Narrow Boat Holiday

[mikef]

Just come back from a week on a narrow boat on the Oxford Canal.  I did some canal boating many, many years ago and had forgotten how good it was.  We had excellent weather all week and the boat was superb – a 62 footer with two loos and fixed double beds etc.  The Oxford Canal goes through some strikingly beautiful countryside and twists and turns a great deal without too many locks.

 

Of the three dogs on board, one went in twice and another once – fortunately with no damage. Martin caught a 14 lb carp which made his week!

 

The only problem was finding somewhere to turn it round to go home – plenty of 50 foot winding holes but not that many for 62 feet or at least not that many when you need them.

 

After spending all week moving along at 3-4 mph, it was quite an experience getting in the car and finding that 30 mph seemed awfully quick!

 

It’s not a cheap holiday but well worth the money.

 

 

[Norman Verona]

We've done the Norfolk broads (not in a narrow boat) and found it very relaxing and the pub food and beer by the river side was excellent.

 

I want to hire a boat and do the Loire from St Nazair to as far as it is navigable.

[Mooch]

Glad you enjoyed. Have done a number of these holidays over the years and always enjoyed them.  Mooring up close to a good pub and not worrying about who is driving was always a big plus point!

 

The longest narrow boats are 70' - that's the most that will fit in a lock.  Had one of those once and would agree, it was a proper

handful and not easy to turn around.  Even the bigger winding holes were silted up and there was much pushing with poles.  And if you weren't lined up right going into a lock or bridge, all hell broke loose!

[Geoff101]

Glad to see you enjoying our part of the country. We walk along the canal a fair bit.

[SteveD]

seems like work to me opening locks

[Norman Verona]

And he's got a very nice canal on his doorstep!

 

It is work, Steve, but nice work.

[Stuart]

Had 3 days on the Trent on a mates 55ft narrow boat last week.  Hugely enjoyable.  But by far my favourite boating has been renting a cruiser on the Shannon.  We've done it 4 times now - 3x with the kids and once without.  Boating is laid back + rural Ireland is laid back so it's double relaxing!  And the locks are powered and manned too.

[Norman Verona]

Stuart, I really envy you. We went to Ireland for 25 years all on the west coast. No boats, in a car, but we love the way of life. We would have gone there instead of France if the weather was better and it wasn't so expensive.

[Stuart]

You should take HM on the Shannon then Norman it really is good fun.  Only one city on the river - Athlone - and all the small towns and villages on the river have lots of pubs and restaurants catering for the river traffic.  Varied too - two big loughs form part of the river so you get to do some big lake boating too.

 

Carrick Craft do some decent 2 berth cruisers - this is the one we had about 3 years ago.  Very easy to handle (though have had faster).

[Tyson]

Spent a week on the Warwickshire ring last summer, really enjoyable but a lot of locks. Nice way to chill out with good company, nice food and a few drinks

[Norman Verona]

Stuart, we've been all round the area and drunk in quiet a few of the pubs, just not on a boat.

 

Of course another nice way to chill out is to spend a week here.

[Wile E. Coyote]

seems like work to me opening locks

 

Nooooooooooo! Boats are about drinking.  Lots.  Then trying to BBQ.  Or find a pub for dinner.  And a few more drinks.

 

Although one time we went boating, we did encounter BiBs fishing Bob (the floating corpse) out of the river.  Which made a change from the usual holiday photos...