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Best romantic canal boat holiday destinations to visit this Valentine’s Day

Best romantic canal boat holiday destinations to visit this Valentine's Day

Roxy, who works in the Anglo Welsh Head Office, has been tailor-making canal boat holidays for Anglo Welsh clients for over four years, and she loves to match people with the perfect holiday. Who better then to advise old-school romantics on how to woo their Valentine with a perfect date on the waterways.

Travelling by narrowboat is romantic. That’s a fact. The views, the traditions and the pace of life are perfect for couples wanting to spend some quality time together, so why not treat your partner to a romantic mini-break on a ‘love boat’ this Valentine’s Day?

Anglo Welsh Holidays offers winter cruising from six narrowboat hire bases in England and Wales, and all our boats are beautifully equipped with comfy beds, contemporary kitchens, modern bathrooms and central heating, so you’ll both be snuggly and warm on board.

With the freedom to roam the waterways from your cruising love-nest you can access some of Britain’s most-loved towns and villages, without having encounter a single traffic jam. Take romantic strolls along frosty towpaths, indulge in candlelit dinners for two in waterside dining destinations and cosy up by roaring log fires in traditional country pubs.

We also offer day hire from six of our canal boat hire bases, giving the option of just taking a day out on the waterways.  Full tuition is included, so you can get the hang of steering the boat, working the locks and mooring up.  All our day boats are equipped with the facilities you need for a day afloat – cutlery, crockery, a kettle, cooker, fridge and toilet.

To help you decide where to go, with a mix of day and mini-break hire, I’ve chosen my top six romantic destinations, for Valentine’s Day.  Whether you’re looking to propose, shop for a ring or simply enjoy being together in some of the most beautiful places in the UK.

Discover Romantic Canal Boat Holiday Destinations for Valentines Day:

  1. Propose by a waterfall in the Welsh Mountains– from our canal barge hire base at Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, it takes just two hours to reach the pretty Eistedfordd town of Llangollen, nestled in the Berwyn Mountains. As well as providing a choice of romantic settings to propose, including the famous Horseshoe Falls, Llangollen offers lovers regular markets packed with local produce to saunter through hand-in-hand and a number of romantic waterside dining venues, including the popular Corn Mill.
  2. Choose a ring in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter – from our canal boat rental base at Tardebigge on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove, it takes five hours to reach over-night moorings in the centre of Birmingham, where lovers can moor up and head to the famous Jewellery Quarter to find the perfect engagement or eternity ring. There are plenty of places to wine and dine in Brindleyplace, including Marco Pierre White’s restaurant at the top of The Cube, serving ‘spectacular steaks and signature cocktails’ with stunning views across Birmingham.
  3. Experience panoramic views from Nantwich Aqueduct – from our canal boat hire base at Bunbury Wharf on the Shropshire Union Canal near Tarporley, you can hire a boat for the day and cruise south for six sedate miles to the historic town of Nantwich. Here boaters can glide across the town’s impressive Grade II* listed aqueduct to enjoy panoramic views across the town.  With no locks along the way, the journey to Nantwich takes around two hours.  There are moorings next to the aqueduct and choice of places to eat, including The Waterside Café.
  4. Read Shakespeare’s Sonnets in Stratford – on a short break from our narrowboat hire base at Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal in Warwickshire, canal boat holiday-makers can cruise through the Warwickshire countryside to Stratford upon Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare. Once there, you can moor up in Bancroft Basin to a great choice of dining venues, including the waterside Carluccio’s, book a Tower Tour at the Swan Theatre to enjoy panoramic views of Stratford and visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace to find out more about the Bard, his romantic plays and his love poems.
  5. Enjoy a rural retreat in Staffordshire – from our narrowboat rental base at Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal in Staffordshire, you can hire a day boat and cruise quietly through the Staffordshire countryside to the historic market town of Rugeley. The journey travels four miles, passes through two locks and takes around two hours.  Along the way, the route passes the National Trust’s impressive Shugborough Estate, the beautiful Cannock Chase Forest, the Wolseley Arms canalside pub and the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s Wolseley Centre.
  6. Cruise through the Shropshire Lake District – from our narrowboat rental base at Whixall on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire, on a short break you can head west along the Llangollen Canal to Ellesmere, in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. The journey to Ellesmere takes around two-and-a-half hours, cruising through eight miles of stunning countryside, and passing Lyneal Moss and Colemere Country Park along the way.  Once at Ellesmere, you can moor up and explore the famous Mere with its romantic historic castle, woodland paths and fascinating wildlife.

Our 2020 winter short breaks (three or four nights) start at £535*, and £740* for a week.  Or you could choose to just hire a boat for the day from one of our six boat yards offering day hire, with prices from just £99.

Plus, from our Tardebigge narrowboat hire base on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromgsrove, our day boat ‘Emma’ has a cosy cabin for two and can be hired for just one or two nights.  Overnight boat rental prices aboard ‘Emma’ start at £198*.

*Fuel is charged based on use, circa £10-15 per day.  A £50 fuel deposit for short breaks is taken at the time of booking.  £90 for a week.

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Take ‘Emma’ into Birmingham to enjoy Christmas shopping afloat

Festive Canal Boat Holiday Season

We are offering a special over-night hire package aboard our Tardebigge-based cosy narrowboat for two ‘Emma’ – providing the perfect opportunity to take some of the stress out of the festive season build-up and enjoy Christmas shopping in Birmingham afloat.

Setting off from our canal boat hire base at Tardebigge, on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal just outside Bromsgrove, the lock free journey to Birmingham’s City Centre takes approximately five hours*.  Free over-night moorings are available at Gas Street Basin, offering easy access to Brindleyplace, The Mailbox and Bullring shopping centres.

Sarah Yates, our manager at Tardebigge, explains: “As well as world-class shopping centres, Birmingham famously boasts more canals than Venice, so we thought we’d bring the two together to help take some of the stress out of Christmas shopping.

“Couples can enjoy a peaceful lock free cruise along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, avoiding all the traffic and crowds travelling into Birmingham, and arriving just a short walk away from the City’s top shopping centres and a great choice of waterside eateries at Brindleyplace.

“On their Christmas mini-break, couples could perhaps also take in a show at one of Birmingham’s theatres or visit the City’s famous Frankfurt Christmas Market (7 November to 23 December) to enjoy some gluhwein, live music and romantic Christmas sparkle.”

With no locks, the journey from Tardebigge is perfect for narrowboat holiday beginners and we offer free tuition as part of our hire package.

‘Emma’ is available to hire any day of the week until 22 December (subject to availability).  Hirers can pick her up at 9am and return her by 3pm the following day.

Over-night hire packages aboard ‘Emma’ start at £198, including gas and bed linen.  Fuel is charged based on use, circa £10-15 per day.  A £50 fuel deposit is taken at the time of booking.

Anglo Welsh also offers short breaks (three or four nights) and week-long holidays across the winter from our Tardebigge, Wootton Wawen, Bunbury, Trevor, Great Haywood and Whixall bases. Narrowboats range in size from cosy boats for two, up to boats for 12 people.  Prices start at £495 for a short break on a boat for four, and £705 for a week.

*Winter maintenance work along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal may cause short delays between 9 October and 14 November inclusive.

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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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