Watch out for wildlife and explore exciting waterside destinations
Here’s a guide to our top 6 May bank holiday family destinations – all short breaks suitable for beginners:
1. Explore Sir Titus Salt’s model town at Saltaire on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal
From Silsden it takes seven hours, passing through 11 locks to reach Sir Titus Salt’s model town at Saltaire. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sir Titus Salt built the textile Mill and entire village for his mill workers, all in a beautiful Italianate style. Places to visit at Saltaire include the magnificent Salt’s Mill where many examples of David Hockney’s work are on display. And the Shipley Glen Tramway, the oldest working cable tramway in Britain, which takes you a quarter of a mile up through woodlands to a popular local beauty spot.
2. Walk Chester’s Roman city wall circuit
On a weekend break from Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal it takes seven hours to reach the ancient City of Chester. The route takes you past a series of villages with canalside pubs, including The Cheshire Cat at Christleton. Once in Chester, you can moor-up and walk the city’s Roman wall circuit. Chester is the only City in Britain that retains the full circuit of its ancient defensive walls.
3. Visit Ellesmere in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District
From Whixall on the Llangollen Canal, you can reach Ellesmere in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. The journey takes seven hours and you’ll pass Cole Mere and Blake Mere along the way. At Ellesmere there are plenty of visitor moorings, giving you the chance to explore this historic market town with a mix of Tudor, Georgian and Victorian buildings, as well as its famous Mere and woodland walks. There’s a range of places to eat and drink, including The White Hart pub and The Red Lion coaching inn.
4. Marvel at the Caen Hill flight of locks at Devizes
From Bradford on Avon on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Wiltshire, it takes nearly eight hours to reach Foxhanger Wharf the base of the mighty Caen Hill flight of 29 locks at Devizes. Said to be one of The Seven Wonders of the Waterways, the breath-taking sight of the 16 locks in a row is one of the most spectacular of Britain’s inland waterways. Once there, the historic market town of Devizes is a short walk away. Devizes has a great choice of independent shops, pubs and restaurants, including the ‘Peppermill Restaurant’ and the Bear Hotel.
5. Get close to nature at Fradley Pool Nature Reserve
From Great Haywood in Staffordshire you can cruise along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Fradley Junction in around six hours. Along the way, you’ll cruise past Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and through the historic village of Rugeley. Once at Fradley, you’ll find a café, two pubs and the award-winning Fradley Pool Nature Reserve with woodland walks to explore.
6. Travel on the Llangollen Steam Railway
From Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, it takes around two hours to cruise to Llangollen. You’ll pass the canalside Sun Trevor pub along the way. Once in Llangollen, you can moor up in Llangollen Basin to explore the historic town on the edge of the Berwyn Mountains. And you can experience a journey along the Llangollen Steam Railway.
Click here to book a holiday or call our booking team on 0117 304 1122.
We’ve reopened at Tardebigge!
Worcester & Birmingham Canal Narrow Boat Holidays
We’re delighted to announce we are now able to offer canal boat hire from Tardebigge again. We are taking books for holidays starting from 4 May 2025.
Our base at Tardebigge on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove offers the chance to explore some of the most beautiful parts of the West Midlands – including the Forest of Arden, Shakespeare country, Tolkein country and the River Severn Valley.
It also offers the option to travel right into the heart of Birmingham lock-free in just five hours. With more canals than Venice, there’s no better way to explore Britain’s vibrant second city.
Emma Lovell, Anglo Welsh’s reservations manager, explains: “Located in an idyllic rural Worcestershire setting, Tardebigge is the perfect place to start a leisurely cruise around some of the gorgeous countryside to be found in the Heart of England.
“Perhaps the most popular route for beginners from Tardebigge is to take a short break and travel into Birmingham and back. There are no locks between here and the centre of Birmingham and it takes just five hours to potter along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. There are moorings in Gas Street Basin, close to Brindleyplace and a host of exciting City centre attractions.
