With historic houses, classy cafes and stunning gardens, National Trust properties are great places to stop-off along the way on a narrowboat holiday.
There are dozens of National Trust properties within easy reach of our canals and rivers and to celebrate.
We’ve Put Together Our Top 10 National Trust destinations Afloat for 2017:
Hear about the Holy Grail connections at Shugborough Hall on the Staffs & Worcester Canal. Thebeautiful Shugborough Estate in Staffordshire is a rare survival of a complete estate, with all major buildings including the fine Georgian Mansion House, servants’ quarters, model farm and walled garden. Rumored to have connections to the Holy Grail, the Estate also offers visitors 900 acres of stunning parkland and riverside gardens to explore. Our boat yard at Great Haywood is just five minutes away from Shugborough.
Travel to Farnborough Hall on the Oxford Canal. This 18th century family home with honey-stoned walls has landscaped parkland and formal gardens full of surprises, includes cascades, a yew canopy and rose garden. Inside the house, the Holbech family’s personal collection includes exquisite sculptures, porcelain and artwork by Panini and Canaletto. From our canal boat hire base at Stockton on the Grand Union Canal, it’s a 17-mile, 12-lock, 8-hour journey along the Grand Union Canal and down the Oxford Canal to Claydon Top Lock. From there it’s a two-mile walk to Farnborough Hall.
Discover over 700 years of history at Chirk Castle on the Llangollen Canal. This magnificent medieval fortress at Chirk was completed in 1310 and is the last Welsh castle from the reign of Edward I still lived in today. Its many fascinating historic features include the medieval tower and dungeon, 17th century Long Gallery, grand 18th century state apartments, servants’ hall and laundry. It also boasts award-winning gardens and incredible views over the Cheshire and Salop plains. From our base at Trevor, it’s a four-mile, two aqueduct journey to Chirk and it takes around half an hour to walk up to Chirk Castle from there.
Hanbury Hall & Gardes near Droitwich Spa on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. Built in 1701 by Thomas Vernon, a lawyer and whig MP for Worcester, Hanbury Hall is a Grade I Listed stately home built of red brick in the Queen Anne style. It also offers visitors 20 acres of re-created early 18th century gardens with Parterre and formal fruit and vegetable gardens, as well as 400 acres of parkland to explore. From our base at Tardebigge on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal it’s a five-mile, 36-lock, 10-hour journey to Astwood Top Lock, and from there Hanbury Hall is a 2-mile walk away.
Take a tour of the topiary at Packwood House on the Stratford Canal. Originally built in the 16th century, the interiors of this timber-framed Tudor house at Lapworth were extensively restored between the First and Second World Wars by Graham Baron Ash to create a fascinating 20th century evocation of domestic Tudor architecture. The Packwood House gardens have fine herbaceous borders and a famous collection of yews. Our nearest canal boat hire base is at Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal near Henley-in-Arden. From here, it’s a 7-mile, 31-lock, 10-hour journey to Lapworth Lock No 6, and half a mile’s walk to Packwood.
Wonder at the beauty of the Palladian Bridge at Prior Park Landscape Garden near Bath. Built in 1755, the elegant Palladian Bridge at Prior Park was created by local entrepreneur Ralph Allen, with advice from ‘Capability’ Brown and the poet Alexander Pope. The stunning garden in which it sits was influential in defining the style known as “the English landscape garden”. Other fascinating architectural gems in this beautiful parkland, include the bath stone ice house built at the same time as the mansion in the mid-18th century, from which ice was transferred to the house using the park’s own railway. From our base at Bath, it’s a two-hour journey down the Bath flight of locks on the Kennet & Avon Canal to moorings close to the White Hart pub at Widcombe Hill, where a footpath takes you to Prior Park, ¾ of a mile away.
