Best October half term canal boat holidays

Top October half term canal boat holiday destinations

Set off for a family adventure afloat together this October half term.

You’ll be cosy aboard your very own floating holiday cottage, with all the key comforts of home, including hot water, central heating, well-equipped kitchens, showers, flushing toilets and WiFi.

Tuition is included in our hire boat rental and our holidays are pet friendly.

We’ve put together a guide to our top 7 narrowboat holiday destinations this October half term:

1. Take a Ghost Walk in Shakespeare’s Stratford

From our boat yard on the Stratford Canal at Wootton Wawen, it takes around six hours to reach Bancroft Basin in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon. There, every Saturday at 7.30pm the award-winning Ghost Walk takes visitors on a tour around the haunted streets of Stratford-upon-Avon. The journey to Stratford and back from Wootton Wawen passes through 34 locks (17 each way) and takes around 12 hours.

2. Cruise to Llangollen to visit the magnificent Horseshoe Falls

Setting off from our base on the Llangollen Canal at Trevor in North Wales, it takes just two hours to reach moorings at Llangollen Basin.  From there, you can explore this historic town nestled in the Berwyn Mountains, including the magnificent Horseshoe Falls.  This 140 metre long weir structure was designed by Thomas Telford to feed water from the River Dee to the Llangollen Canal.

3. Navigate to Alrewas and the National Memorial Aboretum

On a 4-night break from Great Haywood you can cruise along the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal to Alrewas and back. There you can moor up and walk to the National Memorial Aboretum, home to more than 400 memorials. Along the way, you’ll pass the beautiful Tixall Wide lake, Penkridge and Gailey with canalside pubs to enjoy. The journey from Great Haywood to Alrewas and back travels 26 miles, passes through 22 locks (11 each way) and takes around 15 hours.

4. Visit ‘The Cathedral of the Canals’

On a 4-night break from Bunbury in Cheshire, you can cruise to the Anderton Boat Lift and back. Also known as ‘The Cathedral of the Canals’, Anderton Boat Lift celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. The journey begins on the Shropshire Union Canal, transferring onto the Middlewich Branch at Barbridge Junction. Cruising through the Cheshire countryside, you’ll connect with the Trent & Mersey Canal at Middlewich. You’ll pass through the village of Marston before reaching Anderton. There you can visit the Anderton Boat Lift Visitor Centre explains how this amazing structure works. The journey from Bunbury to Anderton and back travels 46 miles, passes through 20 locks (10 each way) and takes around 18 hours.

5. Explore 1,200 acres at Chirk Castle

On a 4-night break from Whixall, on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal, you can travel to Chirk and back.  The journey to Chirk passes through just two locks and takes around eight hours. There you can moor up and walk to the National Trust’s Chirk Castle, which takes around 30 minutes. At Chirk Castle there are murder holes and medieval toilets in the Adam Tower to marvel at, richly decorated state rooms to explore and 1,200 acres to roam.

6. Take a ghost tour in Bath

From Bradford on Avon, it takes around four hours, passing through one lock, to reach moorings at Sydney Gardens in Bath.  From there, you can explore this UNESCO World Heritage city and book a Ghost Tour. The tour takes visitors on a thrilling tour of Bath, discovering tales of murder, mayhem, witch burnings, hangings, medieval monks, duels and poltergeists.

7. Experience the Royal Armouries Escape Room in Leeds

On a week’s holiday from Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, you can cruise to Leeds and back. You can moor up in Leeds Dock, home of the Royal Armouries Museum. There you can book an Escape Room experience with Great Escape Game. The journey from Silsden to Leeds and back takes around 34 hours, and passes through 56 locoks (28 each way).