Canal boat holidays on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal
Enjoy stunning scenery, the Yorkshire Dales, Pennine Way, industrial history, remote beauty, rugged hills, wooded valleys, mills and moors.
At 127 miles, the Leeds & Liverpool Canal is the longest single canal in the country. Completed in 1816, this mighty waterway crosses the Pennines and links the wide waterways of Yorkshire with those of Lancashire and the River Mersey.
From the vibrant centres of Leeds, Liverpool, Wigan and Burnley, to the awe-inspiring vast areas of open space of the moorlands at the canal’s summit and the peace of the wooded Aire Valley, the scenery of this canal varies dramatically.
The Leeds & Liverpool main line has 93 locks and two tunnels, there are two more locks on the seven-mile long Leigh Branch and eight on the seven-mile Rufford Branch. The waterway was recently extended by the construction of the Liverpool Link, taking boaters right into the heart of the city, passing in front of the Three Graces to moor in Salthouse Dock.
And it boasts two of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’ – the famous Bingley Five Rise Locks near Bradford and the awesome Burnley Embankment, carrying the canal high above the town.
Short break canal boat holidays for beginners beginners
On a short break (three or four nights) from our canal boat hire base at Silsden, near Keighley, you can head west towards Liverpool to the attractive village of Gargrave in North Yorkshire – a journey which takes seven hours, passing through just three locks.
Heading away from Silsden with its attractive canalside warehouses, the route overlooks Airedale’s steep green hills, wooded in places. A series of swing bridges characterise this section of the canal, each needing to be unlocked and lifted.
Within two miles, the canal passes through the village of Kildwick, with its 17th century coaching inn close to the canal, The White Lion.
Continuing on along the valley of the River Aire, with stunning views of the surrounding countryside, two miles later the village of Bradley has an excellent pub a quarter-of-a-mile from the canal – The Slaters Arms, serving homemade food and real ale.
A mile later, the route passes the Bay Horse pub at Snaygill before reaching the outskirts of Skipton. Here a little arm (the Springs Branch) branches off the canal to moorings outside Skipton Castle. Built in 1090 by the Norman Baron Robert de Romaille, today this motte and bailey castle is one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England, which together with its woods is well worth a visit.
Skipton also offers visitors a range of places to eat, including The Yorkshire Rose pub, Royal Shepherd, French Bistro des Amis, Bean Loved coffee bar and Cock & Bottle pub.
Heading west out of Skipton, it’s a further three miles to Gargrave, travelling through the hills. There are three locks to pass through before reaching moorings and a winding hole in the centre of the village.
Gargrave is on the River Aire on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, where visitors can access 680 square miles of some of England’s finest walking country, exploring deep valleys, open moorland and rugged hills with very little habitation.
And in Gargrave itself, there are plenty of pubs, including The Mason’s Arms and canalside Cross Keys Inn, as well as shops and a post office.
Week long canal boat holiday on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal
On a week’s break from Silsden, you can continue on from Gargrave to Foulridge Tunnel. The journey to Foulridge and back will take around 26 hours, passing through 30 locks (15 each way).
After Gargrave, it’s four miles and eight locks to East Marton, where the Abbot’s Harbour Restaurant, set in a 12th century building constructed by Cistercian monks, offers traditional home-cooked food.
Nicholson’s describes the ‘beautiful upland scenery’ along this stretch as ‘composed of countless individual hillocks, some topped by clumps of trees’, with distant mountains beyond. The Pennine Way shares the canal towpath for a short distance, and after just over a mile, the canal reaches the three locks at Greenberfield, on the outskirts of Barnoldswick.
As well as take-away options, fish & chips, various shops, and The Fountain Inn, there’s a marina at Barnoldswick, where the Pendle Way connects to the canal, and the remains of the Rain Hall Rock Branch, where limestone was once loaded directly from the rock face onto boats.
Next the canal continues reaches Salterforth, where the historic canalside Anchor Inn offers visitors the chance to see stalactites in the cellar as well as enjoy beer and pub food.
After Salterforth, the next stretch is particularly remote and beautiful running up to the 1,640 yard-long Foulridge Tunnel, the longest on the Leeds & Liverpool. To visit the attractive village of Foulridge with its New Inn pub, narrowboat holiday-makers should moor up before entering the Tunnel.
