Anglo Welsh hero takes on the world’s toughest rowing challenge for charity
It would be fair to say that Anglo Welsh’s Ian Davies has never been one to shirk a challenge, and the 58-year-old former serviceman has always been a go-getter for charity. In 2009 he drove a one-litre car to Mongolia and in 2013 he swam the Solent. Then just one week after swimming the English Channel in 2014 he was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer.
Ian takes up the story. “I received 18 months of treatment and had a transplant on my 55th birthday. Fortunately, I am now in remission. At the end of 2015 it was time to prove to myself that I was still capable of regaining my fitness and raising funds for people less fortunate than myself, so I entered the DART10, an endurance swim down the River Dart from Totnes to Dittisham.”
“Having completed that I decided that a long-term challenge was the way forward to raise significant monies for some great charities. So how about rowing the Atlantic?!”
Now Ian and a bunch of five hardy mates known as The Atlantic Mavericks are preparing for The Atlantic Challenge, the premier event in ocean rowing that takes competitors more than 3,000 miles west from San Sebastian in La Gomera, Canary Islands to Nelson’s Dockyard English Harbour, Antigua & Barbuda. Not for nothing is it known as “the world’s toughest row”.
The epic race begins in early December, with up to 30 teams participating from around the world. All with the same objective – to take on the unique experience of crossing an ocean in a rowing boat and to raise money for charities.
These days Ian plies his trade as a highly skilled marine engineer at Anglo Welsh’s base in Trevor, North Wales, but as an ex-Warrant Officer in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, he put together his Atlantic Mavericks from the ranks of fellow ex-servicemen.
“It takes a certain kind of person to keep going when faced with blisters, salt rash, sharks and sleep deprivation,” admits Ian. “It’s no surprise then that more people have been into space or climbed Everest than have rowed the Atlantic!”
“Being retired servicemen we are thankful that we have had full and rewarding careers. We have been lucky and made good transitions from military to civilian life, but this is not the case for everyone. We therefore want to support the Royal British Legion in helping those who have been less fortunate, and we also want to support Myeloma UK in their great work combating bone marrow disease.”
Anglo Welsh’s sponsorship will go towards the purchase of vital equipment such as a VHF radio or a desalinator which the crew will use to make all their own water during the arduous Atlantic crossing. “Ian is a valued member of the Anglo Welsh family, and we felt moved by his story and the courageous strength of all the Atlantic Mavericks. We are happy we are able to support the team in such a good cause. We wish them all the best!”
To find out more about The Atlantic Challenge or to sponsor Ian and his team, go to www.atlanticmavericks.com
Top 5 Valentine’s Day Romantic Narrowboat Holiday Destinations Afloat on the UK Canals
Anglo Welsh The Narrowboat Company offer winter cruising from a number of bases, so why not treat your loved one to a love boat this Valentine’s Day?! Cuddle up together on a cosy boat for two, stop off at country pubs along the way, take romantic strolls along frosty towpaths and visit exciting waterside destinations for candlelit dinners for two. All our boats have central heating and some also have their own multi-fuel stoves, so it’s always warm and toasty on board.
Here are our top five romantic destinations for this Valentine’s Day:
Pop the question 40 metres up! Our Trevor base is close to the incredible World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, which carries canal boats 40 metres high above the River Dee to enjoy spectacular views. From Trevor, on a short romantic break canal boat holiday-makers can reach the pretty town of Llangollen, dining at the popular Corn Mill or travel to Ellesmere to explore the beautiful Vale of Llangollen and Shropshire Lake District. On a week’s break out of Trevor, boaters can travel on to Wrenbury or Barbridge.
Wine & dine in Birmingham. Our Tardebigge base is a five-hour lock-free journey from the centre of Birmingham, where lovers can moor up at Gas Street Basin and saunter into town for theatre, museums and fine dining.
Read Shakespeare’s Sonnets in Stratford. From our base at Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal, Stratford upon Avon, birthplace of Shakespeare, is a six-hour cruise away. Once there, boaters can moor up in Bancroft Basin and visit the Swan Theatre and the town’s many eateries. On a week’s break, narrowboat holiday-makers can travel the Birmingham Mini Ring.
