With a 250-year old history, Britain’s canals and rivers have some fascinating destinations and stories to tell.
To celebrate, we’ve listed some of the most interesting, quirky and unusual stories on our waterways:
1. Enjoy the most heart-stopping boat trip in Britain
The World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a stone’s throw away from our canal boat hire base at Trevor in North Wales. This magnificent feat of engineering was built over 200 years by canal engineers Thomas Telford and William Jessop. Incredibly, ox blood was added to the lime mortar which binds the structure’s masonry together (forming 18 titanic brick pillars), following an ancient superstition that the blood of a strong animal would strengthen a structure. And sugar was boiled with Welsh flannel then mixed with tar to seal the cast joints of the structure’s cast iron trough, which carries the Llangollen Canal 38 metres above the Dee Valley. With not even a handrail on the north side, when travelling across by canal boat, it’s probably the most heart-stopping and exhilarating experience on the canal network! On a short break from Trevor, you can glide across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and travel on to Ellesmere and back. On a week’s break, you can continue on to the historic market town of Whitchurch, cruising for a total of 24 hours and passing through two locks each way.
2. Spot the mysterious barrel roofed lock cottages on the Stratford Canal
The southern section of the pretty Stratford Canal, running from Bancroft Basin in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon up to the village of Lapworth, is characterised by split bridges with gaps for the tow ropes of boat horses and a series of curious barrel roofed lock cottages. The reason for these quirky structures is actually purely practical. Engineers building the canal knew more about building bridges than houses so when they turned their hand to building dwellings for the lock keepers, they adapted their skills, producing barrel-shaped roofs. On a short break from our canal boat hire base at Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal near Henley-in-Arden, you can travel to Stratford and back, cruising for a total of 12 hours and passing through 17 locks each way. On a week’s break you can travel the Birmingham Mini-Ring, cruising for 35 hours and negotiating 83 locks.
3. Look out for World War II pill boxes on the K&A
Following the British Expeditionary Forces’ evacuation from Dunkirk, and the prospect of imminent German invasion, General Sir Edmund Ironside, Commander-in-chief of the Home Forces created a series of static defence lines. One was the Kennet & Avon Canal from Reading to Bristol, named GHQ Stop Line Blue. Pill boxes and tank traps designed by the War Office were built along the canal and manned by the home guard. Today there are still a large number of pillboxes lining the canal, including one at next to Avoncliff Aqueduct, one at Rotherstone in Devizes, one at Freewarren Bridge at Crofton and two between the canal and the railway line at Hungerford Common. From our base in Bath, it takes just over three hours to reach Avoncliff Aqueduct, great for a short break. From Bath, it takes around 29 hours to reach Hungerford, passing through 61 locks along the way – perfect for a 10-day or two-week break.
4. Visit the birthplace of the canal restoration movement
At the top of the mighty 30-lock Tardebigge Flight on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove, a plaque commemorates the famous meeting between Tom Rolt and Robert Aickman, which took place aboard Rolt’s Narrowboat ‘Cressy’, moored just above Tardebigge Top Lock. Rolt and Aickman were the passion and brains behind the formation of the Inland Waterways (IWA) in 1946. Their aim was to keep Britain’s canal network navigable and it is thanks to this incredible movement that the canals are in the fantastic shape that they are today, with over 3,000 miles of navigable waterways available to explore. You can reach the top of the Tardebigge flight on a week’s break from Wootton Wawen.
5. Navigate the Harecastle Tunnel
The Harecastle Tunnel on the Trent & Mersey Canal in Staffordshire links Kidsgrove and Tunstall. But there are actually two tunnels here built 40 years apart by two famous canal engineers – James Brindley and Thomas Telford. The earlier Brindley tunnel fell into disrepair is long closed, but the Telford tunnel is still used to this day. At 1.5 miles long, it is one of the longest canal tunnels in Britain and takes around 40 minutes to navigate. There is only space for one boat to pass through at one time, so you may have to wait to enter. The tunnel keeper instructs boaters when to go through and what to do. Back when the tunnel was first built it didn’t have a towpath and so boats had to be ‘legged’ through. This involves laying a plank of wood across the bows and having people lying across it to literally walk the walls. From Great Haywood it takes around 12 hours, travelling 22 miles and passing through 18 locks to reach the south end of the Harecastle Tunnel. From there, on a week or more away, you can continue on to complete the Four Counties Ring, travelling a total of 110 miles and travelling through 94 locks.
