Blue Otter Boats

24/02/2025

🚢🌿 Set Sail with Blue Otter Skipton & Enjoy a Taste of Yorkshire! 🍰☕

March is our birthday month! So to celebrate, from now until 31 March 2025, book your luxury narrowboat escape for any cruise dates this year, and we’ll treat you to a Bettys Afternoon Tea on arrival—the perfect way to start your journey in style!

Imagine stepping aboard your private canal boat, a fresh pot of tea brewing, and a delightful selection of Bettys scones, preserves, and cakes waiting for you. Bliss! 😍

📅 Book now and let the Leeds & Liverpool Canal be your scenic escape.

🔗 Check availability & book today: https://www.hoseasons.co.uk/boat-holidays/blot

20/02/2025

🌿 5 Reasons to Cruise in Spring 🚤

✨ Breathtaking Scenery – Watch nature wake up as trees blossom, wildflowers bloom, and the waterways come alive.

🌊 Tranquil Cruising – Longer days, peaceful waters, and fresh spring air make for the perfect slow travel experience.

🐦 Wake Up to a Dawn Chorus – Open your hatch to birdsong and sunrise reflections dancing on the water.

🐾 Pets Go Free – Bring your four-legged first mate along for the adventure—because canals are better with company!

🏛 History & Culture – Cruise through charming canal towns, past heritage locks, and into Yorkshire’s industrial past.

Book with our trusted agent and your holiday is protected.

🚤🌸🐶

13/02/2025

Otto the Otter’s Valentine’s Pick: An Astronomer in Love ✨❤️📖

Ahoy, lovebirds and stargazers! 💫 This Valentine’s Day, our Blue Otter Boats mascot, Otto the Otter, has dived into the perfect read—An Astronomer in Love by Antoine Laurain. Why? Well, when you spend your days cruising the canals, watching the sky reflect in the water, and dreaming under the stars, you can’t help but fall for a book that blends celestial wonders with matters of the heart.

Otto is a hopeless romantic (otters hold hands while they sleep, after all 🦦💕), and this novel’s mix of history, mystery, and cosmic destiny is exactly the kind of adventure he’d embark on—preferably with a cosy blanket and a mug of hot chocolate on board. 🚤✨

If you’re looking for a Valentine’s read that’s as charming as a twilight boat ride, let Otto be your guide to love stories written in the stars. 🌙💖

💡Otto found this book in The Stripey Badger Bookshop, Coffee Shop & Kitchen in Grassington. Where else would an otter shop? Independent book shops have some of the best unexpected finds.

Name your recommended reads for a narrowboat journey in the comments.

11/02/2025

Go where love is *always* in the air
Step aboard Blue Otter Skipton and cruise the picturesque Leeds & Liverpool Canal at your own pace. Whether you’re seeking a romantic escape, a peaceful retreat, or a unique adventure, our bespoke narrowboat offers an unforgettable way to explore Yorkshire Dales from the water.

❤️ Self-drive freedom – No experience needed!
❤️ Luxury & comfort – A fully equipped floating home
❤️ Stunning countryside views – Moor up and explore charming villages
❤️ Exclusive & private – Just you, your loved ones, and the canal

Suitable for couples, dogs allowed.
Book your 2025 narrowboat escape with our trusted agent now 👉

23/01/2025

✨ Exciting News! ✨

Blue Otter Boats has been awarded Best Canal Boat Hire Experience in the LuxLife Marine Tourism Awards for the third year in a row! 🏆🚤

A huge thank you to you, our wonderful guests, for every review, rating, and recommendation that has brought us here. Your support means everything to us! 🙌

We’re also grateful to our trusted booking partner, Hoseasons, for helping us create memorable narrowboating holidays. From the moment you book to the day you disembark, our team is dedicated to delivering exceptional service.

Ready to experience the joy of narrowboating in 2025? Don’t just take our word for it—book your next adventure today! 🌿⚓
👉 https://lux-life.digital/winners/blue-otter-boats-ltd-3/

Best Canal Boat Hire Experience 2024 – YorkshireLUXlife Marine Tourism Excellence Award 2024

18/01/2025

🚤 Otter-ly Amazing News from Stratford-upon-Avon! 🦦🐟

An otter with BIG ambitions (and an even bigger appetite) has been spotted in Stratford-upon-Avon, dragging a huge fish along the path near the Recreation Ground before diving into the River Avon for a proper fish feast! 😲🐾

Charlotte Yarnold was out walking her dog when she caught this incredible moment on camera—proof that the River Avon isn’t just for narrowboats, but also for otters with fine dining tastes. 🐾✨ The video has already captured the hearts of thousands online, and we’re otter-ly charmed by it.

