See the sights by water

The London Eye, beside the River Thames, offers a wonderful view of the capital. Up and down the river, the banks are lined with world-famous sights: the Houses of Parliament, Kew Gardens, Windsor Castle, and countless more.

But once you’re back on the ground, it could take you hours of struggling through the traffic and the crowded tube to get to all of these sights. Instead, why not use the city’s natural highway?

A boating holiday is the stress-free way to discover Britain’s attractions, both ancient and modern. You can moor up directly outside many popular sites, then cruise on to the next place on your list.

There’s no shortage of places to visit. Since Roman times, the British have chosen the banks of magnificent rivers such as the Thames and the Severn for their castles and cathedrals. Then, with the advent of the Industrial Revolution, an intricate network of canals was created between the fast-growing cities - cities that today have become vibrant cultural hubs like Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow.

For the dedicated sight-seer, a week’s cruise on the River Thames offers more landmarks per mile than any road ever could. From the dreaming spires of Oxford, past Windsor Castle and the rowing town of Henley, to the many attractions of London, the Thames has thousands of years of history on its banks.

Indeed, many of London’s most popular attractions are on the river: royal palaces such as Hampton Court and the Tower of London, the cultural metropolis of the South Bank, and modern wonders like the London Eye itself.

The easiest way to discover these attractions by boat is to moor up on the peaceful Regent’s Canal, away from the tides of the busy Thames. Then make your way across the city to the Thames Path, and walk from sight to sight. When the day is done, retire to the peace of your cabin and enjoy a quiet night in one of London’s leafiest areas.

The River Severn is another outstanding sight-seeing river. A week’s trip could take in the cathedral cities of Worcester and Gloucester, or you could divert up Shakespeare’s Avon to Stratford for a truly cultural break. Nearby Birmingham, of course, has more than its fair share of waterside attractions, including exotic lifeforms at the National Sea-Life Centre and chocolate heaven at Cadbury World.

Waterscape.com’s directory of attractions and comprehensive waterways guide are the easiest ways to plan your sight-seeing cruise. One of the site’s suggestions is the Avon Ring, a circular route rich in historic attractions. Passing through Worcester, Stratford, and Birmingham, it is an energetic week’s cruising or a relaxed fortnight with more time for sight-seeing.

When it comes to booking your holiday, Waterscape.com has a wide choice of boats for hire on this and other scenic routes. A narrowboat on the Avon Ring, for example, can cost as little as £14 per person per night.

So whether you’re into chocolate, castles or culture, there’s an easy way to see the sights: a holiday on Britain’s waterways.