Two week canal boat holiday from Silsden
On a two-week break, you can continue on to Wigan and back, cruising for a total of 60 hours (from Silsden to Wigan and back) and passing through 112 locks (56 each way).
A mile after the Foulridge Tunnel, you’ll encounter Barrowford Top Lock – a flight of seven – and begin your descent from the summit level, with views of old stone farms and distant mountains to enjoy.
Soon after, Barrowford offers shops, take-aways, fish & chips, restaurants and pubs, including The White Bear Inn, as well as the Pendle Heritage Centre. Here you’ll find an exhibition on the famous Pendle Witches, a tea room overlooking the beautifully restored 18th century walled garden, the Pendle Art Gallery, and access to the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Pendle Hill.
Now entering the outskirts of the large industrial town of Burnley, the canal remains largely urban for the next ten miles or so. The waterway was once the main artery for Burnley and its industries and the area around Bridge 130, known as the Weaver’s Triangle, is one of the best preserved 19th century industrial districts in the country.
The three-quarters of a mile long Burnley Embankment, considered to be one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’, carries the navigation 60 feet high across part of the town, offering boaters panoramic views.
There are plenty of pubs in Burnley, including The Inn on the Wharf in a weaver’s warehouse, several art centres and the Queen Street Mill Textile Museum, now Britain’s only working 19th century weaving mill.
After passing through Gannow Tunnel (559 yards long), the canal travels on through the Calder Valley and alongside the M65 motorway for a time. Hapton is the next village after Burnley, with its popular Hapton Inn serving real ale and food, then three swing bridges need to be moved as the canal travels through neat green fields bordered by drystone walls, before reaching Clayton-le-Moors (a suburb of Accrington) three miles later.
The canal now twists and turns on through Church, with the parish church of St James right on the banks of the canal, marking the central point of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
Just over a mile later, after more dramatic bends, the canal passes over the M65 using a concrete aqueduct, before arriving at Rishton, a small town that grew up around the cotton mills in the 19th century. There’s a choice of eateries in Rishton, including Indian restaurants, fish & chips, take-aways, the Rishton Arms beside the railway station and the Walmsley Arms offering regular live entertainment.
Two miles on and the canal enters the outskirts of Blackburn, passing canopied wharves at Eanam, now converted for businesses and a pub.
There’s plenty to do in Blackburn, including a visit to the cathedral with its striking 13ft sculpture of ‘Christ the Worker’ by John Hayward. The Museum & Art Gallery has a series of period rooms demonstrating the development of the textile industry using full size working models. And there are some superb curry houses, including Thira Restaurant, reputedly the best in town.
It takes several hours to pass through Blackburn, but there are distant views of Darwen Hill and Witton Country Park to enjoy along the way. And everywhere there are mills, mainly redundant but a reminder of the town’s cotton history.
A flight of six locks (the Blackburn locks) carry the canal nearly 55ft up on the western edge of town to 400ft above sea level with excellent views. The suburb of Cherry Tree is next, with a good range of shops and take-aways.
As the canal leaves Blackburn, it crosses a high embankment and then curls round a steep and thickly wooded valley. A mile later, the canal passes through the village of Riley Green with its excellent Royal Oak pub providing award-winning cask ales and a large menu of British pub food.
Hoghton Tower is close by, a 16th century fortified hilltop mansion, noted for its dungeons, doll’s houses, picturesque gardens and magnificent banqueting hall.
Just over a mile and a half later, now in a secluded wooded valley, the canal passes through Withnell Fold, a small estate village built to house workers at the canalside paper mills which once functioned there. On the opposite side of the canal is a nature reserve which has developed in the old filter beds and now provides habitats for waterlilies, dragonflies, newts and frogs.
Just over a mile of beautiful scenery later, and boaters encounter the top of the Johnson’s Hill flight of seven locks, set amid undulating pastureland, with a down-to-earth pub, The Top Lock, offering great food and cask ales, and a boatyard with boaters’ facilities.
Soon after the canal travels under the M61 motorway and along the edge of Chorley, passing some large textile mills. The Prince of Wales pub is a short walk from Bridge 75A, the Lock & Quay offers hearty pub food and at the Top Lock there’s great food and cask ales. It’s also well worth visiting a bakery to try a Chorley cake, similar to the Eccles cake but sweeter and fruitier.
