Top five boating holidays
Spring is in the air and the Easter break is just around the corner. But where are the best places to go boating in spring 2007? Take a look at our top five holiday ideas.
1: Experience breathtaking scenery and awe-inspiring architecture on the Llangollen Canal
Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart gave celebrity endorsement to this scenic cruiseway in summer 2004. It remains one of the most enduringly popular holiday destinations in the UK – recently coming out tops in a BBC poll of British holiday hot spots - and for good reason. There are several hire-bases along the canal – so getting started is easy – and once you’re on your way, the stunning scenery and pretty market towns make narrowboating a delight. The magnificent Pontcysyllte Aqueduct across the River Dee is worth the journey alone and is simply a must-see.
Read more about the Llangollen Canal
2: Cruise through ‘Little Switzerland’ on Staffordshire’s Caldon Canal
This beautiful canal could well be England’s most scenic waterway. The Caldon Canal simply gets more and more attractive as you cruise from Stoke-on-Trent towards the Peak District and 'Little Switzerland'; a beautiful wooded valley with only a preserved steam railway to disturb the peace. Holiday boaters love the Caldon Canal – and its two tunnels, famous island, staircase lock and awe-inspiring aqueduct succeed in bringing them back year after year.
Read more about the Caldon Canal
3: Discover a world apart on a boating holiday in the Broads
England’s holiday boating heartland for over a century, the Broads are a world apart of tranquil lakes and slow-flowing rivers. There’s 125 miles of waterways for you to explore, so even in the height of holiday-season you’re sure to find a peaceful spot to appreciate the fresh green scenery. Wildlife sanctuaries and nature reserves abound in the Broads – so perhaps not too much of interest to the kids – but they’ll enjoy the pleasure beach at Great Yarmouth, dinasours
at Norwich and the animal adventure park at Needham.
4. Experience the spectacular Falkirk Wheel on the Union Canal
Peaceful cruising is the order of the day on Scotland’s Union Canal. Sit back and enjoy the delightful Lowland scenery, cross over dramatic aqueducts and discover Scotland’s only canal tunnels as you cruise the 32 miles between historic Edinburgh and Falkirk. There are no locks, until you reach Falkirk that is – and that’s when the fun really begins. Here stands the magnificent Falkirk Wheel, the world’s first and only rotating boat lift, and a guaranteed highlight of any holiday.
Read more about the Union Canal
5. Enjoy our best-loved landscapes along the Kennet & Avon Canal
Picturesque market towns and delightful undulating hills accompany your voyage along the Kennet & Avon Canal. The charm of the Cotswolds, the beauty of West Berkshire, medieval Devizes, the K&A has it all. After the challenge of the Caen Hill Lock Flight, one of the most memorable on the entire waterway system, you can catch your breath in the Caen Hill Café and then simply sit back and admire the view as you float across the Dundas and Avoncliff aqueducts near Bath.
Read more about the Kennet & Avon Canal
Fancy something more than a straight there-and-back cruise? Explore a variety of landscapes - and waterscapes - with a voyage around a scenic cruising ring.
Get to grips with the Stourport Ring.
Find out more about cruising rings in the West Midlands.
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