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.
Here’s 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.
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.
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.
Visit the magnificent Walled Kitchen Garden at RHS Bridgewater, close to the Bridgewater Canal near Worsley
The Royal Horticultural Society’s 154-acre garden at the Worsley New Hall estate in Salford, Greater Manchester, opened in May 2021. Said to be the biggest hands-on agricultural project undertaken in Europe since planning permission was granted in 2017, highlights include the restored Walled Kitchen Garden, with forest, herbal and formal vegetable gardens all linked by wall-trained fruit trees which wrap around the walls. From our base at Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire it takes around 23 hours, travelling 56 miles and passing through 9 locks to reach moorings on the Bridgewater Canal, close to RHS Garden Bridgewater. It’s less than a mile’s walk from the canal to the garden, and you can claim a 30% discount on the entry price for not using a car to get there.
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.
Our new two-night deals offer the chance for a quick escape!
For the first time ever, we are offering two-night breaks from our canal boat hire bases at:
Trevor in North Wales;
Bunbury and Whixall in Shropshire;
Tardebigge in Worcestershire;
Wootton Wawen in Warwickshire;
Great Haywood in Staffordshire; and
Oxford on the River Thames.
So whether you are time-short and just looking for 48 hours away, or a newcomer to canal boat holidays wanting to test the waters, our new two-night deals are a great way to get afloat.
Starting at £643 for a boat for up to four people, these special deals need to booked and taken by 14 September 2023.
You’ll be able to pick your boat up from 2.30pm on the Friday afternoon, and return it by 2.30pm on the Sunday.
Prices for our two-night specials
Price band
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
23 Jun – 6 Jul
£593
£643
£673
£807
£883
£917
£990
£1,097
7 Jul – 24 Aug
£707
£760
£810
£957
£1,057
£1,153
£1,297
£1,433
25 Aug – 14 Sep
£593
£643
£673
£807
£883
£917
£990
£1,097
**Please note, prices quoted do not include the damage waiver of £50, and fuel deposit of £70 for a short break.
1. Navigate through the Cheshire countryside to ancient Middlewich
From Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal, it’s a peaceful five-and-a-half-hour cruise through the Cheshire countryside to Middlewich. After travelling south two miles to Barbridge Junction, home of the Olde Barbridge Inn, you can transfer onto the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal. This quiet canal, with just four locks along its 10-mile length, travels peacefully through the Cheshire countryside. You can stop off along the way at Church Minshull, where the popular Badger Inn is a short walk from the canal. And there’s a choice places eat and drink in Middlewich, which dates back to into pre-history and the first hunter gatherers.
2. Head into Birmingham City Centre lock-free
With no locks between Tardebigge and Birmingham City Centre, this five-and-a half-hour cruise is perfect for a two-night break. You’ll cruise for 14 miles along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. The first half of the journey passes through fields, woods and villages, before gradually becoming more urbanised. There are four tunnels to navigate through, including the 2,726-yard long Wast Hill Tunnel. Once you reach the centre of Birmingham, there are over-night moorings at Gas Street Basin, with easy access to Brindleyplace waterside restaurants, Sea Life Centre, Mailbox shopping centre and other leading attractions.
3. Cruise across the Stream in the Sky to historic Ellesmere
The seven-hour journey along the Llangollen Canal from Trevor to Ellesmere, in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District, offers a fantastic two-night route. The route includes the experience of travelling across the incredible UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, with jaw-dropping panoramic views of the Dee Valley 38 metres below. There are two locks, two tunnels and two aqueducts along the way.
4. Boat through the Staffordshire countryside to Fradley Pool Nature Reserve
From Great Haywood, you can head south along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Fradley Junction. The journey takes around five hours, travelling 12 peaceful miles through the Staffordshire countryside. There are just five locks to pass through, and you’ll pass canalside pubs at Wolseley and Rugeley. At Fradley, you can enjoy spotting wildlife along the woodland trail and boardwalk at Fradley Pool Nature Reserve. And the Canalside Café and Swan Inn offer waterside refreshments.
5. Navigate through Shakespeare country to Stratford-upon-Avon
From Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal, it takes around six hours to reach overnight moorings in Bancroft Basin in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon. The route through the Warwickshire countryside takes you across the Edstone Aqueduct and through 17 locks. Once there, you can walk to all the top attractions in Stratford, from theatres and museums, to pubs and restaurants.