Gaze at the Grade II listed Courts Garden close to Bradford on Avon on the Kennet & Avon Canal. This delightful English country garden dotted with beautiful garden rooms has impressive sculptured yew trees, colorful and fragrant borders, beautifully manicured lawns, an arboretum, peaceful water gardens with lily pond and dye pool, a classical stone temple, tea room and garden shop. From our base at Bradford on Avon, it’s a three-mile lock-free cruise to Hilperton, and from there it’s just over a mile’s walk to Courts Garden.
Enjoy a visit to East Riddlesden Hall on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. Built on a plateau overlooking the River Aire, this 17th century manor house at Keighley with large mullioned windows, stone floors, paneled walls and intricate plaster work ceilings, was a hive of farming activity for generations. The house is home to a wonderful collection of 17th & 19th century needlework, furniture and ceramics and in the grounds, visitors can admire the impressive oak beams of the estate’s 400-year old Grade I Listed Great Barn. Our nearest boatyard is just four miles away at Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
Find out about life in the early 20th century at Nuffield Place in Oxfordshire. From our Oxford base on the River Thames at Eynsham, it’s a nine-hour and 11 lock cruise the ancient market town of Wallingford, and a seven-mile bus or taxi ride to Nuffield Place country house. Typifying early 20th-century taste and thrift, the home life of owners Lord and Lady Nuffield is vividly bought to life with their personal possessions on display just as they left them. Philanthropist Lord Nuffield built his Morris Minor company from the ground up and Nuffield House was his home from 1933 until his death in 1963. The house also has a delightful garden and woods and meadow to explore. Produce grown in the vegetable garden can be bought in the shop and cream teas and light lunches are served in the tea room.
Take a step back to Tudor times at Little Moreton Hall on the Macclesfield Canal. This iconic moated Tudor Manor House in Congleton offers an amazing insight into life in the 1600s, with costumed interpreters, guides and regular festivals helping to bring Tudor times back to life. In the Hall’s manicured knot garden, herbs and vegetables used by the Tudors for their cooking and medicines are still grown, as well as fruit in the orchard. From our Bunbury base on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire, it’s a 30-mile, 38-lock and 17-hour journey to Congleton, and Little Morton Hall is a 20-minute walk from bridge 86 the Macclesfield Canal.
To book a holiday or break on any of Anglo Welsh’s fleet, call our friendly booking team on 0117 304 1122.
Canal Boat Essentials – What to pack for your 2017 waterway holiday
Anglo Welsh’s customised fleet of 160 modern narrowboats are designed and built to exacting standards so that canal boat lovers who book their holidays with us can enjoy memorable journeys around the UK’s waterways in the greatest comfort.
Whether it’s a 2-4 berth moored in Bradford-on-Avon, Bunbury or Bath, or a 9-12 berth cruising the Shropshire Union Canal, Pennine Circuit or Kennet and Avon, every Anglo Welsh boat offers spacious layouts, comfy beds, stylish livery and all the mod cons. The only thing you need to bring on board are your ‘canal legs’ and a few basic essentials.
So what are those vital basic items you should pack before boarding your narrowboat at one of Anglo Welsh’s 11 bases spread across England and Wales?
“On the one hand, it’s practical things like a First Aid kit, torch and waterproof clothing,” says Matt Anderson, manager at Anglo Welsh’s base at Trevor in Llangollen, North Wales. “On the other, there are those personal things that will ensure you get maximum pleasure from your canal holiday – you’ll want your favourite biscuits with your morning cuppa and your dog won’t forgive you if you leave his favourite blanket at home!”
“Every Anglo Welsh narrowboat has a fully equipped kitchen and bathroom, TVs and DVD players,” continues Matt, “but every holidaymaker will have their own ‘must have’ accessories, whether that means fold-up chairs and a flask for towpath picnics, or films and games to keep the kids amused in the evenings.”
“Most people like to record the amazing sights along the canals, too, and we’ve got some unforgettable views close to our base here in Trevor, not least the World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct which carries the Llangollen Canal 126 feet above the River Dee. Imagine looking down from that spectacular height and suddenly realising you’ve forgotten to pack your camera and binoculars!”
