Best romantic canal boat holiday destinations to visit this Valentine’s Day
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 offers winter cruising from six narrowboat hire bases in England and Wales. 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 to 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 you 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, we’ve chosen our top five 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, we have some great ideas for a romantic canal boat boat getaway.
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. There’s a great choice of romantic settings to propose, including the famous Horseshoe Falls. Llangollen also 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. Experience panoramic views from Nantwich Aqueduct
From Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal near Tarporley, you can cruise south for six sedate miles to the historic town of Nantwich. There you 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 a choice of places to eat, including The Waterside Café.
3. Read Shakespeare’s sonnets in Stratford-upon-Avon
On a short break from Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal in Warwickshire, you can cruise through the Warwickshire countryside to Shakespeare’s Stratford. Once there, you can moor up in Bancroft Basin to a great choice of dining venues. You can book a Tower Tour at the Swan Theatre to enjoy panoramic views of this famous historic town. And visit Shakespeare’s birthplace to find out more about The Bard, his romantic plays and his love poems. The journey from Wootton Wawen to Stratford-upon-Avon takes around 5.5 hours and passes through 17 locks.
4. Enjoy a rural retreat in Staffordshire
From our narrowboat rental base at Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal in Staffordshire, you can 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 and the beautiful Cannock Chase Forest. You’ll also pass the Wolseley Arms canalside pub and the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s Wolseley Centre.
5. Cruise through the Shropshire Lake District
On a short break from Whixall on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire, 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 Shropshire countryside. You’ll pass close to 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.
6. Navigate to UNESCO World Heritage Bath
On a short break from Bradford on Avon, you can cruise to moorings at Sydney Gardens, a short walk from Bath City Centre. Bath has so many romantic destinations to choose from, including the Georgian Pump Rooms and Bath Abbey, where you can take a Bath Abbey Tower Tour. The journey from Bradford on Avon to Sydney Gardens takes around four hours and passes through just one lock.
Our 2025 winter short breaks (three or four nights) start at £715*, and £970* 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.
*Fuel is extra with the charge based on use, circa £10-15 per day. A £70 fuel deposit for short breaks is taken at the time of booking, £110 for a week.
Best Easter canal boat holiday destinations in 2025
This Easter, narrowboat holidays offer the chance to explore the Great British countryside as it bursts into life with new leaves, daffodils, bluebells, spring lambs and nesting birds.
Set sail aboard your own floating holiday home to enjoy a fantastic family adventure, stopping off along the way to visit exciting waterside visitor attractions.
Here are our top 5 Easter holiday destinations to visit afloat in 2025:
1. Enjoy animal talks at Chester Zoo
You can reach Chester on a short break from Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire, and experience a visit to the award-winning Chester Zoo. Home to over 37,000 animals across 128 acres, every day at the zoo expert keepers and zoo rangers share fascinating facts about the animals they care for through their animal talks. From keeping elephants healthy and the hunting techniques of a Komodo dragon, to how penguins fly through the water and snow leopards live in cold temperatures. The journey from Bunbury to Chester takes around seven hours, passing through nine locks along the way.
2. Glide across ‘The Stream in the Sky’
Just five minutes from our base on the Llangollen Canal at Trevor in North Wales, you’ll encounter the incredible Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, also known as ‘The Stream in the Sky’. Its cast iron trough filled with water is supported on iron-arched ribs and carried 38 metres high above the Dee Valley on 19 hollow pillars. In 2009 the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, putting it on a par with the pyramids and Taj Mahal. On a short break from Trevor, you can cross the aqueduct and then continue east to reach the historic market town of Ellesmere in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. The journey from Trevor to Ellesmere takes around seven hours and passes through two locks.