6. Navigate the Llangollen Canal to historic Whitchurch
From Whixall, it takes around three-and-a-half hours to cruise to visitor moorings on the Whitchurch Arm, perfect for a relaxing two-night break. The route to Whitchurch travels along the Llangollen Canal through six peaceful miles of Shropshire countryside. There are no locks but there are two lift bridges. Once moored up, you can walk into Whitchurch to explore the town with its half-timbered buildings, independent shops, way-marked circular walks and Brown Moss nature reserve. There’s a good choice of places to eat and drink, including the popular Black Bear pub.
7. Take a Thames boating holiday to Oxford
From our Oxford base at Eynsham, it takes just over three hours, passing through four locks, to reach City centre moorings in Oxford. Along the way, you’ll pass through the ancient village of Wolvercote, home to the ruins of Godstow Priory. The 17th century riverside Trout Inn, famous for being a regular watering-hole for Collin Dexter’s Inspector Morse and Lewis Carroll, is also at Wolvercote. Once in Oxford, you take time to explore the city, including Oxford Castle, the Bodleian Library and Ashmolean Museum.
8. Cruise through the countryside to visit Packwood House
On a two-night break from Tardebigge, you can cruise lock-free to the village of Lapworth, home of the National Trust’s Packwood House. The journey takes you along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, through the remains of the Forest of Arden, to Kings Norton Junction. You then transfer onto the Stratford Canal to reach moorings in Lapworth. From there, it’s a short walk to the Tudor Packwood House, with 150 acres of parkland and gardens to explore, including the famous Yew Garden. The journey to Lapworth takes around seven hours and passes through three tunnels.
9. Travel through the Shropshire Lake District to Ellesmere
From Whixall, on a two-night break you can cruise to historic town of Ellesmere and back. The lock-free journey travels seven miles of the Llangollen Canal and takes around three-and-a-half hours. You’ll pass a series of meres and mosses, including Whixall Moss nature reserve, Lyneal Moss and Cole Mere. Once at Ellesmere, you can take time to explore the Mere with its Victorian gardens, woodland paths, sculpture trail and historic castle, as well as places to eat, drink and picnic.
New day boat maps to guide you on a fabulous day out
We’ve published 10 new day boat destination maps to help you plan and enjoy a fabulous family day afloat this summer.
The free maps provide details of the locks, tunnels, aqueducts and bridges you’ll meet along the way, as well as pubs, shops and other places to visit.
We offer day boat hire from six of our bases, from just £99 per day for up to 10 people.
Don’t worry if you are a newcomer to boating – full tuition is included, so we’ll show you the ropes before you set off. If you’ve ever fancied taking a canal boat holiday, but want to experience what it’s like, our day boats offer a great way to dip your toe in the water.
All our day boats are equipped with the facilities you need for a day afloat – cutlery, crockery, a kettle, cooker, fridge and toilet. So you can plan a picnic afloat along the way, or stop off at a canalside pub for lunch.
There’s indoor and outdoor seating on all our day boats, so whatever the weather, you can enjoy the ever-changing view.
We’ve published a new map for each of the following day boat destinations:
1. Glide across ‘The Stream in the Sky’to Chirk
From Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, you can cruise across to the incredible World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct to Chirk and back. The journey there takes around two-and-a-half hours. There are two aqueducts to cross and two tunnels to travel through. 2023 prices aboard our Trevor day boats ‘Jacob’, ‘Daniel’ and ‘Lotty’ are £120 on a weekday, £180 on weekends and bank holidays.
2. Cruise to Llangollen in the Berwyn Mountains
An alternative day boat destination from Trevor is the historic market town of Llangollen, nestled in the Berwyn Mountains. The journey to Llangollen, where there’s a great choice of places to eat, takes around two-and-a-half hours and there are no locks. 2023 prices aboard our Trevor day boats ‘Jacob’, ‘Daniel’ and ‘Lotty’ are £120 on a weekday, £180 on weekends and bank holidays.
3. Potter south along the Stratford Canal to Wilmcote
From Wootton Wawen in Warwickshire, you can cruise south along the Stratford Canal to Wilmcote and back. The two-and-a-half-hour journey to the historic village of Wilmcote takes you across the impressive Edstone Aqueduct. And passes through just one lock before reaching moorings a short walk from the village. Prices aboard our Wootton Wawen day boats ‘Dolly’ and ‘Charlie’ are £99 for up to 10 people on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.
4. Navigate north along the Stratford Canal to Lowsonford
From Wootton Wawen, you can cruise north along the Stratford Canal to the pretty village of Lowsonford and back. The journey takes three hours each way, and passes through eight locks each way. 2023 prices aboard our day boats ‘Dolly’ and ‘Charlie’ are £99 for up to 10 people on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.
