There’s plenty of storage on board and we offer advice on what to pack
Bath Canal Boat Hire
We offer a range of boat sizes with accommodation for two to 12 people.
With our Price Promise you know you’ll be paying the best price.
Explore the beautiful Kennet & Avon Canal in Bath, Somerset, Wiltshire and Berkshire
Located on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Sydney Wharf, our Bath base offers a great choice of routes for beginners and experienced boaters.
You can visit UNESCO World Heritage Bath or cruise through the Wiltshire countryside to the Caen Hill flight of locks at Devizes, Pewsey and beyond, stopping off at sleepy villages, historic market towns and canalside pubs along the way.
Bath on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Sydney Wharf offers an amazing choice of destinations
Bath
Start on Friday or Saturday
Kennet & Avon Canal, Wiltshire
Route details:
Bath City Centre and back
- 1 mile
- 12 locks
- 4 hours
On a short break you can navigate through the Bath flight of six locks and more up in the centre of this UNESCO World Heritage City, close to the iconic Pulteney Bridge.
Bradford on Avon
Start on Friday or Saturday
Kennet & Avon Canal, Wiltshire
Route details:
Bradford on Avon and back
- 18 miles
- 2 locks
- 7 hours)
On a short break you can cruise to historic market town of Bradford on Avon and back, crossing over the magnificent Bath stone Dundas Aqueduct and Avoncliff Aqueduct.
Caen Hill
Start on Monday or Tuesday
Kennet & Avon Canal, Wiltshire
Route details:
Caen Hill locks and back
- 36 miles
- 16 locks
- 18 hours
On a four-night mid-week break you can cruise through the Bath Valley and the Wiltshire countryside to the base of the awe-inspiring Caen Hill flight of locks at Devizes and back.
Bristol
Start on Monday or Tuesday
Kennet & Avon Canal, Wiltshire
Route details:
Bristol Floating Harbour and back
- 26 locks
- 16 hours
On a four-night break you can cruise through the UNESCO World Heritage City of Bath onto the Bristol Avon to Bristol Floating Harbour and back. Only suitable for boaters who have previously travelled with Anglo Welsh a minimum of five times.
Pewsey Wharf
Start on Monday or Tuesday, Friday or Saturday
Kennet & Avon Canal, Wiltshire
Route details:
Pewsey Wharf and back
- 69 miles
- 74 locks
- 42 hours
On a week-long break you can cruise through the Bath Valley, up the Caen Hill flight of locks at Devizes and through the beautiful Vale of Pewsey and back.
Great Bedwyn
Start on Monday, Tuesday, Friday or Saturday
Kennet & Avon Canal, Wiltshire
Route details:
Great Bedwyn and back
- 83 miles
- 102 locks
- 50 hours
On a 10-day or two-week break you can cruise through the countryside to Great Bedwyn and back, passing through the Caen Hill flight of locks at Devizes, the Vale of Pewsey and Savernake Forest.
Hungerford
Start on Monday, Tuesday, Friday or Saturday
Kennet & Avon Canal, Wiltshire
Route details:
Hungerford and back
- 94 miles
- 134 locks
- 60 hours
On a 10-day or two-week break you can cruise through the countryside to Hungerford and back, passing through the Caen Hill flight of locks at Devizes, the Vale of Pewsey and Savernake Forest.
Newbury
Start on Monday, Tuesday, Friday or Saturday
Kennet & Avon Canal, Wiltshire
Route details:
Newbury and back
- 111 miles
- 142 locks
- 69 hours
On a 10-day or two-week break you can cruise through the countryside to Newbury and back, passing through the Caen Hill flight of locks at Devizes, the Vale of Pewsey, the Savernake Forest and Hungerford.
Reading
Start on Monday, Tuesday, Friday or Saturday
Kennet & Avon Canal, Wiltshire
Route details:
Reading and back
- 150 miles
- 185 locks
- 94 hours total
On a 10-day or two-week break you can cruise through the countryside to Reading and the River Thames and back, passing through the Caen Hill flight of locks at Devizes, the Vale of Pewsey, the Savernake Forest and Newbury.
Boats available at Bath
We offer a choice of 10 narrowboats at Bath Canal Boat Hire, ranging from boats for two to 12 people.
Sunbury 2
This Premium 48ft Brook Class narrowboat sleeps 2 people.
Golden Eagle
This Premium 57ft Firth Class narrowboat sleeps up to two people.
Sunbury 4
This Premium 48ft Weir Class narrowboat sleeps up to 4 people.
Gloria
This Premium 65ft Bond Class narrowboat sleeps up to 4 people.
Draco
This Luxury 65ft Constellation Class narrowboat sleeps up to 4 people.
Codrington
This Luxury 65ft Admiral Class narrowboat sleeps up to 4 people.
Bradbury
This Premium 67ft Bond Class narrowboat sleeps up to 6 people.
Silvia
This Premium 67ft Bond Class narrowboat sleeps up to 6 people.
Sagittarius
This Luxury 69ft Constellation Class narrowboat sleeps up to 10 people.
Langton
This Premium 69ft Bond Class narrowboat sleeps up to 12 people.
How to find us
Our Bath base is on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Sydney Wharf, near Syndey Gardens.
Anglo Welsh & Bath Narrowboats, Sydney Wharf, Bathwick Hill, Bath, BA2 4EL
A range of holiday durations
Cruises can start different days of the week (except Sundays), depending on your chosen route. Holidays range from three-night weekend and four-night mid-week breaks, to a week, 10-days and two weeks, or more – the choice
is yours!
Boats should be returned by 9am on the final day of your holiday – or the afternoon before if you’ve made arrangements with the booking team. Please bear this in mind when deciding where you will moor on your last night.
Download a Brochure
Our brochure includes information on our boats, routes, destinations and prices. There are also tips for canal boat beginners, advice on what to pack and a list of our locations offering day boat hire.
FAQs
How do canal locks work?
A lock is a chamber with gates at either end. By emptying or filling the chamber with water, boats can move up or down a canal. With the lock gates closed, open the sluices (paddles) to let the water in or out. When the water level under your boat is the same as the level it’s moving to, you can move your boat in or out of the lock.
How long does it take to go through a lock?
It takes around 15 to 20 minutes to go through a lock.
Will my narrowboat have heating?
All our narrowboats have gas central heating with radiators throughout for cosy year-round canal boat holidays. Some of our boats also have a multi-fuel stove.