3. Enjoy a daily show at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds
From our base at Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, on a week’s holiday you can travel to Leeds and back. There you can moor up in Leeds Dock and visit the Royal Armouries Museum, home of the national collection of arms and armour. Every day at the museum there are daily shows where the museum’s expert live interpretation team brings to life what it felt like to take part in legendary battles. From the Celtic Warrior Boudicca riding into battle against the mighty legions of Rome, to first-hand accounts from soldiers about the Battle of the Somme, the shows span from ancient times to the world wars. The journey from Silsden to Leeds takes around 11 hours and passes through 15 locks.
4. See new-born lambs at the Shugborough Estate
From our base at Great Haywood, on the Trent & Mersey Canal near Stafford, the National Trust’s beautiful Shugborough Estate is a short journey away. Here you can explore the historic mansion house and servants’ quarters, as well as visit the working farm to see lambs being born, witness bulbs blooming in the walled garden and wildlife emerging in the parkland. The journey from Great Haywood to moorings close to Shugborough takes around 20 minutes.
5. See a show at Bath’s Egg Theatre
On a short break from Bradford on Avon on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Wiltshire, you can cruise to Sydney Gardens close to Bath City Centre. There you can moor up and walk into the city to visit the famous Egg Theatre. There Return to the Forbidden Planet is being performed by the Theatre Royal Bath Theatre School 17-19 April. The journey from Bradford on Avon to Sydney Gardens in Bath takes around four hours and passes through just one lock.
Book your holiday online here or call us on 0117 463 3419.
We’re offering winter cruising from seven of our canal boat hire bases
Winter canal boat hire provides the opportunity to cruise gently through the quiet winter countryside and stop off at canalside pubs along the way.
You’ll be snug and warm on board as all our boats have central heating and hot water, and some also have multi-fuel stoves.
We offer narrowboat hire over Christmas and New Year from six of our bases. So you can celebrate the festive season afloat with family and friends. Or simply escape from it all with your nearest and dearest, aboard your very own floating holiday cottage.
Here’s a Guide to Our Top 6 Cosy Canal Boat Holiday Pubs to Cruise to This Winter
**Please note that winter maintenance on the canals may affect some routes for part of the winter, so do just check with us when you make your booking:
1. Cruise to the Dusty Miller at Wrenbury Mill, Cheshire
From Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal, it takes around seven hours to reach Wrenbury Mill. The route travels through 10 miles of the Cheshire countryside, and passes through 11 locks. You’ll start off on the Shropshire Union Canal, transferring onto the Llangollen Canal at Hurleston Junction. At Wrenbury Mill you can moor up and enjoy a meal at the Dusty Miller. They serve traditional pub food, including chicken in a basket and pie of the day. The pub is dog friendly and they have a guide to local walks on their website.
2. Head to the Swan Inn at Fradley Junction, Staffordshire
From Great Haywood it takes around five hours to reach Fradley Junction. The journey travels along the Trent & Mersey Canal for 12 miles, passing through five locks. At Fradley, you can moor up next to the historic Swan Inn, serving ‘home cooked honest meals’. They also have a doggy menu.
3. Visit the Fleur De Lys at Lowsonford, Warwickshire
From Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal, it takes around three hours to cruise to the pretty canalside village of Lowsonford. There you can moor up to visit the Fleur De Lys, a 17th century country pub famous for its pies. Eleven different types of pie are served, accompanied by seasonal vegetables, chunky chips and gravy. There are gluten free and vegan options, as well as veggie, meat and fish pies.
4. Dine out at the Corn Mill in Llangollen, Denbighshire
From Trevor on the Llangollen Canal, it takes around two-and-a-half hours to reach the pretty town of Llangollen, nestled in the Berwyn Mountains. Once there, you can moor up in Llangollen Basin and take a short walk to the popular Corn Mill pub. Housed in a 14th century watermill on the banks of the River Dee, there’s a great choice of dishes on offer. From pumpkin tortellini and a sweet potato curry, to a crispy buttermilk chicken burger and rump steak, all are calorie counted.
5. Visit the Black Bear at Whitchurch, Shropshire
Setting out from Whixall, it takes around two-and-a-half hours to reach the historic market town of Whitchurch. You’ll travel through the Shropshire countryside along the Llangollen Canal. Once at Whitchurch, you can moor up to explore the town and visit the award-winning Black Bear pub on the High Street, housed in a medieval building.
