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Top 7 October half term canal boat holiday destinations

You can visit Shakespeare's Birthplace in Stratford upon Avon on a canal boat holiday

Our top 7 October half term canal boat holiday destinations include Chirk Castle

You’ll be self-contained on board your very own floating holiday cottage. On board you’ll find all the key comforts of home, including hot water, TV, WiFi*, well-stocked kitchens, showers, flushing toilets and central heating.

We’ve put together a guide to our top 9 narrowboat holiday destinations and Halloween events** this October half term:

1. Enjoy live performances of Shakespeare’s spookiest plays

From our boat yard on the Stratford Canal at Wootton Wawen, it takes around six hours to reach Bancroft Basin in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon. A short walk away at Shakespeare’s Birthplace, visitors can experience live performances of of scenes from some of Shakespeare’s spookiest plays. The special Halloween event is on from Saturday 26 October to Sunday 3 November 2024. The journey to Stratford and back from Wootton Wawen passes through 34 locks (17 each way) and takes around 12 hours.

2. Cruise to Llangollen to visit the magnificent Horseshoe Falls

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

3. Hear tales of Folklore, myth and tradition at the Shugborough Estate

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.  From 5-30 October, Shugborough Rangers will be hosting daily walking talks around the gardens and grounds recounting tales of Folklore, myth and tradition.

4. Experience the Super Natural at Chester Zoo

On a short break from our Bunbury base on the Shropshire Union Canal near Tarporley, you can reach the historic City of Chester, home of the award-winning Chester Zoo.  The journey to Chester cruises 12 miles, passes through 18 locks and takes around seven hours.  From 28 September to 2 November 2024, Chester Zoo will be hosting a special Super Natural event. Visitors can shrink to the size of a rat in a giant pumpkin sculpture trail. Then adventure into unexplored lands with a digital immersive story experience, encountering mysterious mythical beasts.

5. Face medieval monster-themed challenges at Chirk Castle

From Whixall, on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal, you can reach Chirk in around eight hours.  The journey passes through just two locks.  From visitor moorings on the canal at Chirk it takes around 30 minutes to walk up to the National Trust’s Chirk Castle.  From 26 October to 2 November, Chirk Castle will be offering a Medieval Monster Activity Sheet for a self-led monster-themed adventure challenge.

6. Take a ghost tour in Bath

From Bradford on Avon, it takes around five hours, passing through seven locks, to cruise into Bath City Centre.  From there, you can explore this UNESCO World Heritage city and book a Ghost Tour. The tour takes visitors on a thrilling tour of Bath, discovering tales of murder, mayhem, witch burnings, hangings, medieval monks, duels and poltergeists.

7. Experience the Royal Armouries Escape Room in Leeds

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

*NB Our Silsden boats don’t have WiFi

**NB Most of the events listed need to be booked in advance via the venue’s website

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Best August bank holiday boating breaks

August bank holiday family canal boat breaks

The August bank holiday weekend is a great time to take to the water for a boating break

Our best August bank holiday boating breaks take you through some of Britain’s best-loved countryside, and into the heart of some our most famous waterside towns and cities.

Canal boat holidays are great for families, bringing everyone together for an adventure afloat.  From steering the boat and working the locks, to planning the route and watching out for wildlife, there’s plenty to get involved in.

Pets are welcome aboard all our boats, so all the family can enjoy a relaxing staycation together.  And there’s everything you need on board for a self-catering holiday afloat if you want to keep your costs down.

There are hundreds of waterside destinations in England and Wales to choose from.

To celebrate the upcoming August bank holiday, we’ve put together a guide to our top 8 August bank holiday weekend boating breaks:

1. Cruise along the Llangollen Canal to Ellesmere

On a weekend away from Trevor in North Wales, you can cruise to Ellesmere, in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District.  The journey takes you across the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, 39 metres high above the Dee valley. At Ellesmere, you can moor up to explore this historic market town and its ancient mere, with woodland walks and places to eat.  The journey to Ellesmere takes around seven hours, crosses two aqueducts, and passes through two locks and two tunnels.

2. Navigate the Stratford Canal to Stratford-upon-Avon

From Wootton Wawen it takes around six hours to cruise along the Stratford Canal to Shakespeare’s Stratford.  The route takes you through the Warwickshire countryside to reach overnight moorings in Bancroft Basin in the heart of Stratford upon Avon.  Once there, you can walk to top attractions, including the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Shakespeare’s Birthplace.  There are 17 locks to pass through along the way, and you’ll cross the impressive Edstone Aqueduct, the longest aqueduct in England.