Needless to say, what goes for Pontcysyllte Aqueduct applies equally to the canal-side panorama at hot spots on other Anglo Welsh circuits like Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon, the Foxton Locks in Leicestershire or the bustling waterfront in Birmingham. As any good boy scout will tell you: ‘Be prepared’!
Narrowboat essentials – What to pack to get the most out of your Anglo Welsh canal holiday
Soft bags instead of suitcases (easier to store away)
Torch
Waterproof clothing
Mobile Phones/tablets/chargers
DVDs, games and books for the kids
Canal guide with info on moorings, locks, tunnels and canal side pubs
Sunglasses and sun creams
Gloves – to work the locks
Camera
Binoculars
First Aid Kit
For pets – bedding, leads, towels, life jackets and food
A diary to document your holiday
Tea/Coffee and Milk
Choosing the right boat for you. Click here to look inside our narrowboats and discover what facilities and appliances you will find on board.
To book one of Anglo Welsh’s superbly equipped canal boats, please contact our friendly Booking Team on 0117 304 1122.
Share your canal pics with Anglo Welsh and you could win great prizes in our ‘Canal Adventures 2017’ Instagram Photo Challenge
The waterways of England and Wales are nothing if not a photographer’s dream. Picturesque canals, enchanting towpaths, handsome narrowboats and panoramic landscapes – we’re talking one great big visual adventure crying out to be captured on film.
Now Anglo Welsh is offering every canal lover the chance to share their own best photos of this unique natural world as we launch a visual gallery of the UK’s most stunning waterways. Best of all, by entering our ‘Canal Adventures 2017’ Challenge* you could win our outstanding first prize, a Canon EOS 1300D digital camera worth £300, or in the case of three lucky runners-up, an HP Sprocket Photo Printer worth £100.
Taking part in Anglo Welsh’s 2017 Instagram Photo Challenge couldn’t be easier! All you have to do is:
1) ‘follow’ Anglo Welsh on Instagram and Facebook.
2) upload your photos to these platforms using the hashtag #canaladventures2017.
To give yourself the best chance of winning a prize your photo should capture the essence of UK canals. We’re looking for stunning views from and of narrowboats, towpaths and waterways, not to mention canal-side landscapes, fauna and flora.
Before you grab your camera – or mobile phone – and set off on your great canal adventure, here are a few photographic tips from Anglo Welsh’s in-house snappers.
Lateral thinking. You’re not taking a posed picture in a portrait studio with a nondescript background behind your subject; you’re capturing the beauty of a natural setting. Whether it’s a canal detail, a narrowboat or the skipper, put the subject of your photo off-centre for dramatic effect.
Capture the moment. The latest mobile phone cameras are so good you can take spontaneous photos without sacrificing quality. Remember, that kingfisher or otter won’t wait for you to take light readings and set up your tripod!
Explore different angles. Photograph those water voles or water lilies down at eye level. Crouch down to get a new perspective on these little living things.
Shoot in the shade. Direct sunlight is harsh and makes your subject squint. When shooting in the shade, there are no more harsh shadows, only smooth patterns created by your subject’s natural features.
Take lots of photos. Here’s a secret that professional snappers prefer to keep to themselves – the best pictures are the select few that a photographer actually got right. For every perfect image of reflections in the water, sunset behind a canal lock or vintage narrowboats in harmony with their surroundings, there are dozens of blurry, dull photos that never made it off the cutting room floor.
Enjoy your canal adventures and remember, by sharing your photos on Instagram and Facebook using the hashtag #canaladventures2017 you could win a Canon EOS 1300D, a top-notch Digital SLR for anyone who loves taking photos of the UK’s beautiful waterways.
If you have any questions about Anglo Welsh’s ‘Canal Adventure 2017’ Challenge, please contact our friendly customer team on 0117 304 1122.
