Drifters Waterway Holidays

31/07/2023

Are you following the new Drifters Boating Holidays page?

This page will no longer be active and to make sure you keep up to date with all of our news, events and more importantly offers you need to follow our new Page here https://www.facebook.com/driftersboating

14/07/2023

🚨Please Read 🚨 We have a new Drifters page and will be closing this one shortly. We don't want you to miss out on any of our news, offers, Partner information or the very latest on canal boat holidays, so please follow and like our new page here https://www.facebook.com/driftersboating

Over 550 narrowboats for hire across England, Scotland & Wales, Drifters offers the best boating trip

13/07/2023

Black Prince Narrowboat Holidays has recently introduced our new Signature range. Hand built with a contemporary bespoke design, this new class firmly puts a stamp on the future of modern narrowboat holidays.

As well as the fresh decor, they have enhanced the practicalities with more worktop space and a microwave in the kitchen, added more comfort with black-out blinds and bespoke mattresses plus included all the modern necessities such as multiple USB sockets, wireless charging pads and a flat-screen TV.

Find out more https://www.black-prince.com/canal_boats/ -signature-fleet

07/07/2023

ABC Leisure Group is launching another electric day boat at their Springwood Haven Marina location this September. The boat is now bookable with lots of availability currently, including weekends.

On Monday 3 April 2023, Drifters member ABC Boat Hire launched its first electric day boat. Operating from Kings Orchard Marina, on the Coventry Canal near Lichfield in Staffordshire, the 36ft ‘Perfect Day’ narrowboat was the first of nine new electric day boats to be added to the fleet over the next 18 months.

The electric canal boats use products from ABC's Onboard Energy Direct off-grid energy range, including lithium batteries and a Beta Marine 10Kw motor engine.

03/07/2023

There is a fantastic summer holiday offer available for you by Anglo Welsh - The Narrowboat Holiday Company

Make your holiday even more enjoyable this July with our half-price offer. Get 50% off all of our canal boat holidays in July when booked before Friday 7th July 2023.

📞Call the booking line 01173041122

29/06/2023

Who else is super excited for National Picnic Month next month?! 🙋‍♀️

Welcoming the warmer and sunnier days with a family picnic on the UK’s canals and towpaths sounds like the perfect way to enjoy the season! With over 2,000 miles of waterways, there is plenty of room for everyone to find their own spot - from planning an adventurous picnic afloat or pulling up at a canalside pub for lunch and drinks.

Who's in?

27/06/2023

One for all of you super-organised, water-lovers. Top 6 October Half Term narrowboat holidays.

Narrowboats are like floating holiday cottages, with everything you need on board for a self-catering adventure afloat. All our boats are equipped with essential home comforts, including central heating, hot water, TV, showers, flushing toilets, and most now have WiFi too.

Prices for canal boat holidays this October Half Term start at £655 for a short break (three or four nights) on a boat for four people, £1,060 for a week.

Here’s a guide to our top six canal boat holiday destinations for October Half Term 2023:

Narrowboats are like floating holiday cottages, with everything you need on board for a self-catering adventure afloat. All our boats are equipped with

24/06/2023

Q: Can I hire a boat for just a day?
A: Yes, we offer day boat hire from 17 of our locations. It’s a great way to learn how to steer a boat, work the locks and moor up.

This will let you have a great day out for the family or a party of friends and get the feel of a narrowboat on the water. Prices start at £99 for a day boat for up to 10 people.

23/06/2023

Top 5 reasons why canal boat holidays are great for pets

🦮Narrowboats are like floating holiday cottages, with space for pets too;
🐈Canal boat holidays are especially great for dogs, with plenty of towpath walks and dog-friendly canalside pubs;
🦜 Many of our canal boat hire operators allow your first pet to travel free;
🐢 No extra vaccinations or pet passports are needed; and
🐶 Narrowboats with open cruiser-sterns at the back offer extra room ‘on deck’ for pets to enjoy the ever-changing view.

As well as dogs, we’ve accommodated many other kinds of pets aboard our canal boats, including rabbits, iguanas, cats, hamsters, caged birds, goldfish and

21/06/2023

What better way to enjoy the Summer Solstice and plan your summer holiday than with an epic sunset 🌞 Top 5 places to watch the sunset on a narrowboat holiday https://www.drifters.co.uk/top-5-places-to-watch-the-sunset-on-a-canal-boat-holiday/

18/06/2023

If you are searching for an adventure like no other, to find Britain's most scenic waterways then look no further than navigating the Peak Forest canal to Whaley Bridge.

On a week’s holiday from our narrowboat hire base at Stoke on Trent, you can travel along the Trent & Mersey and Macclesfield canals to connect to the Peak Forest Canal and Whaley Bridge. The Peak Forest Canal is said to be one of Britain’s most scenic waterways, running through beautiful countryside on the edge of the Peak District National Park. The journey to Whaley Bridge travels 39 miles, passes through the Harecastle Tunnel and 13 locks, and takes around 20 cruising hours.

