Take charge in a barge! (Travelling by Canal Boat)

Member Name: alirigby

Product:	Travelling by Canal Boat
Date:	29/05/02 (280 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: sanctuary, fresh air, relaxing

Disadvantages: can be cold and wet!

As a child my parents used to take me on the canals for the half-term holidays for a week, I always loved it until those teenage years when it was just not cool.
Just over a year ago, my fiancé and I needed a break and decided to hire a canal boat for a long weekend.

What are the canals?
The canal network is over 2000 miles of man-made waterways across the United Kingdom; they were built over 200 years ago and were the main form of industrial transportation before the advent of the train. Now the canals are mainly used for leisure purposes and are still active places.
Most canals are managed and maintained by British Waterways.

The Boat we hired:
I found a company on the Internet based in Cheshire on the Trent and Mersey canal who were offering good deals at the time (http://www.claymoorenavigationltd.co.uk) and I booked a 2 berth boat around 36ft long for a 3 night short break (which you had to start on a Friday).

When we arrived we were actually given a larger boat called Moore Hall (50ft) which was available and was usually more expensive, we thought this was dead good (until we realised the increased difficulty of turning it on the narrow waterways).
The boat was designed to sleep 4 people; you could have it set up at 2 double beds or a double and 2 singles.

By definition, it is long and narrow and everything is very compact. We made our nest at the back of the boat where there was a fixed double bed and a wardrobe, although the bed was a bit of a squeeze we both slept comfortably (probably all that fresh air!) and there were plenty of blankets.

Beyond the bedroom was a small bathroom which had a shower and a water flush pump out toilet. We had a disaster after our first night when we realised the toilet had been pumping all night and had filled the tank (designed to last up to a week!), we spent our first day afloat trying to find a pump-out station; beware – make sure you flush the lo
o properly!

Beyond the bathroom is the ‘main’ cabin which had the galley and the seating/single beds. It was quite spacious considering the size of the boat and the space was used well. There was a table which folded up against the ‘wall’ and an adequate cooking area. The galley/kitchen had a cooker with oven and grill, a fridge and a sink as well as all the utensils and crockery you could need.

There was a radio and a little TV also on board. The boat was well heated and generally warm; it had gas-fired central heating to radiators which kept it cosy. This boat also had fitted carpet throughout which made it more homely, but not suitable for pets.

As for the actually operation of the boat, well I left this mainly to my fiancé – the man, but it seemed pretty straightforward. The company from which we hired the boat gave us an hours tutorial on how to drive and turn, which was definitely necessary, but didn’t stop the ensuing rows to follow over ‘bad driving’ during the weekend! We had enough fuel for the time that we were away. Buoyancy aids are provided, we didn’t wear these but it’s advised that children do.

The Experience:
Travelling by canal boat generally slows you down, max speed of around 4mph; it is not supposed to be a stressful activity although there were fraught moments as we tried to operate locks by a pub full of onlookers, navigate tunnels and turn when ‘it’s just not going to happen’! You don’t have to be an experienced driver, it is pretty easy after your initial training and there are people around who’ll help if you get stuck.

I think it is an ideal type of holiday if you lead a hectic life and don’t have the opportunity to get out in the fresh air much. There’s lots of opportunity for walking, or just sitting on deck drinking a glass of vino as the sun sets.

As we were only away
for a couple of days, we didn’t go very far (and you can’t go very far very quick), but I don’t think it’s about where you go, just about relaxing and slowing down and enjoying the pace and surroundings.

The scenery beside canals is usually flat and not very inspiring, due to their original purpose they often run through quite industrial areas and the outer parts of cities, however I feel that this adds to their charm. I quite liked cruising beside run down factories and places I would never usually go, and of course it depends on the route you choose and what sort of holiday you want, as there are some beautiful parts on the inland waterways. It can be a good way to see nature; we saw a couple of kingfishers and lots of other birds and countryside wildlife and most of the time you’re surrounded by fields.
Canals often run near railways and motorways, but I’ve never found this intrusive or too near for comfort; the canals are actually very tranquil and peaceful most of the time.

Not only is it relaxing and peaceful, but it’s also healthy and you can be as energetic as you like! You can travel as far as you want for as long as you want, you can have exactly the type of break that suits you.

On top of this, it’s a great break for nosey parkers as lots of houses back onto the towpath and you can get a good view into the gardens and back rooms!!!! My mum used to love commenting on people’s property!

There tend to be lots of pubs alongside the canal, which are good to plan your stops by and save on cooking.

You can moor/park your boat up on the towpath at night, there are usually rings to tie the ropes to, the only place to avoid stopping really is beside locks.

When to go?
Most hire companies only operate between March and October/November and I can’t imagine it’s a great holiday in the winter anyway. The school holidays are the busies
t time, but it doesn’t matter too much really, other than making the queues for locks longer! We went for a long weekend in September when there were no school holidays and it was very quiet.

What to take:
Most boats come with all the utensils, bedding and equipment you could need (good idea to take your own towels). It’s a good idea to take some waterproof clothing as it has a habit of raining when you’re on a canal holiday! I’d also recommend a pack of cards, a book and some games for the evenings.

Cost:
To be honest, we got a good deal, but I can’t remember what it was I think it was just under £200 for both of us.
I’ve checked the current prices and the boat we got (Moore Hall) is around £700 for a week in September and it sleeps 4 people, so around £175 per person per week, which isn’t bad at all.

Overall:
I enjoyed our time on the canals and travelling by canal boat, it’s certainly a different holiday and was good value for money too.
My one hint would be not to hire too long a boat on your first attempt, unless you enjoy a challenge!


For more info:
http://www.british-waterways.org
http://www.claymoore.co.uk - the company we hired a boat from.

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