“Along the way, you’ll pass Cadbury World in the historic village of Bournville, where you can find out how chocolate is made and explore the World’s biggest Cadbury Shop!
“If you are new to narrowboating and would like to stay in the countryside, you cruise onto the Stratford Canal at Kings Norton Junction and travel to the pretty canal village of Lapworth and back. This takes around 14 hours in total, again with no locks.
“Another popular short break route is to travel into Birmingham to visit the Birmingham Black Country Museum, often used as a film set for the BBC’s Peaky Blinders. Here you can step back in time where the world’s first industrial landscape emerged and meet costumed characters, explore period shops and houses, enjoy a fair ground ride, take a 1912 school lesson, eat traditional fish & chips and visit the Bottle & Glass Inn.
“From Tardebigge, more experienced boaters on longer breaks can enjoy there-and-back cruises to Stratford upon Avon, Warwick or Worcester. Shakespeare’s Stratford is probably our most popular destination for people on a week’s canal barge holiday from here. The journey takes boaters along the beautiful Stratford Canal with its distinctive barrel-roofed cottages, peaceful countryside and fantastic choice of canalside pubs – including the Fleur de Lys at Lowsonford, which is famous for its homemade pies.
“There’s great choice of circuits to navigate from Tardebigge, including the popular Stourport Ring. This can be done in a week and involves travelling 74 miles, through 118 locks, passing through Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Stourport and the lovely Cathedral City of Worcester.
“As part of this journey, you’ll get to tackle the mighty Tardebigge flight of 30 locks – the longest in the country. The locks are spread out over two and a quarter miles and allow boats to ascend or descend 67 metres in height.
“On this route, you also have the option of taking a short cut along the Droitwich canals and experience narrow locks, staircase locks, wide beam locks and swing bridges all in a single seven-mile stretch.”
There’s more information about our boats available to hire from Tardebigge here and Tardebigge routes here.
Click here to book a holiday or call our friendly booking team on 0117 304 1122.
They have full-size showers, a range of flexible and private berths, solid fuel stoves on the four and six berth boats, a large TV and Wifi, and spacious kitchens with modern fittings and lighting.
You can find Constellation Class boats at the following locations:
Constellation narrowboat hire prices start at £1,290* for short break on a boat for four and £1,760* for a week.
Check availability and book here or call us on 0117 304 1122 to find out more.
*A fuel deposit of £70 for short breaks and £110 for week long holidays is required.
New year, new hobby – narrowboating!
If you’re looking to try something new this year, give narrowboating a go
The new year is a great time to take up new hobbies and activities, or to learn a new skill. It is an opportunity for a fresh start.
We don’t think New Year’s resolutions should be about self-denial and restrictions, but about positive fulfilment, expansion, self-discovery and learning. A new hobby is a wonderful way to boost your wellbeing and re-energise life when things are feeling a little stale.
After the overindulgence of Christmas and New Year’s Eve, most of us are seeking some more wholesome interests and activities to nourish our mind, body and soul.
So why not take up narrowboating as your new hobby for 2025! Here some reasons why you should give narrowboating a go:
We provide tuition for beginners
If you book a canal boat holiday with Anglo Welsh, you will be taken through all the basics to set you up for your first ever narrowboat cruise.
Any narrowboat holiday veteran will admit to being a little nervous the first time they found themselves in control of their own canal barge. But our expert instructors will ensure you have all the knowledge you need to quickly become an adept skipper.
Before you set off from our narrowboat hire base, you will be taught how to start the engine, fill up with water, steer, moor up and work the canal locks. You’ll also be told about canal etiquette and rules such as where and when to drive, speeds, how to leave locks behind you and the best places to moor up.
All our narrowboats have manuals on board for guests to check anything, or you can even give our engineering team a ring 24 hours a day for further advice. Since four miles per hour is the top speed on the canals, being at the helm is a relaxing, rather than a stressful experience.
We have lots of information for first-time boaters here on our website, including videos, advice on what to pack, etc.