6. Have a pint at the Shroppie Fly
Originally a canalside cheese warehouse, the popular Shroppie Fly pub on the Shropshire Union Canal in the picturesque village of Audlem, has a narrowboat as a bar. The name of the pub pays tribute to a type of narrowboat designed for speed in the early days of the canal – particularly important when transporting cheese and fresh farm produce to town and city markets. Fly-boats were the Amazon Prime of their day, with fine lines to help them to glide easily through water and specially selected elite boatmen and horses to maximise speed, they ran non-stop, day and night. From Bunbury it takes around five hours to reach Audlem, passing through seven locks to the wharf and passing Nantwich along the way – perfect for a short break. On a week’s holiday from Bunbury, you can continue on to the Caldon Canal, cruising a total of 48 hours and travelling through 104 locks.
7. Cruise through a lake on the Staffs & Worcs Canal
Tixall Wide is a beautiful wide stretch of waterway close to the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal’s junction with the Trent & Mersey. Permission to build the canal was granted by the local landowner Thomas Clifford, on condition that the canal was made wide enough to look like a lake so that it didn’t spoil the view from his house. Today, over 250 years later, Tixall Wide is home to an abundance of wildlife and is a great place to moor up for the night. It’s just over a mile away from our base at Great Haywood. On a short break, you can cruise on from Tixall Wide to the village of Gailey and back, travelling a total of 26 miles and passing through 12 locks each way. On a week’s break, you can travel on to Market Drayton, home of the gingerbread man or complete the Black Country Ring. This circuit takes narrowboat holiday-makers on a 45-hour waterway odyssey, cruising a total of 75 miles and passing through 79 locks.
8. Float under the Double Arch on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal
On the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at East Marton near Skipton, you’ll encounter the quirky Double Arch bridge. The lower original packhorse bridge near the Cross Keys Inn had another arch added above to maintain the level of the newer A59 from Liverpool to York. You can reach East Marton on a four-night break from Silsden.
Click here to check availability and book, or call us on 0117 463 3419.
Amazing canal facts worth reading ahead of your narrowboat holiday
There are over 2,000 miles of navigable canals and rivers throughout England and Wales. This intricate network enables boats to travel the length and breadth of the country.
Across the network, there are 1,569 locks, 53 tunnels, 3112 bridges, 370 aqueducts and 74 reservoirs. Most were built over 200 years ago and have fascinating stories to tell. And feature many historic feats of engineering which still wow visitors today.
This is part of what makes a canal boat holiday so magical – a narrowboat takes you on a journey through history and human endeavor.
If you’e considering a canal boat holiday, why not first have a read of these amazing canal facts which will only add to the wonder of your experience.
1. The oldest working canal in the UK is about 1,900 years old
The Fossdyke Navigation, which runs between Lincoln and the River Trent at Torksey, was built by the Romans in around AD 120. Still in use today, it extends 11.3 miles, with one lock and formed part of a key transport route from Peterborough to York.
It is said to have been used by the invading Danes and the Normans to carry stone to build Lincoln Cathedral in the 11th century. The canal was revamped under King Henry I in 1121, but then fell into disrepair and silted up. By the 17th century, it was virtually impassable. In 1744 a proper channel was restored and maintained and the canal has remained navigable ever since.
2. The longest canal tunnel in the UK runs for more than 5,000 metres/3.5 miles
The Standedge Tunnel on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal is the longest, deepest and highest canal tunnel in Britain. Built over 16 years from 1794 to 1811, it stands at 196 metres above sea level, at a depth of 194 metres beneath the Pennines. The canal was closed to traffic in 1943 and re-opened in May 2001. You can learn more about this 19th century wonder of engineering at the Standedge Tunnel Visitor Centre.
3. Britain’s longest aqueduct extends more than 300 metres/1,000 ft
Deservedly described as the jewel in the crown of Britain’s canals, the awe-inspiring Pontcysyllte Aqueduct carries narrowboats on the Llangollen Canal at a soaring 38 metres – 126 ft – above the River Dee, offering stunning views of the valley and surrounding hills. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, the 18-arch aqueduct was designed by legendary civil engineer Thomas Telford and built between 1795 and 1805.
Located right next to our narrowboat hire base at Trevor, this is a spectacular way to start or finish a canal boat holiday from this idyllic location.
