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.
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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
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
Romantic punting on the River Cherwell
Ever watched people punting and felt you’d like to have a go? Pick up a few tips at Cherwell Boathouse, grab the pole and off you go.
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire
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
Go otter spotting in Norfolk
When it comes to big game spotting in the Broads National Park, there is no prey more sleek, more rare and more exciting than the otter.
Location: The Broads, Norfolk
Kayak the River Dart
Have some family water fun in South Devon this summer.
Location: Tuckenhay, Devon
Recreate the real Alice in Wonderland’s river trip
Take an Oxford River Cruise trip along the Thames just like the real Alice in Wonderland many years ago.
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire
Go barging round Lancashire
Abandon the hustle and bustle of everyday life and head for the peace and stunning scenery of Lancashire, with a canal boat cruise
Location: Burnley, Lancashire
Enjoy a river tour of Durham City
Set off in your very own rowboat on the beautiful River Wear or enjoy a guided river cruise aboard the Prince Bishops River Cruiser.
Location: Durham City
Enjoy tiger walks and water sports in Norfolk
Try out a variety of family-friendly watersports on the broads. Discover rare animals from Asia on a tiger walk, all close to Great Yarmouth.
Location: Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
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
Enjoy a canal boat adventure on Lancashire's Waterways
Enjoy the stunning Lancashire countryside in all its winter glory on a slow, dreamy holiday cruise along the Leeds to Liverpool Canal as featured on ITV’s Barging Round Britain.
Location: Lancashire
Take a leisurely and scenic cruise on the Lakes
The Lake District is one of the country’s most famous beauty spots, and where better to take it all in that from the lakes themselves?
Location: Lake District, Cumbria
Paddle through living history on the Heritage Canoe Trail
This brand new route leads to the edge of the Peak District, and features special markers to guide canoeists along the 20-mile canal-based route.
Location: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire