New day boat maps to guide you on a fabulous day out
We’ve published 10 new day boat destination maps to help you plan and enjoy a fabulous family day afloat this summer.
The free maps provide details of the locks, tunnels, aqueducts and bridges you’ll meet along the way, as well as pubs, shops and other places to visit.
We offer day boat hire from six of our bases, from just £99 per day for up to 10 people.
Don’t worry if you are a newcomer to boating – full tuition is included, so we’ll show you the ropes before you set off. If you’ve ever fancied taking a canal boat holiday, but want to experience what it’s like, our day boats offer a great way to dip your toe in the water.
All our day boats are equipped with the facilities you need for a day afloat – cutlery, crockery, a kettle, cooker, fridge and toilet. So you can plan a picnic afloat along the way, or stop off at a canalside pub for lunch.
There’s indoor and outdoor seating on all our day boats, so whatever the weather, you can enjoy the ever-changing view.
We’ve published a new map for each of the following day boat destinations:
1. Glide across ‘The Stream in the Sky’to Chirk
From Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, you can cruise across to the incredible World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct to Chirk and back. The journey there takes around two-and-a-half hours. There are two aqueducts to cross and two tunnels to travel through. 2023 prices aboard our Trevor day boats ‘Jacob’, ‘Daniel’ and ‘Lotty’ are £120 on a weekday, £180 on weekends and bank holidays.
2. Cruise to Llangollen in the Berwyn Mountains
An alternative day boat destination from Trevor is the historic market town of Llangollen, nestled in the Berwyn Mountains. The journey to Llangollen, where there’s a great choice of places to eat, takes around two-and-a-half hours and there are no locks. 2023 prices aboard our Trevor day boats ‘Jacob’, ‘Daniel’ and ‘Lotty’ are £120 on a weekday, £180 on weekends and bank holidays.
3. Potter south along the Stratford Canal to Wilmcote
From Wootton Wawen in Warwickshire, you can cruise south along the Stratford Canal to Wilmcote and back. The two-and-a-half-hour journey to the historic village of Wilmcote takes you across the impressive Edstone Aqueduct. And passes through just one lock before reaching moorings a short walk from the village. Prices aboard our Wootton Wawen day boats ‘Dolly’ and ‘Charlie’ are £99 for up to 10 people on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.
4. Navigate north along the Stratford Canal to Lowsonford
From Wootton Wawen, you can cruise north along the Stratford Canal to the pretty village of Lowsonford and back. The journey takes three hours each way, and passes through eight locks each way. 2023 prices aboard our day boats ‘Dolly’ and ‘Charlie’ are £99 for up to 10 people on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.
5. Cruise south along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Rugeley
On a day afloat from Great Haywood, near Stafford, you can cruise to the historic market town of Rugeley and back. The journey to Rugeley travels four miles, passes through two locks and takes around three hours. Along the way, you’ll pass Little Haywood with a choice of pubs, and the Wolseley Arms at Wolseley Bridge. 2023 day hire prices for ‘Daphne’ and ‘Abi’ are £99 on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.
6. Navigate north along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Sandon
From Great Haywood, you can head north along the Trent & Mersey Canal to the Dog & Doublet pub at Sandon. The journey takes around two-and-a-half hours and passes through three locks. 2023 day hire prices for ‘Daphne’ and ‘Abi’ are £99 on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.
7. Travel through the Forest of Arden in Worcestershire
From Tardebigge near Bromsgrove, you can cruise along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, through the remains of the Forest of Arden, to Kings Norton. The journey takes around three hours, and passes through two tunnels and over two aqueducts. There’s a choice of pubs along the way, including the Crown at Alvechurch. Prices aboard day boat ‘Emma’ are £99 on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays. ‘Emma’ can also be hired for a night for two people, with prices starting at £198, plus fuel.
8. Cruise through the Cheshire countryside to Nantwich
On a day out from Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal near Tarporley, you can cruise to Nantwich and back. The lock-free journey takes you past the canalside Barbridge Inn. And across the impressive Nantwich Aqueduct, with panoramic views across the town. Prices aboard day boat ‘Bella’ are £99 on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.
9. Glide through the Shropshire countryside to historic Whitchurch
On a day afloat from Whixall on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal, you can reach the historic market town of Whitchurch. The lock-free journey, which takes around two-and-a-half hours, passes the Hadley Farm Café along the way. Prices for day boat ‘Julia’ are £99 for up to 10 people on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.
10. Navigate through the Shropshire Lake District to Ellesmere
From Whixall, it takes around three hours to reach the historic market town of Ellesmere, in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. The lock-free route passes Cole Mere and takes you through Ellesmere Tunnel. Prices for day boat ‘Julia’ are £99 for up to 10 people on a weekday, £150 on weekends and bank holidays.