Close to three wooded miles further, the canal reaches Adlington with a good range of shops, pubs, including The (Bottom) Spinners Arms, and a popular café at the White Bear Marina, Rivington.
Click here to book a canal boat holiday on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal from Silsden, or call us on 0117 304 1122.
Kevin Yarwood, Anglo Welsh’s canal boat hire base manager at Great Haywood in Staffordshire, describes the winter wildlife he sees on the canals and Christmas canal boat holiday options.
Here at Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal, we offer canal boat hire all year round, including Christmas and New Year.
The canals are much quieter in the winter months and there are lots of historic canalside pubs with roaring log fires to enjoy along the way.
Popular canal barge holiday destinations from Great Haywood
The most popular winter cruise destination from Great Haywood is to travel south along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Fradley Junction. This peaceful 12-mile cruise through the Staffordshire countryside takes around five hours, passing through five locks.
Pubs to visit along the way the Wolseley Arms at Wolseley Bridge and The Old Peculiar in the village of Handsacre.
Once at Fradley, you can find refreshments at the Canalside Café or The Swan Inn.
Alternatively you can travel north along the Trent & Mersey Canal to the market town of Stone. Along the way you’ll pass The Saracens Head at Weston and The Greyhound at Burston.
Local attractions to visit
We are lucky to have a number of great attractions close to us at Great Haywood.
For example the National Trust’s Shugborough Estate, where the gardens lead right down to the canal, has some lovely Christmas events. Their Winter Light Trail takes visitors through the historic grounds with light displays set to music.
Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, once a royal hunting forest is also nearby. As well as the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s Wolseley Centre.
Both are wonderful havens for wildlife, with lots to see and do even in the winter months.
Winter wildlife on the waterways
We also still see plenty of wildlife on the canal here over the winter, especially woodland and hedgerow birds such as chaffinch, robins, blue and coal tits, jays, nuthatch, woodpeckers and our resident pair of swans. We feed the birds all year round, but of course it’s over the winter months that it’s most vital to do so. We provide nutritious wild bird seed, peanuts, fat balls and sesame seeds.
We are sometimes lucky enough to see otters from the River Trent coming up onto the canal to feed at night.
Canal boats available to hire this Christmas
We offer a range of canal boats for hire over the winter, from a cosy narrowboat for two to a family canal boat for 12. They all have central heating, hot water showers, comfortable beds, fully equipped kitchens, WiFi, TV and DVD players, so it’s always nice and warm on board. Our luxury boats ‘Curzon’ for four people and ‘Pegasus’ for six, also have multi-fuel stoves.
Over the Christmas week, we have an 11-night break starting on 22 December and a three-week hire starting on 16 December. And we have another week hire over New Year, starting on 27 December.
Cooking Christmas lunch on board a narrowboat
This year my wife and I will be cooking Christmas lunch aboard our narrowboat for our two children and two Staffordshire Bull Terriers.
Cooking Christmas dinner on a canal boat isn’t that different to a normal kitchen, except you don’t have a huge amount of worktop space. And you need to be careful not to buy too big a turkey, as most ovens are slightly smaller on boats.
Gardens are great places to visit on a canal boat holiday, offering beautiful vistas, cafes serving dishes made with produce grown on site, and places for quiet contemplation and inspiration.
There are dozens of beautiful gardens to visit within easy reach of our canals and rivers, so we’ve put together our Top 9 gardens to enjoy on a canal boat holiday in 2024:
Enjoy spectacular views of Snowdonia from the gardens of Plas Newydd, close to the Llangollen Canal in North Wales
The gardens at Plas Newydd House in Llangollen are set within 169 acres of woodland and parkland, where the setting, geology and climate allow extraordinary plants to flourish. Tender exotics grow in the Menai Courtyard, alpines and dwarf shrubs in the sun room terrace, dahlias and agapanthas in the Italianate Terrace, magnolia in the Rhododendron Garden, aromatic eucalypts in the Australasian arboretum and spring flowers alongside the cascades of Rill Garden. From our narrowboat hire base at Trevor on the Llangollen Canal, it takes just two hours to reach Llangollen.