5. Cruise south along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Rugeley
On a day afloat from Great Haywood, near Stafford, you can cruise to the historic market town of Rugeley and back. The journey to Rugeley travels four miles, passes through two locks and takes around three hours. Along the way, you’ll pass Little Haywood with a choice of pubs, and the Wolseley Arms at Wolseley Bridge. 2023 day hire prices for ‘Daphne’ and ‘Abi’ are £99 on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.
6. Navigate north along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Sandon
From Great Haywood, you can head north along the Trent & Mersey Canal to the Dog & Doublet pub at Sandon. The journey takes around two-and-a-half hours and passes through three locks. 2023 day hire prices for ‘Daphne’ and ‘Abi’ are £99 on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.
7. Travel through the Forest of Arden in Worcestershire
From Tardebigge near Bromsgrove, you can cruise along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, through the remains of the Forest of Arden, to Kings Norton. The journey takes around three hours, and passes through two tunnels and over two aqueducts. There’s a choice of pubs along the way, including the Crown at Alvechurch. Prices aboard day boat ‘Emma’ are £99 on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays. ‘Emma’ can also be hired for a night for two people, with prices starting at £198, plus fuel.
8. Cruise 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. Prices aboard day boat ‘Bella’ are £99 on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.
9. Glide through the Shropshire countryside to historic Whitchurch
On a day afloat from Whixall on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal, you can reach the historic market town of Whitchurch. The lock-free journey, which takes around two-and-a-half hours, passes the Hadley Farm Café along the way. Prices for day boat ‘Julia’ are £99 for up to 10 people on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.
10. Navigate through the Shropshire Lake District to Ellesmere
From Whixall, it takes around three hours to reach the historic market town of Ellesmere, in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. The lock-free route passes Cole Mere and takes you through Ellesmere Tunnel. Prices for day boat ‘Julia’ are £99 for up to 10 people on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.
Wide beam canal boat hire on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal
Janet, office manager of our Silsden canal boat hire base, on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal near Keighley in West Yorkshire, outlines the variety of boats and routes available from our newest boat yard.
Embarking on a canal boat holiday from Silsden, offers the chance to enjoy the stunning scenery of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. From vibrant city centres, industrial history and mills, to rugged hills, wooded valleys and moors, there’s a wide variety of landscapes to see.
Here at Silsden, we offer the choice of 18 narrowboats and six wide beam boats for hire. Our narrowboats for hire range in size from boats for five, up to nine people. And our wide beam boats offer flexible accommodation for up to eight people, with en-suite bedrooms, spacious lounges and even wood burning stoves.
The Leeds & Liverpool Canal is the longest single canal in the country
At 127 miles, with 93 locks and two tunnels, the Leeds & Liverpool Canal is the longest single canal in the country. It crosses the Pennines and links the wide waterways of Yorkshire with those of Lancashire and the River Mersey.
The scenery of this historic waterway varies dramatically. It takes canal boat holiday-makers into the heart of the vibrant centres of Leeds, Liverpool, Wigan and Burnley. And through awe-inspiring vast areas of open space, including the moorlands at the canal’s summit, and the woodlands of the Aire Valley.
Silsden offers a great choice of destinations.
On a short break or week long canal boat holiday from Silsden, there are dozens of destinations to choose from.
Here are two of our most popular routes on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal:
1. Take a short break to Gargrave, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales
On a short break from Silsden, you can head west towards Liverpool to the pretty village of Gargrave. This is a great route for beginners, with the journey to Gargrave taking around seven hours and passing through just three locks.
Heading away from Silsden, you’ll first pass canalside warehouses, enjoying views of Airedale’s steep green hills. There’s a series of historic swing bridges along 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, The White Lion.
Next you’ll continue 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 – the Slaters Arms, serving homemade food and real ale.
Visit Skipton and its medieval castle
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. Dating back to 1090, this motte and bailey castle is one of the best preserved medieval castles in England, and 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, you’ll travel a further three miles through the hills to Gargrave. 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 you can access 680 square miles of some of England’s finest walking country. In Gargrave there are plenty of pubs, including The Mason’s Arms. There are also shops and a post office.