3. Take a Thames boating holiday to Oxford

From our Oxford base on the River Thames at Eynsham, it takes just over three hours to reach Oxford City centre.  There are just four locks to pass through along the way and some are manned, offering help to newcomers.  Along the way, you’ll pass through Wolvercote, home of the popular riverside Trout Inn.  Once in Oxford, you take time to explore the city, including the Bodleian Library, Carfax Tower and Oxford Castle.

4. Travel along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Fradley

From Great Haywood, you can head south along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Fradley Junction.  The journey takes around five hours, travelling 12 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 refreshments at the Canalside Café or The Swan Inn. And you can take a wildlife-spotting walk along the woodland trail and boardwalk at Fradley Pool Nature Reserve.

5. Cruise along the Shropshire Union Canal to Chester

On a weekend away, from Bunbury you can navigate to the ancient city of Chester.  Cruising along the Shropshire Union Canal, the route passes through beautiful Cheshire countryside and a series of canalside villages.  There are historic local pubs along the way, including The Ring O’Bells at Christleton and The Shady Oak at Bates Mill Bridge.  Once in Chester, you can to explore some of the City’s attractions, including the Roman Amphitheatre, city walls and Chester Rows shops. The journey to Chester takes around seven hours and passes through nine locks.

6. Float along the Kennet & Avon Canal to Bradford on Avon

From our base at Sydney Wharf near Bath, it takes just four hours to reach the lovely market town of Bradford on Avon. There’s just one lock to pass through and stunning Bath stone aqueducts to glide across at Dundas and Avoncliff.  You’ll pass a series of canalside pubs along the way, including The George at Bathampton and Cross Guns at Avoncliff.  Once in Bradford on Avon, you can moor up to visit Historic England’s medieval Tithe Barn.  And there’s a great choice of places to eat, including the riverside Timbrell’s Yard.

7. Cruise along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal to Gargrave

From Silsden, you can cruise through the Yorkshire countryside to Gargrave on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.  The route travels 12 miles and passes through Skipton, home to the medieval Skipton Castle and Woods.  At Gargrave, there are plenty of pubs to enjoy, including The Mason’s Arms and Cross Keys Inn.  The route to Gargrave passes through three locks, and takes around 6½ hours.

8. Glide along the Llangollen Canal to Chirk

On a weekend break from Whixall Marina in Shropshire, you can cruise through the countryside to Chirk, on the border between England and Wales.  The journey takes around eight hours and passes through just two locks.  Along the way, you’ll pass Whixall Moss nature reserve and the historic market town of Ellesmere. At Chirk, there’s a choice of canalside pubs and the National Trust’s medieval Chirk Castle to visit.

Click here to book a holiday, or call our friendly booking team on 0117 304 1122.

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Top 6 summer canal boat holiday circuits

Best canal boat holiday circuits and rings

Canal circuits and rings take in a wide variety of landscapes and are popular routes for narrowboat holidays

Canal boat holiday circuits and cruising rings bring you back to your narrowboat hire base without having to travel the same way twice.

Some are seriously challenging, with steep flights of locks and long dark tunnels to negotiate.  Others are easier and more suitable for boating beginners.

All offer a wonderful summer holiday adventure and the chance to explore some of Britain’s best loved countryside, as well as vibrant city centres.  All from your very own floating holiday home.

Here’s a guide to our top six narrowboat holiday summer circuits to explore:

1. The Black Country Ring

Setting off from our canal boat rental base at Great Haywood, the Black Country Ring can be done in a week.  You’ll cruise sections of the Birmingham & Fazeley, Birmingham Main Line, Coventry, Staffordshire & Worcestershire and Trent & Mersey canals.  Highlights include: Birmingham’s Gas Street Basin; the 21 locks at Wolverhampton; and the peaceful waters at Tixall Wide.  To complete the Black Country Ring from Great Haywood you’ll travel 75 miles, through 79 locks in around 43 hours.

2. The Four Counties Ring

Departing from our bases at Great Haywood, Bunbury or Whixall, this popular circuit can be completed on a 10-day or two-week break.  It takes you through the counties of Staffordshire, the West Midlands, Cheshire and Shropshire. Highlights include: the 2670-metre long Harecastle Tunnel; the flight of 15 locks at Audlem; views of the rolling Cheshire Plains; and the Roman town of Middlewich.  To complete the Four Counties Ring from Great Haywood, you will travel 110 miles, pass through 94 locks, which will take around 55 hours.  From Bunbury, it will be 115 miles, 96 locks and 58 hours.  From Whixall, it’s 137 miles, 132 locks and 86 hours.