Find the oldest botanic garden in Britain, close to the Oxford Canal in Oxford
Founded in 1621 as a garden growing plants for medicinal research, the University of Oxford Botanic Garden now contains over 8,000 plant species in a 1.8 hectare site at Rose Lane, close to the City Centre. The Garden offers family friendly trails and ‘Botanic Backpacks’ full of activities and equipment to help visitors get more from their walk around the Garden and its Glasshouses. From our Oxford boat yard on the River Thames at Eynsham, Oxford can be reached in three-and-a-half hours, travelling through four locks.
See the ancient topiary at Packwood House, close to the Stratford Canal at Lapworth
According to legend, the 350-year old trees in Packwood’s iconic Yew Garden represent the ‘Sermon on the Mount’. Packwood’s beautiful gardens also boast stunning herbaceous borders, with a wide variety of colourful plants, including its unusual North African Cabbage Trees, as well as a bountiful Kitchen Garden, wildflower meadows, an orchard and a gorgeous rose walk leading to the cafe. From our canal boat hire base at Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal near Henley-in-Arden, it’s a 7-mile, 31-lock and 10-hour journey to Lapworth Lock No 6, half-a-mile’s walk from Packwood.
Stroll around the award-winning Trentham Gardens, close to the Trent & Mersey Canal at Stoke on Trent
The make-over of the Italian Gardens at Trentham was led by renowned garden designer Tom Stuart-Smith. And the Rivers of Grass and Floral Labyrinth gardens were designed by the eminent Dutch plantsman, Piet Oudolf. As well as a series of themed gardens, visitors to Trentham can enjoy a walk around the Capability Brown designed central mile-long lake and the vast new wildflower meadows, as well as taking the Fairy Trail through woodland, a maze and gardens where the fairies live. There’s also an adventure playground, trip boat and miniature train. From our boatyard at Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal near Stafford, it takes approximately 10 hours to reach Stoke bottom lock No. 36, travelling 13 miles, through 13 locks.
Discover over 60 varieties of heritage apples at Hill Close Gardens, close to the Grand Union Canal in Warwick
This two-acre site features the remains of Victorian leisure gardens, originally laid out in the mid-19th The delightful 16 individual hedged gardens feature brick summerhouses, ornamental plantings, and a range of vegetables and fruit trees, including more than 60 varieties of heritage apples. From our narrowboat hire base at Stockton on the Grand Union Canal, it’s a seven-hour, 20-lock journey to Warwick.
Relax in the Walled Garden at Churches Mansion, close to the Shropshire Union Canal at Nantwich
The immaculately maintained Walled Garden at the stunning Elizabethan timber-framed Churches Mansion is mainly laid to lawn. It has well stocked borders of cottage garden flowers and shrubs, as well as specimen fruit trees, including mulberry, walnut, pear, cherry and plum. There is also an oak tree, magnificent magnolia tree and trailing wisteria wrapped around a first floor balcony. From our boatyard at Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal, Nantwich is just six miles away.
Find peace in the Botanic Gardens at Winterbourne House on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal in Edgbaston
Owned by the University of Birmingham, this seven-acre garden oasis is a rare surviving example of an Edwardian Arts and Crafts suburban villa garden. Home to over 6,000 different plant species, the Grade II listed garden was lovingly created by Margaret and John Nettlefold in the early 1900’s, using the books of Gertrude Jekyll as inspiration. Offering colour and interest throughout the year, visitors will find a beautiful walled garden, magnificent borders, glasshouses and a sandstone rock garden. From our canal boat hire base at Tardebigge on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove, it’s an 11-mile journey to Edgbaston, and with no locks along the way, the journey takes just four-and-a-half hours.
Explore the Grade I listed Italianate garden at Iford Manor, close to the Kennet & Avon Canal at Bradford on Avon
The romantic terraced hillside garden at Iford Manor, with stunning views across the Iford valley, was designed by architect and landscape gardener Harold Ainsworth Peto, who lived there from 1899 to 1933. Peto was particularly attracted to the charm of old Italian gardens, characterized by cypresses, broad walks, statues and pools. The garden’s striking features include a Loggia, Great Terrace, Casita and Cloisters. Our canal boat hire base at Monkton Combe is three miles from Avoncliff, where footpaths lead to Iford Manor.