Celebrate Father’s Day with a boat trip across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct Canal Boat Holiday for Fathers Day
Our ‘Little Star’ trip boat will be operating five skippered boat trips on Father’s Day (18 June), offering the chance to enjoy an unforgettable family day out together at the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct site.
Also known as ‘The Stream in the Sky’, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct carries the Llangollen Canal high above the Dee Valley.
At 300 metres long and 39 metres high, it’s the longest and highest aqueduct in Britain.
Opening in 1805, its name, which is pronounced ‘Pont-ker-sulth-tay’, is the Welsh for ‘the bridge that connects’.
Our 45-minute-long return boat trips offer the chance to cruise across this incredible structure, experiencing amazing views across the Dee Valley, and making some fantastic Father’s day memories to treasure.
Our knowledgeable team provides commentary on board about the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and the Llangollen Canal. It’s a great way to learn more about the fascinating history of the site as you cruise gently along.
Refreshments are available to purchase on board, including hot and cold drinks, and ice creams.
From 1 April to 30 September 2023, trips depart daily at 11am, 12 noon, 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm from Canal Wharf, Trevor, Llangollen LL20 7TT.
Adult tickets are priced at £10 each, children (aged under 16) are priced at £6.
Family tickets for two adults and two children are priced at £25 each.
For more information and to book in advance, click here www.anglowelsh.co.uk/little-star, or call the bookings team on 0117 304 1122.
Celebrate the King’s Coronation with a boat trip across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct Canal Boat Day Trip for the King’s Coronation
Across all three May bank holiday weekends, including the King’s Coronation weekend (6-8 May), our ‘Little Star’ trip boat will be operating five trips a day, offering the chance to enjoy skippered cruises across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
Also known as ‘The Stream in the Sky’, at 300 metres long and 39 metres high, the awesome Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is the longest and highest aqueduct in Britain.
Opening in 1805, it took over 500 men and 10 years to build, using wooden scaffolding and simple cranes.
In 2009 it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, putting it on a par with the pyramids in Egypt and the Taj Mahal in India.
Our ‘Little Star’ daily boat trips across the incredible Pontcysyllte Aqueduct offer the chance to cruise across this incredible structure and to experience amazing views across the Dee Valley, and make some fantastic family memories celebrating the King’s Coronation weekend.
Our knowledgeable team provides commentary on board about the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and the Llangollen Canal, which is a great way to learn more about the fascinating history of the site as you cruise gently along.
Trips depart daily at 11am, 12 noon, 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm from Canal Wharf, Trevor, Llangollen LL20 7TT.
‘Little Star’ (‘Seren Fach’ in Welsh) offers space for up to 48 passengers. Adult tickets are priced at £10 each, children (aged under 16) are priced at £6. Family tickets for two adults and two children are priced at £25 each. Refreshments are available to purchase on board, including hot and cold drinks.
Try canal boating at one of our free open day events
On Sunday 23 April 2023, we are offering people the chance to try canal boating for free at six of our canal boat hire bases across England and Wales.
The taster sessions, which are part of the Drifters national open day event, will include free short trips on skippered narrowboats, and the opportunity to look round holiday-hire boats at some locations.
Our open day events will be on from 11am to 4pm at the following locations:
Enjoy a Mother’s Day boat trip across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Emma Lovell, Reservations Manager for Anglo Welsh, explains why a boat trip across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a great way to treat Mums this Mother’s Day.
Across the Mother’s Day Weekend (18-19 March 2023) our ‘Little Star’ trip boat will be operating skippered cruises across the UNESCO World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
The 45-minute return trips will take passengers along the Llangollen Canal and across the incredible 38-metre-high Pontcysyllte Aqueduct to enjoy amazing views across the Dee Valley.
‘Little Star’ trips will depart at 11am, 12 noon, 1.30pm and 2.30pm on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 March.
Treat your Mum to an unforgettable canal boat holiday experience for mothers days
Spending time with the family doing something special is one of the loveliest ways to treat your Mum on Mother’s Day. And a trip across the incredible Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is an unforgettable experience to enjoy together.
As you cruise gently along, our knowledgeable team provides commentary on board about the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and the history of the Llangollen Canal. Refreshments are available to purchase on board, including hot and cold drinks.
Daily trips commence from 1 April 2023
From 1 April to 30 September 2023, ‘Little Star’ (‘Seren Fach’ in Welsh) will be operating five trips every day, firmly establishing the trip boat as a ‘must do’ experience at this incredible World Heritage site.
Trips will depart at 11am, 12 noon, 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm
Ticket prices
‘Little Star’ offers space for up to 48 passengers. Adult tickets are priced at £10 each, children (aged under 16) are priced at £6. Family tickets for two adults and two children are priced at £25 each.
Trips depart from Canal Wharf, Trevor, Llangollen LL20 7TT. Booking in advance is advised.
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