6. Dine at the Cross Guns at Avoncliff, Wiltshire
You can reach the Cross Guns pub next to Avoncliff Aqueduct on a short break from our bases at Bradford on Avon and Bath. One of Wiltshire’s best known pubs, the Cross Guns dates back to the 17th century. It’s large inglenook fireplace is the same style as those found at Hampton Court.
To check availability and book click here or call us on 0117 463 3419.
*Winter maintenance will affect some of the routes some of the time
Spend Christmas or New Year on the canals with Anglo Welsh
This winter, we’re offering winter cruising* over Christmas and New Year from six of our narrowboat hire bases.
The canals are quieter during the winter months and people tend to make shorter journeys. Winter canal boat hire is about enjoying being close to the water and nature. And visiting canalside pubs and attractions.
From a cosy narrowboat for two to a family canal boat for eight, 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. And there’s plenty of storage room on board, so you can bring lots of warm and wet weather clothing.
Here’s our guide to our top 6 narrowboat holidays for Christmas 2024
1. Float to through the Warwickshire countryside to Stratford-upon-Avon
From our narrowboat rental base on the Stratford Canal at Wootton Wawen in Warwickshire, it’s a six-hour cruise to Shakespeare’s Stratford. The journey takes you through the Warwickshire countryside, passing through 17 locks along the way. Once in Stratford-upon-Avon, you can moor up in Bancroft Basin, just a short walk from the town’s excellent choice of theatres, restaurants, markets and museums.
2. Experience Christmas in the World Heritage City of Bath
On a short break from our canal boat hire base on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Bradford on Avon, you can reach moorings at Sydney Gardens on the edge of Bath in around four cruising hours. The route takes you through the Bath Valley and across the magnificent Avoncliff and Dundas aqueducts. There’s just one lock to pass through. From moorings close to Sydney Wharf, it’s a 15 minute walk into Bath City Centre with glittering lights and festive events, including panto at the Theatre Royal.
3. Cruise through the Staffordshire countryside to Fradley
Heading south from our base at Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal, you can reach Fradley Junction in around five hours. The journey passes through five locks and 12 peaceful miles of Staffordshire countryside, including the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Places to enjoy along the way include The Wolseley Centre run by the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, the Wolseley Arms pub and the village of Handsacre with its ‘The Old Peculiar’ pub. Once at Fradley, refreshments are available at the Canalside Café or The Swan Inn, and there are walking trails at the Fradley Pool Nature Reserve.
4. Travel through the Shropshire Lake District to Ellesmere
From our base at Whixall on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire, it takes around four hours to reach the historic market town of Ellesmere in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. Along the way, the route passes Whixall Moss Nature Reserve, Lyneal Moss and Colemere Country Park. Once at Ellesmere, there’s a choice of independent shops and restaurants, as well as formal gardens, woods and castle grounds to explore at the Mere.
5. Visit the ancient city of Chester afloat
From Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal near Tarporley, it’s a seven-hour cruise through the Cheshire countryside to Chester. Once there, you can visit the City’s famous 700-year old two-tired shopping galleries – the Rows. And you can also take time to explore this ancient city’s Roman Walls, Amphitheatre, riverside gardens and sparkling city centre Christmas lights.
6. Cruise to the Eisteddfod town of Llangollen
Departing from our base at Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, it takes around two hours to cruise to Llangollen. There you can moor up in Llangollen Basin and enjoy visiting this beautiful town nestled in the Berwyn Mountains. Things to visit include the Llangollen Steam Railway, Plas Newydd house and gardens and the Horseshoe Falls. There’s a great choice of independent shops and places to eat, including the popular Corn Mill with stunning river and mountain views.
*NB Winter maintenance work can affect some routes at certain times. We’ll advise you at the time of booking.