2. Enjoy a week afloat, visiting Saltaire and Leeds afloat
Heading east from Silsden, on a week’s break you can cruise to Leeds and back. The journey to Leeds takes around 17 cruising hours and passes through 28 locks. Destinations along the way include:
The famous Bingley Five staircase, one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’
These cavernous locks raise (or lower) boats 18 metres. They open directly from one to another, with the top gate of one forming the bottom of the next. It takes around one-and-a-half hours to pass through and there are lock keepers on hand to help.
The World Heritage model town at Saltaire
The fascinating model town at Saltaire, near Bradford, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was founded in 1851 by Sir Titus Salt, a leading industrialist in the woollen industry. Salt wanted his workforce to be healthier, happier and more productive, so he moved his five mills to a new green site away from the overcrowded town centre of Bradford. The mills were housed in beautiful Italianate buildings. And he built neat stone houses for his workers with community facilities, including a hospital, library, school and park.
Today, Saltaire is a popular tourist destination with shops, restaurants, cafes and galleries, including the wonderful David Hockney Gallery
The Royal Armouries in Leeds
The best place to moor up to enjoy visiting the Royal Armouries in Leeds, and other city centre attractions, is Leeds Dock. The Royal Armouries is home to the national collection of arms and armour. There are thousands of objects from across the world to admire across nine galleries. Some of the most famous objects include: Henry VIII’s ‘Horned Helmet’; and the ‘Swords of Middle Earth’, based on the prop weapons used in the ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Hobbit’ movies.
Magnificent castles to visit over the Coronation Weekend
The coronation weekend provides the perfect opportunity to visit and explore some rich history and whilst the royal residence of Windsor Castle is reachable in a 2-week cruise from our base in Oxford, England and Wales are home to more castles than just the few our new King will reside in; there’s more than 1500! They vary greatly from crumbling stone ruins to perfectly preserved buildings some of which are open to the public.
Castles were usually built overlooking and guarding key trade routes which frequently followed the path of rivers. Since many of the canals were later built along these same river valleys, they now pass many of the country’s most impressive castles – making these historic properties an ideal stop off.
From moated keeps and fairytale turrets to imposing defensive walls, every castle has its own unique story to tell, offering us a link with our often-turbulent past. So whatever style or state of repair, exploring a historic castle is a great day out for all ages.
Here are some of the magnificent castles you could visit during your coronation canal boat holiday with Anglo Welsh:
Experience Stunning Castle views on a break from Whixall or Bunbury
Sitting atop its rocky crag and boasting spectacular views across the Cheshire Plain, Beeston is one of the most dramatically sited medieval castles in England. On a clear day visitors can see all the way from the Pennines to the Welsh mountains. Built in 1220 by Ranulf de Blundeville, Earl of Chester, the castle shares the site with earlier Bronze Age and Iron Age defences which are incorporated into its structure. The castle was seized by Henry III in 1237 and remained in royal ownership until the 16th century. It came under siege during the Civil War in 1644-5 and was partially destroyed after being surrendered by the Royalists. Now run by English Heritage, the walk uphill from the canal is worth the effort for the views alone but the castle ruins are fascinating with a 360ft deep well and there is now a replica Bronze Age roundhouse on the site.
Travel back in time to a Tudor Manor House from Oxford
Dating from the turn of the 14th century, this moated fortified Tudor manor house was built by Sir John de Broughton. It passed into ownership of Lord Saye and Sele, in 1448 and has remained in the same family ever since. It is now home to the 21st Lord and Lady Saye and Sele who open the property to visitors on selected days throughout the year. Moor up during your narrowboat holiday to take a tour of the house and admire a family collection amassed over more than 550 years. Enjoy a stroll around the beautiful formal gardens before sitting down to a well-earned cuppa in the tea rooms. Broughton was awarded five stars by author and broadcaster Simon Jenkins in his book England’s Thousand Best Houses.
Cruise from Tardebigge to take in some History
Home to the Bishops of Worcester for more than 1000 years and now home to the Worcestershire County Museum, this castle is worth stepping ashore from your canal boat holiday cruise. The older 15th century castle was rebuilt in the 18th century and boasts the bishops Palace with impressive state rooms and antiques while the museum has a fine collection of costumes, carriages and toys. Visitors can also enjoy a walk around the extensive grounds with stunning views of the palace. Hartlebury Castle won the Visit England Hidden Gem award for the second year in a row in 2019 in recognition of its great visitor experience.