Terms and conditions. – Competition begins 1st May 2017 and closes on 31st August 2017.
– To enter the competition, you must be following Anglo Welsh on Instagram and Facebook and must upload photos to these platforms using the hashtag #canaladventures2017.
– Entrants can be all ages. Under 16s must seek permission from a parent or guardian.
– Entrants can submit as many photos as they like during the competition period.
– Photographs must show typical scenery of UK canals which can be seen whilst aboard a canal boat or on a towpath e.g waterways, canals, narrowboats, landscapes, wildlife, canal-side countryside, etc.
– Photos must be taken and uploaded in 2017, between the above dates.
– The winner will be selected by the judging panel. The judges’ decision is final.
– Prize winners will be announced via Instagram and Facebook on 8th September, 2017.
– First prize is a Canon EOS 1300D worth approx. £300. Three runners-up prizes are an HP Sprocket worth approx. £100 each. The prizes cannot be exchanged or returned. There is no cash equivalent.
– Winner(s) may be contacted by Anglo Welsh if they want to use the images for any advertisement or publication.
– The organiser reserves the right to change or cancel the competition at any time.
– By entering you agree by the rules and are happy for your imagery to be used for marketing purposes by Anglo Welsh Waterway Holidays and their associated companies.
– Members of Anglo Welsh staff plus staff of associated companies are not permitted to enter this competition.
Life after a stroke – Friends enjoy a canal boat trip
Canal Boat Holiday Along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal
The Stroke Association’s ‘Positive Wednesday Group’, from the Life After Stroke Centre in Bromsgrove, recently enjoyed a day out travelling along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal aboard Anglo Welsh’s day boat ‘Emma’.
The trips, which are jointly hosted by Anglo Welsh’s Tardebigge team and Lions Club Bromsgrove, lasted for two hours each, with members travelling to Alvechurch and back.
Both groups of stroke survivors, their families and volunteers from the Life After Stroke Centre also enjoyed a picnic lunch at Tardebigge Wharf, courtesy of the Bromsgrove Lions Club and Morrisons Supermarket, at Great Park, Rubery.
Johanne Hughes, of the Life After Stroke Centre in Bromsgrove, explains: “Our Positive Wednesday Group were absolutely delighted to go on another canal boat trip this year, and thank Anglo Welsh and the Bromsgrove Lions for all their support.
“It’s such a lovely trip, cruising gently through the Worcestershire countryside and a wonderful opportunity for our fantastic volunteers, stroke survivors and families to relax and take time out.
“A stroke can have a huge impact on someone’s life, and our Positive Wednesday group really demonstrates the power of stroke survivors and their families supporting and inspiring one another, and we are so pleased they can share this great experience.”
Keith Godwin of the Bromsgrove Lions, adds: “Thanks to Anglo Welsh, this is the fourth year in a row we’ve been able to offer volunteers and stroke survivors from the Stroke Association’s Life After Stroke Centre a canal boat trip. It’s a fantastic opportunity to step away from the stresses of everyday life and relax, watching the world go by on the peaceful Worcester & Birmingham Canal, spotting kingfishers along the way!”
Tom Willson, manager of the Anglo Welsh Tardebigge base, adds: “Canals are great places to escape to – the slow pace of travel on a canal boat and the wildlife to watch out for along the way, really helps people to relax. We were delighted to offer our day boat ‘Emma’ to the Bromsgrove Lions so that they could take the Stroke Association’s Positive Wednesday Group out for a special day out together on the canal.”
‘Emma’ is available to hire for the day and can take up to 10 passengers. She is equipped with cutlery, crockery, a kettle, toilet, cooker and fridge, so hirers can prepare for a picnic afloat or stop-off at a waterside pub along the way. Day hire prices are £99 Monday to Friday, £140 for weekend days and bank holidays.