Britain’s beautiful canal network provides the perfect destination for a boating staycation experience
Whether it’s the appeal of pottering slowly through the countryside, watching out for wildlife and stopping off at canalside pubs. Or the lure of an exciting waterside attraction in a vibrant waterfront city destination, our canal boats provide the perfect floating holiday home adventure.
To help plan your next UK waterway-getaway, here are our top 9 narrowboat holidays for the year ahead:
Take an Oxford ‘His Dark Materials’ mini-break – from our base on the River Thames near Oxford, you can enjoy a Thames boating holiday. You can reach overnight moorings at Hythe Bridge in just three hours. From there, it’s just a short walk into Oxford’s city centre for the chance to explore dozens of historic sites. These include the Bodleian Library, Lyra’s home in the BBC’s drama series ‘His Dark Materials’, based on Philip Pullman’s book ‘Northern Lights’. Just seeing this incredible building from the outside is a bucket list experience, but adults and children aged 11 and over can also explore the museum, home to nine million books across over 100 miles of shelves. The Museum also houses a number of fascinating maps, including the 14th century ‘The Bodleian Map’, the oldest surviving map of Great Britain.
Watch out for wildlife on the Montgomery Canal – from Whixall Marina, on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire, it takes around six hours to reach Frankton Junction, where the Llangollen Canal meets the Montgomery Canal. This beautiful canal, which runs for 38 miles between England and Wales, is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on both sides of the border. The entire length in Wales is also recognised as a Special Area of Conservation, making it one of the most important sites for wildlife in Europe. Currently only around half the Montgomery Canal is navigable, including an eight-mile section from Frankton Junction to Crickheath Basin. From Whixall, the journey to Crickheath and back takes around 19 hours, travelling through 36 miles of beautiful countryside. The route takes you through 16 locks (eight each way). Along the way, you can enjoy looking out for many types of waterway birds, animals and insects. As well as the shy nocturnal otter and critically endangered water vole.
Navigate the Four Counties Ring – on a week’s break from Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal in Staffordshire, you can travel round the ‘Four Counties Ring’. Cruising sections of the Trent & Mersey, Shropshire Union and Staffordshire & Worcestershire canals, this popular circuit takes boaters on a 110-mile, 60-hour, 94-lock canal boat holiday odyssey. You’ll pass through some of the most beautiful landscapes in England, including the Peak District, the rolling Cheshire Plains and the Potteries. Highlights along the way include Wedgewood Pottery in Stoke on Trent and the 1.5 mile long Harecastle Tunnel. You’ll also encounter the flight of 31 locks between Middlewich and Kidsgrove known as ‘Heartbreak Hill’. You’ll visit the Roman town of Middlewich and the historic market town of Market Drayton, home of the gingerbread man.
Climb aboard the SS Great Britain in Bristol’s Floating Harbour – from our base on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Bath, it takes around eight hours, passing through 12 locks, to reach moorings in Bristol’s Floating Harbour. Once there you can moor up to explore the harbour and Brunel’s SS Great Britain, the ship that changed the world. *NB this route is recommended route for experienced boaters and overnight mooring fees will apply
Visit the Orangutans at Chester Zoo – from Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire it takes around seven hours, passing through nine locks to reach the ancient City of Chester. Chester is home to the award-winning Chester Zoo, with over 20,000 animals from 500 species, including a family of Sumatran orangutans. Sumatran orangutans are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature with fewer than 14,000 surviving in the wild. At Chester Zoo, you can find out more about these fascinating animals and how to help to prevent their extinction.
Glide across ‘The Stream in the Sky’ to the Shropshire Lake District – just 10 minutes from our base at Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, you’ll reach the incredible Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. One of The Seven Wonders of the Waterways, the aqueduct’s carries the canal 38 metres high above the Dee Valley on 19 stone pillars. In 2009 the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct was added to the UNESCO World Heritage site list, putting it on a par with the Pyramids and Taj Mahal. On a short break from Trevor, you can cross the aqueduct and then continue east to reach the Ellesmere, in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. The journey to Ellesmere and back takes around six hours and passes through just two locks.