Visit the Rose Garden at Rode Hall, near the Macclesfield Canal at Hall Green
Set in a beautiful landscape designed by Humphry Repton in 1790, Rode Hall’s extensive grounds include a formal rose garden designed by Nesfield in 1860, terraced rock garden, woodland garden and a two-acre walled kitchen garden. Drifts of snowdrops grace the estate at the beginning of the year and spring boasts a large variety of rhododendrons and azaleas, followed by a stunning display of ancient bluebells. From our canal boat hire base on at Great Haywood near Stafford, it’s a two-day journey, cruising 25 miles, through 18 locks to reach Hall Green Lock on the Macclesfield Canal, where a footpath leads to Rode Hall & Garden.
To book one of Anglo Welsh’s superbly equipped canal boats, click here or call our Booking Team on 0117 304 1122.
We offer winter cruising from six of our narrowboat hire bases, giving you the chance to experience cruising gently through the countryside this winter when the canals are quieter*.
People tend to make shorter journeys during the winter. It’s more about enjoying being out in the countryside close to the water than travelling lots of miles each day.
You can stop off to visit historic canalside pubs with roaring log fires along the way. And you can visit some of Britain’s most popular towns and cities, including Stratford-upon-Avon and Chester.
Our winter narrowboats for hire range from cosy boats for two, to a family canal boat for 10.
All our boats have central heating, hot water, WiFi, TV and DVD players, so it’s always nice and warm on board.
Some of our boats also come with multi-fuel stoves for some extra special winter warmth.
Our winter cruising bases also offer canal boat hire over Christmas and New Year.
Our winter canal boat holidays prices start at £680 for a short break, and £940 for a week on a boat for up to four people.
Here’s a guide to our Top 6 winter narrowboat holidays for 2023:
1. Boat to historic Bradford on Avon and back
From our canal barge hire base on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Bath, it takes around three-and-a-half hours to reach the historic Wiltshire town of Bradford on Avon. Along the way, you’ll cross over the magnificent Bath stone aqueducts at Dundas and Avoncliff. And you’ll cruise past the popular canalside pubs The George at Bathampton and the The Cross Guns at Avoncliff. Once at Bradford on Avon, you can moor up to explore this historic market town on the edge of the Cotswolds with independent shops and a great choice of places to eat.
2. Cruise through the Staffordshire countryside to Fradley
Heading south from our narrowboat holiday hire base at Great Haywood you’ll reach Fradley Junction in around five hours. The journey cruises 12 miles of the Trent & Mersey Canal and passes through five lock. You’ll pass through the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Places to visit along the way include the National Trust’s Shugborough Estate the Wildlife Trust’s Wolseley Centre. Pubs to visit include The Wolseley Arms at Wolseley and The Old Peculiar at Handsacre. At Fradley you can visit the Canalside Café or The Swan Inn, and enjoy walking trails at the Fradley Pool Nature Reserve.
3. Travel gently through the Shropshire countryside to historic Whitchurch
From our canal barge holiday rental base at Whixall it takes around four hours to reach the pretty historic town of Whitchurch. You’ll cruise along the Llangollen Canal, passing Whixall Moss along the way – a great place for spotting wildlife. Once at Whitchurch, you can enjoy way-marked walks, Brown Moss nature reserve and a choice of pubs, including the award-winning Black Bear.
4. Float through the Warwickshire countryside to Shakespeare’s Stratford
From our narrowboat rental base at Wootton Wawen in Warwickshire, you can reach Stratford-upon-Avon in six hours. You can stop-off along the way at the village of Wilmcote to visit the Mary Arden Inn. In Shakespeare’s Stratford, you can moor up in the centre of town at Bancroft Basin to enjoy exploring this popular historic town.
5. Cruise through the Cheshire countryside to the ancient City of Chester
From our narrowboat hire base at Bunbury near Tarporley it takes seven hours to reach Chester. You’ll cruise along the Shropshire Union Canal passing through nine locks, and a series of village pubs, including The Cheshire Cat at Christleton. Once moored up at Northgate visitor moorings, you can take time to explore this ancient Cathedral City with Roman City Walls and Chester Rows shops.
6. Cross ‘The Stream in the Sky’ to the Shropshire Lake District
Our canal boat rental base at Trevor in North Wales, is a ten minute cruise from the incredible World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. This magnificent feat of Victorian engineering carries the Llangollen Canal 126ft high above the Dee Valley, with amazing views to enjoy. On a short break, you can cruise to Ellesmere, in the centre of the Shropshire Lake District. At Ellesmere, you can visit the famous Mere, a haven for wildlife, and find a great choice of places to eat and drink.