Find rural retreats in Staffordshire. On a short break from our base at Great Haywood on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, boaters can enjoy mile-upon-mile of rural seclusion and head to the pretty canalside village of Fradley, with quiet country pubs and Fradley Pool Nature Reserve, a site of special importance for its biodiversity.
Enjoy a history trail in Chester. Our base at Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal is just seven hours by boat from the medieval City of Chester. Once there, boaters can moor up and walk the two-mile circular Eastgate Clock Treasure Trail, visiting ‘The Cross’ in the centre of Chester, quaint streets, the Roman walls, the River Dee, the iconic Eastgate Clock, Cathedral and The Rows. On a week’s break from Bunbury, boaters can cruise to Llangollen and back.
Our team of helpful and friendly canal holiday experts are available to take your booking. Please call us 0117 304 1122.
From Royal weddings, state apartments and banqueting halls to siege towers, murder holes and dungeons, Britain’s beautiful castles bring history to life and make fantastic narrowboat holiday destinations.
Here are our top five castles to visit afloat in 2018:
Explore the magnificent State Apartments at Windsor Castle– from our canal boat hire base on the River Thames near Oxford, it takes three days (travelling 74 miles through 27 locks), to reach Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and home to The Queen. With over 900 years of Royal history to discover, including Charles II’s magnificent State Apartments with painted ceilings by Antonio Verrio and paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and Canaletto, Windsor Castle is packed with treasures from the Royal Collection. On 20 November 1992 a fire destroyed or damaged more than 100 rooms at the Castle. Its restoration, particularly the Grand Reception Room and St George’s Hall, is a testament to the incredible skills of some of the finest crafts people in Europe. Today Windsor’s State Apartments are frequently used by members of the Royal Family for events in support of their charities, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to marry in St George’s Chapel in May.
Wonder at Warwick Castle with over 1,000 years of history to explore – from our Stockton boat yard on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire, it’s a seven-hour journey, passing through 20 locks, to reach the beautiful historic town of Warwick with its jaw-dropping medieval castle on the banks of the River Avon. Dating back to William the Conqueror, Warwick Castle offers a fantastic day out with ramparts to climb, the Castle Dungeon, Great Hall and Staterooms to explore, the sights, sounds and smells of the medieval period to experience in the Kingmaker exhibition, soaring birds of prey and trebuchet firing displays to watch, the Horrible Histories Maze to navigate and landscaped gardens to tour.
Find out about the siege at Skipton Castle – from our canal boat hire base at Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire, it takes just over three hours to reach Skipton with its 900-year old fortress, one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England. The journey takes canal boat holiday-makers through the typical Yorkshire stone built villages of Kildwick and Farnhill and a dense wooded area famous for its bluebells and deer. Once at Skipton, visitors to the castle can explore every corner of this impressive fortress which withstood a three-year siege during the Civil War. Climbing from the depths of the Dungeon to the top of the Watch Tower, with the magnificent Banqueting Hall, Kitchen, Bedchamber and Privy in between, Skipton Castle is certainly a national treasure.
Discover the impenetrable medieval fortress at Chirk – from our narrowboat hire base at Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, it takes just over an hour to reach Chirk, passing over the incredible World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct along the way. Once safely moored, it’s a half-hour walk up to the National Trust’s Chirk Castle, one of several medieval marcher fortresses built on the Welsh-English border to keep the Welsh under English rule. Started in 1295, Chirk Castle had the most up-to-date defences of the time, with round ‘drum’ towers that allowed archers a wide firing field and created a ‘killing zone’ where the fields of fire overlapped. The towers are wider at ground level and with their five-metre thick walls, were designed to splay outwards – making it difficult for siege towers and battering rams to get close. Today it’s the only one of Edward I’s marcher fortresses still inhabited, with lavishly furnished rooms to explore, as well as the Adam Tower, complete with its two-level dungeons, medieval toilets and murder holes.