4. The longest lock flight in the UK is 30 locks long
The Tardebigge lock flight enables the Worcester & Birmingham Canal to ascend 67 metres (220 feet) over a 2.25 mile stretch. Built between 1808 and 1815, the lock flight enabled an extension of the canal from Birmingham to the River Severn at Worcester to be completed. Until the lock ladder was constructed, originally with a boat lift in place of the 3.4-metre (11 feet) top lock, the canal only travelled as far the Old Wharf next to Tardebigge Tunnel.
5. The longest UK canal runs for 137 miles
The Grand Union Canal links London with Birmingham via Milton Keynes, Northampton and Leamington Spa. It would take about 74 hours to cruise the whole length non-stop. The canal winds its way through rolling countryside, idyllic towns and villages with 158 locks and striking historic features including the Iron Trunk Aqueduct, the steep Hatton Lock Flight and The Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne.
The name of the canal offers a clue as to its origins, for it was not built as one waterway but was the result of connecting existing waterways to create an uninterrupted link between the industrial heartlands of Birmingham and the west midlands with the capital.
The longest canal in Britain built as a single waterway is the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at 127 miles long.
6. The newest canal in the UK was completed in 2002
The Ribble Link was built to connect the previously isolated Lancaster Canal with the rest of the national inland waterways network. It runs for just four miles from Preston to the River Ribble which then connects to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
With nine locks, the Ribble Link is tidal so only navigable at certain times with advance booking needed as all boats must be helped through. A link between the Lancaster Canal and the wider canal network was first discussed 200 years ago. This new canal finally came to fruition in 2002 with the help of a grant from the Millennium Commission.
7. Britain’s shortest canal is just 22 metres – or 72 feet – long
The Wardle Lock Branch of the Trent & Mersey Canal consists of just one 72ft-long lock and a few yards of canal on either side. It was built in 1829 to link the Trent & Mersey Canal with the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal.
8. A cow once swan the whole length of the Foulridge Tunnel
In 1912 a cow named Buttercup fell into the Leeds & Liverpool Canal near the southern end of the tunnel, carrying the waterway for a mile under the Lancashire countryside. Rather than climb out of the canal as normal, Buttercup swam all 1,500 metres to Foulridge at the northern end. On arrival, Buttercup was revived with brandy by locals drinking at the nearby Hole in the Wall pub.
9. Canals have plugs, literally
In 1978, a group of British Waterways workers who were dredging the Chesterfield Canal pulled up a chain which had a heavy lump of wood attached to the end. As the entire canal between Whitsunday Pie Lock and Retford Town Lock began to empty away into the River Idle, they realised they had pulled out a long forgotten canal plug. There’s also a plug in the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
10. There are more boats now on the UK canals than at any other time in history
While Britain’s industrial heydays of 18th and 19th century are generally viewed as the golden age of canals, there are actually more craft on our waterways today. Despite the canals being used by far less commercial traffic, they have become a mecca for pleasure craft and a growing number of people opting for floating homes. There are now around 35,000 boats on Britain’s canals and rivers, providing homes, workplaces and holidays for millions of people.
We’ve published more information about the history of the canals in England and Wales here.
Britain’s 3,000-mile network of canals and river provides the perfect destination for a staycation afloat in 2025
Pottering slowly through the countryside at just four miles per hour, watching out for wildlife, is a great way to relax.
Our canal boats are like floating holiday cottages, with everything you need for a self-catering break. It’s free to moor up almost anywhere, so you can stop off at canalside pubs, villages and waterside destinations along the way.
Our holidays are pet friendly and tuition is included in our canal boat hire.
To help plan your next waterway-getaway, here’s a guide to our top 8 narrowboat holidays for 2025:
1. Visit Georgian Bath afloat
From our canal boat hire base at Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire, you can cruise along the Kennet & Avon to Bath and back. The journey will take you through the Bath Valley and across the magnificent Bath stone aqueducts at Avoncliff and Dundas. You can moor up close to Sydney Gardens and take a 20-minute walk into Bath City Centre to explore all that this World Heritage City has to offer. The journey to Bath and back takes around seven hours and passes through one lock each way.
2. Cruise across the Pennines
On a week’s break from Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire, you can cruise across the Pennines to Barnoldswick and back. The journey takes around 11 hours and passes through 15 locks. Along the way you’ll pass through Skipton, ‘the Gateway to the Yorkshire Dales’, with its medieval stone castle. And a series of villages with places to eat, including The Abbots Harbour restaurant at East Marton.