It’s a sociable and family friendly holiday
Narrowboat holidays are perfect for families or groups of friends of all ages and tastes since the canal barges to hire range from sleeping just two up to 12 people. There’s a lot to see and do on canal boat holidays setting off from any of our nine narrowboat hire bases. They all offer very different styles of narrowboat cruising, meaning there really is something for everyone.
You can enjoy walking, cycling, kayaking, visit stately homes, castles, historic towns and villages, explore parks and gardens or simply relax on board and admire stunning countryside rolling past. If you choose a canal boat holiday with us, you’re also welcome to bring along up to three of your beloved pets on board so even they do not have to miss out on the fun.
You can explore Britain’s idyllic countryside
A canal boat holiday is a perfect way to explore some of the most beautiful areas of Britain, with more than 3,000 miles of navigable waterways snaking their way through unspoilt countryside and historic cities, towns and villages.
How far you explore is dependent on how long you have for your canal boat holiday. We offer short breaks (three or four nights), week-long holidays or longer. As you’re always on the move, mooring in a different spot each day with new places and things to admire and explore, there’s no excuse for getting bored.
Canal boat holidays are great for wellbeing
It is a very calming and mindful experience being on the water, focused on the present moment, whether steering the narrowboat or taking in the gorgeous surroundings. With so many people now suffering from stress, a canal boat holiday is the perfect way to unwind away from the rush and bustle of your day-to-day existence.
The canals crisscross miles of idyllic countryside and are teeming with wildlife so a narrowboat holiday allows you to get outside, connect with nature and breathe in the clean air. Choose one of our more rural canal routes for a truly tranquil narrowboat holiday experience. A canal boat holiday in 2025 may be just the thing you need to boost your mental and physical wellbeing.
You’ll be floating through history
The canals are a key part of our nation’s industrial heritage, with the vast majority built 250 years ago. They were originally constructed as the most efficient method of transporting large bulky goods prior to the advent of the railways. That is why there is such a high concentration of canals in the old industrial heartlands around the West Midlands and North West. This makes a canal boat holiday a history lover’s dream come true as you are quite literally floating through history.
You can admire many historic feats of engineering, including the soaring grandeur of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and the quirky Victorian engineering of the Anderton Boat Lift.
Beyond the canals themselves, are the historic villages, towns and cities through which they pass. As well as stately homes, castles and museums, all easily accessible from the waterways. If you have an interest in the UK’s heritage, then a narrowboat holiday will be perfect for you.
Experience a spring break on Britain’s beautiful canal network and see the countryside bursting with new life.
Spring is a glorious time to celebrate the rich and diverse wildlife in Britain. Kevin Yarwood, manager at our Great Haywood base, explains:
“Our beautiful inland waterways weave through the countryside taking in woodlands, farmland, nature reserves and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Travelling along at just four miles per hour on a canal boat holiday, there’s always something special to look out for.
“In spring, when the countryside is bursting with new life, there’s no better way to see waterside trees and hedges covered in blossoms, nest-building birds, ducklings bobbing on the water, spring lambs playing in the fields, and carpets of bluebells in waterside woodlands.”
To celebrate Britain’s natural environment, we’ve put together a guide to our best spring canal boat holiday destinations:
1. Navigate through Shakespeare country and Warwickshire farmland
From our narrowboat hire base at Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal near Henley-in-Arden, it takes around six hours, travelling through 17 locks to reach Stratford-upon-Avon. Travelling over the Edstone Aqueduct and on through the pretty Warwickshire countryside, with spring lambs playing in the fields alongside the canal, boaters can stop off to visit Mary Arden’s Tudor Farm in the canalside village of Wilmcote, where Shakespeare’s mother grew up. Once in Stratford, there are overnight moorings in Bancroft Basin, perfect for enjoying all that Shakespeare’s birthplace has to offer, including riverside parks, theatres, shops, restaurants and museums.
