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Look to the waterways for Mother’s Day inspiration


The UK’s canals and rivers offer tranquillity, beautiful scenery and fascinating attractions – all of which makes them the ideal place to spend some quality time with your mother this Mother’s Day. If you’re stuck for ideas, try one of our top waterside treats for mums.

Have afternoon tea at a canalside tearoom

A traditional tea room offers a charming atmosphere for you and your mother to enjoy a cup of tea and some cakes. The Lock House Tea Room on the Erewash Canal in Nottinghamshire is a great example – it offers old-fashioned home-cooked food and a dizzying choice of more than 60 teas.

Visit a stately home

Some of the country’s finest houses are located on the canals and rivers, and can provide a lovely day out admiring the architecture, furnishings and gardens. Many stately homes have special events on for Mother’s Day, including:

Take a canal boat dinner cruise

The Wey & Arun Canal Trust are running their ever-popular Mothers' Day cruises on the Wey & Arun Canal. Choose between a cream tea cruise or a coffee and danish cruise.

Explore the town of Bath

If you are planning a day out or even a weekend away with your mother, then consider the beautiful Georgian spa town of Bath, which offers a combination of elegant architecture, rural surroundings and both the Kennet & Avon Canal and the River Avon. Visit the Roman baths to see how the mineral-rich waters here were have been enjoyed since ancient times, and then complete the experience by visiting Thermae Bath Spa (reservations: 0844 888 0844) for the luxurious modern equivalent.

Walk among the flowers at Stewart’s Burnby Hall Gardens

This wonderful collection of plants, located close to the Pocklington Canal in East Yorkshire does not open until the end of March - but still deserves consideration as a slightly delayed Mothers' Day treat. The star attraction is the water lily collection, with more varieties than anywhere else in Europe. With eight acres of gardens, two lakes, a natural shrubbery and formal gardens, it’s the ideal place to wander around and enjoy the arrival of spring. The visitors centre sells souvenirs, garden stoneware, and locally grown plants and shrubs.

Last updated: 12/03/2012

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