Need recommendations - May trip (near London)

[StevieD63]

Hello,

 

This is my first post on this forum.  My wife and I (both late 50’s) will be traveling to London in mid-May (we live in New York).  It’s a business trip for me, but we are thinking of tacking on a short holiday to the business trip.  Neither of us has done a narrowboat holiday before, but we are keen to give it a try.  A few questions for the more experienced boaters:

 

1.  Is it possible to do a shorter hire - perhaps 3-4 days?

2.  Are there any canals and routes you would recommend that are relatively easy to reach from London?

3.  Does anyone have any recommendations for hire companies (we are not driven by cost - we are more focused on quality operators with quality boats and experience with first time boaters).

 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or advice.

 

Steve

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, StevieD63 said:

Hello,

 

This is my first post on this forum.  My wife and I (both late 50’s) will be traveling to London in mid-May (we live in New York).  It’s a business trip for me, but we are thinking of tacking on a short holiday to the business trip.  Neither of us has done a narrowboat holiday before, but we are keen to give it a try.  A few questions for the more experienced boaters:

 

1.  Is it possible to do a shorter hire - perhaps 3-4 days?

2.  Are there any canals and routes you would recommend that are relatively easy to reach from London?

3.  Does anyone have any recommendations for hire companies (we are not driven by cost - we are more focused on quality operators with quality boats and experience with first time boaters).

 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or advice.

 

Steve

 

Short breaks definitely.

 

Most companies will do them. Often friday to Monday or Monday/Tuesday to Thurs/Friday.

 

Aqua Narrowboats spring to mind as quality Hire co but it depends how far from London you are thinking of.

 

Welcome to the forum BTW.

 

https://www.aquanarrowboats.co.uk/

 

Booking up fast though.

[David Mack]

The nearest canal hire company to London is probably Wyvern Shipping at Leighton Buzzard. They do 3-4 day short breaks as well as longer trips.

Leighton Buzzard has a direct train service from London's Euston Station, so easy to get to with a taxi from the station to the boatyard.

 

Or you could try Farncombe Boathouse on the River Wey, southwest of London. They also do short breaks. Train from London Waterloo.

Edited February 12, 2022 by David Mack

[booke23]

I think as @The Happy Nomad has already hinted at, your choice of hire company will be dictated by availability this close to May.

 

Luckily, when the railways were invented the rail companies tended to build tracks close to canals, so a great deal of the canal network can be reached by train from London with ease. 

Edited February 12, 2022 by booke23

[Tony Brooks]

Caversham Boat services of Reading have/had narrow boats but it is river rather than canals. At least the locks are sometimes manned.

 

I would think Oxfordshire narrow boats with the station just across the canal would be a fair bet. Their boats seem smart and well kept.

[MtB]

17 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

I would think Oxfordshire narrow boats with the station just across the canal would be a fair bet. Their boats seem smart and well kept.

 

Seconded.

 

Their boats always look well presented.

 

Just don't hire the one pained up with cannons and pirate logos, much favoured by groups of youngsters! 

[Athy]

This was the first one which sprang to my mind too.

From Paddington station in London to Upper Heyford is about 70 miles and the trains take about an hour and a quarter. They are not very frequent, but regular: about every two hours. The Oxfordshire Narrowboats base is s literally across the canal from the station (there is a bridge!)

   The Oxford Canal is scenic and largely rural, with some locks but not too many. You would also have the option of visiting the historic city of Oxford, probably too far to go by boat in a short break but the trains go there too.

[StevieD63]

Thanks for the suggestion - my only concern on Oxfordshire is that I watched an episode of Great Canal Journeys, and it presented the canal in a dreadful condition, with graffiti everywhere, and generally poor condition.  Has this changed?

These are all good suggestions - I’m glad to find that shorter hires are possible.

[Tony Brooks]

Just now, StevieD63 said:

Thanks for the suggestion - my only concern on Oxfordshire is that I watched an episode of Great Canal Journeys, and it presented the canal in a dreadful condition, with graffiti everywhere, and generally poor condition.  Has this changed?

 Ah, best forget about the UK canals. You will find graffiti almost anywhere with a suitable surface that scrotes can get to, even out in the country on interpretation boards. The South Oxford is no better or worse than much of the canal system and as a popular hire boat canal is likely to be kept open longer that other places, although late in a dry summer you are likely to meet limited lock opening hours in an attempt to save water. But that applies to places all over the system.

 

If those are your concerns then I would suggest the upper Thames, hiring from Anglo Welsh from near Eynsham Bridge. Taxi from Oxford station and I think there is a bus  service. However it is not a canal.

[Guest]

33 minutes ago, StevieD63 said:

Thanks for the suggestion - my only concern on Oxfordshire is that I watched an episode of Great Canal Journeys, and it presented the canal in a dreadful condition, with graffiti everywhere, and generally poor condition.  Has this changed?