2. Cruise into the Peak District spotting kingfishers along the way
On a week’s break from our barge hire base on the Trent & Mersey Canal at Great Haywood in Staffordshire, you can easily reach the beautiful Caldon Canal and travel into the Peak District. The journey takes boaters up to Stoke on Trent, passing Wedgewood World along the way, and, once on the Caldon, through gently rolling hills and wooded areas alongside the beautiful River Churnet. Here there’s the chance to spot kingfishers, herons, jays and woodpeckers, as well as otters which have recently returned to the area. The return journey along the Caldon to Froghall takes around 43 hours, travelling a total of 72 miles and passing through 70 locks.
3. Cruise to Ellesmere to catch a glimpse of a heron chick
From our base on the Llangollen Canal at Trevor in North Wales, on a short break (three or four nights) you can cruise to the Shropshire Lake District, teeming with water birds. The journey to the medieval market town of Ellesmere, in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District, takes around seven hours, passing through just two locks and over the Pontcysyllte and Chirk aqueducts. Formed thousands of years ago by the melting of the glaciers during the retreating ice age, the meres of the Shropshire Lake District, including The Mere at Ellesmere, are particularly beautiful in spring. And every spring, Moscow Island on The Mere is home to the Heron Watch Scheme, with cameras allowing visitors to watch the birds build nests and raise chicks.
4. Cruise to the gateway of the Yorkshire Dales and explore the ancient woods at Skipton Castle
From Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire, it takes just over three hours to reach Skipton, the ‘Gateway to the Dales’, with its medieval fortress and acres of woodland trails to explore. For nearly 1,000 years Skipton Castle Woods provided fuel, food and building materials for castle inhabitants. Today there are at least 18 species of trees flourishing there, and hundreds of flowering plants, including wild orchids and bluebells in the spring. The journey along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal to Silsden passes through the typical Yorkshire stone-built villages of Kildwick and Farnhill and on into a dense wooded area famous for its bluebells and deer.
5. Drift through the beautiful prehistoric Vale of Pewsey
From our base at Monkton Combe on the Kennet & Avon Canal just outside Bath, it takes around 19 hours to reach Pewsey Wharf, perfect for a week afloat. Along the way, you’ll pass through miles of peaceful Wiltshire countryside, with a series of waterside villages and country pubs to visit along the way. Highlights on this route include: the mighty Caen Hill Flight of 29 locks at Devizes; cruising along the edge of the ancient Savernake Forest; and the beautiful Vale of Pewsey, part of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and home to prehistoric Avebury. The journey to Pewsey and back takes around 38 hours, passing through 74 locks (37 each way).
6. Travel to Llangollen on the edge of the Berwyn Mountains
From Whixall, on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire, it takes around 12 hours to reach the pretty town of Llangollen. Along the way, you’ll travel through the beautiful Shropshire Lake District and across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’ and now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Once in Llangollen, you can moor up to enjoy exploring this pretty town nestled on the edge of the Berwyn Mountains, including its regular markets packed with local produce, choice of independent shops and restaurants, steam railway and famous Horseshoe Falls. The journey to Llangollen and back passes through just four locks (two each way).
7. Navigate the Four Counties Ring for stunning views of the Cheshire Plains
On a 10 day or longer break from Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire, you can travel round the popular Four Counties Ring. Travelling for around 58 hours and passing through 96 locks, this route takes you through the counties of Staffordshire, the West Midlands, Cheshire and Shropshire and travels sections of the Trent & Mersey, Staffordshire & Worcestershire and Shropshire Union canals. Rural highlights include: panoramic views from the flight of 31 locks (also known as ‘Heartbreak Hill’) between Middlewich and Kidsgrove on the Trent & Mersey Canal; views of the rolling Cheshire Plains on the Shropshire Union Canal; acres of farmland on the Middlewich Branch; wildlife spotting at Tixall Wide on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal; and the National Trust’s Shugborough Hall with its extensive waterside gardens.