‘Emma’ can also be hired overnight, with accommodation for two adults, for £198, plus a fuel deposit during the week, £280 plus fuel deposit at weekends and bank holidays.
To book a canal holiday from any of Anglo Welsh’s 11 bases at prime waterway locations, please call our friendly booking team on 0117 304 1122.
Staycation, Staycation, Staycation. Why canal boat holidays offer a leisurely alternative to stressful foreign travel
Anglo Welsh has long believed there is ‘no place like home’ when it comes to relaxing holidays, and the evidence is that growing numbers of UK holidaymakers are now choosing to spend their vacations on the home front rather than travel abroad – a case of Staycation, Staycation, Staycation!
There may be a fleeting sense of excitement in stocking up on sunscreen, boarding a plane and updating your Facebook status to reveal a glamorous location, but a more leisurely staycation has the potential to offer more lasting pleasures.
England and Wales are full of truly unique places to visit, from gorgeous countryside and historic castles to traditional pubs and funky theme parks – and if one of the prime reasons for foregoing overseas travel is to avoid summer crowds, a narrowboat holiday on a peaceful canal is the perfect antidote.
Here are a few more reasons why Anglo Welsh believe a staycation on the water is the smart choice this summer.
Stunning scenery. Whether it is the picturesque canals themselves or spectacular views like the one from the World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct next to Anglo Welsh’s base at Trevor in North Wales, nothing beats the sheer range of views you get from a narrowboat.
History and Culture. There’s no need to travel to far-flung destinations in order to see historic landmarks. The World Heritage City of Bath, Shakespeare’s Stratford, the dreaming spires of Oxford, Warwick Castle and medieval Chester are all conveniently located on Anglo Welsh canal rings and circuits.
Summer refreshments. The waterways of England and Wales are lined with welcoming pubs, from the traditional to the trendy. Pilsner, Pimms or pink lemonade; whatever your favourite tipple there’s nothing quite like a refreshing drink on a leafy canal-side terrace after a day cruising along one of the UK’s historic canal routes.
Family friendly. Rare is the young child who takes long queues, stifling temperatures and unfamiliar food in their stride. By contrast, most youngsters relish a narrowboat adventure practically on their doorstep. Freedom and frolics on the canals, green spaces galore, their favourite snacks served on deck, Alton Towers and Drayton Manor Park theme parks close to moorings – what’s not to like?!
Floating hotel rooms. Not only do Anglo Welsh’s 160 narrowboats boast all the mod cons, but you can also choose a different mooring every night – most of them free. And with eleven conveniently located bases across England and Wales there will almost certainly be a starting point close to your home.
Wonderful Wildlife. Water voles, kingfishers, otters – the UK’s canals are home to an amazing range of birds and animals, many of them protected species. And unlike more exotic locations, there are no sharks or crocodiles to worry about!
Value for money. As well as the best quality, Anglo Welsh provides the best value. Why pay for an expensive foreign holiday when you can enjoy a fabulous staycation for a fraction of the price? Our modern fleet offers an affordable range of holidays for all tastes, from two-berths for romantic weekends to twelve-berths for large families and longer holidays.
Summer 2017 Bargains. Every day we have a selection of 20 last minute offers available for you to hire one of our modern narrowboats – call our friendly booking team on 0117 304 1122.
The ever-friendly staff at Anglo Welsh’s head office in Bristol are always keen to sing the praises of their vibrant home city, not least when summer comes around and it’s time for the annual Bristol Harbour Festival, often described by the locals as the mother of all maritime festivals.
This year’s event takes place from Friday July 21st to Sunday July 23rd and will once again celebrate Bristol’s proud maritime heritage as the city’s harbour and waterside fill with two miles of boats, food markets, circus acts, live music and performers.
Launching the Bristol Harbour Festival weekend, the 20-piece Outlook Orchestra will perform a 100-minute live mix celebrating some of the most popular dance tracks from all around the world, coupled with a live set by chart-topping UK artist Roots Manuva.
