Instagram
YouTube

Top 8 luxury canal boats for hire in 2018

Today’s canal boats are fully equipped with all the essential mod cons – central heating, hot water, TV, fully-equipped kitchens, showers and flushing toilets. To create ever higher standards of accommodation, the length of boat per berth is increasing and new canal boats for hire are arriving on the network with extras like baths, drinks fridges, larger showers, fuel stoves, King-sized beds and WiFi.

Here at Anglo Welsh we’ve been investing in the construction of top class narrowboats, all boasting exacting standards of craftsmanship, comfort and finish.

Our ‘Bond’, ‘Constellation’ and, new for 2018, ‘Heritage’ Class narrowboats are the stars of our fleet, with full-size showers; a range of flexible and private berths; fuel stoves on the four and six berth boats; a large TV and Wifi; spacious kitchens with modern fittings and lighting; and a stylish new livery.

We now offer luxury canal boat hire from eight of our bases, with boats providing top class narrowboat accommodation for either four, six or twelve people.

Here are our Top 9 luxury canal boats for hire in 2018:

  1. Float across ‘The Stream in the Sky’ aboard ‘Lily’. The brand new luxury four-berth ‘Lily’ Heritage class boat is now available to hire from our canal boat rental base at Trevor, on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales.  This 66ft long semi-traditional stern narrowboat offers ‘heritage’ features, including a Belfast sink, port holes and a fuel stove in the saloon, alongside modern home comforts, including two showers and two toilets, two double beds (one of which can be made into twin beds) in separate cabins, LED lighting, full radiator central heating and WiFi. On a short break from Trevor, canal boat holiday-makers can travel to Ellesmere and back, passing over the incredible World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct along the way. On a week’s break, boaters can reach Whitchurch and Wrenbury. Prices for ‘Lily’ start at £740 for a short break, £1,060 for a week.
  2. Travel to Stratford aboard ‘Aries’. The beautiful brand new four-berth Constellation Class ‘Aries’ is now available to hire from our Wootton Wawen narrowboat hire base on the Stratford Canal. This 65ft semi traditional stern narrowboat features two showers, two toilets, full central heating, a traditional fuel stove, well-equipped galley and flexible accommodation in two cabins ranging from two doubles to four singles, full radiator central heating and WiFi. On a short break (three or four nights) from Wootton Wawen, narrowboat holiday-makers can travel to Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon and back. On a week’s holiday, boaters can reach historic Warwick or Birmingham’s City Centre. Prices for ‘Aries‘ start at £730 for short break (three or four nights), £1,045 for a week.
  3. Charter ‘Cassiopeia’ to Chester. The super 67ft six-berth Constellation Class ‘Cassiopeia’ is based at Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal near Tarporley in Cheshire. ‘Cassiopeia’ has a spacious semi traditional stern, two showers, two toilets, full central heating, a traditional fuel stove, well-equipped galley and flexible accommodation ranging from three doubles to six singles. It takes just seven hours by boat to reach the historic city of Chester, perfect for a short break. While on a week’s holiday, hirers can travel to the pretty Eisteddfod town of Llangollen and back. Cassiopeia’s 2018 hire prices start at £750 for short break, £1,070 for a week.
  4. Cruise the Kennet & Avon Canal aboard ‘Phoenix’. The brand new 66ft four-berth Constellation Class ‘Phoenix’ is available to hire from our canal boat hire base on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Bath. ‘Phoenix’ has a spacious semi traditional stern, two showers, two toilets, full central heating, a traditional fuel stove, well-equipped galley and flexible accommodation in two cabins ranging from two doubles to four singles. From Bath, it takes around 10 hours to reach Fox Hanger Wharf at the base of the Caen Hill Flight of locks, perfect for a short break. On a week’s holiday, boaters can travel on to Pewsey. 2018 prices for ‘Phoenix’ start at £730 for a week, £1,045 for a week.
  5. Travel the Trent & Mersey in style aboard ‘Centaurus’. The new Constellation Class ‘Centaurus’ will be available to hire for the 2018 boating season from our narrowboat hire base at Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal from the beginning of July. This luxury 65ft four- berth boat has a spacious semi traditional stern, two showers, two toilets, full central heating, a traditional fuel stove, well-equipped galley and flexible accommodation in two cabins ranging from two doubles to four singles, full radiator central heating and WiFi. There are a variety of short break routes from Great Haywood, including the option to travel south along the Trent & Mersey Canal to the historic market town of Stone. On a week’s holiday, boaters can travel to Market Drayton, home of the gingerbread man. Prices for ‘Centaurus‘ start at £730 for short break (three or four nights), £1,045 for a week.
  6. Explore Warwickshire aboard ‘Lynx’. The 69ft 12-berth Constellation Class ‘Lynx’ is available to hire from our canal boat rental base at Stockton, on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire. ‘Lynx’ has a spacious semi traditional stern, two shower rooms with a toilet in each, two dinette doubles in the lounge, four single bunks and four singles in two cabins. On a short break from Stockton, boaters can reach the beautiful county town of Warwick and its stunning Castle on the banks of the River Avon. On a week’s holiday, canal boat holiday-makers can travel to Banbury on the Oxford Canal or Foxton on the Leicester Line. 2018 prices start at £825 for short breaks on ‘Lynx’, weekly hire from £1,175.
  7. Hire ‘Hydra’ and head to Birmingham. The 65ft long four-berth Constellation Class ‘Hydra’ is available to hire from our narrowboat hire base on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal at Tardebigge. ‘Hydra’ has a semi-traditional stern, two shower rooms with a toilet in each, plus two doubles or four singles in two cabins. From Tardebigge, it’s a five-hour, lock free journey to Birmingham City Centre, perfect for a short break. On a week’s holiday from Tardebigge, narrowboat holiday-makers can head to Stratford, Warwick or Worcester, or travel the Stourport Ring. 2018 hire prices for ‘Hydra’ start at £730 for short break (three or four nights), £1,045 for a week.
  8. Enjoy a Thames boating holiday with ‘Delphinus’. The 69ft 12-berth Constellation Class narrowboat ‘Delphinus’ is available from our Oxford base, on the River Thames at Eynsham. ‘Delphinus’ has a spacious semi traditional stern, two shower rooms with a toilet in each, two dinette doubles in the lounge, four single bunks and four singles in two cabins. From our luxury canal boat hire base on the River Thames, it takes just over three hours to reach moorings at Hythe Bridge in Oxford City Centre, perfect for a short break. On a week’s holiday, boaters can continue along the Thames to Henley. 2018 short breaks on ‘Delphinus’ start at £825, weekly hire from £1,175.