3. Spot an otter on the Montgomery Canal
On a week’s break from Whixall, you can cruise a section of the Montgomery Canal. This beautiful canal, which runs for 38 miles between England and Wales, is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on both sides of the border. You can cruise a seven-mile section to Gronwyn Wharf and back, looking out for otters and water voles. From Whixall, the journey to Gronwyn Wharf and back takes around 20 hours, travelling through 34 miles of beautiful countryside and passing through 16 locks (eight each way).
4. Cruise to Caen Hill at Devizes
On a short break from Bath on the Kennet & Avon Canal it takes around nine hours to reach the Caen Hill Flight of Locks. One of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways, this dramatic flight of locks at Devizes is one of the most iconic sights on the waterways. You’ll pass through eight locks each way. You can enjoy stops at Bradford on Avon, with its magnificent medieval Tithe Barn, and Avoncliff Aqueduct with its popular Cross Guns pub.
5. Head to ‘The Cathedral of the Canals’
From Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire, it takes around nine hours to reach the iconic Anderton Boat Lift. This Wonder of the Waterways lifts boats 15 metres between the River Weaver and the Trent & Mersey Canal in two giant tanks of water. On the way to Anderton, you’ll navigate through beautiful Cheshire countryside along the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal. And you’ll pass through the historic Roman town of Middlewich.
6. Glide across ‘The Stream in the Sky’
From Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, you’ll soon encounter the incredible Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. One of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’, this UNESCO World Heritage structure carries canal boats 38 metres high across the Dee Valley. On a short break from Trevor, you can travel cross the aqueduct and on to Ellesmere, in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. The journey to Ellesmere and back takes around 14 hours, passing through two locks each way.
7. Cruise into the Peak District
On a week’s break from Great Haywood near Stafford, you can travel into the Peak District. It takes around 20 hours to reach Froghall Basin, passing through 35 locks. The route will take you along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Stoke on Trent. Here you can transfer onto the Caldon Canal. You’ll then travel through beautiful stretches of unspoilt countryside, with moorlands, woodlands and an abundance of wildlife.
8. Visit Shakespeare’s Stratford
From Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal, it takes around six hours to reach Bancroft Basin in the centre of Shakespeare’s Stratford. Along the way, you’ll pass through 17 locks and miles of peaceful Warwickshire countryside. You can moor up in the basin and use it as a base to explore Stratford-upon-Avon. This world-famous market town has a great choice of shops, restaurants, museums and theatres.
To check availability and book click here or call us on 0117 463 3419.
Top 6 canal boat holidays for beginners
You don’t have to be an expert and you don’t need a licence to steer a canal boat.
It’s easy for first-timers to learn to operate our boats and as part of all our narrowboat holiday packages, we provide hirers with expert boat steering tuition.
With our nationally accredited handover, we’ll make sure you’re comfortable and in control before you set off. There is a manual on board every boat if you need to check on anything and our engineering teams are on hand 24 hours a day to help over the phone or come out to you if you need them.
So, if you’ve thought about taking a canal boat holiday, but you’re not sure where to begin, here’s our top 6 short break narrow boat holidays to get you started:
1. Learn the ropes on the Llangollen
Passing through stunning North Wales landscapes, the Llangollen Canal is one of the most popular on the network. With just two locks along the way, the seven-hour journey from Trevor to Ellesmere and back offers a fantastic short break holiday for beginners. The route includes the experience of travelling across the incredible UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, with jaw-dropping panoramic views of the Dee Valley 38 metres below and passing through Chirk Tunnel.
2. Dip your toe in the water at Bath
From our Bath base on the Kennet & Avon Canal, it takes just four hours to cruise to the lovely market town of Bradford on Avon, with just one lock to pass through. Skirting the southern foothills of the Cotswolds, the route passes over two stunning Bath stone aqueducts and past the popular Cross Guns Inn at Avoncliff. Bradford on Avon is an architectural treasure chest with many beautiful buildings, including the magnificent 14th century monastic stone Tithe Barn.
3. Float gently along to Fradley
Cruising from Great Haywood, you can head south along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Fradley Junction, where the Coventry Canal meets the Trent & Mersey. The journey takes around five hours, travelling 12 peaceful miles and passing through just five locks. At Fradley, take time to enjoy refreshments at the Canalside Café or The Swan Inn and a wander around the Fradley Pool Nature Reserve, where a woodland trail and boardwalk offers a delightful tour of the reserve.