The weekend’s land-based events are free to all festival visitors while tickets are available granting exclusive access to the spectacular array of boats displayed on the pontoons. Also part of this year’s three-day event is the Western Boat Show, an exciting new consumer show that will feature canal boats, sailing boats, power boats, yachts, dinghies and even fishing boats, not to mention a wide range of marine products and services.
An idyllic starting point for narrowboats heading in the direction of Bristol Harbour* for the July festival is provided by Anglo Welsh’s base at Sydney Wharf in the Word Heritage City of Bath, though we should add that the journey itself is not for the faint-hearted!
Bristol is 7 hours cruising away from our base in the heart of Bath, but the route is only recommended for experienced narrowboat hirers due to the rise and fall in the tide on the River Avon – the highest in the world, falling and rising as much as 14 metres per day.
If you do decide to head along the River Avon from Bath towards Bristol, once there you could also take in Brunel’s masterpiece the SS Great Britain, explore Bristol Zoo, or visit the new Blue Reef Aquarium at the harbour side.
If like the Anglo Welsh team you are a fan of boats, arts, circus, music, nautical capers, and good food and drink by the waterside, make sure you pencil the Bristol Harbour Festival into your diary as an unmissable event this summer.
To book a canal holiday from Anglo Welsh’s base at Sydney Wharf in Bath or from any of our 11 prime waterway locations, please call our friendly booking team on 0117 304 1122.
*Access to Bristol is restricted and must be granted by the lock keeper. There is a £35 per night mooring fee for boaters wishing to moor in the Harbour. During the festival, only boats that have pre-booked will be granted access into the Harbour. Boaters can cruise towards Bristol from Bath and moor up approximately 2 hours away, before accessing the festival via road.
Stan Cullimore recently reviewed his holiday from our Oxford base in the Bristol Post, and found the pace of life to be good for the soul…
There’s a lot to be said for messing around on boats. Living life beyond the river banks. It’s a wonderful way to slow down, unwind and watch the world go by.
Over the past few years I’ve had a lot of fun exploring the canals of Britain, so thought it was time to take a walk on the wild side and try the river. A week of peaceful cruising up and down the River Thames was just what the doctor ordered.
Arriving at the Anglo Welsh boatyard just outside Oxford in the early afternoon, we were shown our home for the duration – a four-berth 58ft-narrowboat called ‘Knighton’.
It had everything needed to keep the smiles coming. A solid double bed at one end, a delightful living room at the other and a bijou galley in the middle. It also had a snug bathroom and central heating. Perfect for seven days of relaxing adventures.
Once we had our things on board, we moved off down river and found ourselves deep in the heart of countryside, the hills gently rolling away as far as the eye could see.
Up ahead there were tantalising glimpses of the slender spires of Oxford. But before getting there, we had to put our minds to the serious business of mooring up for the night. Luckily Nick from Anglo Welsh had suggested Godstow Abbey. It’s a sweet spot to stop and has a picturesque pub just over the bridge. The Trout delivered everything we needed. Great views, great beer and free WiFi. On our way home we went for a stroll and found a sign “Be Your Beautiful Best”. Decided to make it our motto for the week ahead.
The next day we headed on down to Oxford. After a gentle morning mooching along the water, we moored up and went into the city centre to explore.
It’s very cute, obviously. If Willy Wonka did architecture, this is the sort of place he’d come up with. As if to prove it, when we strolled along in search of coffee and cake we found a four-piece string quartet playing next to an outdoor café. It really was the cherry on the cake.
As you drift through Oxford by boat, you can’t help but notice swarms of rowers out on the water. They’re lovely to watch but prone to get up to mischief. They splash and twirl their way around the river like crazy boat-borne ballerinas. Think watching Formula 1, but with less revving, more rowing and much slower bumps.
We thought the university town would be the cutest place on offer during our holiday, but we were wrong. Approaching Abingdon by water the next afternoon was like watching a picture postcard come to life.
