Boating Holidays in Britain

The boating holidays free information service for the very best in on the Canals, Rivers and Inland Waterways of England and Wales.

Use this website to unlock the secret world that is Britain's inland waterways and find the perfect location for your boating holiday.

Free information,   free brochures,    free holiday finder service,  free advice.

There are nothing quite like boating holidays on Britain's Inland waterways.    Enforced relaxation, while drifting along at no more than a few miles an hour, enforced activity as you come to a flight of locks.  Camaraderie when you meet other boaters, friendliness when you tie up at the pub for a drink or a meal.  A holiday of contrasts, taken at a slow pace.  The variety is endless, city, town, village and country, wide canal, narrow canal and river.  Every bend brings forth some new feature.  You can never see it all, no matter how many times you return.    But why worry?  Boating holidays are for relaxation, for unwinding from every day pressures, for doing what you like, when you like. 


Two thousand miles of tranquil waterways, threading their way through some of Britain's most beautiful and unspoiled countryside, offering a haven for wildlife and an insight into our industrial heritage.  A network of waterways taking you to the heart of major cities, with all the entertainment and leisure facilities that they provide.

SHORT BREAKS

One of the most popular ways of trying out a Boating Holiday in Britain is by taking one of our special short breaks.

Weekend Breaks

You  start out on a Friday afternoon around 3.00 pm and following a full demonstration of how to handle the boat and work the locks (all very straightforward) you are off on a carefree 3 night break, exploring the real Britain.  Saturday and Sunday are yours to do with as you please and the only thing you really need to remember is that these Weekend breaks finish at 9.30 am on the Monday morning, when you have to hand the boat back to the boatyard.

Midweek Breaks

These equally popular breaks, have you cruising away from the boatyard around 3.00 pm on a Monday afternoon and the good news is that you don't have to be back until Friday morning at 9.30 am!  This gives you a full four nights away and yet the price is exactly the same as for the Weekend. 

Both breaks give you the chance to explore some of Britain's 2,000 miles of unspoilt, 200 hundred year old waterway system.  You can cruise out into the idylic countryside, or visit historic Cities, discovering a whole new world around every bend.

Making The Right Decision

Choosing a holiday company often seems to be more about luck than science, but help is at hand!

The Tourist Board in England, along with the very best operators, have introduced a Grading Scheme for boats. The companies that have joined the scheme, submit all of their boats every year to a thorough inspection by a senior Tourist Board inspector, who then grades every boat on a scale of 1-5. When you come to choose a holiday operator, make sure that they are members of the 'star' scheme. 

You wouldn't want to take a chance with one that hasn't been inspected!

So who To Choose?

Boating Holidays in Britain only recommends holidays with the very best of the operators in the UK, all of whom have been inspected and graded by the Tourist Board.

Let your mouse do the work!
To make this choice easier, why not use our free 24 hour availability service?

Click here for full online live availability of the best boats in the country.

Narrowboats come in a variety of different layouts.

However, there are a number of common features and so choosing the right boat for you and your crew is actually quite straight forward.
Saloon:

This is often at the front with doors opening to the front deck. This is where the sitting and eating is done, so the TV and radio are usually here.

Galley:
Contains a domestic sized cooker and fridge along with a full inventory for self-catering as well as hot and cold water.

Toilets:
They are all modern and hygienic, fresh water flushing units.

Showers:
Spacious showers with lots of piping hot water. Often as good as the one at home. (or even better!)

Bedrooms:
Narrowboats are just that! So fixed Double beds tend to be 4’ wide and single beds 2’ 6".