Take a guided tour of Oxford Castle – from our Oxford base at Eynsham near Witney, it’s a tranquil three-hour cruise along the River Thames to City Centre moorings at Hythe Bridge, perfect for exploring Oxford and the City’s 11th century earthwork motte-and-bailey castle. Founded by the Norman baron Robert D’Oilly the elder in 1071, most of the fortress was destroyed in the English Civil War and by the 18th century, the remaining buildings had become Oxford’s local prison. Today, tours of the Castle are led by costumed character guides who lead guests up the Saxon St George’s Tower for panoramic views of the city of Oxford, deep underground to the 900-year old crypt, through the austere confines of the 18th century Debtor’s Tower and Prison D-Wing and up the Mound of the castle.
To book a holiday or break on any of Anglo Welsh’s fleet, call our friendly booking team on 0117 304 1122.
Festive frolics on the Canals – Christmas jumpers are optional, having fun is a must!
Festive Feeling on the Canals this December
If like everybody here at Anglo Welsh you can never get enough of the UK’s fantastic waterways, why not take a break from the Christmas shopping to attend one of the many festive events on the canals this December?
The Trent and Mersey Canal Open Weekend (December 2nd and 3rd) at Derwent Mouth Lock is a great place to start. There will be a heritage trail for adults and children alike, old photographs of the lock that show how it has changed over the years, plus Christmas carols and the chance to enjoy a tipple from the local micro pub. You also get to see the historic boats, ‘Trout’ and ‘Dove’, and watch Shrek the workhorse demonstrating how to pull a narrowboat.
Also on the Trent and Mersey Canal, Santa swaps his sleigh for a trip boat as the iconic Anderton Boat Lift plays host to a series of seasonal cruises along the River Weaver (every weekend in December, plus Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd). There will be festive stories and songs and a place to play in the new boat lift inspired play area. You will also get a chance to take ‘elfies’ with Father Christmas and best of all, Santa will make sure every child gets a seasonal gift.
Returning for a second year, the Bradford on Avon Market is getting festive (December 2nd and 3rd) on the Kennet and Avon Canal. Come along to the Christmas themed Floating Market for mulled wine and carols, with many of your favourite traders and some exciting new faces.
Further east in Wiltshire, the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is organising Christmas Boat trips on the Swindon-based narrowboat ‘Dragonfly’ throughout December. Come and meet Santa every weekend from December 2nd and 3rd to December 16th and 17th, and then daily up to and including Saturday 23rd December – and yes, there will be Christmas presents for all the children!
This year the Roving Canal Traders Association are holding their first Christmas Floating Market in Berkhamsted on the Grand Union Canal near Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. Pop along and find your favourite traders to buy some ‘not on the High Street’ unique Christmas gifts for friends & family. The market will run from 10am to 5pm on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th December, and weather permitting there will be illuminated boats trading in the early evening on Friday 8th.
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a concert from the Wirral Singers and Ringers at the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port. This year’s annual celebration takes place on December 9th. Enjoy the singers who sing because they love it and have fun, and the ringers who also call themselves the humdingers – because most of their members are taken from the choir and therefore both hum and ding! Boom Boom! Performance starts at 7.30 pm and the £7 ticket includes tea/coffee and a mince pie.
The iconic Foxton Locks in Leicestershire once again plays host to a very special Christmas event – the Foxton Illuminated Festival (December 16th and 17th). This year a huge water fountain forms the centre piece of activities including bars, food stalls, music, theatre performances, fair ground and of course stunning illuminated canal boats. The best dressed boat will win the prestigious Foxton Illuminated Cup! Due to the overwhelming success of last year, this year’s event is being held over two days and entry is by ticket only.
For more information on festive events on and around the canals, plus confirmation of dates and times, visit canalrivertrust.org.uk. All together now, “Ding dong merrily on high…”
Booking now! Anglo Welsh’s brand-new ‘Heritage’ class narrowboats
With a four-decade track record laying on memorable canal holidays, Anglo Welsh’s expert team definitely know a thing or two about narrowboats. And when it came to commissioning the latest bespoke addition to our 160-strong fleet, we put all that experience to very practical use.
Enjoy Luxury Canal Boat Holidays with a Slice of ‘Heritage’?