Luckily, even though the river runs right through the middle of town, we were still able to find a quiet spot in a delightful meadow just moments from the action.
By now, we were getting into the swing of life on board. It’s very restful. You steer the boat, drink tea and watch the countryside glide past at walking speed. Then you moor up and go in search of pleasure and pubs. Very easy on the soul.
As was the procession of bridges that we passed under. Whether they were built for trains, cars, people or bikes, made of stone, steel or wood, there’s something lovely about all of them. Who needs the crumbling spires of town and gown, when you’ve got the beautiful bridges of Oxford county soaring over head?
By early evening the next day, we had arrived in Wallingford. Another glorious little town, with another glorious golden bridge spanning the river.
We turned around and got ready for the return leg of our journey. But first, Mrs Cullimore decided it was time to do some holiday shopping. Somehow I persuaded her to pick up a garden sprinkler, which must be the oddest souvenir we’ve ever brought home.
As we made our way back up river over the next few days, I tried to work out my favourite thing about a being on a boat. It could have been the ever present wildlife, the fabulous scenery or the sheer joy of having a rock’n’rolling home. But it wasn’t. It was something even better than any of those. It was the passers-by. Whether they’re on another boat, on the towpath or just enjoying the view, their waving, smiling and chatting makes your day.
To book a canal holiday from any of Anglo Welsh’s 11 bases at prime waterway locations, please call our friendly booking team on 0117 304 1122.
Sailing on a cloud with Matthew Gravelle and Family
Broadchurch star Matthew Gravelle was at the centre of the biggest TV whodunnit since ‘who shot JR?’ Last summer, the Welsh actor took his wife, Hinterland star Mali Harries, and kids on an Anglo Welsh canal boat holiday, setting off from our Trevor base in North Wales on a true-life family adventure. Here’s his narrowboat holiday review, published in Wales View 2015:
Canal Boat Holiday Adventures from Denbighshire to the Midlands
We’re heading for the Llangollen Canal, built as part of a network of waterways to connect the coalfields and limestone quarries of Denbighshire to the Midlands.
Its most notable feature is Thomas Telford’s Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, the highest and longest in Britain, 984 feet (300m) in length and soaring 98 feet (40 m) above the River Dee.
We arrive at Trevor Basin to collect our boat, a traditional barge called Brenig, which appears to be painted in British Racing Green (odd, since the speed limit is 4 mph (6.4kph).
The children scramble on and explore, while I get an hour of instruction from the nice man from Anglo Welsh on how to skipper the thing. By the time we push off from our mooring, I know the theory, but actually steering this immense beast – it’s got an old-fashioned tiller, rather than a wheel – takes some getting used to.
Crossing the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is the easy bit. Telford thoughtfully built it in an arrow-straight line, and the cast iron walls are only just wide enough to pass through, so steering isn’t an issue. Instead I can take in the exhilarating views as we float serenely in mid-air.
I was enjoying the ride so much I didn’t really think about how it was coming to an end. There are two barges coming in the opposite direction and I seem to have forgotten everything I learnt about steering. I bump into a poor unsuspecting barge owner, causing him to throw his supper into his lap. Oops. Sorry.
Back at our mooring, we feast on Llandegla smoked trout, with broad beans and new potatoes from my dad’s garden. After supper we do old-fashioned family stuff – play cards, draw pictures.
As night falls, the children settle into their cabin and enjoy the best night’s sleep of the trip. It’s a really cosy and comfortable place to sleep, like a stretched caravan, except better insulated, with its own wood-burner.
A new day dawns and this driving lark seems much easier today. It gives us the opportunity to relax and spot nooks and corners that you don’t see from any road.
“It’s like sailing on a cloud,” observes Ela.
To book a canal holiday or break aboard any of Anglo Welsh’s narrowboat fleet, call our friendly booking team on 0117 304 1122.
