RELAX AND ENJOY RURAL VIEWS, INDUSTRIAL-ERA HERITAGE, SUNLIGHT SPARKLING ON CALM WATERS AND BIRD LIFE CHORUSING YOUR CRUISE

With more than 2,000 miles of inland waterways across Great Britain, here are a few highlights that made us curious to explore the beauty of England’s canals. Taking a break from fast-paced office environment, life slows to a walking pace when cruising these beautiful flowing highways that were once packed with cargo vessels. If you’ve ever harboured a dream of a life afloat, a narrowboat is one of the sweetest spots to spend British summertime.

A Ring of Two Roses

A three week canal journey from Skipton can take you through the North and South Peninne’s breathtaking scenery. Drift through Yorkshire and Lancashire cities, open meadows, market towns, dramatic hillsides for a taster of this region’s diverse surroundings. On Blue Otter Skipton narrowboat you can take two of three trans-Pennine canals: the Leeds and Liverpool, and the Rochdale, in a journey of 220 locks over 175 miles.

Traversing the canals are a great way to experience the “backbone of England” and give a unique insight into contrasting urban settlements that reside around Leeds, Huddersfield, Manchester, Blackburn and Burnley. Time your cruising right, and you can take in some premier football league matches along the way.

A Bard Aboard

Explore centuries of English history along the Avon Ring, a circuit of 109 miles and 131 locks. Moor opposite the Swan Theatre in Stratford upon Avon, near picturesque mills on the River Avon, visit Tewkesbury, cruise the majestic River Severn to Worcester, then ascend the longest flight of locks in Britain on the Worcester & Birmingham canal. Blue Otter Wootton Wawen is perfectly positioned to take you on all of these canal routes.

Shakespeare’s presence lures narrowboaters along the waters with a mile-long tunnel leading to the Stratford upon Avon canal. Here a real treat awaits along the longest aqueduct on the English canals, Edstone. If you time it for when the Shakespeare’s Express steam train is passing, a cloak of smoky steam will magically surround you, while passengers wave from cream and brown-liveried carriages.

Gloucester Docks

Home to the best-preserved 19th-century docks in Britain, Gloucester is surrounded by listed warehouses. This inland harbour was once busy with ships carrying timber and corn from around the world. Cargo was transhipped on to the Severn and then the canals.

Cruise on your narrowboat from the historic docks and stop where the mood takes you, but be sure to take in Worcester Cathedral and the Norman abbey at Tewkesbury as you mosey down the water highway.

Cruise the Canals

Blue Otter narrowboats are available for week-long or month-long rental, enabling you to journey far and wide along the English canal network. Just contact us with your request with when and how you envisage your time on board relaxing and enjoying rural views, industrial-era heritage, sunlight sparkling on calm waters and bird life chorusing your cruise. Take turns piloting the boat, operating locks and swing bridges – rewarded with a refreshment or brew on board after each busy section! Locks are a great opportunity for sharing tips from fellow boaters and canal banter. Either way, lazy afternoons with a tipple of choice in hand are always a good idea!

Book your Blue Otter escape on the canals here