Our top-of-the-range ‘Constellation’ Class was launched in 2016 to rave reviews and positive feedback from narrowboat experts and holidaymakers alike. Now 2017 brings the launch of the stunning ‘Heritage’ class, and as the name suggests, this latest chapter in the Anglo Welsh story takes inspiration from a bygone era.
The ‘Heritage’ design marries a vintage feel to outstanding modern facilities. Traditional livery; portholes; side doors; warm wooden interior with lots of brass fittings and a solid fuel fire. Modern engineering; central heating; two full size shower rooms; spacious beds with sprung mattresses; fully fitted galley; TV, DVD and wi-fi – the ‘Heritage’ class really does provide the best of both worlds.
In partnership with our sponsor ‘Panda Sanctuaries’ we will be developing the fleet across all eleven Anglo Welsh bases. The first ‘Heritage’ offering is a spacious 4-berth named ‘Lily’ and she will be cruising from our famous base at Trevor on the Llangollen Canal.
“We are all privileged and excited to be welcoming this new class of boat here,” says Oliver from Anglo Welsh’s Trevor team. “Having the Heritage boat ‘Lily’ at our World Heritage sight couldn’t be a more perfect fit! Customers have already spoken to us about it, and she is proving to be very popular already, so we know she’s going to be a big hit!”
As another nod to the narrowboats of old, the ‘Cratch Cover’ sits above the deck on the bow and offers added protection when the weather takes an inclement turn. When the weather allows, the canopy sides can be taken back, opening up the bow to make the most of the fresh air!
Below deck, the Belfast sink was originally known as a ‘Butler Belfast’ as butlers used them in their pantries for preparing food and washing up after their aristocratic masters had wined and dined. Its neat and robust design is ideal for a narrowboat galley.
Side opening doors and traditional livery are the strongest element of the ‘Heritage’s’ retro feel. Brass portholes and air vents sit cleanly within the traditional colour scheme of black and grey, brightened by the red and ivory coach lines and the delightfully ornate nameplate.
Tempted? What could be better than soaking up the history and tradition of the UK’s canals with your own little slice of ‘Heritage’?
Anglo Welsh’s ‘Heritage’ class will be very popular! To book one of these handsome narrowboats, contact our friendly Booking Team on 0117 304 1122.
For more information on the ‘Heritage’ Class, check out our full colour 2018 Brochure.
We are spreading Christmas cheer early with our Instagram card competition!
Anglo Welsh spread Christmas cheer with Instagram card competition … and Santa’s pitching in with £300 worth of gift vouchers.
Winter on the UK’s waterways can be one of the most magical and picturesque times to capture the beauty of the canals. In fact, it’s one big festive postcard in the making … and we’d like you to supply the images.
As Christmas approaches, our canal-side landscapes are transformed into a winter wonderland: frost clinging to the edges of red leaves; trees coated with glistening frost; snow-covered towpaths; spectacular winter sunsets. Not to mention narrowboats decked out in their Christmas finest, robins foraging for berries and children throwing snowballs!
Anglo Welsh’s 2017 Christmas greeting will be delivered to our friends and customers in December and we would like to offer all festive enthusiasts the chance to have their waterway-inspired photo featured on our #anglowelshxmas Christmas card 2017.
And it’s not just about the feel-good factor of having your festive image dispatched around the country – Santa will be giving the winning contestant £300 worth of vouchers of their choice!
To take part in the #anglowelshxmas competition all you have to do are the following:
Like the #anglowelshxmas post
Follow/ like us on Instagram and Facebook
Upload up to 3 of your festive waterway inspired photos to your chosen platform, using the hashtag #anglowelshxmas, with a caption telling us why you love the festive season!
Be sure to tag us in your photos
Anglo Welsh’s Christmas competition will run until 30th November 2017 at 12pm and the winner will be announced on 1st December 2017 (terms and conditions apply). That means the lucky Instagram snapper will have plenty of time to spend their £300 vouchers before Christmas.
So fill up your flasks, wrap up warm, and head for your nearest canal to capture the magic of the UK’s Winter Wonderland.
