How to Plan an English Canal Trip
Looking for a scenic and relaxing way to travel through England? A
canal trip might be just the ticket. During the 18th and 19th centuries,
Great Britain undertook numerous canal-digging projects as a way to
move farm and industrial goods from production centers to markets.
Today, the waterways offer a tranquil vacation for friends or family.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Read up on the system's 2,000 miles of waterways. The canals are mostly narrow and usually traverse flat areas (some use locks to raise or lower boats past inclines). Most canal trips pass both towns and countryside.
-
2
Check out the unique boats. Because the canals are narrow, the boats are also. In fact, the ideal rental is called a narrow boat, which is about 7 feet (2 m) wide and up to 70 feet (21 m) in length. Look for a boat with a cruiser stern, as these provide the best outdoor lounge space. If you're a beginner, steer clear of boats longer than about 55 feet (17 m).
-
-
3
Decide whether you will rent a boat with a captain or without one, taking into account your boat-handling skills. On the calm water of a canal, most people do fine after a little practice. Hire a skipper if you would rather not be responsible for 50 feet (15 m) of steel hull with a mind of its own.
-
4
Visualize life on board. "Cozy and charming" are boatspeak for limited storage, cramped kitchens and minimal bathroom space. And although many boats are modern and well equipped, life aboard could never be called spacious.
-
5
Research boat rental agencies online or through a travel agent. Since almost every section of canal has an agency, it makes sense to choose your starting destination first. For example, if you will be based in Oxford, start there to search for agencies.
-
6
Expect to pay $2,000 to $2,200 during peak periods (late summer and holidays) for a boat that sleeps four to six people. You can find significant savings during slow times.
-
7
Take a break and stretch your legs. Most canals are bordered by well-maintained paths for walking and cycling. Ask the canalboat rental agency if bicycles are available to rent nearby and if they are allowed to be stored on deck.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Take your time and enjoy the countryside. Canal boats travel sedately, not swiftly.
Be sure to get instructions for navigating the many locks on the British canal system. Your rental agent should be able to provide this information.
WaterwaysHolidays.com allows you to book your English canal trip online and isn't tied to any one boat operator. It also offers useful information on canal boating.
Some operations own a fleet of boats. Others broker privately owned boats. Either type of agency may offer special deals, depending on how busy they are.
Canal travel is not especially dangerous, but a large boat is capable of serious destruction if things go wrong. Ask for a thorough explanation of liability and insurance before leaving the dock, and make sure your boat has one lifejacket for each person.
Comments
-
Jun 30, 2006
Have a great time on the English canals by planning your route. Before you go, study maps carefully, and don't be too ambitious. Remember that you can't travel fast, that you will have to work the locks yourself (fun, though), that you will see lots of places you want to stop, and that you will be glad to stop early for dinner at that special pub you have read about. On a pleasant canal cruise you will not cover more than three locks or three miles per hour, and will want to stop at lots of pubs and villages. 30 lock-miles (locks and miles added together) is the distance you will cover on your longest, most tiring, day, with no stops. Most days you will make lots of stops, and tie up early, and find that you have covered less than 20 lock-miles. Also, your first and (especially) last days will be short. So, on a one-week trip you will barely cover 100 lock-miles. In other words, if you are not doing a ring, you will turn back only 50 lock-miles from your base. But 100 lock-miles is plenty of locks, plenty of cute towns, plenty of quaint pubs, plenty of lovely English scenery, and plenty of fun. If you plan your trip is to cover lots of miles, you will inevitably get behind your schedule - and your last few days will be focused only on getting back to your base in time: thundering down the canal for hour after hour, belching black smoke, no chance to stop for a leisurely pub lunch or a stroll round that lovely village. If the point of your vacation is to cover lots of miles, or go fast, then rent a car instead! -
Jun 30, 2006
Have a great time on the English canals by planning your route. Before you go, study maps carefully, and don't be too ambitious. Remember that you can't travel fast, that you will have to work the locks yourself (fun, though), that you will see lots of places you want to stop, and that you will be glad to stop early for dinner at that special pub you have read about. On a pleasant canal cruise you will not cover more than three locks or three miles per hour, and will want to stop at lots of pubs and villages. 30 lock-miles (locks and miles added together) is the distance you will cover on your longest, most tiring, day, with no stops. Most days you will make lots of stops, and tie up early, and find that you have covered less than 20 lock-miles. Also, your first and (especially) last days will be short. So, on a one-week trip you will barely cover 100 lock-miles. In other words, if you are not doing a ring, you will turn back only 50 lock-miles from your base. But 100 lock-miles is plenty of locks, plenty of cute towns, plenty of quaint pubs, plenty of lovely English scenery, and plenty of fun. If you plan your trip is to cover lots of miles, you will inevitably get behind your schedule - and your last few days will be focused only on getting back to your base in time: thundering down the canal for hour after hour, belching black smoke, no chance to stop for a leisurely pub lunch or a stroll round that lovely village. If the point of your vacation is to cover lots of miles, or go fast, then rent a car instead!