These are all good suggestions - I’m glad to find that shorter hires are possible.

 

Scrub my suggestion then if that really is a concern. The Trent and Mersey (which is where Aqua NB's are based) get's its fair share of graffiti in parts. 

 

You need to remember these waterways were built to serve industry not to provide a leisure facility, that came later. As a result lot's pass through towns and cities and can get a bit 'gritty' in parts. It is however part of the attraction for some, including me as often the associated buildings and structures are interesting in themselves.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 13, 2022 by The Happy Nomad

[Slim]

I'm based on the South Oxford so see a far amount of it regularly. Although there is graffiti I would say there is less than would be found on many other canals. I don't know about the last few miles into Oxford itself as I've not been below Dukes Cut for a number of years. Looked at logically it's a fairly rural canal thus less susceptible to graffiti than many others. It is shallow and generally the infrastructure is aged but not off-putting. All in all a pleasant, easy canal to cruise especially for a short break.       

[OldGoat]

Oh dear, much as I love my local waterway (Thaames), I find the narrow  boats available from some of the fleets are very tired and maybe more suited to booze-cruise hirers... Sad, because the Upper-upper Thames is beautiful but somewhat rural and that doen't suit some holiday makers.

Oxford is a great place to visit (provide that you avoid the 'main drag' and walk around the side streets which are quieter and give an air of academic peace.

There are two good hire bases on the canal - College Cruisers based in the city and (my favourite) Oxfordshire  Narrowboats based at Lower Heyford (the train stops outside...).

 

The Thames is different - being a river it 'runs under the scenery' and the Upper - upper - Thames is very rural - that means there are few pubs if you want to eat out end even fewer shops where you can stock up - so plan ahead. Both routes are great experiences.

 

[StevieD63]

Perhaps I was too disparaging on the graffiti - I think I was focusing more on the programme (Great Canal Journeys with Tim West and Prunella Scales), which presented the Oxfordshire canal (at least from Oxfordshire to Banbury) in a less than flattering light.  I have been on a narrowboat before, but that was many many years ago during school holidays, and I’m sure things have changed considerably.

 

That said, we are looking for a more rural route - we’d like a stop each night near a pub, but as it’s a short trip (3-4 days), we don’t need restocking or anything like that.  This would be our first narrowboat trip, so we are very raw recruits.  
 

S

[mrsmelly]

7 hours ago, MtB said:

 

 

 

Just don't hire the one pained up with cannons and pirate logos, much favoured by groups of youngsters! 

Long since sold old boy.

[Mike Adams]

Why not try Gallion Marine at Odiham on the Basingstoke Canal, they do short breaks and it is easy for the beginner as ther are few other boats, good pubs and countryside and an easy trip from London.

[Tony Brooks]

18 minutes ago, StevieD63 said:

Perhaps I was too disparaging on the graffiti - I think I was focusing more on the programme (Great Canal Journeys with Tim West and Prunella Scales), which presented the Oxfordshire canal (at least from Oxfordshire to Banbury) in a less than flattering light.  I have been on a narrowboat before, but that was many many years ago during school holidays, and I’m sure things have changed considerably.

 

That said, we are looking for a more rural route - we’d like a stop each night near a pub, but as it’s a short trip (3-4 days), we don’t need restocking or anything like that.  This would be our first narrowboat trip, so we are very raw recruits.  
 

S

Then I would suggest the south Oxford fits exactly. Mainly rural and pubs about one day's cruise apart, maybe with a walk but still  some close to the canal.

[enigmatic]

If rivers are a consideration, the Great Ouse passes through a lot of nice small towns with very attractive riverfront and historic pubs too, with not much graffiti or poor maintenance in sight! Bridge Boatyard in Ely (short train ride) has narrowboats and cruisers for hire. The locks are modern and not as much fun as the rickety old ones, but the scenery is as quintessentially British as it gets

[IanD]

17 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

Then I would suggest the south Oxford fits exactly. Mainly rural and pubs about one day's cruise apart, maybe with a walk but still  some close to the canal.

 

For this route Napton Narrowboats (at Napton Junction) are good, I've hired from them several times. They do some *very* nice 2-berth boats like this one, though availability might be difficult at this short notice...

 

https://www.napton-marina.co.uk/boats/regency/regency_2.php

[Athy]

21 hours ago, Slim said:

I'm based on the South Oxford so see a far amount of it regularly. Although there is graffiti I would say there is less than would be found on many other canals. I don't know about the last few miles into Oxford itself as I've not been below Dukes Cut for a number of years. Looked at logically it's a fairly rural canal thus less susceptible to graffiti than many others. It is shallow and generally the infrastructure is aged but not off-putting. All in all a pleasant, easy canal to cruise especially for a short break.       