Terms and conditions – Competition begins 3rd November 2017 and closes on 30th November 2017 at 12pm midday.
– To enter the competition, you must be following Anglo Welsh on Instagram and Facebook and must upload photos to these platforms using the hashtag #anglowelshxmas.
– Entrants can be all ages. Under 16s must seek permission from a parent or guardian.
– Entrants can submit up to 3 photos per person during the competition period.
– Photographs must show typical scenery of UK canals e.g. waterways, canals, narrowboats, landscapes, wildlife, canal-side countryside, etc.
– The winner will be selected by the judging panel. The judges’ decision is final.
– Prize winners will be announced via Instagram and Facebook on 1st December, 2017.
– One prize winner will be selected and awarded with £300 worth of vouchers from a UK retailer of their choice; the winning photograph will also be featured as the Anglo Welsh Christmas Card 2017. The prize cannot be exchanged or returned. There is no cash equivalent.
– Entrant(s) may be contacted by Anglo Welsh if they want to use the images for any advertisement or publication.
– The organiser reserves the right to change or cancel the competition at any time.
– By entering you agree by the rules and are happy for your imagery to be used for marketing purposes by Anglo Welsh Waterway Holidays and their associated companies.
– Members of Anglo Welsh staff plus staff of associated companies are not permitted to enter this competition.
Narrowboating in style – John Craven holidays on the Llangollen Canal
Canal Boat Hire on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales
Earlier this year, we were delighted to welcome Countryfile presenter John Craven, and his two eldest grandsons for a short break narrowboat holiday, setting off from our canal boat hire base at Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales.
Although John has been fascinated by canals all his life and been a vice-president of a canals trust, he’d never before taken a canal boat holiday.
This summer he set off with Charlie, aged 18, who apparently proved to be a “natural-born skipper” and 15-year-old Will – “the ideal lookout and rope handler”.
John’s article about his journey is published by Countryfile Magazine, 15 October 2017 www.countryfile.com
Choosing their holiday
John explains: “From the 2,000-mile network of navigable canals in England and Wales, we chose a 20-mile stretch of the Llangollen and it turned out to be a perfect microcosm of Britain’s waterways heritage. It encompassed both countries and put us to the test with two aqueducts, 57 bridges, two locks and three tunnels – quite an initiation for first-time narrowboaters piloting a 67ft craft.”
They collected their narrowboat, Askrigg, from Trevor Wharf close to the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, which John explains has: “18 stone pillars and 19 cast-iron arches” that “carry the canal at a height of 38m (126ft) over the River Dee.”
Taking a quick course
Oliver from Anglo Welsh gave John and the boys their tuition, showing them how to handle the Askrigg, pushing the tiller right to go left and vice versa, putting the engine in reverse to stop as there are no brakes, driving on the right and pointing out “the horn (essential for warning boats coming towards us round sharp bends), the headlights (which must be switched on before entering tunnels)”.
John explains, “no licence is needed to pilot a narrowboat and after Oliver had travelled with us for a short distance to make sure we had understood his instructions, he left us to continue along on our own.”
Navigating through the Vale of Llangollen
John and his crew began their journey by heading four miles west to the Eisteddfod town of Llangollen, explaining that here the canal “runs along the steep slopes of the Vale of Llangollen and becomes so narrow in places that only one-way traffic is possible. Just to be on the safe side, Will had to run a few hundred yards ahead to make sure nothing was heading towards us and then phone me with an all-clear.”
Checking out the boat’s interior
After mooring in the marina at Llangollen, John describes the interior of their boat as “narrowboating in style” with “everything we could possibly need – two showers, a double bed and two singles, a smart kitchen with a fridge and freezer, small gas cooker, a dining table with bench seats that could convert into an extra bed, two easy chairs and a TV.”
Travelling over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
John then describes their journey the next day across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct: “Entering the aqueduct is one of those never-to-be-forgotten moments. It is, essentially, a 307metre-long metal trough that is just about wide enough for one boat. On one side is the towpath and on the other a sheer drop down to the valley floor – not a view for anyone with vertigo.”
