Leeds Liverpool is perfect for you. Local and with plenty of hire boat companies.
If you want really good tuition from the hire company then you've got Bear Boating at Apperley Bridge who have a set of locks right by there moorings. Then you've got the Skipton pair of Pennine cruisers and Snaygill Boats. From there you can go towards Leeds with plenty of Bridges then eventually bingley 5 & 3 or the other way towards Liverpool, starting with 5 swing bridges then the 12 Locks through Gargrave in Bank Newton, the scenery this way is stunning.
I've purposely left out Silsden boats the largest fleet with over 20 boats as tuition seams very light.