I too moor on the South Oxford, and Slim's post saved me the trouble of writing something quite similar. 

It is a predominantly rural route, with Banbury the only town along its length before it reaches Oxford. There are villages (Fenny Compton, Cropredy, Upper Heyford) which offer pubs by or near the canal.

     i haven't noticed much graffiti at all except in Banbury. As I mentioned earlier, most of its length is scenic and charming. Some aspects of it are showing their age, but since it was opened in the 18th century that's to be expected!

   An alternative to hiring from Oxfordshire Narrowboats would to take a boat from Napton Narrowboats, a little further North, and head southwards. There you'll find the Folly pub at the bottom of the flight of locks; then, after going up the locks (which slice through typical Middle England) and going along the summit which is about as remote as you can get in central England, you'd reach Fenny Compton where there's a waterside pub, and where (an important consideration) you an turn round.

 

Edited February 14, 2022 by Athy

[Slim]

33 minutes ago, Athy said:

I too moor on the South Oxford, and Slim's post saved me the trouble of writing something quite similar. 

It is a predominantly rural route, with Banbury the only town along its length before it reaches Oxford. There are villages (Fenny Compton, Cropredy, Upper Heyford) which offer pubs by or near the canal.

     i haven't noticed much graffiti at all except in Banbury. As I mentioned earlier, most of its length is scenic and charming. Some aspects of it are showing their age, but since it was opened in the 18th century that's to be expected!

   An alternative to hiring from Oxfordshire Narrowboats would to take a boat from Napton Narrowboats, a little further North, and head southwards. There you'll find the Folly pub at the bottom of the flight of locks; then, after going up the locks (which slice through typical Middle England) and going along the summit which is about as remote as you can get in central England, you'd reach Fenny Compton where there's a waterside pub, and where (an important consideration) you an turn round.

 

I considered suggesting Napton where you have a choice of 3 hire companies, Napton Narrowboats, Black Prince or Calcutts. I think all three would involve a taxi from Rugby station. Calcutts would involve a couple of extra locks.  

[Athy]

8 minutes ago, Slim said:

I considered suggesting Napton where you have a choice of 3 hire companies, Napton Narrowboats, Black Prince or Calcutts. I think all three would involve a taxi from Rugby station. Calcutts would involve a couple of extra locks.  

....and are, visually anyway, the least appealing of those options.

There are, I think, fast and frequent trains from London Euston station to Rugby (the journey takes just under an hour), so hiring in that area would be feasible.

 

Edited February 14, 2022 by Athy

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Athy said:

 

   An alternative to hiring from Oxfordshire Narrowboats would to take a boat from Napton Narrowboats, a little further North, and head southwards. There you'll find the Folly pub at the bottom of the flight of locks; then, after going up the locks (which slice through typical Middle England) and going along the summit which is about as remote as you can get in central England, you'd reach Fenny Compton where there's a waterside pub, and where (an important consideration) you an turn round.

 

 

I can vouch for Napton. The have a range of boats and if you want something a bit special they have their Elite and Regency range of boats.

 

It is however a long time since we hired from them but I believe they are still pretty well regarded.

[Tony Brooks]

1 hour ago, Slim said:

I considered suggesting Napton where you have a choice of 3 hire companies, Napton Narrowboats, Black Prince or Calcutts. I think all three would involve a taxi from Rugby station. Calcutts would involve a couple of extra locks.  

Calcutt - one lock each way that the yard will help you with.

 

The reason I did not suggest any of those yards is that it involves the Napton and Marston Doles lock flight so might be a bit much for the OP.

[IanD]

8 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

Calcutt - one lock each way that the yard will help you with.

 

The reason I did not suggest any of those yards is that it involves the Napton and Marston Doles lock flight so might be a bit much for the OP.

 

This could be the case -- I wouldn't see 9 locks (each way) as a problem, but the OP might well do...

 

I'd repeat the Napton recommendation though, particularly their top-end boats -- I've hired these before, and have recently hired one again for a fortnight this summer. But they are popular so the OPs problem is likely to be finding one for the dates he wants -- actually this is true for all hire firms, the good boats from good companies tend to get hired out first, and last year (and presumably this year) demand was very high.

[David Mack]

On 12/02/2022 at 19:49, StevieD63 said:

(we are not driven by cost - we are more focused on quality operators with quality boats and experience with first time boaters).

 

20 hours ago, StevieD63 said:

This would be our first narrowboat trip, so we are very raw recruits.  

Don't worry about that. The hire boat companies are well used to first timers. Watching Tim and Pru will have shown you that some of the experienced hands seem to spend a lot of their time hitting things! But I have come across many first timers, both hirers and guests on my own boats, who have picked up boat handling very quickly, and managed just fine.