29-04-2025
Seven of the UK's most idyllic canal boat holidays
There are more than 2,000 miles of waterways to navigate in the UK — equivalent to sailing from London to Lisbon and back again. Spending time out on the water is salve for the soul and Britain's rivers and canals occupy a special place in our national psyche, from stately rivers such as the Thames and the Avon to the web of canals built during the Industrial Revolution.
Most choose to explore the water on a narrowboat, and while basic tuition is typically included at the start of a hire, first-timers should aim for a route that's light on locks and get up to speed on what's included; mooring fees and fuel may be extra, depending on where you go.
The waterways are at their quietest in spring and autumn so we've chosen packages from reputable companies that operate in those seasons. For background and planning, there are two great organisations to consult: the Inland Waterways Association ( and the Canal & River Trust ( Happy boating.
This pastoral corner of East Anglia is a maze of waterways bordered by reedbeds, fens, meadows and ponds, perfect for lazy days of picnics, puttering and paddling. Four nights is enough time to explore: from the base in Martham, you could sail up to Hickling Broad National Nature Reserve, renowned for its birdwatching, visit Horsey Mill and its National Trust-owned windpump, or head for the peaceful Bure Marshes, where you might spot great crested grebes, marsh harriers and many a wading bird. It's worth making time too for the less-frequented backwaters of the Great Ouse or the Nene, which receive much less boat traffic than the Broads. Martham Boats has a fleet of elegant, traditional motor launches, mostly built during the 1950s, which have between two and nine Four nights' self-catering for four from £788 (
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Spanning southern England from the Bristol Channel to the Thames, the Kennet and Avon is one of England's most impressive feats of canal engineering. Boaters can look out for structures including the 459m-long Bruce Tunnel and the series of 29 locks at Caen Hill, which rise 72m over two miles. Classic English scenery unravels as you glide along: Georgian architecture around Bath, chalk plains and neolithic remains in Wiltshire, the medieval towns of Bradford-on-Avon and Pewsey –— with plenty of riverside pubs at which to stop along the way. You'd need a couple of weeks to navigate all 86 miles, but shorter journeys, Bath to Bradford-on-Avon say, or Reading to Newbury, are doable in a few days. Foxhangers in Devizes, a great midway base, has three classes of narrowboat, so you can choose your level of Four nights' self-catering for four from £1,095 (
First-time narrowboaters can enjoy 41 miles of lock-free cruising on the Lancaster between Preston and Kendal, the longest such stretch in the UK. It was once known as the Black and White Canal, a reference to the products it was built to transport — coal from Lancashire and limestone from Cumbria. Its most impressive piece of architecture is the five-arched Lune Aqueduct, a grade I listed masterpiece by the Scottish engineer John Rennie, which sails gracefully over the River Lune at a height of 18m. Garstang is the home base for Duck Island Boat Company, which steps up the swank level on its four boats, squeezing in a Chesterfield sofa, breakfast bar, wood-burner and proper showers. They look handsome too, in purple and cream livery, with traditional hand-painted signs. They're booked up for much of the summer, but have good availability from September onwards, perfect for autumn Seven nights' self-catering for two from £1,095 (
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The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal slices through the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) from Brecon to the Five Locks in Cwmbran. Chug through the patchwork countryside of central Wales as the tawny slopes of the Brecon Beacons loom in the distance and while away days spotting kingfishers, exploring market towns such as Abergavenny and Crickhowell, or hopping off for hikes of Sugar Loaf or Pen Y Fan. You'll need a week to do it all, but with only six locks to navigate (five at Llangynidr and one at Brynich), it's a good bet for beginners. Unusually, it doesn't intersect with any other canal, so opt for a local company such as Brecon Park Boats, based near Crickhowell, which has a fleet of narrowboats named after birds. Go for Drake or Grouse for their luxurious dining rooms and wood-burners, or Coot, the company's first diesel-electric Seven nights' self-catering for four from £2,277 (
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The UK has several canal rings, which enable you to make a loop without having to backtrack. The Cheshire Ring is a classic, traversing six canals on its 97-mile course: the Bridgewater, Macclesfield, Trent and Mersey, Rochdale, Peak Forest and Ashton canals. The route's blend of urban scenery, industrial history and wide-open views makes it a joy, travelling from the Peak District and the Pennines all the way into central Manchester. Several museums along the way explore England's industrial past, including Macclesfield's Silk Museum, Northwich's Lion Salt Works Museum, and Manchester's Science and Industry Museum. A week is enough and Floating Holidays, in Middlewich, north of Crewe, has some lovely canal boats to pick from: the crimson Casanova sleeps Seven nights' self-catering for four from £1,048 (
Officially the longest canal in the UK at 137 miles, the Grand Union runs all the way from Birmingham to London. The southern end of the canal links up with the Thames and Regent's Canal, offering capital views without an obscene price tag, while the starting point in the north, at Market Harborough, is close to the fabulous grade II listed Foxton Locks, overseen by friendly keepers who are a boon for beginners. The Leicestershire countryside rolls by, offering ample opportunities for biking and hiking, and there are plenty of waterside pubs at which to moor up en route. Boutique Narrowboats has traditional boats as well as three contemporary beauties, complete with rainfall showers, coffee machines, wine fridges and antique French Four nights' self-catering for two from £552 (
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Running from Glasgow to Edinburgh, the Forth and Clyde Canal and the Union Canal — jointly known as the Scottish Lowland Canals — were restored at a cost of nearly £80 million in 2001, the largest project of its kind in the UK. They're now a brilliant way to explore Scotland's biggest cities, taking you past the 35m Falkirk Wheel, the world's first rotating boat lift, and the Kelpies, the striking 30m-high horse-head sculptures by Andy Scott. From its Falkirk base, Marine Cruises' boats look the part, and for added canal kudos, featured on Great Canal Journeys. Maia is its most affordable boat, painted in royal blue, and suitable for four: there's wi-fi for the kids, a proper shower and pocket-sprung beds for a good night's Seven nights' self-catering for two from £1,514 (
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Have we missed your favourite waterway? Share your tips in the comments
