Best Canals & Boat Hire Companies for a 1-Week Holiday, End of May / Early June.

[Mick in Bangkok]

Hi everyone,

 

I’m planning a canal boat holiday for the mid-term school holidays at the end of May / beginning of June and would really appreciate some advice on the best canals and boat hire companies.

 

We’re a group of 8 people (6 adults and 2 teenagers) looking to hire a boat for one week. We’re not complete beginners, as we’ve done several canal trips before, including the South Oxford Canal, the Llangollen Canal, and the Four Counties Ring.

 

We’re ideally looking for a route with good scenery, interesting cruising, and plenty of places to stop along the way such as towns, villages, pubs. Routes that are enjoyable but not overly demanding in terms of locks would be ideal, as there may be a mix of experience levels on board.

 

I’d also welcome recommendations for reliable hire companies that cater well for groups of this size, with well-maintained boats and good customer support.

If anyone has suggestions on routes that work particularly well at this time of year, or any tips for booking and cruising during the school holiday period, I’d be very grateful.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Mick

Any comments on the possibility of incorporating "Crick Boat Show" would also be very interesting.

[junior]

Droirwich Ring plus River Seven to Upton & Stourport? 

[Stroudwater1]

5 hours ago, junior said:

Droirwich Ring plus River Seven to Upton & Stourport? 

Agree some iteration of the Stourport ring sounds good, always difficult recommending as there are plenty of locks though the Tardebigge flight and others on the W&B  are very easy. Then getting back via Stourbridge or Wolverhampton means more locks.. however they should be fine with such a large crew. 

 

Hire firms there are Napton hire at Autherley Junction, ABC at Alvechurch or Worcester and Anglo Welch at Tardebigge. These firms are big and ought to provide decent boats and support. 

 

Another option might be a there and back cruise on the South Oxford down to the Thames then up to Lechlade or down towards Marlow/Henley. Most or all of the locks are automated on the Thames from Oxford down often  staffed going up to Lechlade with keepers who lock through for you. 

 

I would avoid boating to the Crick boat show. Horribly busy to get there unless travelling in advance and leaving a while after it costs to moor and it’s some but not everyone’s cup of tea. 

[IanD]

Napton Narrowboats are good (have hired from them several times) and have various boats comfortable for 8 people from several different bases.

 

https://www.napton-marina.co.uk/boats/elite_fleet/elite_8f2b.php

https://www.napton-marina.co.uk/index.php#routes

 

 

[matty40s]

You could do worse than try

https://www.grandunionnarrowboats.co.uk/narrowboat-hire-finder.aspx?ps=8&sd=25%2f5%2f26&hd=7

 Start at Weedon, pass through Crick on day 2, head to Market Harborough or nip up the Welford Arm

Foxton and Watford staircases along with a tunnel.

 

[brianthesnail96]

I see ABC at Worcester has been mentioned, we had their "Warbler" for a long weekend a couple of months ago. Although the boat was a bit souless it was very clean and everything worked as it should, and everyone we met on the staff was very friendly and helpful. Enjoyed our run up the W&B as well, we didn't have enough time to tackle Tardebigge unfortunately. 

 

[Mick in Bangkok]

I guess the big question for my proposed route is, would it be practical to stop at Crick Boat Show be a practical addition to the holiday or a lot of hassle. 

Thanks for the hire boat tips, i will send out some emails today to thease companies

[Rob-M]

You probably won't be able to stop close to Crick as the moorings are reserved and charged for during the boat show.  Personally, having been a couple of times, I wouldn't bother with the boat show.

[Stroudwater1]

7 hours ago, Mick in Bangkok said:

I guess the big question for my proposed route is, would it be practical to stop at Crick Boat Show be a practical addition to the holiday or a lot of hassle. 

Thanks for the hire boat tips, i will send out some emails today to thease companies

It may be a jaundiced view by some but this is a thread on last years show. It seems some from here do moor up annually. It’s not something I would choose for a boating holiday as it’s likely to be busy getting there and back and paying for a days boating when you aren’t as well as paying to moor doesn’t appeal. .
 

Incidentally if you or friends have hired before several hire fleets (ABC and Anglo Welsh at least) offer a discount for using again, their records go back to at least 2000 we found when we hired 5 years ago! 
 

 

[IanD]

18 hours ago, brianthesnail96 said:

I see ABC at Worcester has been mentioned, we had their "Warbler" for a long weekend a couple of months ago. Although the boat was a bit souless it was very clean and everything worked as it should, and everyone we met on the staff was very friendly and helpful. Enjoyed our run up the W&B as well, we didn't have enough time to tackle Tardebigge unfortunately. 

 

Have also hired from ABC in the past and been happy with them (even if a bit soulless, as you say) -- but last time I looked their prices seemed pretty high for the standard of their boats, I found you could get similar boats cheaper or nicer boats for the same money elsewhere, I suspected this was due to the "big-company" syndrome... (we can charge more because of who we are, and to pay for all the takeovers we've made...)