Travel round the Warwickshire Ring – on a 10-day or two week break from our base at Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal in Warwickshire, you can cruise the Warwickshire Ring. Travelling sections of the Grand Union, Oxford, Coventry and Birmingham & Fazeley canals, the Warwickshire Ring covers 104 miles, passes through 120 locks and takes around 60 hours to navigate. You’ll pass through miles of countryside, with fields and ancient meadows and the occasional sleepy village. And you’ll also travel through the vibrant city centre waterfronts of Birmingham. Destination highlights include the pretty canal village of Braunston and the flight of 21 locks at Hatton. You can also visit Warwick Castle and Birmingham’s Brindleyplace. The whole trip from Wootton Wawen takes around 46 hours and passes through 118 locks.
Cruise to the Yorkshire Dales National Park – on a short break from Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire, you can travel to Gargrave on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The journey there and back takes 13 hours and passes through six locks. This scenic route is perfect for beginners and you through the historic town of Skipton. There you can explore the town’s medieval stone castle and extensive woodlands managed by the Woodland Trust. Once at Gargrave, there are pubs to enjoy, including the popular Mason’s Arms. And it’s easy to access to the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Pennine Way walking trail.
See a play in Shakespeare’s Stratford – from Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal, it’s a six-hour, 17-lock cruise journey through the Warwickshire countryside to reach moorings at Bancroft Basin. This is in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon, just a stone’s throw from the Royal Shakespeare and Swan theatres. As well as enjoying the town’s lively markets, shops, restaurants and museums, you can can take in a play at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. 2024’s programme includes ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’ and ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’.
Click here to check availability and book, or call us on 0117 304 1122.
Narrowboats provide a floating holiday home so it’s possible to take many types of pets on the canals
Canal boat holidays are especially great for dogs, with plenty of towpath walks and dog-friendly canalside pubs to visit. Over the years, we’ve accommodated many other kinds of pets, including rabbits, cats, hamsters, caged birds and goldfish.
First pets go for free on all our holidays, and we charge a £25 supplement for a second pet on a short break, £35 for a week.
Guide dogs go free of charge. We allow a maximum of two pets, plus a guide dog, but all bedding and pet facilities must be provided by the owner(s).
We recommend our cruiser stern boats for holidays with a dog, as there’s more room ‘on deck’ for the dog and the rest of the family to enjoy watching the world go by.
Now for some do’s and don’ts
Do bring your dog’s bed to help them feel at home and don’t leave your dog unattended on board.
Do pack your poo bags.
Don’t let your dog swim in the canals, especially when there are ducklings, signets, goslings and other water bird chicks about.
To celebrate, here’s a guide to our top 7 canal boat holiday destinations for animal lovers:
Cruise to Cannock Chase for acres of dog walking trails – on a short break from our base on the Trent & Mersey Canal at Great Haywood in Staffordshire, you can easily reach Cannock Chase Forest where there are miles of walking trails enjoy, as well as a dog activity trail. Once a Royal Forest, Cannock Chase is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over 6,800 hectares of landscapes to explore. There are mixed deciduous woodlands, coniferous plantations and healthlands. These habitats are home to a wide variety of animals and insects, including a herd of fallow deer, a number of rare and endangered birds, including migrant nightjars, as well as butterflies, bats and reptiles. The Wolseley Centre and Nature Reserve is next to Wolseley Bridge is just two miles and two locks from Great Haywood, and offers a great gateway to Cannock Chase.