*Some of our routes will be affected at times by the Canal & River Trust’s annual winter maintenance work.
If you are looking for a great day out this Autumn, why not hire a canal boat for the day and enjoy the changing colours in the trees along our canals.
We offer canal boat day boat hire from six of our bases, from just £99 per day for up to 10 people.
Tuition is included and our day boats are equipped with the things you need for a day afloat, including a kettle, cooker, fridge and toilet.
Here’s a guide to our top six day boat hire destinations this Autumn:
1. See the Autumn colours of the Dee Valley
On a day afloat from Trevor on the Llangollen Canal, you can cruise across to the World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct to Chirk and back. As you cross, you’ll be 126ft high above the Dee Valley with fantastic views of the changing colours of the trees below. You can stop to enjoy a drink or a meal at the Bridge Inn at Chirk Bank or the Poacher’s Pocket at Gledrid. The journey to Chirk and back takes five hours.
2. Potter through the Warwickshire countryside to Wilmcote
From Wootton Wawen in Warwickshire, you can cruise south along the Stratford Canal to the village of Wilmcote and back. The journey will take you across the Edstone Aqueduct, the longest aqueduct in England, with views across the Warwickshire countryside. From moorings at the top of the Wilmcote flight, it’s a short walk into the village to the Mary Arden Inn. The journey to Wilmcote and back takes five hours.
3. Cruise through the Staffordshire countryside to Rugeley
From Great Haywood, near Stafford, you can cruise to the historic market town of Rugeley and back. You’ll pass through the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Along the way, you can stop for a drink or a meal at the Wolseley Arms at Wolseley Bridge. The journey to Rugeley and back takes six hours.
4. Travel through the Worcestershire countryside to Kings Norton
From Tardebigge near Bromsgrove you can cruise along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal to Kings Norton. You’ll pass through two tunnels and the remains of the Forest of Arden. You can stop off to enjoy a drink or a meal at the Crown at Alvechurch. The journey to Kings Norton and back takes around six hours.
5. Navigate through the Cheshire countryside to Nantwich
On a day out from Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal near Tarporley, you can cruise to Nantwich and back. The lock-free journey takes you past the canalside Barbridge Inn. And across the impressive Nantwich Aqueduct, with panoramic views across the town. The journey to Nantwich and back takes around six hours.
6. Travel slowly through the Shropshire countryside to historic Whitchurch
From Whixall on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal, you can reach the historic market town of Whitchurch. You’ll pass the Hadley Farm Café along the way and there’s a good choice of places to eat in Whitchurch, including the Black Bear pub. The journey to Whitchurch and back takes around five hours.
Top 8 places to celebrate Halloween on a canal boat holiday
Canal boat holidays offer the chance to enjoy a family staycation afloat this October Half Term, spending time together and visiting waterside destinations hosting spooky Halloween events.
Your floating holiday cottage will be equipped with the key comforts of home, including central heating and hot water, so it’s always nice and cosy on board.
All our boats also have fully equipped kitchens, so you can enjoy a self-catering holiday afloat.
To celebrate the October Half Term holiday, we’ve put together a guide to our top 8 narrowboat holiday destinations hosting Halloween events*:
1. Take The Sinister Side of Shakespeare Walking Tour’ in Stratford-upon-Avon
From our basw on the Stratford Canal at Wootton Wawen, it takes around six hours to reach moorings in the centre of Shakespeare’s Stratford. You can book online to experience ‘The Sinister Side of Shakespeare’s Stratford Walking Tour’ where you’ll learn about the town’s infamous witches, and discover the real-life tragedies that inspired Shakespeare. The journey to Stratford and back takes around 12 hours and passes through 24 locks (12 each way).
2. Explore the ‘Half Term Halloween Trail’ at Chirk Castle
From Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, you can reach Chirk Bank in around one-and-a-half hours. From there it takes around 30 minutes to walk up to the National Trust’s Chirk Castle, where you can take part in a ‘Half Term Halloween Trail’, 21-31 October 2023. The event sends you on a quest to protect the castle from the evil spirits, elves and goblins that lurk around. The journey from Trevor to Chirk and back takes around three hours, and passes over the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct along the way.