17/06/2023

Did you know you can take a Thames boating holiday right to the edge of the Cotswolds? Oh yes!

On a four-night mid-week break from Oxford, you can travel west along the River Thames to the pretty market town of Lechlade, in an AONG on the edge of the Cotswolds. The route passes through 22 miles of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire countryside. You’ll pass close-by to Kelmscott Manor, once the Cotswold retreat of William Morris. It takes around 17 hours to cruise there and back, passing through seven locks each way.

14/06/2023

Time by the water is proven to help boost your mood so make your next holiday a trip through the Yorkshire Dales to Skipton.

On a short break from Barnoldswick, you can head north-east along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal to historic Skipton. The journey travels 13 miles through the Yorkshire Dales, passing through 15 locks in around 10 hours. This breath-taking route winds along the contours of the side of Airedale, with extensive views of the Yorkshire Dales. You see sheep, farmhouses, barns, stone walls and the occasional village or town. Once in Skipton, you can moor up to visit shops and restaurants. And explore the 900-year old Skipton Castle, one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England.

13/06/2023

Every year more people take the plunge and set sail on an adventure afloat on Britain’s beautiful inland waterways network.

You don’t need a licence to steer a canal boat and it’s easy for first-timers to learn to operate our boats.

View our top 9 guide

Anglo Welsh has published a guide to its Top 9 summer 2023 canal boat holidays for beginners in England and Wales

12/06/2023

Float through the Dee Valley in North Wales to immerse yourself in some of our most beautiful and unspoilt countryside.

On a short break from Chirk on the Llangollen Canal, you can float through the Dee Valley AONB to the pretty Eisteddfod town of Llangollen. You’ll pass over the UNESCO World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct along the way. And you’ll cruise across the Chirk Aqueduct and through Whitehouses Tunnel. The journey to Llangollen and back takes around eight hours, travelling 14 miles, with no locks.

10/06/2023

Why should you consider a cruise to the Aylesbury Vale?

On a week’s break from Gayton Marina you can travel south to the Aylesbury Arm and into the Vale of Aylesbury, part of the Chilterns AONB. The journey to Aylesbury passes through a series of canalside towns and villages, including Stoke Bruerne with its Canal Museum. And Marsworth next to Tring Reservoirs, a nature reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The route travels 44 miles, passes through 41 locks and takes around 22 hours.

08/06/2023

Glide around the Breacon Beacons to experience a unique holiday wellbeing boost.

The beautiful Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal runs through the Brecon Beacons National Park. Stretching 35 miles from Brecon to Cwmbran, this peaceful waterway offers canal boat holiday-makers incredible mountain views. On a week’s break from our base at Goytre Wharf, near Abergavenny, you can cruise to Brecon and back. The journey takes you through Georgian Crickhowell, with its fascinating 13th century castle. And Talybont-on-Usk, with wonderful walks to the waterfalls at Blaen y Glyn. Brecon is home to a cathedral, theatre, cinema, castle ruins and stunning Georgian architecture. And you can enjoy some of the best views of the Brecon Beacons from Pen y Fan, the highest point in Southern Britain at 886 metres.

07/06/2023

Tomorrow (8th June) is World Oceans Day - a day dedicated to raising awareness about combating marine pollution, decreasing marine plastic, and preserving our beautiful ocean wildlife. Our ocean's inhabitants are some of the most amazing creatures on this planet, and it's our moral obligation to ensure their protection and preservation.

From 90% of our oxygen to food, medicines and other life-giving resources, ocean wildlife is essential to our survival.

Let's come together and support efforts to make sure our ocean wildlife stays healthy and safe - now and for generations to come!

05/06/2023

Happy World Environment Day! Today is all about celebrating nature and striving to protect our planet. 🌍

Did you know that the canals of the UK are an essential part of maintaining the natural environment? They promote biodiversity, help with flood management, keep delicate ecological systems in balance and support rural and urban wildlife. 🐦

It’s time to take action and help preserve these beautiful waterways! 💦 Pollution

04/06/2023

Experience a mindful, wellbeing holiday destination this summer and drift through the prehistoric Vale of Pewsey to Hungerford.

On a week away from our base on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Devizes, you can cruise to the historic town of Hungerford, passing through the Vale of Pewsey, in the North Wessex Downs AONB. The journey there and back takes around 40 hours, travelling 54 miles through 106 locks.

02/06/2023

Following recent research by the Canal & River Trust that confirms the combination of green and blue space with by visitors to the inland waterways gives an extra wellbeing boost, we have put together a guide of Drifter's top wellbeing destinations for narrowboat holidays in 2023.

