Maryann

Hi all, Many thanks for all the ideas. I've just booked up with Oxfordshire Narrowboats in Lower Heyford - have booked 3 day boats. Nearer the time I'll be looking for ideas for pubs to have a meal, so will be back hunting for more ideas! We always take a picnic lunch with us, then have an evening meal afterwards, en route home but not too far from the general area of the boatyard. We find that much more relaxing than having a pub lunch, as weekend lunchtimes are always busy and we don't like having to watch the clock, thinking about the return trip. So lots of research now needed to get just the right post-cruise grub. I'm quite looking forward to this.... ...

Hi everyone, Many thanks for all the ideas - gives me plenty to think about! I have to admit I'm not so that that having such a big group of people as I've collected for my canal trips is really a good idea. But I must be doing something right!

Hi there, and many thanks, to all who have replied so far - I forgot to include the details of who who we've used so far - Blisworth Tunnel Boats and Grebe! We've had great days out with both, and will certainly return at some point to both of them. (Our daughter had her 12th birthday "party" on a Blisworth Tunnel boat, with Happy Birthday sung halfway through the tunnel! Problem was the candles on her birthday cake kept going out ). Anyway back to the present day, I think the bit about wanting multiple boats is, as Alan says, the killer! Perhaps I've got persuade everyone (including myself) to get out of bed a bit earlier and travel further afield, because Lichfield is probably a bit further than I was originally thinking - will investigate it now.

Has anyone got any suggestions for boatyards that hire out self drive day boats? I'm looking at the southern part of the Grand Union, or anywhere within about 1-1.5 hours drive of the Watford (Herts) area. We've arranged loads of day trips in the past and are running out of new ideas - we keep covering the same bits of canals and are looking for pastures new (or rather waterways new). My trips are getting really popular with our little group of friends, and we really need somewhere with at least two if not more day boats. It's obviously not a problem finding boatyards to hire a boat for a weekend or week, but day boats are hard to find! All ideas and recommendations will be welcome!