4. Cruise up the Shroppie to historic Chester
It’s a seven-hour, nine-lock journey to the ancient city of Chester from Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire. The route passes through glorious English countryside and villages with historic local pubs, including The Ring O’Bells at Christleton and The Shady Oak at Bates Mill Bridge. Once in Chester, take time to explore this cosmopolitan ancient city, with its Roman Amphitheatre, city walls, Chester Rows shops, 1,000-year old cathedral, racecourse and award-winning Zoo.
5. Test the waters on the Leeds & Liverpool
Setting off from Silsden base on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire, the journey to Gargrave travels 12 miles through just three locks, and takes around 6½ hours. Along the way, you’ll pass through the historic town of Skipton, with one of best preserved medieval castles in England. Once at Gargrave, there are plenty of pubs, including The Mason’s Arms and Cross Keys Inn, and as it’s on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, there’s also over 680 square miles of some of England’s finest walking country to explore.
6. Cross the border into Wales surrounded by breath-taking scenery
From Whixall Marina on the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire, on a short break you can cruise to Chirk and back in 16 hours, encountering just two locks. The route passes Whixall Moss nature reserve and Ellesmere, also known as the Shropshire Lake District, where visitors can enjoy strolling round the Mere’s Victorian gardens, woodland paths and historic castle. At Chirk, where the Llangollen Canal encounters the Welsh border, there’s a choice of canalside pubs and the National Trust’s Chirk Castle to visit.
For more advice, call our friendly booking team on 0117 304 1122.
Our top 3 celebration destinations
Britain’s beautiful canal network passes through some of our most exciting towns and cities
In many of our canalside cities, waterfronts have been transformed into vibrant destinations, with shops, bars, restaurants and top attractions. Canal boat moorings are often close by so a canal boat can provide accommodation for a city break celebration!
Our narrowboats can accommodate up to 12 people – perfect for getting family or friends together for a celebration afloat.
Here are our top 3 celebration destinations:
1. Experience the hot springs and nighlife in Georgian Bath
Famous for its beautiful Georgian architecture and Roman Baths, Bath on the banks of the River Avon, remains one of Britain’s top tourist destinations. From our base at Monkton Combe, it takes just two hours (passing through six locks), to reach moorings in the centre of Bath. Georgian Bath is famous for its thermal hot springs which you can experience at Thermae Bath Spa. There’s a fantastic choice of places to eat and drink in this UNESCO World Heritage city. And popular night time destinations include Komedia’s Krater Comedy Club, live music at the Green Park Brassie and cocktails at the Circo Bar & Lounge.
2. Celebrate in Shakespeare’s Stratford
From Wootton Wawen, on the Stratford Canal near Henley-in-Arden, you can cruise to this famous town on the banks of the River Avon in just six hours. Once there, you can moor up in Bancroft Basin in the centre of Stratford, close to waterside restaurants and the Royal Shakespeare theatre with its star-studded productions. Stratford has a great choice of bars, pubs and clubs, including the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Rooftop Restaurant, All Bar One and the Shakespeare Street Cocktail Bar & Nightclub.
3. Shop, eat and party in historic Chester
Renowned for its Roman city walls, cobbled streets, medieval shopping rows and racecourse, the historic City of Chester on the River Dee is just seven hours by boat from Bunbury. As well as amazing shopping, Chester has some fantastic bars and restaurants. For example, the Opera Grill housed in an impressive Grade II listed building with a neoclassical Greek façade (which also offers live music on Friday nights). The Alchemist cocktail bar and restaurant where exciting experimental drinks and food are served. And the lively Barlounge Chester with great outdoor and indoor space for celebrating.
To book a holiday or break on any of Anglo Welsh’s fleet, call our friendly booking team on 0117 304 1122.
Autumn is a great time to go boating and enjoy the beautiful colours in the trees along our amazing inland waterways
Tuition is included as part of our boat hire. So whether you are beginner looking for an easy short break to test the waters. Or a seasoned canal boater looking for a longer more challenging route, why not book a narrowboat holiday break this autumn and choose from hundreds of fantastic waterside destinations.
All our boats are equipped with the key comforts of home – central heating, hot water, TV, WiFi, well-stocked kitchens, showers and flushing toilets. And some have multi-fuel stoves on board too.
