Lakes and waterways
Messing about on canal boat holidays is one of the finest ways to enjoy an ever-changing vista against a backdrop of songbirds, wild flowers and the buzz of dragonflies. Board a canal boat and cast off for adventure on a historic network of inland waterways and lakes. You will encounter locks, swing bridges, tunnels and aqueducts. If you feel bold, steer through majestic hill ranges on your canal holidays. Or moor up for shopping and lunch in picturesque small towns. By sundown, you will be ready to enjoy a pint of traditional real ale and a ploughman’s lunch at a riverside pub.
Enjoy a boat trip on Canal River Trust's Waterways
Spend your weekend exploring Cheshire’s incredible waterways, at Anderton Boat Lift and the National Waterways Museum.
Location: Anderton, Cheshire
Glide through the waterways of unspoilt Cheshire
Take in quaint villages, welcoming country pubs, majestic industrial heritage sites and even castles on a boat trip through the county’s canals.
Location: Audlem, Cheshire
Take a cruise on the Grand Union Canal
Get on-board for a leisurely cruise into the heart of the Chiltern Hills, enjoying impressive views of the Buckinghamshire countryside.
Location: Pitstone, Buckinghamshire
See the light at the end of the tunnel
Standedge Tunnel, in the heart of the Pennine countryside, is the longest canal tunnel in Britain.
Location: Marsden, Yorkshire
Take a trip on one of England’s last horse-drawn barges
Explore the Grand Western Canal on one of England’s last horse drawn barges, and enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding Devon countryside.
Location: Tiverton, Devon
Explore Leicestershire’s beautiful waterways at Foxton Locks
Enjoy summer walks past the colourful narrowboats and along the unique waterways surrounded by Leicestershire’s picturesque countryside.
Location: Market Harborough, Leicestershire
Spy on endangered wildfowl at Rutland Water Nature Reserve
Visit Rutland Water's famous wildfowl sanctuary, covering a 1,000 acres of bird hides, mucky nature trails and interactive visitor centres.
Location: Rutland Water, Rutland
Canal cruise through Staffordshire’s Peak District
Escape the hustle and bustle of city life by hiring a canal boat and leisurely cruising through picturesque scenery.
Location: Peak District, Staffordshire
Discover The Lakes by Canoe
Canoe along the Derwentwater and discover something special about being close to the water.
Location: Keswick, Cumbria
Explore a living canal village
The Grand Union Canal at Stoke Bruerne is like an outdoor museum with historic canal features to explore.
Location: Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire
Take the River Ferry to Beeses
Enjoy a delicious Sunday roast at this scenic English riverside tea garden in Bristol.
Location: Bristol
Kayak the River Dart
Have some family water fun in South Devon this summer.
Location: Tuckenhay, Devon
Take a wildlife safari in The Broads National Park
From the reeds to the trees, get up close to nature and see an incredible 11,000 species, the highest concentration of rare wildlife in England.
Location: Strumpshaw Fen, near Norwich, Norfolk
Rest and romance in the iconic Lake District landscape
Leathes Head Country House Hotel is the ideal spot to spend some much-needed time for two in the heart of the Lake District.
Location: Borrowdale, Cumbria
Find riverside amusements aplenty in the Severn Valley
Stourport-on-Severn is a great inland resort to explore, with plenty of open green space for the whole family to enjoy, canal and riverside walks, riverside amusements and boat trips galore.
Location: Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire