Escape On A Canal Boat Holiday

Canal Boat Holidays
If you have ever wanted to be a sailor and drift gently afloat through the countryside, visit local art galleries, castles, vineyards or museums, wander through the quiet country canals, rivers, lochs and lakes, walk along the tow path of scenic waterways and backwaters enjoying the fresh air and peace, and maybe do a spot of fishing - in comfort, then a canal boat holiday could be for you.

Canal boat holidays can be fun and offer complete freedom and flexibility. Singles, honeymooners, families, groups, retirees and everyone in between, can all enjoy a canal boat holiday. Relax and unwind from every day pressures, doing what you like, when you like.

What are canal boats?
Canal boats are comfortable self-contained vessels that float on water and are easy and economical to operate. They are available for hire from a large variety of popular tourist destinations in many countries throughout Europe including France, Belgium, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Italy and the UK. Canal boats are fully equipped with every modern amenity, so self-catering becomes a pleasure. Many boats are luxuriously appointed and include satellite navigation, air conditioning, bathrooms, and a galley with refrigerator, microwave, TV, generators, awnings, bicycles, comfortable cabins, sundeck and much more. They provide comfortable beds and plenty of storage space.

Types of Boats
You also need to know what types of boats are available for a canal boat holiday. There is a large range of boats to choose from. They generally fall into 3 categories: cruisers, narrow boats and wide beam (up to 14') often referred to as barges. There are wide variations in length, beam (width) and internal layout, fittings etc. of various boats.

Where to Go
But before booking a canal boat holiday you need to decide where you want to go, when you want to go and for how long. Some preferred routes to go for canal boat holidays in the U.K are Oxford canal, Grand union south, river Thames ring, Shropshire union cruise, Leicestershire cruise, Ashby canal, Avon ring and Warwick and Leamington. The summer months of June, July and August are obviously peak period and command the higher prices. If it’s your first time you may want to try a weekend break in the spring time to see if a canal boat holiday is really for you.

What to Take
The next question that comes up is what you should take along with you on a canal boat holiday. Usually the boats are very well equipped with all necessary cooking utensils, crockery etc. In addition, wet weather overalls are generally provided. Life jackets are always available on request, especially for young children. But some additional specific items you may want to bring include towels, tea towels, a torch, camera, binoculars, a good waterways guide, enough food supplies for a couple of days cruising, non-slip soft deck shoes and protective gloves (for working locks).
Remember also that the sun's rays are much more powerful when you are on the water, so sunglasses, protective cream and a sun hat are recommended to avoid burning.

Previous boating experience not necessary
It is not necessary to have any previous boating experience to hire a self-drive boat. Your canal holiday hire operator will provide you with training on arrival at your selected hire base. This will include how to steer your boat, daily boat checks, operating locks and safety instructions.

No "driving" license is required for hiring a boat on the inland waterways. Your boat will however be licensed to use the waterways local to your chosen hire base and this will be included within your holiday cost. To gain the most from your investment of a canal boat holiday or to enhance the experience of boating an RYA Inland Helmsman course is recommended to improve your confidence and the pleasures of boating.

To sum up, canal boating holidays appeal to a wide variety of interests. You can get away from it all on the tranquil backwaters of the rural canals with their quaint waterside pubs. So go ahead and book an adventurous canal boat holiday for yourself through any one of the leading operators in U.K. Wyvern Shipping Co, Viking Afloat, Canal Cruising Co, Oxfordshire Narrowboats and Hoseasons are just a few of the well known companies.

Why not check out our list of Canal Boat Holiday companies in the My Summer Holidays directory.

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My Summer Holidays.