Cruise to the foot of the Caen Hill Flight – from our base at Monkton Combe on the Kennet & Avon Canal you can travel to Foxhangers Wharf, at the foot of the Caen Hill flight of locks in Devizes. Along the way, you’ll pass through miles of peaceful Wiltshire countryside, with a series of villages and dog-friendly country pubs to visit along the way. These include The Cross Guns at Avoncliff, the Barge Inn at Bradford on Avon and the Barge Inn at Seend. Once at Caen Hill, you can moor up and explore the flight and its large side ponds, which provide a fantastic haven for wildlife. Full of fish, the side ponds provide an ideal habitat for dragonflies, butterflies and many types of water birds. You can look out for swans, ducks, geese, coots, moorhens, herons and cormorants. The journey to Foxhangers Wharf and back takes around 19 hours, passing through 16 locks (eight each way).
Cruise to Ellesmere for some heron spotting – on a short break from our base on the Llangollen Canal at Trevor in North Wales, you can cruise to the Shropshire Lake District. The journey to the medieval market town of Ellesmere takes around seven hours, passing through just two locks. You’ll also cross over the magnificent Pontcysyllte and Chirk aqueducts. Moscow Island on The Mere in Ellesmere is home to the Heron Watch Scheme, where cameras allow visitors to watch the birds build nests and raise chicks. And there are plenty of woodland walks and trails to follow with your dog.
Explore the gardens and the ancient topiary at Packwood House – from Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal near Henley-in-Arden, it’s a seven-mile, 31-lock and 10-hour journey to Lapworth Lock No 6. From there, it’s a half-mile walk to the National Trust’s Packwood House, where there are miles of woodland and countryside walks to enjoy. Dogs are welcome at Packwood on leads on public footpaths across the estate, on the café terrace and in the barnyard. The house and formal gardens are only for humans.
Boat to the historic village of Wrenbury and back – from our base at Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire it takes around six hours, passing through 11 locks, to reach Wrenbury Mill on the Llangollen Canal. The journey takes you along 10 miles of waterway through quintessential Cheshire farmland and countryside. The historic village of Wrenbury, which is on the South Cheshire Way offers lots of countryside walks. It’s also a registered conservation area with plenty of wildlife to watch out for, particularly in the gardens of the Grade II listed St Margaret’s Church. There’s a choice of dog friendly pubs to visit, including the canalside Dusty Miller, and the Cotton Arms in the village of Wrenbury.
Cruise along the River Thames into the Cotswolds – from our Oxford base on the River Thames, on a four-night mid-week break you can take a tranquil nine-hour, seven-lock Thames boating holiday to the pretty market town of Lechlade on the edge of the Cotswolds. Along the way, you’ll travel through miles of peaceful Oxfordshire countryside, with plenty of dog walking opportunities. Places to visit include the village of Radcot with its 800-year old bridge across the Thames and dog-friendly bar in the Ye Olde Swan Hotel. And Kelmscott with its Grade I listed Kelmscott Manor, once the Cotswold retreat of William Morris, and popular Plough Inn.
Watch out for wildlife on the Montgomery Canal – from Whixall Marina in Shropshire, it takes around six hours to reach Frankton Junction, where the Llangollen Canal meets the Montgomery Canal. This beautiful canal runs for 38 miles between England and Wales. It is recognised as a Special Area of Conservation, making it one of the most important sites for wildlife in Europe. Currently only around half the Montgomery Canal is navigable, including a seven-mile section from Frankton Junction to Gronwyn Wharf. From Whixall, the journey to Gronwyn Wharf and back takes around 20 hours. You’ll travel through 34 miles of beautiful countryside and passing through 16 locks (eight each way). Along the way, you can look out for many types of waterway birds, animals and insects. These include dragonflies, damselflies, otters, Daubenton’s bats skimming over the water at dusk, and the critically endangered water vole.
Click here to check availability and book, or call us on 0117 304 1122.
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:
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.
Swap the water forthe 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.
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.
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.
Enjoy a rural retreat boating adventure on one of the finest canals in Britain
The peaceful 17-mile long Caldon Canal runs from the Trent & Mersey Canal at Etruria in Stoke-on-Trent, to Froghall Wharf in the Staffordshire Moorlands.
With 17 locks along its length, the canal passes through moorlands close to Denford, water meadows at Cheddleton and the beautiful wooded Churnet Valley with a restored steam railway running alongside.