To book a holiday or break on any of Anglo Welsh’s fleet, call our friendly booking team on 0117 304 1122.

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Anglo Welsh recommends – we look forward to the best Waterways Events of 2018

Spring is just around the corner and that sound you can hear in the background is the nation’s canal enthusiasts champing at the bit as they look forward to getting back on their boats to enjoy Britain’s spectacular waterways!

As any good narrowboat skipper will tell you ‘forewarned is forearmed’, so in that spirit of being exceptionally well prepared, Anglo Welsh has put together a schedule of the very best waterway events taking place in 2018. As you will see, you really are spoilt for choice.

Easter Boat Gathering (March 30th to April 2nd), National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port. Building on the success of last year’s 40th anniversary celebration, the 2018 gathering on the Shropshire Union Canal promises a richly varied and exciting line-up of music, workshops and boat activity for all ages. Over the weekend there will be opportunities for visitors to enjoy behind-the-scenes explorations of the Lime Shed and the boat store in Rossfield Road where vessels raised from the top basin are stored and worked on

Drifters National Open Day (April 15th), five Anglo Welsh locations. Drifters Waterways Holidays and the Canal & River Trust are offering people the chance to try canal boating for free at various locations across England and Wales this year, including Anglo Welsh bases at Wootton Wawen, Great Haywood, Trevor, Tardebigge and Bunbury. The taster sessions will include free short trips on skippered narrowboats as well as boat tours and holiday discounts. People of all ages are encouraged to take part and no advanced booking is required.