3. The Cheshire Ring

From our Bunbury base, you can complete the Cheshire Ring on a 10-day or two-week break.  The journey will take you right through the heart of Manchester and into the Peak District via the Ashton, Macclesfield, Peak Forest, Rochdale, Trent & Mersey and Bridgewater canals.  Highlights along the way include: the incredible Anderton Boat Lift; stunning views of the Peak District; and Manchester’s China Town.  To complete the Cheshire Ring from Bunbury, you will travel 122 miles and pass through 102 locks, which takes around 86 hours.

4. The Warwickshire Ring

Setting off from Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal, you can complete the Warwickshire Ring on a 10-day or two-week break. You’ll travel along sections of the Grand Union, Oxford, Coventry and Birmingham & Fazeley canals.  Highlights include: the flight of 11 locks into Atherstone; the pretty canal village of Braunston; the awesome flight of 21 locks at Hatton; and Warwick Castle.  To complete the Warwickshire Ring from Wootton Wawen, you’ll pass through 128 locks in around 59 hours.

5. The Birmingham Mini-Ring

With more canals than Venice, exploring the Birmingham area by boat is one of the best ways to experience Britain’s vibrant second city. You can complete the Birmingham Mini-Ring on a week’s break from Wootton Wawen.  The route takes in sections of the Worcester & Birmingham, Birmingham Main Line and Grand Union canals. Highlights include: the historic village of Bournville, home of Cadbury’s chocolate; Gas Street Basin in central Birmingham; and the flight of 13 locks at Farmers Bridge.  To complete the Birmingham Mini-Ring from Wootton Wawen it takes around 35 hours and you’ll pass through 83 locks.

6. The Avon Ring

You can complete this epic circuit on a two week break Wootton Wawen.  The journey navigates sections of the Stratford Canal, River Avon, River Severn and Worcester & Birmingham Canal. Highlights include: Shakespeare’s Stratford; the River Avon with its panoramic views; the charming historic town of Evesham; the Cotswold medieval town of Tewskesbury; the City of Worcester with its magnificent cathedral; and the flight of 30 locks at Tardebigge.  To complete the Avon Ring from Wootton Wawen, you’ll travel 109 miles and pass through 131 locks, which will take around 58 hours.

To check availability and book click here or call us on 0117 463 3419.

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Best February half term canal boat holiday destinations

Best February half term canal boat holiday destinations

There’s a great choice of exciting family destinations to visit on a half term boating breaks on the canals

All our boats have central heating, and some also have multi-fuel stoves, so it’s always nice and cosy on board.

Here’s a guide to our top four destinations on a family canal boat holiday this February half term:

  1. Visit the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon – from our base at on the Stratford Canal at Wootton Wawen, near Henley-in-Arden in Warwickshire, it’s a picturesque six-hour cruise through the Warwickshire countryside to Shakespeare’s Stratford. Once there, you can moor up in Bancroft Basin and visit Stratford’s museums, theatres, restaurants and shops, including the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
  2. Swap the water for the Steam Railway at Llangollen – from Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, it takes just two hours to cruise to the beautiful town of Llangollen, on the edge of the Berwyn Mountains.  Once there, you can moor up and take time to explore this pretty town which offers plenty of places to eat and visit, including the Llangollen Steam Railway.
  3. Discover Britain’s Secret Nuclear Bunker – from Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire, it takes around three-and-a-half hours, travelling nine miles and passing through just two locks, to reach moorings close to the Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker Museum.  This fascinating blast-proof underground bunker was once one of the nation’s most secret defence sites.
  4. Cruise to Waterworld for Tropical Aqua Park – heading north from Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal near Stafford, you can reach the Festival Park in Stoke on Trent in around 13 hours. From there it’s a 10-minute walk to Waterworld, where you can enjoy 30 thrill seeking rides, including the legendary Thunderbolt.

Click here to book or call us on 0117 304 1122.

NB Winter maintence work on the canals can lead to route closures.

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Christmas canal boat holidays

Christmas canal boat holidays
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.

Anglo Welsh also offers Christmas and New Year narrowboat holidays from Trevor, Whixall, Bath, Bunbury, Wootton Wawen and Silsden.

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.

The event is on from 1-24 December and tickets have to be booked in advance via their website Luminate Shugborough Light Trail at Shugborough Estate, Staffordshire

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.

Happy Christmas from the Great Haywood team!

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Top 8 gardens to visit on a canal boat holiday

Best gardens to visit on a canal boat holiday

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:

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

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Best winter canal boat holidays

Winter canal boat holidays in England and Wales

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. 

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Top 8 places to celebrate Halloween on a canal boat holiday

Best destinations to celebrate Halloween on a barge holiday

Canal boat holidays offer the chance to enjoy a family staycation afloat this October Half Term

You can spend time together exploring the waterways and visit 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 base 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.

6. Experience Warwick Castle’s ‘Haunted Castle’ event

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

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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

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