Visit Warwick Castle from Wootton Wawen or Stockton
One of the best-preserved medieval castles in the UK, Warwick Castle looms over the town and River Avon and offers a full day of entertainment during a narrowboat holiday. Originally built by William the Conqueror in 1068 to secure his dominance over England and protect supply routes, the castle has since been rebuilt and remodeled several times. Much of the remaining edifice dates from the 14th century when the castle was refortified by Thomas Beauchamp after the outbreak of the 100 Year’s War. Since being bought by Tussauds Group in 1978, the castle has undergone millions of pounds worth of restoration so visitors can explore the towers and ramparts, Great Hall and state rooms before delving into the gruesome dungeon and testing themselves in the Horrible Histories maze. There are also daily live shows including falconry, the Wars of the Roses live and the Dragon Slayer which should have the kids entranced.
Step into some Medieval History from Silsden
Over 900 years old, Skipton Castle is one of the most complete and best-preserved medieval castles in England and is open to visitors throughout the year. A wooden motte and bailey were constructed on the site in 1090 but quickly replaced by a more robust stone fortress to withstand the marauding Scots. In 1310 Edward II granted the castle to Robert Clifford and the history of the castle was inseparable from that of the Clifford family for the next three centuries and was the last Royalist bastion of the north during the Civil War, yielding only after a three-year siege in 1645. A short walk from the canal, visitors can explore every corner of this impressive castle, from the Banqueting Hall through to the kitchen, the bedchamber and privy. You can climb from the depths of the dungeon to the top story of the watch tower for great views over the Yorkshire countryside.
Explore Chirk Castle from Trevor
Built in 1310 during Edward I’s campaign to bring Wales under his control, Chirk Castle was designed to be a bold symbol of power. Built on a steep hill high above the meeting point of the rivers Dee and Ceiriog, the silhouette of the castle still looms over the surrounding countryside of Wales and England. In 1595 the fortress was bought by Sir Thomas Myddleton who made his fortune investing in the East India Company and transformed Chirk Castle into an elegant family home. Now run by the National Trust, visitors can admire the lavish furnishings reflecting four centuries of changing tastes and styles within the castle as well as the 5.5 acres of ornamental gardens and 480 acres of rolling parkland, making it a perfect family day out for your canal boat holiday.
Spring is a fantastic time to take a narrowboat holiday on Britain’s beautiful inland waterways, when the countryside is bursting with new life.
With blossoming waterside trees and hedges, busy nest-building birds, ducklings bobbing on the water, spring lambs playing in the fields, and carpets of bluebells in waterside woodlands, there’s so much to look out for on a Spring adventure afloat. To celebrate Spring and the wildlife that makes its home on our canals and rivers.
We’ve Put Together Our Top 10 Spring Canal Boat Holiday Destinations for 2023:
1. Drift through the beautiful prehistoric Vale of Pewsey
On a week’s break from our canal boat rental base at Monkton Coombe you can cruise through the beautiful Vale of Pewsey, part of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You’ll travel along the Kennet & Avon Canal passing through miles of peaceful Wiltshire countryside, and a series of villages and country pubs along the way. You’ll travel up the mighty Caen Hill Flight of 29 locks at Devizes and along the edge of the ancient Savernake Forest and then on through the Vale of Pewsey. The journey to Pewsey and back takes around 38 hours, passing through 74 locks (37 each way).
2. Cruise to the gateway of the Yorkshire Dales to explore Skipton Castle Woods
From our barge holiday hire base at Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal it takes just over three hours to reach Skipton, the ‘Gateway to the Dales’. Here, Skipton Castle Woods with acres of woodlands trails, is a great place to explore in the Spring. For nearly a thousand years the woods provided fuel, food and building materials for castle inhabitants. Today there are at least 18 species of trees flourishing there, and hundreds of flowering plants, including wild orchids and bluebells in the Spring. The journey along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal to Silsden passes through the typical Yorkshire stone built villages of Kildwick and Farnhill. And on into a dense wooded area famous for its bluebells and deer. The journey to Silsden and back travels 13 miles and takes around seven cruising hours.
3. Travel to Llangollen on the edge of the Berwyn Mountains
On a week-long holiday from our canal boat rental base at Whixall Marina, on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire you can reach the pretty town of Llangollen. Along the way, you’ll travel through the beautiful Shropshire Lake District and across the incredible World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Once in Llangollen, you can moor up to enjoy exploring this pretty town nestled on the edge of the Berwyn Mountains. There are regular markets packed with local produce, a choice of independent shops and restaurants, and the famous Horseshoe Falls. The journey to Llangollen and back takes around 24 cruising hours, and passes through just four locks (two each way).
