Canal Boat Hire

[geeks]

Looking to get a few nights on the canal this year with Mrs geeks and the 2 doggos. She has never really spent time on the canal where as all of my school holidays were on them growing up. I think she will really enjoy it and she is open to the idea. Anyone able to recommend something for 3 nights or so? Needs to be easy to handle as Mrs geeks will struggle jumping off due to her hips etc so I will need to be able to do most of the morning up solo.

[airsafari87]

Following with interest

[hacksaw]

Could try the Lancaster canal, no locks to mess around with, fair few pubs along the way. 3 days isn't long though, 1.5 days in out and the same back again, you wont get far!

[Castrol for a knave]

Might be a trek from Cambridgeshire, but this is a lovely spot in the Brecon. The nearby pub serves brilliant Welsh/ West Indian food ! Random but great scoff. Peas n rice with bara brith for pudding.

https://www.abcboathire.com/our-locations/goytre-w...

ABC are a decent outfit and have some really nice locations- mostly on the quieter canals. I'd avoid anything on the Grand Union - it's nice but it can get very busy and moorings can be tricky to find in the nicer places.

The Leeds Liverpool is good, but boats are expensive and you have to remember, you a're going on holiday in Burnley if you stray too far west.....

[ARHarh]

Anglo welsh up on the Llangollen canal at Trevor, Wrexham. I have not been on one of their boats but walk past them often and they look well kept and tidy. The canal is very nice, with scenery that can't be beaten.

https://www.pontcysyllte-aqueduct.co.uk/business/a...

https://www.anglowelsh.co.uk/

[miniman]

ARHarh said:

Anglo welsh up on the Llangollen canal at Trevor, Wrexham. I have not been on one of their boats but walk past them often and they look well kept and tidy. The canal is very nice, with scenery that can't be beaten.

https://www.pontcysyllte-aqueduct.co.uk/business/a...

https://www.anglowelsh.co.uk/

Wonderful canal. Short break will take you from Trevor up to Llangollen itself and back, plus a little way down towards Chirk.

I would say the Anglo Welsh fleet is a little dated (aside of the newer Constellation boats). ABC is another good option.

We had a great trip with ABC from Hilperton Marina down to Bath and back, easily doable in a long weekend. Lovely scenery, Dundas and Avoncliffe aqueducts and the run into the city through Sydney Gardens.

[MonkeyBusiness]

I did the Norfolk Broads years ago and was one of the best holidays I've ever had (yes really).
That said, the weather was glorious. If it was raining it wouldn't be much fun.

[geeks]

Thanks for the suggestions so far folks will do some looking and proper replies when not on my phone. Aware we won’t get far in 3 nights. This is more a test run to see how we get on and if Mrs geeks enjoys it, think of it as a taster session. If she enjoys it then I’ll start sending her links to boats I want to buy

[nvubu]

A couple of years ago we went on the Chesterfield Canal - check the first page of this thread for a couple of pictures.

Only one hire boat company on the canal.

[Bridgewaterfalls]

Whitchurch to Ellesmere, or even Chirk on the Llangollen canal.

[Patio]

Used these guys in the past and they were great to deal with

https://www.shirecruisers.co.uk/

[miniman]

Bridgewaterfalls said:

Whitchurch to Ellesmere, or even Chirk on the Llangollen canal.

Obviously the duration is a limiting factor but it would be a terrible shame to do the Llangollen and not cross the aqueduct.

[paddy1970]

Narrowboat Hire on the Llangollen Canal...Known for being one of the most scenic and beginner-friendly canals in the UK...

[spitfire-ian]

Have a look at hiring from Union Canal Carriers at Braunston, Napton Narrow Boats at Napton or Black Prince at Wigrams Turn Marina.

From any of those you have 3 or 4 possible routes easily doable in a few days. No locks or several, you can choose.

The hire bases are all about an hour and a half drive from Cambridge.

(Currently sitting on a boat in front of the fire having a few drinks on the Oxford Canal at Napton)

[ARHarh]

miniman said:

Bridgewaterfalls said:

Whitchurch to Ellesmere, or even Chirk on the Llangollen canal.

Obviously the duration is a limiting factor but it would be a terrible shame to do the Llangollen and not cross the aqueduct.

If you are doing the Llangollen and don't do both aqueducts you may as well not go , although the whole canal is very nice. The bit between the aqueducts is probably the best bit. The stretch to Llangollen is nice as well if you go the other way.

[99flake]

spitfire-ian said:

Have a look at hiring from Union Canal Carriers at Braunston, Napton Narrow Boats at Napton or Black Prince at Wigrams Turn Marina.

From any of those you have 3 or 4 possible routes easily doable in a few days. No locks or several, you can choose.

The hire bases are all about an hour and a half drive from Cambridge.

(Currently sitting on a boat in front of the fire having a few drinks on the Oxford Canal at Napton)

This would have been my almost exact response.

However I would probably leave Union Canal Carriers, their boats are relatively basic compared to the Black Prince ones and especially the Napton boats.

Plus Napton\Wigrams is a better starting point. Turn right and Braunston is roughly 4 hours with no locks and then out towards Rugby.

Or you can head straight over the junction, down Caclutt and towards Lemington Spa (without double checking my mind says 3 nights would get you there and back). These are all double locks, so you can share lock duty with another boat.

Turning left out of the marina will get you off towards Oxford and a few single locks to contend with.

Having spent most of my life going from Braunston (my parent's boat is moored in the marina there) and that is with having the freedom of leaving and returning the boat when we want. Three nights is quite limiting with distance and return to base, especially with hiring and having to pickup at 3pm ish and having the boat back at 10am ish on the last day.

I can personally recommend the Black Prince boats from Wigrams, having used them before and are going again with them this April.

Another option would be Anglo Welsh from Wooton Wawen, 3 nights (this is from memory from over 30 years ago) should get you into Stratford and back for a night.

Or if you are really adventurous, Kate Boats in Warwick, you could try getting up Hatton, turn around at Kingswood Junction and come back down again! Not easy and maybe not what most would consider relaxing but it is great fun.

[Craikeybaby]

I thought Kate Boats were nearer Napton than Warwick (same location as the garage I take my MR2 to). It was a while back but we did Braunstone (through the tunnel) and back in a weekend.

[21TonyK]

We had a few nights away with these...

https://beaconparkboats.com

you can go one way or the other, left was the more challenging route which we did, the other was was simpler apparently.

[2 GKC]

Galleon marine Odiham good for a short break
All are expensive now though

[AC43]

I once hired one at Berkamstead. If the OP is in Cambridgeshire it's relatively local.