Hire Boats

We have a fleet of 5 luxurious narrowboats, all less than 4 years old and all have been awarded the highest ranking of 5 stars from VisitBritain. There are four design layouts to choose from.

Choose from 50ft (reverse layout) accommodating up to 4 people, or 58ft (reverse or traditional layout) accommodating up to 6 people. Much thought and consideration has been put into the designs to provide flexible, comfortable and well equipped accommodation for your canal boat holiday. The vast majority of our boats are under sponsorship, that is private owners who have commissioned a new boat to be put into the fleet for a financial return. Most owners design their boat to a high specification including some with granite worktops, double glazing  and all with top of the range kitchens so you will be guaranteed a really beautiful boat.

Our canal boats for hire are all built by Aqua Narrowboats and therefore reach our exacting high standards. They are constructed on solid, British built Colecraft hulls, maintained to the highest of standards, and powered by reliable canal line engines with hospital silencers for quieter cruising.

WHAT IS INCLUDED

We welcome all our guests with a homemade cake so you start your holiday relaxed, refreshed and ready to go. Included in the price of your narrowboat hire is a welcome pack (tea, coffee, sugar, milk, washing up liquid, tissue roll, cleaning cloths), bed linen, tea towels, gas and fuel. Two free car parking spaces are provided at our base for the length of your hire period. The only additional cost to your hire fee is the compulsory, non returnable, damage waiver fee which covers the hirer against any accidental damage to the boat (see our canal boat holiday Terms & Conditions for further details). Other optional extras are available, see our prices page for details.

TUITION

We want to make sure your holiday is an enjoyable one and therefore we provide a comprehensive handover which includes a full walkthrough of the boats features and necessary safety precautions. This is followed by practical tuition on the canal to demonstrate boat handling and the operation of locks. The handling of a narrowboat is not difficult to master but we understand that novices will learn in different ways. Therefore we are happy to adapt the tuition to focus on skills that may be difficult to pick up or understand. We will stop with you until enough confidence has been gained to continue on your own and have a wonderful canal holiday!

ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT

  • Guests are met on arrival at the marina and directed to a parking area near to the boat.
  • Assistance given for loading if needed.
  • The boat is approached along a jetty.
  • The narrowboats have restricted accessibility for people using wheelchairs due to stairs at each entrance and the narrow width of the corridors.
  • There is limited access for people with mobility restrictions due to stairs at both entrances, however, the stairs are graduated at both the stern and bow and a hand rail provided to assist with accessibility, safety and comfort.
  • A boarding plank is available for all guests who would find it easier to access the boat once moored.
  • Assistance dogs are welcome to stay on our boats.
  • We have an apron at the rear of the boat for added safety.
  • We have a strong downlighters throughout the boats to assist visually.
  • The TV has teletext, subtitles and remote control.
  • Boating instructions are given in a DVD format, booklet and one to one tuition.