Here are our top 8 destinations to enjoy this autumn:
Explore the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds
From Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, it takes around 17 hours, passing through 28 locks, to reach Leeds – perfect for a week away. Along the way, you’ll travel through the Bingley Five Rise locks, one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways. And the UNESCO World Heritage town of Saltaire. Once in Leeds, you can moor up in Leeds Dock, and visit the Royal Armouries Museum, home to the national collection of arms and armour.
Cruise through the beautiful Vale of Pewsey
On a week’s holiday from Monkton Combe, you can cruise along the Kennet & Avon Canal to Pewsey and back. Along the way, you’ll encounter the historic market town of Bradford on Avon and the Caen Hill flight of locks at Devizes. Once you’ve travelled up the flight of 29 locks, you’ll pass through the North West Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the beautiful Vale of Pewsey. You can moor up at Pewsey, where there’s a choice of pubs. The journey to Pewsey and back cruises 57 miles, passes through 74 locks (37 each way) and takes around 33.5 hours.
Visit the Bodleian Library in Oxford
Experience a Thames boating holiday from our Oxford base, cruising to city centre moorings in around three hours. One of Oxford’s most famous attractions is the magnificent Bodleian Library, one of the oldest libraries in Europe. You can access the library by walking through ‘The Quad’ (the Old Schools Quadrangle of the Divinity School), a breath taking masterpiece of English Gothic architecture.
Enjoy panoramic views from Chester’s Roman walls
On a short break from Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal you can navigate to the Roman City of Chester and back. The journey through the Cheshire countryside takes around 14 hours (seven each way). And passes through 18 locks (nine each way). Once there, you can explore this great heritage city, home to the most complete City Walls in Britain, dating back 2,000 years to the Roman occupation. There’s a two-mile wall-walking trail, giving you the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Roman soldiers and enjoy panoramic views on both sides.
Glide across the Stream in the Sky to Whitchurch
On a week’s holiday from Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales you can cruise to historic Whitchurch and back. The journey takes a total of 44 hours (22 each way), passing through just four locks (two each way). Soon after leaving Trevor, you’ll cross the incredible UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, carrying the canal 38 metres high above the Dee Valley. Once at Whitchurch, you can moor up to explore this pretty historic town with independent shops and restaurants, walking trails and the award-winning Black Bear pub.
Travel round the Birmingham Mini-Ring
On a week’s holiday from Wootton Wawen you can complete the Birmingham Mini-Ring. The journey takes 35 hours and passes through 83 locks. You’ll cruise sections of the Stratford Canal, Grand Union Canal and Worcester & Birmingham Canal. It takes you through peaceful stretches of the Warwickshire countryside, with quiet villages and historic waterside pubs to enjoy along the way. And right into the heart of Britain’s Second City, where you’ll find over-night moorings at Gas Street Basin. From there, you can visit some of the City’s top attractions, including Brindleyplace and the Mailbox Shopping Centre. And the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, home to the world’s largest collection of Pre-Raphaelite art.
Visit the Royal Crescent in fabulous Georgian Bath
From Bradford on Avon, it takes just five hours to cruise along the Kennet & Avon Canal to the centre of the UNESCO World Heritage City of Bath. Once moored up, you can explore some of the City’s top attractions, including the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey and the stunning Georgian Royal Crescent. There 14 locks on this journey (seven each way) and two magnificent Bath stone aqueducts at Avoncliff and Dundas.
Cruise into the Peak District to enjoy magnificent scenery
On a week’s break from Great Haywood you can reach the Caldon Canal and cruise into the Peak District. It’s a 43-hour return journey to Froghall and back, travelling a total of 72 miles (36 each way) through 70 locks (35 each way). The route first takes you north along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Stoke-on-Trent. There you transfer onto the peaceful 17-mile long Caldon Canal, which passes through some of the most magnificent scenery in Britain. As the canal leaves Stoke, you’ll soon be cruising through gently rolling hills, wooded areas, past old mills and alongside the beautiful River Churnet. The route takes you through Cheddleton, home of the Churnet Valley Railway. And the village of Consall Forge with the secluded Black Lion pub serving good food and real ales.
Check availability and book online here, or call our booking team on 0117 304 1122.
UK’s most impressive aqueducts
To help you plan your next narrowboat holiday, we’ve listed the most impressive canal aqueducts to look out for in England and Wales
There are few things as magical as drifting on a canal boat high above another waterway, road or railway, waving to the world below.