3. Get spooked at a ‘Halloween Night’ at the Black Country Living Museum
On a short break from Tardebigge on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal you can reach the Black Country Living Museum. On Saturday 23, Friday 29 and Saturday 30 October, the Museum will host special ‘Halloween Nights’, giving you the chance to trick-or-treat your way round spooky streets, spot fantastical characters and dress-up to go to the monster’s ball. The journey from Tardebigge to the Black Country Living Museum and back takes 16 hours and passes through six locks (three each way).
4. Follow the Halloween Trail at Chester Zoo
On a short break from Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal, you can reach Chester, home of the award-winning Chester Zoo. This October, Chester Zoo which is home to over 27,000 animals, will be hosting an interactive Halloween Trail across its 128 acres of zoological gardens. The journey from Bunbury to Chester and back takes around 14 hours and passes through 18 locks (nine each way).
5. See ‘The Lost Boys’ at the Shugborough Estate outdoor cinema event
Our base on the Trent & Mersey Canal at Great Haywood is less than an hour’s cruise away from the National Trust’s Shugborough Estate. At 7.30pm on Tuesday 31 October, the Estate is hosting an outdoor screening of the vampire classic ‘The Lost Boys’, starring Kiefer Sutherland.
On a short break from Stockton on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire, you can reach moorings close to Warwick Castle. From 21 October to 5 November, the Castle’s ‘Haunted Castle’ event features a series of spooky experiences, including the Castle Dungeon and the Horrible Histories Maze. The journey from Stockton takes seven hours and passes through 20 locks.
7. Go on a Spooky Tour at Oxford Castle
On a short break from our Oxford base on the River Thames at Eynsham you can reach overnight moorings in Oxford City Centre. From there, it’s a short walk to Oxford Castle where from 16-31 October 2023 you can experience an evening Spooky guided tour of the 1,000 year-old haunted castle. From our Oxford base, it takes three-and a-half-hours, passing through three locks to reach moorings in Oxford city centre.
8. Visit Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein in Bath ‘After Dark’
On a short break from Monkton Combe, you can reach moorings in Bath City Centre. There you can visit Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein to experience its ‘After Dark – nights to die for’ Halloween event, on from 20-31 October 2023. The experience offers the chance to venture through rooms cloaked in darkness and features live actors, games and special effects. From our Monkton Combe base it takes four hours, passing through six locks, to reach moorings in Bath City Centre.
*NB Most of the events listed need to be booked in advance via the venue’s website
Top 7 week-long canal boat cruises through the countryside this Autumn
This Autumn adventure afloat on a canal cruise through the countryside, enjoying the beautiful colours in the trees and hedgerows that line our canals and rivers.
Canal boat holidays are a great way to connect with nature. You can watch-out for plant, animal and bird life along the way, including the hedgerow fruits and berries enjoyed by birds and small mammals.
To celebrate the Autumn colours along the canals, we’ve put together a guide to our top seven week-long cruises through the countryside:
1. Cruise through the Shropshire countryside to Whitchurch
On a week’s break from our canal boat hire centre at Trevor in North Wales, you can travel along the Llangollen Canal to Whitchurch and back. Along the way, you’ll cross the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, with amazing views of the Dee Valley. Then it’s on through the Shropshire countryside, passing through Ellesmere, in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. Once at Whitchurch, you can moor up to explore the Shropshire Wildlife Trust’s Greenfields Nature Reserve, with woodland walks and the chance to spot water voles. The journey from Trevor to Whitchurch and back takes 24 hours and passes through four locks (two each way).
2. Navigate through the Yorkshire countryside to Foulridge Tunnel
On a week’s break from Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire, you can cruise through the Yorkshire countryside to Foulridge Tunnel. The journey takes you through a series of historic towns and villages, including Skipton, with its medieval castle and acres of woodland trails to explore. And East Marton with access to the Pennine Way National Trail. The journey from Silsden to Foulridge and back takes 26 hours and passes through 30 locks (15 each way).
3. Boat through the Cheshire countryside to Red Bull Wharf
On a week’s break from Bunbury, you can cruise through the Cheshire countryside to Red Bull Wharf and back. The route will take you along the rural Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal, which runs from Barbridge Junction to Middlewich. This peaceful 10-mile long waterways passing through the pretty village of Church Minshull, with its popular Badger Inn gastro pub. The journey from Bunbury to Red Bull Wharf and back travels 53 miles and passes through 70 locks (35 each way).
