Best canal boat holidays for beginners
With Britain’s inland waterways in better shape than ever and providing havens for wildlife, narrowboat holidays are becoming increasingly popular.
You don’t need a licence to steer a canal boat and all our operators provide tuition as part of their canal boat holiday hire.
Today’s narrowboats are fully equipped with essential home comforts, including central heating, hot water, TV, showers, microwaves, flushing toilets, and many now have WiFi too.
So if you’re planning to pack-up and ‘ship-out’ on an adventure afloat, take a look at our top 9 canal boat holidays for beginners to help you learn the ropes:
1. Cruise into Birmingham
Boasting more canals than Venice, Birmingham simply has to be visited by canal boat. And with no locks between our base at Alvechurch and Birmingham City Centre, it’s the perfect opportunity for novices to ‘dip their toe in the water’. Cruising along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, it takes just five hours to reach Birmingham. The first half of the journey passes through fields, woodlands and sleepy villages, and a series canal tunnels, before becoming increasingly urban. Once in the centre of Birmingham, you can find over-night moorings at Gas Street Basin. From there you can walk to Brindleyplace, the Mailbox and other city centre attractions.
2. Love the Llangollen
Passing through stunning North Wales landscapes, the Llangollen Canal is one of the most popular navigations on the network. The journey from our Trevor base to Ellesmere and back offers a fantastic short break holiday for beginners. There are just four locks between Trevor and the beautiful Meres, a journey which takes around seven hours. And the route includes the experience of travelling across the World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, with incredible views of the Dee Valley 38 metres below.
3. Glide through the Brecon Beacons
Isolated from the main canal network, the scenic Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal runs through the Brecon Beacons National Park. This quiet waterway, with very few locks, offers incredible mountain views and is nice and easy for beginners. On a week’s holiday from our base Goytre Wharf near Abergavenny, you can cruise to Brecon and back. Along the way, you’ll pass through Georgian Crickhowell, with its fascinating 13th century castle, and Talybont-on-Usk with walks to the waterfalls at Blaen y Glyn.
4. Visit Georgian Bath
From our base at Hilperton on the Kennet & Avon Canal near Trowbridge in Wiltshire, moorings close to Bath City Centre are a six-hour cruise away. The route passes through seven locks and crosses two stunning Bath stone aqueducts. You’ll also pass a series of popular historic canalside pubs, including The Cross Guns at Avoncliff and the Barge Inn at Seend. Once at Sydney Wharf on the edge of Bath City Centre, you can use your boat as a base to explore this World Heritage City, famous for its Roman Baths.
5. Take a rural route to Braunston
From our base at Stockton on the Grand Union Canal, the pretty canal village of Braunston is a peaceful three-hour cruise away. There are only three locks along the way so it’s an easy holiday for first time boaters on a short break. The journey meanders through the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire countryside. Pubs to enjoy include the Kings Head at Napton and the Admiral Nelson at Braunston.
6. Travel through the Scottish Lowlands to Edinburgh
From Falkirk, Edinburgh Quay is a sedate 11-hour journey along the lock-free Union Canal. This route is perfect for beginners on a week-long break. The journey starts with a trip through the iconic Falkirk Wheel – the world’s first and only rotating boat lift. Next you’ll pass through the lovely lowland villages of Linlithgow, Broxburn and Ratho. Visitor moorings are available at Edinburgh Quay, just a five-minute walk from Princes Street and city centre attractions.
7. Steer gently through the countryside to Stone
From Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal it takes around five hours to reach the historic Shropshire market town of Stone. Stone is renowned as the food and drink capital of Staffordshire, with regular markets, a good choice of restaurants and annual Food & Drink Festival. Along the way, there are four locks to pass through and plenty of pubs to enjoy, including The Saracen’s Head at Weston and The Holly Bush Inn at Salt.
8. Navigate to the Yorkshire Dales
The journey from Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal to the pretty North Yorkshire village of Gargrave and back takes around seven hours and passes through three locks. You’ll pass through Skipton with its striking medieval stone castle and extensive woodlands. Once at Gargrave, there are pubs to enjoy, including the popular Mason’s Arms. And from Gargrave you can visit the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
9. Boat to historic Brewood and back
The journey to Brewood and back from our base at Gailey on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal offers an excellent short break route for beginners. Travelling a total of 25 miles, and passing through just two locks (one each way), this gentle journey through the Shropshire countryside and past a series of canalside pubs, including the Anchor Inn at Cross Green. You’ll transfer onto the Shropshire Union Canal at Autherley Junction. On reaching the historic village of Brewood, there’s a choice of places to eat, including the canalside Bridge Inn.