In the middle of the Caldon Canal, there’s a 2¼-mile arm towards the historic market town of Leek, and the now derelict 13-mile Uttoxeter extension connects at Froghall.
Opened in 1779, the Caldon Canal was built to carry Peak District limestone for the iron industry and flints for the pottery industry. Freight traffic ceased on the Caldon soon after the railway was constructed alongside, and by the 1960s the canal was virtually unnavigable. But enthusiasts bought the canal back into use by 1974 and the Caldon and Uttoxeter Canals Trust is now working to restore the Uttoxeter branch of the waterway.
On a week’s break on the Caldon Canal
On a week’s break from our narrowboat hire base at Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal, you can cruise to Froghall Basin and back. Travelling a total of 72 miles through 72 locks, the journey to Froghall and back takes around 42 hours
You’ll first head north along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Stoke-on-Trent, to connect onto the Caldon Canal at Etruria.
Along the way, the route passes the village of Weston, with its canalside Saracen’s Head and pub on the green, The Woolpack.
Next, you’ll enjoy views of the imposing Sandon Hall, its 400 acres of rolling parkland, and Grade II* listed Pitt’s Column.
The canal then passes along the outskirts of Burston, where the family-run micro-brewery Greyhound pub is well worth the short walk to. Next you’ll reach the old market town of Stone, said to be the food and drink capital of Staffordshire. Here, there are visitor moorings at Westbridge Park, opposite the Swan pub, and a little further along past the Star pub on the left.
Next it’s Meaford Locks, and then the canalside Plume of Feathers pub at Barlaston, now run by the actor Neil Morrissey.
At Trentham Lock, you can stop-off to explore the World of Wedgwood, with a factory tour, afternoon tea in the Wedgewood tea room, woodland walks and award winning museum housing a UNESCO protected collection of huge historic and cultural significance.
Just under five miles later, after travelling through the Stoke flights of five locks, the canal reaches its junction with the Caldon Canal at Etruria. Here boaters can stop to visit the Etruria Industrial Museum, the last steam-powered potters’ mill in Britain, or the Spode Visitor Centre, the birthplace of bone china.
The Caldon Canal heads away from Stoke, through the two Bedford Street staircase locks, Planet Lock, Hanley Park and then the Ivy House Lift Bridge at Northwood, raised using a Canal & River Trust key.
By now, the canal is beginning to leave the city behind and at the suburban village of Milton there are two canalside pubs to enjoy, the Foxley and the Miners Arms.
Soon after, boaters encounter Engine Lock, one of the deepest on the canal at 12ft and then the Stockton Brook Flight of five locks, taking the canal up another 45ft to its summit level of 486ft. Views of woodlands can be enjoyed along the way, as well as the sight of the disused Stoke-to-Leek railway which crosses the canal above the second lock.
Next along the route, the canal passes through the village of Endon, with a couple of shops on the main road, with beautiful stretches of moorland scenery opening up.
At Hazelhurst Junction, where the Leek Branch connects, amid gently rolling hills, the mainline starts its descent via the three Hazelhurst Locks, before being crossed by the Leek Arm on a brick aqueduct overhead.
Soon after, the popular Hollybush Inn at Denford, housed in an old flour mill, offers visitors award winning ales, homemade food, log fires in the winter and a large canalside beer garden for warmer days.
The canal takes boaters past Deep Hayes Country Park, where three large scenic pools are surrounded by way-marked woodland walks. Moorings are provided for boaters who want to stop and explore this beautiful park.
Travelling alongside the River Churnet through beautiful countryside, look out for kingfishers, herons, jays and woodpeckers, as well as otters which have recently returned to the area.
At Cheddleton, there’s the little Flint Mill Museum to visit on selected weekends, a fish and chip shop, post office, supermarkets, Black Lion pub and Old School Tearooms and Craft Centre, as well as the headquarters of the Churnet Valley Railway. Services operate to Consall Forge and Frogall, on both steam and diesel trains.