St Richard’s Canal Festival (May 4th to May 7th). This annual festival in the Worcestershire town of Droitwich Spa includes boats moored either at Netherwich Basin or alongside the path in Vines Park on the recently restored Droitwich Canal. The event has grown rapidly through the addition of street markets and the Classic and Vintage Car Rally and provides visitors with a great day out in the heart of this historic salt town.

Skipton Waterways Festival (May 5th and May 6th). The gateway to the Yorkshire Dales, Skipton is a beautiful market town with an award-winning high street and market, as well as a 12th century castle. This much- loved event takes place around Skipton and on the Canal Basin. Dozens of narrowboats and other craft will line the Basin and the surrounding towpaths and there will be a full programme of entertainment. A brilliant destination to soak up some history and sit and people-watch at the many eateries overlooking the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

Crick Show 2018 (May 26th to May 28th). As well as being the canal world’s biggest marketplace, showcasing the inland waterways sector with 300 exhibitors, this annual show on the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire offers a fantastic day out for all the family with dozens of boats to look round, free boat trips, live music, children’s activities, a real ale marquee, and a huge variety of food and drink stalls. Last year was the busiest one yet with over 27,000 visitors, so it’s worth securing tickets to the 2018 event early.

Leicester Riverside Festival (June 2nd and June 3rd). Now in its 21st year, this free two-day festival is spread over four areas and promises fun on and off the water. Canal enthusiasts should head for the River Soar area for a narrowboat rally, boat trips, canoe and small boat rides and hires. Nearby Bede Park has family activities galore and the Piazza area has a large stage featuring live bands.

Stratford-upon-Avon Festival (June 30th and July 1st). This is Stratford’s tenth annual river festival and it goes from strength to strength, winning the prestigious Tourism Initiative for the Pride of Stratford Award in 2016! Enjoy two days of fun celebrating Stratford’s beautiful River Avon and the Bard’s wonderful home town. There will be a large display of static narrowboats – including one of Anglo Welsh’s high-end boats – and world class live music, all capped off by a spectacular firework display on Saturday evening. It’s a quintessentially English Summer festival and it’s free!

Audlem Festival of Transport (July 29th). A record number of vintage canal boats are expected at the Audlem Wharf next to Audlem Mill and the Shroppie Fly on the Shropshire Union Canal. A huge range of vintage cars, vans, trucks and buses will also join the 2018 parade.

Black Country Boating Festival (September 14th to September 16th).
Last but not least, the 31st edition of this friendly annual boat gathering and community festival held in the Bumble-Hole Nature Reserve, Windmill End, Netherton. Between 60 and 80 narrowboats are expected in Netherton for the weekend, plus live music, tasty food and a fine selection of local ales.

 

Tags: , , , ,
Be Inspired

We offer a range of different types of holidays such as City Breaks, Relaxation Cruises and Popular Destinations

City Breaks
Rural retreats
Popular places

So why choose Anglo Welsh?

Over 55 years providing unique canal boat holidays in England and Wales.
Modern and spacious narrowboat and wide beam barge hire – from 2 to 12 berths.
Wide choice of narrowboat hire locations and canal boat holiday destinations.
Canal boat holiday routes for novices & experienced boaters.
Flexible holiday booking, no hidden costs.
Family friendly and pet friendly holidays.
Great days out on the water.
Luxury canal boat hire and Thames boating holidays.

Anglo Welsh. So much more than narrowboats

...but don't just take our word for it

media-quote-trimmed-1
media-quote-trimmed-2
media-quote-trimmed-3
media-quote-trimmed-4

Instagram

Facebook

Trip Advisor