John then talks about the history of the aqueduct, explaining: “It took 10 years to build and was completed in 1805, at the cost of £38m in today’s money and one navvy’s life. One of the geniuses behind it is one of my heroes: the great road and canal builder Thomas Telford and I felt honoured to be crossing a structure that he had helped to build.”
Tunnel rules
John and his crew then navigated two tunnels and he explains: “there’s a very simple, sensible rule for tunnels: if you see headlights in the dark, don’t enter.”
After the second tunnel at Chirk, they crossed the Chirk Aqueduct and soon after moored up for the night at the Poacher’s Pocket pub at Gledrid. At the pub that night they reflected that all of the 11 miles they’d covered from Llangollen “are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and rightly so. We had pottered down tree-lined watery avenues, past wide-open countryside and across spectacular constructions.”
Operating the twin locks at New Marton
On describing day three of their journey, John says that “patience is a necessary ingredient of canal travel” said they filled their water tank from the water point whilst waiting to negotiate the twin locks at New Marton, “Charlie then guided Askrigg confidently into the locks” while John and Will operated the gates and paddles.”
To Ellesmere and back
John says: “The canal was busy in both directions all the way to Ellesmere, which kept us on our toes. But on the way back, after a night tied up next to the beautiful Blake Mere on the far side of Ellesmere tunnel, there was very little traffic and we had the waterway almost to ourselves. Apparently canals can be like that: unpredictable.”
Songs at the Aqueduct Inn
On their fourth and final night, John and his crew moored a few hundred yards from their journey’s end at the Aqueduct Inn as they had to return their boat by 9am the following morning.
He says the Aqueduct Inn is “an old pub with great food and fine views from its wooden balcony. It also provided a wonderful and unexpected finale to our adventure.
“The staff were clearing our plates away when into the bar came a large group of men in ties and blazers. Not long after entering they started to sing. It wasn’t the usual pub singalong stuff but beautiful songs with glorious harmonies and, after a short while, I began to recognise some of their faces from a Countryfile programme I had made with them years ago.
“They were members of the internationally renowned Fron Male Voice Choir and they were wetting their whistles after their regular Thursday-night practice and had decided to perform an impromptu encore in their local for a few of the regulars and Charlie, Will and me.”
Back across the Aqueduct
The next morning they took Askrigg back across the aqueduct to our narrowboat hire base at Trevor and John reflects: “It had been an exhilarating, slow-motion few days. We had glided though breath-taking countryside while being overtaken by walkers and their dogs, joggers, cyclists and kayakers canals aren’t just for narrowboats.
“Many peaceful hours of travelling had been dotted with moments of tension, certainly on my part, as I tried to master the skills needed for a method of transportation that hasn’t changed in centuries.
“We agreed it had been far more than just a short holiday. The Llangollen Canal had given us an experience we’d never forget. Why on earth had I waited so long?”
To book a holiday or break on any of Anglo Welsh’s fleet, call our friendly Booking Team on 0117 304 1122.
Here is are top 9 Narrowboat Holiday Breaks for October Half Term:
Visit the Rock Houses at Kinver Edge. From our Tardebigge base on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove, it’s a 20-hour, 37-mile, 32-lock journey to Kinver on the Staffordshire & Worcester Canal, close to the National Trust’s Holy Austin Rock Houses. Said to be the last occupied cave-dwellings in England, these houses dug into the base of the sandstone escarpment were inhabited until the 1960s. Kinver is on the route of the Stourport Ring, which can be tackled on a week’s holiday from Tardebigge, travelling a total of 76 miles via Birmingham, Kidderminster, Stourport and Worcester.
Explore creatures of the night at the Pitt Rivers Museum. From our Oxford base, it’s a tranquil three-hour cruise along the River Thames to moorings at Hythe Bridge, perfect for a short break exploring Oxford, including the extraordinary Pitt Rivers Museum. This Museum is home to one of the world’s finest collection of anthropology and archaeology, including shrunken heads from the Amazon and the famous ‘witch in a bottle’. From Monday 23 to Wednesday 25 October, 1-4pm the Pitt Rivers will be hosting special October Half Term activities ‘Bats, Cats, Witches and Charms’, exploring creatures of the night, magic charms and solving mysteries.
