Top city breaks by narrowboat

Visit Leeds by canal boat

You can reach Leeds on a week’s boating break from our Silsden base in West Yorkshire.

The journey to Leeds and back travels 44 miles along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and takes around 32 hours.

You’ll pass through 54 locks (27 each way) including the Bingley Five Rise staircase, one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways.

You can moor up in Leeds Dock and spend time visiting city centre attractions, including the Royal Armouries Museum and Victorian shopping arcades.

Visit the World Heritage City of Bath by canal boat

Our narrowboat hire base at Sydney Wharf in Bath is a 15 minute walk from the historic centre of the city.
Bath is a four-hour and six lock cruise from our narrowboat hire base at Monkton Combe.
Or an eight hour, seven-lock  journey from the picturesque Cotswold town of Bradford on Avon.

Bath makes a fantastic short city break destination from both our Sydney Wharf and Monkton Combe narrowboat hire bases. The beautiful Georgian city nestled among the Somerset hills is famous for its Roman Baths built around natural hot springs, its modern Thermae Bath Spa which uses the same mineral rich waters, its stunning Regency architecture and its links with Jane Austen as well as great shopping and wonderful pubs, cafes and restaurants. Combining beauty, history and culture with a bustling modern city vibe, Bath offers a perfect minibreak during any canal boat holiday.

With more canals than Venice a narrowboat is the perfect way to explore Birmingham

Birmingham can be reached on a week’s holiday from our narrowboat hire bases at Great Haywood and Wootton Wawen.

With more canals than Venice, a narrowboat is the perfect way to explore this exciting city.  Central moorings are available in Gas Street Basin, right next to the popular Brindleyplace shopping and leisure development. This offers easy access to many of Birmingham’s top attractions including the Mailbox and Bullring shopping centres, the Sea Life Centre, the Thinktank science museum, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, the Jewellery Quarter, the Ikon contemporary art gallery and the famous Balti Triangle, a must for curry lovers. If you’re craving a chocolate fix, stop off at the delicious canalside Cadbury World on your way home.

Discover two thousand years of history in the ancient city of Chester

Chester is a seven-hour, nine-lock journey from our narrowboat hire base at Bunbury.
Chester can also be reached on a week’s cruise from our narrowboat hire base at Whixall.

Historic Chester, famous for its Roman foundations, medieval architecture and imposing city walls, is a popular narrowboat holiday destination. It makes an ideal stop off on a canal boat holiday starting from Bunbury, Trevor. or Whixall. With its unique collection of Tudor timber framed buildings, vibrant market hall, award winning Chester Zoo, busy racecourse, trendy bars, great shops and huge variety of restaurants, a Chester city break will not disappoint. Chester’s narrowboat moorings are conveniently located in the heart of the historic city a short stroll from its key attractions.