The Lemon Fool

We've never been on a canal boat holiday but fancy one in the UK next year, and I'm hoping there's people here who may have some good recommendations for where I may start my exploration of options.

Has anyone had any experience of these types of holidays in the UK, and can offer any advice?

There will be three of us on the boat. Initially at least....

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

I've done the Norfolk broads. Very pleasant cruising, and no tiresome locks.

Itsallaguess wrote:We've never been on a canal boat holiday but fancy one in the UK next year, and I'm hoping there's people here who may have some good recommendations for where I may start my exploration of options.

Has anyone had any experience of these types of holidays in the UK, and can offer any advice?

There will be three of us on the boat. Initially at least....

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

Tonyreptiles is your man.

John

If you have a week, this is a good one as you don't have to retrace your steps. It was a long time ago that I did this but I can't imagine it has changed that much. Otherwise you need two vehicles, one positioned at each end, because canal narrowboats are incredibly slow. Part of their appeal of course, but still . .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshire_Ring

There was one fun part where we went through a tunnel, propelled only by us all lying on our backs and kicking against the roof of the tunnel. OK, I'm easily amused. Lots of pubs that you can moor close to, and take some food with you for when you can't.

gryffron wrote:I've done the Norfolk broads. Very pleasant cruising, and no tiresome locks.

I've done two trips - one on the Leeds - Liverpool canal, the other from Cheshire down to Oxford and back.

I really enjoyed working the locks, but it's a matter of what you want. I was young and active at the time, and enjoyed the challenge and sense of achievement in getting through a long flight of locks quickly, but I can appreciate that some people might find them a chore.

I would personally feel that a boat on the Norfolk Broads would be a pleasant enough experience, but possibly a bit dull compared to a canal trip. I've never been, but I would imagine that it all looks much the same, whereas on a canal you can, if you wish, alternate between idyllic countryside and quite harsh industrial landscapes within the course of a couple of hours.

Again, I realise it's not to everyone's taste, but I thoroughly enjoyed the urban stretches and found them really interesting. For example, I'd never realised that Birmingham (which allegedly has more canals than Venice) has a two level canal system. The canals were the first form of transport to accompany the industrial revolution, so the very oldest industrial buildings were built by the canals, and many of them are still there (or more accurately they were when I went, but I suspect many have now been turned into apartments). I've always been fascinated by the history of the industrial revolution so I really enjoyed seeing the setting for such an early part of it.

If you're at all interested in canals, and maybe to whet your appetite for a trip I'd thoroughly recommend a book called `Narrow Boat' by the legendary (at least amonmgst canal enthusasts) L T C Rolt - https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/Book ... Bl%2Bt%2Bc Although written in 1944 and describing a journey in 1939 it captures the essence of canal travel brilliantly. Though if you're anything like me it'll take you ages to read it, as I kept stopping to Google pubs and other places he mentioned to see if they were still there and how they'd changed.

I had a great time on both trips, and I would readily go again.

I'd say, having done it a couple of times, that the Cheshire Ring requires 2 weeks, otherwise you get no rest and can't do any side trips, like a taxi to Jodrell Bank Observatory & Arboretum. But we would usually no move off before about 08:30, stop for lunch for an hour or so and moor up by 18:00 at the latest.

For a 1 week out and back (and it looks different in each direction) the South Oxford Canal, either from Oxford to Napton or Braunston Junctions and back, or the other way, is a good gentle week and allows a look at Oxford.

Locks are not pesky, they are a good thing where you meet up with other people and have a chat. And they often have pubs.

For working out how long a given trip will take, work on 4 lock-miles per hour, 4 miles or 4 locks in an hour is the norm, but leave some slack for problems, yours, or other people's, holding you up.

Wherever you decide on, a Nicholson's Guide of that canal is a must, as it will tell you where locks, moorings, bridges, water, shops, pubs, etc are.

Have fun
Slarti

Just want to say thanks for all the great replies and information people have offered on this thread. I've got plenty of starting points for deliberation, and I've no doubt I'll be coming back and asking more questions soon, before we actually book anything.

Great to see that there's plenty of non-investment advice that can be gathered here from the great experiences people have had on their UK holidays.

Thanks again.

Itsallaguess

Hiya,

sorry for the late reply.

If you PM me, I'll happily send you the chapter from my book which addresses hiring. (My second book 'Narrowboat Guide - not Liveaboard Guide)

In the meantime, if you're anywhere near Lancaster, I'll happily take you for a trial weekend run/stopover on my boat. Sleeps up to 5 people - I'll show you how to do boating properly and then leave you somewhere picturesque near a pub for an overnighter on board.

Let me know.

TR

tonyreptiles wrote:
Hiya,

sorry for the late reply.

If you PM me, I'll happily send you the chapter from my book which addresses hiring. (My second book 'Narrowboat Guide - not Liveaboard Guide)

In the meantime, if you're anywhere near Lancaster, I'll happily take you for a trial weekend run/stopover on my boat. Sleeps up to 5 people - I'll show you how to do boating properly and then leave you somewhere picturesque near a pub for an overnighter on board.

Let me know.

TR

Great stuff TR, thanks for that. I'll be in touch soon.

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

Itsallaguess wrote:We've never been on a canal boat holiday but fancy one in the UK next year, and I'm hoping there's people here who may have some good recommendations for where I may start my exploration of options.

Has anyone had any experience of these types of holidays in the UK, and can offer any advice?

There will be three of us on the boat. Initially at least....

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

We had several canal holidays in the 1980's and another a few years ago. Most were with a hire company called Anglo Welsh, who I recommend unreservedly, here: http://www.anglowelsh.co.uk/

Their boats are always clean and well maintained, which is important - you don't want to spend the week in a haze of diesel exhaust fumes!

No connection, etc.

Watis