8. Travel up the Caen Hill Flight or to UNESCO World Heritage Bath
From our base at Bradford on Avon, you can cruise east towards Devizes, travelling up the famous Caen Hill flight of locks along the way. The route, which is perfect for a week away, takes you along the Kennet & Avon Canal and through 29 locks of the Caen Hill Flight at Devizes. You can also cruise west across two dramatic Bath stone aqueducts at Dundas and Avoncliff, towards the fabulous UNESCO World Heritage city of Bath.
Best romantic canal boat holiday destinations to visit this Valentine’s Day
Travelling by narrowboat is romantic. That’s a fact. The views, the traditions and the pace of life are perfect for couples wanting to spend some quality time together, so why not treat your partner to a romantic mini-break on a ‘love boat’ this Valentine’s Day?
Anglo Welsh offers winter cruising from six narrowboat hire bases in England and Wales. All our boats are beautifully equipped with comfy beds, contemporary kitchens, modern bathrooms and central heating, so you’ll both be snuggly and warm on board.
With the freedom to roam the waterways from your cruising love-nest you can access some of Britain’s most-loved towns and villages, without having to encounter a single traffic jam. Take romantic strolls along frosty towpaths, indulge in candlelit dinners for two in waterside dining destinations and cosy up by roaring log fires in traditional country pubs.
We also offer day hire from six of our canal boat hire bases, giving you the option of just taking a day out on the waterways. Full tuition is included, so you can get the hang of steering the boat, working the locks and mooring up. All our day boats are equipped with the facilities you need for a day afloat – cutlery, crockery, a kettle, cooker, fridge and toilet.
To help you decide where to go, with a mix of day and mini-break hire, we’ve chosen our top five romantic destinations for Valentine’s Day. Whether you’re looking to propose, shop for a ring or simply enjoy being together in some of the most beautiful places in the UK, we have some great ideas for a romantic canal boat boat getaway.
Discover Romantic Canal Boat Holiday Destinations for Valentines Day
1. Propose by a waterfall in the Welsh Mountains
From our canal barge hire base at Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, it takes just two hours to reach the pretty Eistedfordd town of Llangollen, nestled in the Berwyn Mountains. There’s a great choice of romantic settings to propose, including the famous Horseshoe Falls. Llangollen also offers lovers regular markets packed with local produce to saunter through hand-in-hand. And a number of romantic waterside dining venues, including the popular Corn Mill.
2. Experience panoramic views from Nantwich Aqueduct
From Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal near Tarporley, you can cruise south for six sedate miles to the historic town of Nantwich. There you can glide across the town’s impressive Grade II* listed aqueduct to enjoy panoramic views across the town. With no locks along the way, the journey to Nantwich takes around two hours. There are moorings next to the aqueduct and a choice of places to eat, including The Waterside Café.
3. Read Shakespeare’s sonnets in Stratford-upon-Avon
On a short break from Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal in Warwickshire, you can cruise through the Warwickshire countryside to Shakespeare’s Stratford. Once there, you can moor up in Bancroft Basin to a great choice of dining venues. You can book a Tower Tour at the Swan Theatre to enjoy panoramic views of this famous historic town. And visit Shakespeare’s birthplace to find out more about The Bard, his romantic plays and his love poems. The journey from Wootton Wawen to Stratford-upon-Avon takes around 5.5 hours and passes through 17 locks.
4. Enjoy a rural retreat in Staffordshire
From our narrowboat rental base at Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal in Staffordshire, you can cruise quietly through the Staffordshire countryside to the historic market town of Rugeley. The journey travels four miles, passes through two locks and takes around two hours. Along the way, the route passes the National Trust’s impressive Shugborough Estate and the beautiful Cannock Chase Forest. You’ll also pass the Wolseley Arms canalside pub and the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s Wolseley Centre.