4. Meander through the Oxfordshire countryside to Wallingford
On a week’s break from our Oxford canal boat hire base, you can cruise along the River Thames to the historic market town of Wallingford. The journey passes through miles of peaceful Oxfordshire countryside, waterside meadows and woodlands. As well as the City of Oxford, there’s a series of riverside towns and villages to visit along the way, including the historic market town of Abingdon. It takes around 18 hours to cruise from our Oxford base at Eynsham to Wallingford and back, passing through 22 locks (11 each way).
5. Wend your way through the Wiltshire countryside to the Vale of Pewsey
On a week’s break from Monkton Combe on the Kennet & Avon Canal near Bath you can reach Pewsey Wharf. The journey takes you up the 29 locks of the Caen Hill Flight, one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways. And through the beautiful Vale of Pewsey, part of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Places to visit along the way include the historic market towns of Bradford on Avon and Devizes. It takes around 38 hours to cruise from Monkton Combe to Pewsey and back, passing through 74 locks (37 each way).
6. Journey to Llangollen North Wales and visit the Horsehoe Falls
On a week’s break from Whixall Marina, on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire, you can reach the historic town of Llangollen on the edge of the Berwyn Mountains. Along the way, you’ll travel through the Shropshire countryside to Ellesmere, with its beautiful Mere and woodland walks. You’ll cruise across the magnificent Pontcysyllte and Chirk aqueducts, enjoying incredible views of the Welsh Mountains. At Llangollen, nestled in the Berwyn Mountains, you can visit the famous Horseshoe Falls. The journey from Whixall to Llangollen and back takes around 24 hours and passes through four locks (two each way).
7. Meander along the Ashby Canal SSSI
From our Stockton base on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire, you can travel up the North Oxford Canal and transfer onto the tranquil Ashby Canal. This 22-mile long lock-free waterway meanders through the Leicestershire countryside from Marston Junction to Snarestone. The six miles from Carlton Bridge 44 to Snarestone are designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for their aquatic plans. The journey from Stockton to Snarestone and back takes 44 hours and passes through 14 locks (seven each way).
Seven reasons to take a boating holiday on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal
At 127 miles, the Leeds & Liverpool Canal is the longest single canal in the country. Opened in 1816, it crosses the Pennines and links the wide waterways of Yorkshire with those of Lancashire and the River Mersey.
From Silsden, on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire, Anglo Welsh offers the choice of 18 narrowboats and six wide beam boats for hire.
To celebrate canal boat holidays in the area, we’ve listed our top 7 reasons to take a boating holiday on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal:
1. It’s good for your wellbeing
Research by the Canal & River Trust shows spending time by the waterways can make you happier and reduce anxiety. Cruising through the countryside, canal boat holiday-makers on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal can relax and unwind aboard their floating holiday home.
2. It’s the perfect way to enjoy stunning scenery
Travelling at just four-miles-an-hour means boaters get the chance to soak up the stunning scenery, including the rugged hills of the Yorkshire Dales and the woodlands of the Aire Valley.
3. It’s like a floating safari
Canals are havens for wildlife, so there’s always something special to see. As well as water birds such as moorhens, coots, swans and ducks, boaters can look out for kingfishers, damselflies, dragonflies, woodland birds and bats skimming the water at dusk.
4. There are plenty of pubs!
There are dozens of canalside pubs to enjoy along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, including the Narrow Boat at Skipton and the Bay Horse at Snaygill. Many date back to the days when canals were the transport arteries of the Industrial Revolution, providing hospitality for the working boat men and women, and their horses.
5. You can bring your pets
Anglo Welsh welcomes a wide variety of pets on board, so it’s a staycation that all the family can enjoy. As well as dogs, rabbits, hamsters, tortoises, lizards and goldfish have also enjoyed canal boat holidays on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
6. History is all around you
Britain’s canal network is a working heritage made up of thousands of historic structures, including the Bingley Five Rise staircase of locks on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal near Bradford. Listed as one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’, these cavernous locks raise (or lower) boats by 18 metres.
7. You don’t need to be an expert
A licence isn’t required to steer a canal boat, and tuition is provided as part of Anglo Welsh’s holiday hire. There’s a choice of short break holidays for beginners to enjoy on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
We offer a range of different types of holidays such as City Breaks, Relaxation Cruises and Popular Destinations
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
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