[brianthesnail96]

8 hours ago, IanD said:

... but last time I looked their prices seemed pretty high for the standard of their boats...

 

Yes, I wouldn't argue with that- making plans for a week in July at the moment with a small boat and ABC's prices even with the early booking discount are a bit eye watering. The big boat between 7 of us in October was fairly reasonable.

[Hercules]

I can recommend Wyvern Shipping Co. in Leighton Buzzard.

 

https://www.canalholidays.co.uk

 

They are lovely people who have been in the business for ages.  Their boats are well furnished and maintained, and they have several that would accommodate your group comfortably.  I've hired from them many times over the past few decades, and they've always been wonderful.

 

Headed north on the GU for a week's out-and-back trip would get you near Weedon Bec (at least), but not as far as Crick.  You'd get to see a little of everything - locks, aqueducts, tunnels (Blisworth), etc.  The Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne is worth a stop.  If you haven't seen the museum at Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes, it's also worth a stop.  There are plenty of pubs and restaurants along the route, enough for different stops on both legs of the journey.  Admittedly, it's not the BEST the canal system has to offer, but, hey...  it's not Blackburn.

 

It's also relatively convenient to get to from Heathrow if you are, say, flying in from Bangkok!  

 

Good luck, and enjoy your cruise, wherever it may be.

 

Geoff

[Jonny P]

On 07/01/2026 at 09:51, Stroudwater1 said:

Agree some iteration of the Stourport ring sounds good, always difficult recommending as there are plenty of locks though the Tardebigge flight and others on the W&B  are very easy. Then getting back via Stourbridge or Wolverhampton means more locks.. however they should be fine with such a large crew. 

 

Hire firms there are Napton hire at Autherley Junction, ABC at Alvechurch or Worcester and Anglo Welch at Tardebigge. These firms are big and ought to provide decent boats and support. 

 

Another option might be a there and back cruise on the South Oxford down to the Thames then up to Lechlade or down towards Marlow/Henley. Most or all of the locks are automated on the Thames from Oxford down often  staffed going up to Lechlade with keepers who lock through for you. 

 

I would avoid boating to the Crick boat show. Horribly busy to get there unless travelling in advance and leaving a while after it costs to moor and it’s some but not everyone’s cup of tea. 

Anglo-Welsh are no longer at Tardebigge. Trinity Narrowboats have moved there from Dunhampstead.

Also on the Stourport Ring is Cafwin Cruises based in Droitwich Marina with very well appointed boats.

However the Stourport Ring doesn’t fit with a requirement for fewer locks or a trip to Crick.

 

That said if the OP really wants to visit Crick on a one week hire then Union Canal Cruisers at Braunston may be the only realistic option since a midweek handover for a one week cruise isn’t a normal thing.

 

It could be part of a week on the Leicester line to Welford and Market Harborough and if time permits head back past Braunston to Napton to fill the week.

 

 

 

[Stroudwater1]

6 hours ago, Jonny P said:

Anglo-Welsh are no longer at Tardebigge. Trinity Narrowboats have moved there from Dunhampstead.

Also on the Stourport Ring is Cafwin Cruises based in Droitwich Marina with very well appointed boats.

However the Stourport Ring doesn’t fit with a requirement for fewer locks or a trip to Crick.

 

That said if the OP really wants to visit Crick on a one week hire then Union Canal Cruisers at Braunston may be the only realistic option since a midweek handover for a one week cruise isn’t a normal thing.

 

It could be part of a week on the Leicester line to Welford and Market Harborough and if time permits head back past Braunston to Napton to fill the week.

 

 

 

I thought that about Anglo-welsh but when I checked on their website  it said Tardebigge was one of their bases, only bookable by phone currently.

 

I know they had closed down  as someone mooring there I knew had to move. Not totally sure if they are hiring  from their old base or possibly less likely a couple from the old yard by the top lock? 
 

Good thought on Cafwin , very nice boats. Do any sleep 8 though? 

[Jonny P]

3 hours ago, Stroudwater1 said:

I thought that about Anglo-welsh but when I checked on their website  it said Tardebigge was one of their bases, only bookable by phone currently.

 

I know they had closed down  as someone mooring there I knew had to move. Not totally sure if they are hiring  from their old base or possibly less likely a couple from the old yard by the top lock? 
 

Good thought on Cafwin , very nice boats. Do any sleep 8 though? 

Ah, no. Won’t get 8 berths in a Cafwin boat. They are more for couples seeking a boutique hotel style experience.

 

That requirement might determine where the OP hires.

[IanD]

1 hour ago, Jonny P said:

Ah, no. Won’t get 8 berths in a Cafwin boat. They are more for couples seeking a boutique hotel style experience.

 

That requirement might determine where the OP hires.

That was one reason for suggesting Napton, and a nice 8-berth boat... 😉