between eight and 12 people. Full tuition is included so if you are new to narrow boating, it’s a great opportunity 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. So you can plan lunch afloat or stop off at a canalside pub along the way.
Here’s a guide to our Top 15 Day Boat Destinations for October Half Term 2022:
Berkshire
Cruise through the West Berkshire countryside to the Spring Inn
From our day boat hire centre at Aldermaston on the Kennet & Avon Canal near Reading, you can cruise to Theale and back, stopping off to enjoy lunch at the Spring Inn, a 10-minute walk from the canal. The total journey takes just over four hours and passes through two locks each way.
*Day boat ‘Heyday’ can carry up to 8 people. Prices start from £129.
Cheshire
Boat along ‘The Shroppie’ to Nantwich Aqueduct
From our canal boat hire base at Bunbury Wharf on the Shropshire Union Canal near Tarporley, you can cruise south for six miles to Nantwich. There you can travel across the impressive Grade II* listed Nantwich Aqueduct, enjoying with panoramic views across the town. With no locks along the way, the journey to Nantwich takes around two hours.
*Day boat ‘Bella’ can carry up to 10 people. Weekday hire is £99, weekends & bank holidays £150.
Cruise through the woodlands of Marbury Country Park to Middlewich
From our day boat hire centre at Anderton Marina, next to the incredible Anderton Boat Lift, day boaters can travel to Middlewich and back. The journey passes through Marbury Country Park and Marston Flash. There’s a choice of pubs to stop at, including the Broken Cross at Rudheath. The journey to Middlewich and back takes around six hours. There are no locks.
*Day boat ‘Daydream’ can carry up to 12 people. Prices start at £139.
Monmouthshire
Navigate to the Star Inn at Mamhillad in the Brecon Beacons
From our day boat hire base at Goytre Wharf on the beautiful Monmouth & Brecon Canal near Abergavenny, you can cruise to Mamhillad. The journey takes around two-and-a-half hours and along the way, you’ll enjoy incredible mountain views. At Mamhillad you can moor up to visit the popular Star pub, a short walk from bridge 62.
*Day boats ‘Robin’ and Rooster’ can carry up to eight people each. Prices start from £137.
Northamptonshire
Navigate through Blisworth Tunnel to Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum
From our base at Gayton on the Grand Union Canal near Northampton, you can navigate to the pretty village of Stoke Bruerne, home of the Canal Museum. The route travels through the Blisworth Tunnel, which at 3,076 yards long is the third longest on the canal network. It takes around one-and-a-half hours to cruise to Stoke Bruerne, including 30 minutes to cruise through the tunnel.
*Day boat ‘Day Lark’ can carry up to 12 people. Prices start at £129.
Cruise to the picturesque village of Napton-on-the-Hill
From our day boat hire centre at Braunston on the Grand Union Canal, you can cruise to the historic village of Napton-on-the-Hill. The journey, which takes around three hours, takes you through the Northamptonshire countryside and into Warwickshire. Once at Napton, day you can moor up and walk into the village where there’s a choice of pubs, including the Kings Head.
*Day boat ‘Ouzel II’ can carry up to 12 people. Weekday prices are £150, £195 for weekends and bank holidays.
Shropshire
Cruise through the Shropshire countryside to Oswestry
From our day boat hire base at Blackwater Meadow Marina on the Llangollen Canal, near Ellesmere, you can cruise to Oswestry and back. The route passes through farmland, glacial scenery and beautiful green countryside. The journey there and back takes around five hours and there are no locks.
*Day boat ‘Lazy Days’ can carry up to 10 people. Prices start at £109.
Cruise through the Shropshire Lake District to Ellesmere
From our narrow boat hire centre at Whixall Marina, on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal, you can travel to Ellesmere in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. The journey takes around two-and-a-half hours, cruising through eight miles of beautiful countryside. You’ll pass Lyneal Moss and Colemere Country Park along the way.
*Day boat ‘Julia’ can carry up to 10 people. Weekday hire is £99, weekends & bank holidays £150.
Staffordshire
Navigate through the countryside for a pub lunch at 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 five and a half hours and there are no locks.
*Day boat ‘Happy Days’ can take up to 10 people. Prices start at £139.
Navigate through Cannock Chase to the Wolseley Arms
From our day boat hire base Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal near Stafford, you can cruise four miles, passing through two locks, to reach the historic market town of Rugeley. The journey, which takes around two hours, passes the through the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It also passes the popular Wolseley Arms pub at Wolseley Bridge.
*Day boats ‘Daphne’ and ‘Abi’ can carry up to 10 people each. Weekday hire starts at £99, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.
Warwickshire
Cruise to the Mary Arden Inn at Wilmcote in Warwickshire
From our narrow boat hire base Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal, you can head south to the pretty village of Wilmcote, a short walk from the canal. Here you can enjoy lunch at The Mary Arden Inn. The journey takes two-and-a-half hours each way, and crosses over the impressive Edstone Aqueduct with beautiful views across the Warwickshire countryside.
*Day boats ‘Dolly’ and ‘Charlie’ can carry up to 10 people each. Prices start at £99 weekdays, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.
Wiltshire
Travel to Avoncliff Aqueduct and the Cross Guns pub
From our base at Hilperton Marina on the Kennet & Avon Canal near Trowbridge, you can head west past the picturesque town of Bradford on Avon and on to Avoncliff Aqueduct for lunch at the Cross Guns. The return journey to Avoncliff and back takes around six hours and there’s just one lock to pass through each way.
*Day boat ‘Cheers’ can carry up to 10 people. Prices start at £119.
Worcestershire
Boat past the Bittell Reservoirs to Hopwood
On a day out from Alvechurch on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove, you can cruise to the Hopwood House Inn and back. The return journey takes around four-and-a-half hours and passes through the 2,726 yard long Wast Hill Tunnel. It also passes by close to the Bittell Reservoirs, a haven for wildlife.
*Day boat ‘Away Day’ can carry up to 10 people. Prices start at £137.
Glide through the remains of the Forest of Arden
From our day boat hire base at Tardebigge on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal 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 moor at along the way, including the canalside Crown and Weighbridge pubs at Alvechurch. The route is lock-free but there are two tunnels to pass through, including Wast Hill Tunnel.
*Day boat ‘Emma’ can carry up to 10 people. Weekday hire is £99, weekends & bank holidays £150.
Wrexham
Travel across ‘The Stream in the Sky’
From our canal boat hire base at Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, it takes less than 20 minutes to reach the World Heritage status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Standing at over 38 metres high above the Dee Valley, this incredible structure offers boaters 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.
*Day boats ‘Jacob’, ‘Daniel’ and ‘Lotty’ can carry up to 10 people each. Weekday hire starts at £120, £180 on weekends and bank holidays.
For more information about Drifters day boat hire, go to http://www.drifters.co.uk/day-boats
For more information about visiting the canals go to www.canalrivertrust.org.uk
