Written by Stacey ReaskaFunctional support
Getty ImagesMore people are traveling through Britain's canals than ever before. Here's what it's like and how to plan your own canal holiday.
4 miles per hour.It's the perfect pace of life for Joe Caruana, and it's as fast as she is, so that's a good thing too narrow boat travel.
Caruana owns one of them. 35,000 Boat – Including narrow boat – Built for rivers and canals across Britain, where she lives part of every year. It is a way of life that has become. becoming increasingly popular Post-pandemic, more people are looking to get out and explore while practicing social distancing. It has a growing social media audience and hash tags. #Narrow boat Mentions on Instagram and its sister tags creep towards 250,000 #Narrowboatlife Just over 134,000. Narrowboating peak season begins in earnest in April, making it the perfect time for travelers looking to try out the lifestyle for themselves.
Less than half of the 35,000 boats are occupied by live-in owners, so there are plenty of boats available to the public. hire for your next vacation. But as Caruana points out, there are some things to consider first. It's the need to embrace a slower pace.
“We thought a boat would be a great way to cruise around the country, live a green life, and find our ultimate destination,” Caruana says. “I did it for 18 months, but I didn’t get as far as I thought I would.”
Still, Caruana says, “I ended up in the most beautiful English village.''That village great bedouin, a community of less than 1,500 people in Wiltshire, about two hours west of London, is a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city. “It was a wonderful way to live,” Caruana says. And if she hadn't discovered boats, she probably wouldn't have found that way of life.
Getty ImagesBut while Caruana waxed poetic about life by the water, including floating down rivers in spring surrounded by ducklings and blooming flowers, he added that it wasn't for everyone. “This is not a mode of transportation, so I had to get used to it,” Caruana says. “A trip that would take two weeks on a narrowboat can be done in 10 minutes by car. So…it's a lifestyle. And it's taught me so much.”
Life on a boat has given Caruana a new sense of calm and an appreciation for patience, she says.
“It taught me patience. It taught me all about nature. It taught me all about downsizing,” she says, adding that her narrowboat's instruments and equipment (including the engine) points out how dependent we are on Mother Nature onboard the boat, as it is solar powered. The power is on. “If the sun isn't shining, you can't have a cup of tea. It can be very frustrating when you want to go somewhere. Everything has to work. The engine has to be running. .”
For travelers preparing their own canal boat vacations, Karuna has good news. She doesn't need any boating experience. In fact, she had never operated a narrowboat before purchasing one. Additionally, there are plenty of places where you can rent a boat for a weekend, a week, a month or longer, including spots like Kate's Boat in Warwickshire.
“You don't need any qualifications,” said Cheryl Howes, who has run Kate Boats for nearly 25 years. “but [for] For those who have never been on a boat before, we spend a lot of time explaining how everything works. ” This includes maneuvering the boat at the moorings and on the water, as well as guiding you through the first lock. “It's an accessible place. People are always worried about how they're going to cope. The first few hours are a bit of a baptism of fire, but once you get out of there you get used to everything. After that, you just relax. and just enjoy it.”
Getty ImagesNarrowboating is truly a choose-your-own-adventure vacation. Howes notes that the company typically provides a route for guests, but they can go in any direction they like. Her dream trip is to complete the so-called “.thames ringHowes said the journey would take about four weeks and involve 345 miles of waterways linking London's famous River Thames with the Oxford and Grand Union canals. windsor castle, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kewthere are 176 locks that can be passed through. Blissworth Tunnel, one of the longest navigable tunnels in Britain.You can moor a narrow boat almost anywhere on this road If you're on holiday, visit all our other locations across the UK (if you want to moor your boat full-time and permanently, you'll need to pay if you stay for more than 14 days).
Mr Howes said during narrowboating's busy season, from April to October, they were busy helping customers navigate the ocean for the first time, rather than focusing on their own adventures, making it difficult to take such a long vacation. says he is too busy. The peak season will also be extended, but Howes said travelers would be better off traveling past peak travel times. That's because it's still comfortable outside during the winter.
Both Howes and Caruana agree that narrowboats are ideal for those looking for slowness and simplicity. “It's like a caravan holiday on the water,” Caruana says. But the benefit is that you can sit on the boat and be purely immersed in nature. Owls, herons, kingfishers, ducks and all other baby animals. You're just soaking in it. This is unlike anything else I've ever had the privilege of experiencing. ”
Oh, and Caruana has one more important piece of advice. “You have to really like the person you're with, and it's a very small space,” she says. “Luckily, me and her husband get along great,” she added with a laugh.
Would you like to go out on the water? Here are three methods to try.
Private boat rental: Kate Boats costs approximately £1070 ($1354) to £1700 ($2152) for a week and includes boat hire, fuel, collision damage, linen, towels and life jackets. There are also other companies across the UK that rent narrowboats for days or weeks at a time. black prince, drifters and ABC Boat Rental.
Narrowboat holidays: Travelers who are unsure whether to drive their own boat may consider a narrowboat holiday charter company.companies like Chiltern Canal Boat Travel Guide While offering a skippered vacation, waterway travel guide If you prefer to stay on land, we can help you book narrowboat and waterside accommodation.
Moored ship: For those who are simply interested in spending their days and nights peacefully anchored, there are plenty of boats to do just that. Your best bet is to search for narrowboat rentals on vacation rental sites like Airbnb. You can also find the same options in other canal-friendly destinations around the world, including Amsterdam and France's Rhône-Alpes.
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