Travel across ‘The Stream in the Sky’ to the Shropshire Lake District. Just five minutes from our canal boat hire base on the Llangollen Canal at Trevor in North Wales, the incredible Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is truly one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’. Its cast iron trough is carried 38 metres high above the Dee Valley on 19 hollow pillars and in 2009 it was granted World Heritage status, putting it on an equal footing with the Taj Mahal. On a short break from Trevor, boaters can cross the aqueduct and head east to the Ellesmere Lakes, also known as the Shropshire Lake District.
Enjoy 1,000 years of history at Warwick Castle. From our Stockton base on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire, Warwick and its magnificent medieval castle is a day’s cruise away. Developed from the original castle built by William the Conqueror in 1068, Warwick Castle offers visitors ‘flight of the eagle’ shows, trebuchet firing displays, Horrible Histories Maze, Kingmaker exhibition, Castle Dungeon tour, Princess Tour and ramparts to climb. Over the October Half Term holiday (21-31 October), special Haunted Castle activities include the spectacular Fire Joust, spooktacular shows at the Dead Centre Stage, the search for magic potions at The Witches Tower and a Halloween Trail.
Cruise to the spectacular flight of locks at Devizes. From our base on the Kennet & Avon Canal at in Bath, it’s a 10-hour, eight-lock cruise to Fox Hanger Wharf at the base of the mighty Caen Hill flight of 29 locks at Devizes, one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’. Once here, the historic market town of Devizes is a short walk away, with its Wadworth Brewery Visitor Centre and famous shire horses making daily deliveries, plus a range of shops, pubs and restaurants, including the ‘Peppermill Restaurant’ and the historic Bear Hotel. Along the way, narrowboat holiday-makers can stop off to explore the beautiful river and canalside town of Bradford on Avon, home to the magnificent 14th monastic stone Tithe Barn, with its amazing timber cruck roof.
Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace. From our base at Wootton Wawen on the Stratford Canal in Henley in Arden, it’s a delightful six-hour, 17-lock cruise journey through the Warwickshire countryside to Bancroft Basin, in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon. From here, it’s a short walk to a range of shops, restaurants, pubs, cafes and museum’s, including Shakespeare’s Birthplace on Henley Street. Visitors to the Museum can walk in Shakespeare’s footsteps and explore the house where he was born, grew up and spent the first five years of his marriage, hearing tales of Shakespeare’s family life and enjoying live theatre on demand.
Discover the World of Wedgwood. From our hire boat yard at Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal in Staffordshire, it’s a 14-mile, 12-lock journey to the wonderful ‘World of Wedgwood’ at Trentham Lock. Here an interactive visitor centre celebrates British craftsmanship with the Wedgewood Museum, Factory Tour, shopping, food and special family activities, including ‘Spooky Pottery Painting’ over the October Half Term holiday (23-29 October).
See David Hockney’s paintings at Salts Mill. From our base at Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire, it takes seven hours to reach Sir Titus Salt’s model town at Saltaire, now a World Heritage Site. Here, the Yorkshire industrialist Sir Titus Salt built a textile mill and village to house his workers by the River Aire. Today, the ‘1853 Gallery’ at Salts Mill is houses a permanent exhibition of over 300 works by the Bradford born artist David Hockney, including his ‘Arrival of Spring’ series.
Experience the ‘Enchantment of Chester Zoo’. From our base at Bunbury, Chester Zoo is an eight-hour journey, travelling 15 miles through the rolling Cheshire landscape and the centre of the historic city of Chester, and passing through 10 locks. Over the October Half Term holiday (21-31 October) ‘The Enchantment at Chester Zoo’ event encourages families to help break the sorcerer’s spell to send the zoo to sleep, seeking out moths, sloths, giraffes and orangutans to gather clues and save the Zoo!
To book a holiday or break on any of Anglo Welsh’s fleet, call our friendly Booking Team on 0117 304 1122.
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
Manage Cookie Consent
We use cookies to optimise our website and our service.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