5. Cruise through the Shropshire Lake District
On a short break from Whixall on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire, you can head west along the Llangollen Canal to Ellesmere, in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. The journey to Ellesmere takes around two-and-a-half hours, cruising through eight miles of stunning Shropshire countryside. You’ll pass close to Lyneal Moss and Colemere Country Park along the way. Once at Ellesmere, you can moor up and explore the famous Mere with its romantic historic castle, woodland paths and fascinating wildlife.
6. Navigate to UNESCO World Heritage Bath
On a short break from Bradford on Avon, you can cruise to moorings at Sydney Gardens, a short walk from Bath City Centre. Bath has so many romantic destinations to choose from, including the Georgian Pump Rooms and Bath Abbey, where you can take a Bath Abbey Tower Tour. The journey from Bradford on Avon to Sydney Gardens takes around four hours and passes through just one lock.
Our 2025 winter short breaks (three or four nights) start at £715*, and £970* for a week. Or you could choose to just hire a boat for the day from one of our six boat yards offering day hire, with prices from just £99.
*Fuel is extra with the charge based on use, circa £10-15 per day. A £70 fuel deposit for short breaks is taken at the time of booking, £110 for a week.
Best Easter canal boat holiday destinations in 2025
This Easter, narrowboat holidays offer the chance to explore the Great British countryside as it bursts into life with new leaves, daffodils, bluebells, spring lambs and nesting birds.
Set sail aboard your own floating holiday home to enjoy a fantastic family adventure, stopping off along the way to visit exciting waterside visitor attractions.
Here are our top 5 Easter holiday destinations to visit afloat in 2025:
1. Enjoy animal talks at Chester Zoo
You can reach Chester on a short break from Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire, and experience a visit to the award-winning Chester Zoo. Home to over 37,000 animals across 128 acres, every day at the zoo expert keepers and zoo rangers share fascinating facts about the animals they care for through their animal talks. From keeping elephants healthy and the hunting techniques of a Komodo dragon, to how penguins fly through the water and snow leopards live in cold temperatures. The journey from Bunbury to Chester takes around seven hours, passing through nine locks along the way.
2. Glide across ‘The Stream in the Sky’
Just five minutes from our base on the Llangollen Canal at Trevor in North Wales, you’ll encounter the incredible Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, also known as ‘The Stream in the Sky’. Its cast iron trough filled with water is supported on iron-arched ribs and carried 38 metres high above the Dee Valley on 19 hollow pillars. In 2009 the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, putting it on a par with the pyramids and Taj Mahal. On a short break from Trevor, you can cross the aqueduct and then continue east to reach the historic market town of Ellesmere in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. The journey from Trevor to Ellesmere takes around seven hours and passes through two locks.
3. Enjoy a daily show at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds
From our base at Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, on a week’s holiday you can travel to Leeds and back. There you can moor up in Leeds Dock and visit the Royal Armouries Museum, home of the national collection of arms and armour. Every day at the museum there are daily shows where the museum’s expert live interpretation team brings to life what it felt like to take part in legendary battles. From the Celtic Warrior Boudicca riding into battle against the mighty legions of Rome, to first-hand accounts from soldiers about the Battle of the Somme, the shows span from ancient times to the world wars. The journey from Silsden to Leeds takes around 11 hours and passes through 15 locks.
4. See new-born lambs at the Shugborough Estate
From our base at Great Haywood, on the Trent & Mersey Canal near Stafford, the National Trust’s beautiful Shugborough Estate is a short journey away. Here you can explore the historic mansion house and servants’ quarters, as well as visit the working farm to see lambs being born, witness bulbs blooming in the walled garden and wildlife emerging in the parkland. The journey from Great Haywood to moorings close to Shugborough takes around 20 minutes.
5. See a show at Bath’s Egg Theatre
On a short break from Bradford on Avon on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Wiltshire, you can cruise to Sydney Gardens close to Bath City Centre. There you can moor up and walk into the city to visit the famous Egg Theatre. There Return to the Forbidden Planet is being performed by the Theatre Royal Bath Theatre School 17-19 April. The journey from Bradford on Avon to Sydney Gardens in Bath takes around four hours and passes through just one lock.