After Cheddleton, the canal enters ever more remote countryside and merges with the River Churnet at Oakmeadow Ford Lock, where the valley becomes too narrow for both.
At Consall Forge, once home to forges, furnaces and slitting mills, you’ll find a peaceful village. Here the canal leaves the River Churnet, soon reaching Flint Mill Lock, the canal’s last. After, the channel narrows, woodlands close in and the canal’s sense of isolation grows.
You’ll pass beneath the distinctive Cherry Eye Bridge and soon after reach the 69-metre long Froghall Tunnel, which is unusually narrow and low so many craft are unable to pass through. A winding hole beforehand will accommodate 64ft boats and a loading gauge indicates whether or not you can get through.
If you can squeeze through, the picturesque Froghall Basin is beyond, where tramways once converged, bringing limestone from quarries high in the surrounding hills. Today there’s a café (Hetty’s Tearoom), picnic area, waymarked trails and services for boaters, as well as the restored top lock of the Uttoxeter Canal, with a mooring basin.
NB the Caldon Canal can also be reached from our Bunbury canal boat hire base, with the total journey to Froghall and back taking 48 hours, passing through 104 locks.
10-day or two week holidays from Great Haywood
On a 10-day or two-week break from Great Haywood, you can travel the Caldon Canal to Froghall and back, and then continue on round the Four Counties Ring, travelling through Cheshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire and the West Midlands, in around 73 hours and passing through 128 locks.
To travel the ring in an anti-clockwise direction, after returning along the Caldon Canal to Stoke-on-Trent, continue north along the Trent & Mersey Canal, passing through the mighty one-and-three-quarter-mile long Harecastle Tunnel, before emerging at Kidsgrove, and Harding’s Wood Junction, where the Macclesfield Canal meets the Trent & Mersey.
Here you’ll encounter the summit of ‘Heartbreak Hill’ – the series of 31 locks which between Middlewich and Kidsgrove, raise the canal 280ft up from the Cheshire Plains.
Setting off down the hill, the Red Bull flight of six locks are the first to be dealt with, followed by the two Church Locks, one Halls Lock and then three Lawton Locks at Lawton Gate.
The next village is Rode Heath with its Royal Oak pub and Rode Hall, one of Cheshire’s most exquisite country houses, which is open to the public on Wednesdays and bank holidays in the summer months.
The South Cheshire Way crosses the canal at Lower Thurlwood Lock, one of a flight of three, then it’s the two Pierpoint Locks, and then there are two more at Hassall Green, just before the canal passes beneath the M6 motorway.
At Wheelock, where there’s a choice of pubs, including the recently refurbished canalside Cheshire Cheese, there are eight locks to negotiate. It’s worth taking a break here, as from Wheelock, it’s a mile-long walk into the historic town of Sandbach, with regular markets, a Waitrose supermarket and plenty of places to eat and drink, including the Saxon Grill Restaurant at the Crown, next to the Saxon Crosses on the cobbled square in the town centre.
There’s a three-mile break from locks as the canal winds round Ettiley Heath and the Sandbach Flashes, a group of 14 wetlands designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Four miles and another four locks on, the canal reaches the historic market town Middlewich, famous for its salt industry which dates back to medieval times. Here the Four Counties Ring route leaves the Trent & Mersey Canal, heading to Barbridge along the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal.
At this point, on a 10-day or two-week holiday, you could take a 20-mile, eight-lock round-trip detour continuing north along the Trent & Mersey Canal, past the Lion Salt Work’s Museum at Marston, to visit the Anderton Boat Lift. This incredible feat of Victorian engineering designed by Edwin Clark, perches on the banks of the River Weaver Navigation like a giant three-story-high spider. Using two huge water tanks with watertight sealable doors, it raises boats 50ft between the Weaver Navigation and the Trent & Mersey Canal.
Click here to book a holiday from Great Haywood, or call our friendly booking team on 0117 304 1122.