This reminds us why we love Britain’s waterways so much—there’s always something magical happening, whether it’s an elegant narrowboat cruise or a furry friend having the catch of the day. 💙

Have you ever spotted an otter on your travels with us? Drop your stories and pics in the comments—we’d love to hear! 🛶📸

The otter, undeterred by passers-by, is spotted dragging a huge fish along the path in time for a snack.

16/01/2025

It takes just a half-day cruising from Skipton to reach Gargrave. Along the way you will go through open countryside with spectacular views, enjoyed by kingfishers, dragonfly, otters, swans, ducks and geese that call this stretch of the canal home.

The visitor moorings in Gargrave are a tranquil and shady spot to enjoy a couple of nights. It’s also a great place to donne on the hiking boots for a walk on a stretch of the Pennine Way.
https://blueotterboats.com/walking-the-pennine-way/

11/01/2025

Winter Serenity on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal

As the seasons change, the Leeds & Liverpool Canal takes on a whole new charm. ❄️✨ A blanket of snow covers the towpath, and the stillness of a frosty morning invites a quiet moment of reflection. The water glistens under the low winter sun, while nature lies peacefully at rest.

There’s something magical about this time of year on the canal — a crisp walk along the frozen banks, spotting the quiet beauty of winter scenes that often go unnoticed.

At Blue Otter, we love seeing the canal through every season, and winter has a serenity all its own. If you’re dreaming of canal adventures or simply enjoying winter from your window, we hope this view brings a moment of calm to your day.

05/01/2025

🎲 Feeling adventurous? Let the numbers decide your 2025 holiday activity!

Here’s how it works:
👉 Pick a number between 1 and 9.
👉 Follow the steps in the image.
👉 Your final number = your next adventure!

Are you destined for a peaceful paddleboarding trip, or is it time to conquer your fears with bungee-jumping? 🤔 Either way, narrowboating (we’re #9!) sounds like the perfect way to wind down after all that action! 😅

Let us know what activity you land on in the comments!👇
Ready to plan your next holiday? 🚤 Discover more at www.blueotterboats.com 💙

04/01/2025

Blue Otter Wootton Wawen is on the Move! 🚤

Exciting changes are afloat! Blue Otter Wootton Wawen is relocating to a brand-new mooring at Stockton, near the picturesque village of Long Itchington — frequently cited as one of England’s most desirable places to live.

From this central location on the Grand Union Canal, you’ll have even more options to explore some of England’s most iconic waterways. Cruise west toward Warwick, Birmingham, and the Warwickshire Ring, or head east for scenic routes toward Banbury, Oxford, and even London.

With six charming country pubs, beautiful footpaths, and stunning countryside right on the doorstep, Stockton offers the perfect starting point for a relaxing and memorable canal holiday.

We can’t wait to welcome you to our new home and help you discover even more of England’s historic waterways. Keep an eye out for updates — bookings for Blue Otter Stockton are already available through our trusted agent Hoseasons



https://blueotterboats.com/blue-otter-stockton/

23/12/2024

SPOILER ALERT!

If you've caught the trailer for the latest Wallace & Gromit adventure, Vengeance Most Fowl, you might have noticed a narrowboat making an appearance!

In the film's climactic moments, a thrilling chase unfolds across an aqueduct inspired by the iconic Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in North Wales. However, since the story is set in Lancashire, the talented team at Aardman Animations made a few creative tweaks, swapping the stone piers for brick to resemble the region’s historic railway bridges.

For a narrowboat adventure without the drama, book a tranquil escape aboard a Blue Otter Boat, available through our trusted partner, Hoseasons

📷 Gromit balances precariously on a narrowboat as it crashes through barriers on what fans think looks like Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
(Image: Aardman Animations)

Canal & River Trust

20/12/2024

Best wishes of the season… see you in 2025!