Aqueducts offer some of the most incredible moments of any canal boat holiday. You can experience sweeping views across verdant countryside and admire these incredible feats of historic engineering. As your narrowboat crosses an aqueduct, you can calmly watch the world passing below, and feel transported in body and mind.
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Arguably the most awe-inspiring aqueduct in Britain, the Pontcysyllte carries the Llangollen canal a jaw-dropping 38 metres above the River Dee. It offers traversing canal boats and towpath walkers incredible views across the stunning river valley. Located at Trevor in North Wales, this Grade I* listed aqueduct achieved UNESCO World Heritage status in 2009. And it’s one of the Sevon Wonders of the Waterways.
Situated on a stunning stretch of the Kennet & Avon Canal between Bath and Bradford upon Avon, this beautiful stone structure was completed in 1810 by John Rennie. It carries narrowboats across the River Avon as well as Brunel’s Great Western Railway. It’s now designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
Another of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways, this is the only swing aqueduct in the world. It carries the Bridgewater Canal across the much larger Manchester Ship Canal. Now a Grade II* listed building, this feat of Victorian civil engineering opened in 1893. It consists of a channel that can be sealed off at each end to form a 235-feet long and 18 feet wide tank. Holding 800 tons of water, it swings on a pivot on an island in the middle of the Ship Canal.
The highest canal aqueduct in England, this incredible triple arched structure carries the Peak Forest Canal 90-feet above the River Goyt. Designed by Benjamin Outram and opened in 1800, this Grade I listed construction and ancient monument sits at the bottom of one of the steepest lock flights in Britain.
Also known as the Seven Arches Aqueduct, this beautiful Grade II edifice takes the Leeds & Liverpool Canal across the River Aire, between Saltaire and Bingley. Designed by the famous engineer James Brindley, the 245-year-old aqueduct runs for 131 yards over seven stone arches.
This 70-ft high aqueduct was built between 1796 and 1801 by Thomas Telford and William Jessop. It carries the Llangollen Canal across the Ceiriog Valley straddling England and Wales. Despite its scale and beauty with 10 masonry arches, the Chirk Aqueduct is often overshadowed by its near neighbour the Pontcysyllte. But it is also included within the World Heritage Site which stretches for 11 miles from Chirk to the Horseshoe Falls in Llangollen.
This cast iron aqueduct built in 1811 carries the Grand Union Canal 40-ft above the River Great Ouse at Cosgrove. Originally known as the Iron Trunk, the aqueduct was built in iron to replace a previous stone aqueduct that had failed.
The longest cast iron aqueduct in England, the Edstone is one of three aqueducts on a four mile stretch of the Stratford Canal in Warwickshire. Stretching for 475-ft, the Edstone crosses a road, a busy railway line and the track of another former railway near Bearley. Opened in 1816, the aqueduct’s towpath is at the level of the canal bottom so walkers crossing it can watch the narrowboats motor past at waist height.
If you’d like further advice on the best routes for a canal boat holiday with aqueducts and other marvels of our canal network, please call us on 0117 304 1122.
Experience luxury afloat with our Constellation fleet
Our Constellation Class narrowboats are among the luxury stars of our boat hire fleet
They have full-size showers, a range of flexible and private berths, solid fuel stoves on the four and six berth boats, a large TV and Wifi, and spacious kitchens with modern fittings and lighting.
You can find Constellation Class boats at the following locations:
For more information about these boats, take a look at our boat layouts
Constellation narrowboat hire prices start at £865* for short break on a boat for four and £1,200* for a week.
Check availability and book here or call us on 0117 304 1122 to find out more
*A compulsory £50 damage waiver is extra, plus a fuel deposit of £70 for short breaks and £110 for week long holidays.
Be Inspired
We offer a range of different types of holidays such as City Breaks, Relaxation Cruises and Popular Destinations
So why choose Anglo Welsh?
Over 55 years providing unique canal boat holidays in England and Wales.
Modern and spacious narrowboat and wide beam barge hire – from 2 to 12 berths.
Wide choice of narrowboat hire locations and canal boat holiday destinations.
Canal boat holiday routes for novices & experienced boaters.
Flexible holiday booking, no hidden costs.
Family friendly and pet friendly holidays.
Great days out on the water.
Luxury canal boat hire and Thames boating holidays.
Anglo Welsh. So much more than narrowboats
...but don't just take our word for it
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