4. Wend your way to Fradley Pool Nature Reserve
On a short break from our base on the Trent & Mersey Canal at Great Haywood near Stafford, you can reach Fradley Pool Nature Reserve. Fradley Pool is home to a variety of water birds and it’s a great place to spot bats swooping across the water at dusk. There are walking trails, sculpture trails, places to picnic and a choice of places to eat and drink, including the historic Swan Inn. The journey to Fradley and back travels 24 miles, passes through 10 locks (five each way) and takes around 12 hours.
5. Navigate the Four Counties Ring for stunning views of the Cheshire Plains
On a week or 10-day break from our narrowboat rental base at Bunbury you can cruise the popular Four Counties Ring through some of England’s best loved countryside. The route takes you through the counties of Staffordshire, the West Midlands, Cheshire and Shropshire. It cruises sections of the Trent & Mersey, Staffordshire & Worcestershire and Shropshire Union canals. There panoramic views to enjoy from the flight of 31 locks between Middlewich and Kidsgrove on the Trent & Mersey Canal. And stunning views of the rolling Cheshire Plains on the Shropshire Union Canal. From Bunbury, completing the Four Counties Ring takes around 58 cruising hours and passes through 96 locks.
6. Take part in #BlossomWatch at Packwood House
On a short break from our Tardebigge base near Bromsgrove, you can cruise to the village of Lapworth, home of the National Trust’s Packwood House. The route takes you through the Worcestershire countryside along the Worcestershire & Birmingham Canal to Kings Norton Junction. There you can transfer onto the Stratford Canal to reach the village of Lapworth. At Packwood House every Spring blossom spreads across the garden and parkland, including on the cherry and apple trees in the orchard. The National Trust’s #BlossomWatch invites visitors to share pictures of spring blossom on social media. The journey to Lapworth and back takes around 14 hours.
7. Enjoy bird spotting at Ellesmere in the heart of Shropshire Lake District
From our narrowboat hire base on the Llangollen Canal at Trevor in North Wales, on a short break you can reach the medieval market town of Ellesmere. Along the way, you’ll cross over the famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, 38 metres high above the Dee Valley. The Mere at Ellesmere is a large lake packed with wildlife. There are woodland walks, places to eat, drink and picnic, a sculpture trail and adventure playground. You can spot many of types of birds, including kingfishers, yellow hammers, tree sparrows, lapwing, sand martins and ringed plovers. There are also wading birds such as curlew, greenshank, godwit and whimbrel, as well as herons using the heronry on Moscow Island. The journey to Ellesmere and back takes around 14 hours and passes through four locks (two each way).
8. Cruise along the River Thames past riverside woodlands and meadows
On a short break from our Oxford base, you can enjoy a Thames boating holiday to the historic market town of Abingdon. Along the way, you’ll cruise through the outskirts of the ancient City of Oxford. Then on through beautiful stretches of Oxfordshire countryside, with lush riverside meadows and the chance to hear cuckoos calling. There are also riverside woodlands with carpets of bluebells to look out for. Once moored up at Abingdon, you can enjoy exploring riverside walks, parks and eateries, including the popular waterside Nag’s Head. The journey to Abingdon and back takes around 10 hours, passing through 12 locks (six each way).
9. Travel through the Northamptonshire countryside to Stoke Bruerne
On a mid-week or week-long break from our base at Stockton, you can cruise to the pretty Northamptonshire village of Stoke Bruerne. The journey along the Grand Union Canal takes you gently through the countryside and the 2,813-metre long Blisworth Tunnel. You can moor up in Stoke Bruerne to enjoy a choice of canalside pubs and browsing the intriguing waterway history collections at the Canal Museum. And there’s a wonderful woodland walk and sculpture trail alongside the canal to explore, with the chance to spot a wide variety of woodland birds. The journey to Stoke Bruerne and back takes around 25 hours and passes through 34 locks (17 each way).
10. Navigate the Avon Ring through some of England’s best loved countryside
On a 10-day break from Wootton Wawen, you can complete the Avon Ring. This 109-mile circuit travels through some of the most beautiful countryside in England. You’ll first travel along the pretty Stratford Canal to Shakespeare’s Stratford. Here you can transfer onto the River Avon to begin cruising through idyllic countryside, to Evesham and Tewkesbury, with panoramic views of Warwickshire and the Cotswolds beyond. At Tewkesbury you’ll lock onto the River Severn, and later transfer onto the Worcestershire & Birmingham Canal at Diglis. Completing the Avon Ring from Wootton Wawen takes around 58 hours and passes through 131 locks.