Book your holiday online here or call us on 0117 463 3419.
Britain’s 3,000-mile network of canals and river provides the perfect destination for a staycation afloat in 2025
Pottering slowly through the countryside at just four miles per hour, watching out for wildlife, is a great way to relax.
Our canal boats are like floating holiday cottages, with everything you need for a self-catering break. It’s free to moor up almost anywhere, so you can stop off at canalside pubs, villages and waterside destinations along the way.
Our holidays are pet friendly and tuition is included in our canal boat hire.
To help plan your next waterway-getaway, here’s a guide to our top 8 narrowboat holidays for 2025:
1. Visit Georgian Bath afloat
From our canal boat hire base at Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire, you can cruise along the Kennet & Avon to Bath and back. The journey will take you through the Bath Valley and across the magnificent Bath stone aqueducts at Avoncliff and Dundas. You can moor up close to Sydney Gardens and take a 20-minute walk into Bath City Centre to explore all that this World Heritage City has to offer. The journey to Bath and back takes around seven hours and passes through one lock each way.
2. Cruise across the Pennines
On a week’s break from Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire, you can cruise across the Pennines to Barnoldswick and back. The journey takes around 11 hours and passes through 15 locks. Along the way you’ll pass through Skipton, ‘the Gateway to the Yorkshire Dales’, with its medieval stone castle. And a series of villages with places to eat, including The Abbots Harbour restaurant at East Marton.
3. Spot an otter on the Montgomery Canal
On a week’s break from Whixall, you can cruise a section of the Montgomery Canal. This beautiful canal, which runs for 38 miles between England and Wales, is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on both sides of the border. You can cruise a seven-mile section to Gronwyn Wharf and back, looking out for otters and water voles. From Whixall, the journey to Gronwyn Wharf and back takes around 20 hours, travelling through 34 miles of beautiful countryside and passing through 16 locks (eight each way).
4. Cruise to Caen Hill at Devizes
On a short break from Bath on the Kennet & Avon Canal it takes around nine hours to reach the Caen Hill Flight of Locks. One of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways, this dramatic flight of locks at Devizes is one of the most iconic sights on the waterways. You’ll pass through eight locks each way. You can enjoy stops at Bradford on Avon, with its magnificent medieval Tithe Barn, and Avoncliff Aqueduct with its popular Cross Guns pub.
5. Head to ‘The Cathedral of the Canals’
From Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire, it takes around nine hours to reach the iconic Anderton Boat Lift. This Wonder of the Waterways lifts boats 15 metres between the River Weaver and the Trent & Mersey Canal in two giant tanks of water. On the way to Anderton, you’ll navigate through beautiful Cheshire countryside along the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal. And you’ll pass through the historic Roman town of Middlewich.
6. Glide across ‘The Stream in the Sky’
From Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, you’ll soon encounter the incredible Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. One of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’, this UNESCO World Heritage structure carries canal boats 38 metres high across the Dee Valley. On a short break from Trevor, you can travel cross the aqueduct and on to Ellesmere, in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. The journey to Ellesmere and back takes around 14 hours, passing through two locks each way.
7. Cruise into the Peak District
On a week’s break from Great Haywood near Stafford, you can travel into the Peak District. It takes around 20 hours to reach Froghall Basin, passing through 35 locks. The route will take you along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Stoke on Trent. Here you can transfer onto the Caldon Canal. You’ll then travel through beautiful stretches of unspoilt countryside, with moorlands, woodlands and an abundance of wildlife.
8. Visit Shakespeare’s Stratford
From Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal, it takes around six hours to reach Bancroft Basin in the centre of Shakespeare’s Stratford. Along the way, you’ll pass through 17 locks and miles of peaceful Warwickshire countryside. You can moor up in the basin and use it as a base to explore Stratford-upon-Avon. This world-famous market town has a great choice of shops, restaurants, museums and theatres.
To check availability and book click here or call us on 0117 463 3419.
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