Explore the Staffordshire countryside & Cannock Chase
On a short break from Kings Orchard on the Coventry Canal in Staffordshire, you can cruise to the beautiful waters at Tixall Wide and back, passing through the Cannock Chase AONB along the way. The journey there and back travels 32 miles, passes through 10 locks (five each way) and takes around 16 hours.

31/05/2023

It’s well known that connecting with nature in green space is good for our mental health and wellbeing. Recent research by the Canal & River Trust confirms the combination of green and blue space with wildlife experienced by visitors to the inland waterways gives an extra wellbeing boost*.

Britain’s 3,000-mile network of inland waterways flow through some of our most beautiful and unspoilt countryside, including National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).

Navigate the Peak Forest Canal to Whaley Bridge
On a week’s holiday from our narrowboat hire base at Stoke on Trent, you can travel along the Trent & Mersey and Macclesfield canals to connect to the Peak Forest Canal and Whaley Bridge. The Peak Forest Canal is said to be one of Britain’s most scenic waterways, running through beautiful countryside on the edge of the Peak District National Park. The journey to Whaley Bridge travels 39 miles, passes through the Harecastle Tunnel and 13 locks, and takes around 20 cruising hours.

26/05/2023

Ashley Gibbins and Ann Mealor of the International Travel Writers Alliance recently enjoyed a Drifters narrowboat holiday trip on the Grand Union Canal.

They set off on a four-night mid-week break from Braunston in Northamptonshire, aboard a Union Canal Carriers boat. Describing their first trip on a narrowboat as a “truly memorable and really enjoyable”, Ashley’s AllWays Traveller article lists some advice for first-timers. Read on...

Ashley Gibbins and Ann Mealor of the International Travel Writers Alliance recently enjoyed a Drifters narrowboat holiday press trip on the Grand Union

25/05/2023

What are your plans this May half term? Drifters offers day boat hire from 17 bases in England and Wales, offering the chance to enjoy a day afloat exploring the countryside over the May Half Term holiday.

We have put together a top 10 day boat destinations on the canals list for you to choose where to get on the water >

Drifters offers day boat hire from 17 bases in England and Wales, offering the chance to enjoy a day afloat exploring the countryside over the May Half

21/05/2023

Where can you take a canal break? The Drifters interactive map is a perfect way to plan your ideal holiday. With over 40 hire bases across England, Scotland and Wales, it shows all the important places of interest and local attractions. As well as the hire bases and all the routes you can take from each location.

Use the Drifters interactive canal map now https://www.drifters.co.uk/uk-canal-map/

20/05/2023

Give your family a holiday or day trip they will never forget! Enjoy a luxurious canal boat break, plenty of exploration and quality time together.

Get inspired https://youtu.be/H1wRSjAdORA

Are you after some inspiration for what to do this weekend or for your next holiday? Check out our video about the ways you can cruise the UK’s iconic inland...

19/05/2023

With another bank holiday on the horizon, it offers the perfect opportunity to plan a long weekend boating break on Britain’s peaceful inland waterways. Read our top six spots to get on the water with your family and friends➡️https://www.drifters.co.uk/enjoy-may-bank-holiday-boating-on-the-canals/

The bank holidays in May offers the perfect excuse to plan a long weekend boating break on Britain’s peaceful inland waterways. Prices start at £1,005

18/05/2023

Gareth Butterfield, a senior journalist and content editor, recently arranged a narrowboat holiday on the Llangollen Canal with us, but what is the one thing he wasn't expecting?

Read out blog to find out what Gareth, his wife and their two dogs experienced on their cruise to Wales

Setting off from our Whitchurch canal boat hire base in Shropshire, Gareth Butterfield recently enjoyed a mid-week break with Drifters on the Llangollen

15/05/2023

Looking for a mindful escape? This mental health awareness week step off the grid and spend some time on Britain's tranquil inland waterways. Reconnect with nature and relax as you take in the sights, sounds and smells of a peaceful cruise along the canals and rivers.
Picture yourself taking in the rushing water and the unique wildlife that inhabit these stunning waterways. Let's take this moment to recharge and show some appreciation for the wildlife and landscape that make up this beautiful part of the UK.

We have some insights into the relaxing effect of a narrowboat holiday, learn more https://www.drifters.co.uk/step-off-the-grid-for-a-mindfulness-break-on-britains-peaceful-inland-waterways/

Research by the Canal & River Trust, the charity that cares for the nation’s 2,000 miles of canals and rivers, shows spending time by the waterways

11/05/2023

Summer days are just around the corner and what better way to spend your May Half Term than with a fun day out on the canals! 🛥 Check out our list of the Top 10 May Half Term Day Boat Destinations: 🛶

➡️https://www.drifters.co.uk/top-10-may-half-term-day-boat-destinations-on-the-canals/

Where will you be spending your May Half Term holiday? Share your ideas in the comments below! 📣

Drifters offers day boat hire from 17 bases in England and Wales, offering the chance to enjoy a day afloat exploring the countryside over the May Half