Just back from first canalboat holiday

[Junemc153]

This is my first post so I hope it goes o.k.

 

We have just got back from our first ever canal boat holiday and we loved every minute of it.

 

We had a week on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal on Emily one of the Edwardian Elite boats from Napton Narrowboats at Autherley. I can highly recommend Emily – particularly the kingsize beds! We went down to Stourport and then back up as far as Penkridge returning to Autherley on Saturday.

 

The four of us had such a great time – everybody that we met (with one exception) were extremely helpful and friendly and gave us advice and assistance when we needed it. Boaters really are a friendly lot! We tried our best to stick with the etiquette, particularly at locks, passing moored boats, and so on.

 

The only problem we encountered was at the staircase lock when after waiting for a butty pair to go up (and assisting) we then helped another boat to come down and started to re-fill the top lock. Another boat owner (privately owned I think) then shouted “I’ll follow him down then shall I” and was going to use our lock. Fortunately the nice man who was going out told him that he would have to wait!

 

Laughed loads (especially when my hubby’s shorts fell down whilst we were trying to moor up for the night ), chilled out so much we were practically horizontal, and were extremely sad to leave Emily on Saturday morning. The weather was great and we only had a couple of showers mid-week.

 

Loved it so much we are going again next year – hopefully to the Oxford Canal and hopefully again on one of Napton’s Edwardian Elite boats. Can anybody suggest any other week cruises that we might try – we don’t mind the locks because this is where you get to meet so many nice people.

 

Thanks

[StoneHenge]

Glad you had a lovely time. The napton elite range look fantastic from the outside, so I can only imagine the comfort on the inside.

 

There are millions of lovely routes to take, the canal ways are your oyster.

 

Glad you got such a positive experience out of it. There is nothing quite like it!

[magpie patrick]

Well, even if you just stick to Napton Narrowboats two bases I'd say you've got for or five substantially different holidays on offer. From Napton there are five out and back routes: Down the Oxford to banbury and Oxford, south along the Grand Union towards Milton Keynes, North along the Leicester section to Market Harborough, North along the oxford canal to Coventry and the Ashby, and for the lock enthusiast North on the grand Union to Warwick and beyond, or have a long holiday and combine the last two as the Warwickshire ring

 

And then from the Autherley base go along the Shropshire Union to Nantwich or Chester, or repeat the length to Penkridge and then go on to Great Haywood Junction, from where you can choose to go to Stone or Fradley, or taste the black country and locks aplenty by going into the BCN up Wolverhampton locks...

 

Actually, I think that's eight variants, generally at the pace of your last holiday

[harleyj]

This is my first post so I hope it goes o.k.

 

We have just got back from our first ever canal boat holiday and we loved every minute of it.

 

We had a week on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal on Emily one of the Edwardian Elite boats from Napton Narrowboats at Autherley. I can highly recommend Emily – particularly the kingsize beds! We went down to Stourport and then back up as far as Penkridge returning to Autherley on Saturday.

 

The four of us had such a great time – everybody that we met (with one exception) were extremely helpful and friendly and gave us advice and assistance when we needed it. Boaters really are a friendly lot! We tried our best to stick with the etiquette, particularly at locks, passing moored boats, and so on.

 

The only problem we encountered was at the staircase lock when after waiting for a butty pair to go up (and assisting) we then helped another boat to come down and started to re-fill the top lock. Another boat owner (privately owned I think) then shouted “I’ll follow him down then shall I” and was going to use our lock. Fortunately the nice man who was going out told him that he would have to wait!

 

Laughed loads (especially when my hubby’s shorts fell down whilst we were trying to moor up for the night ), chilled out so much we were practically horizontal, and were extremely sad to leave Emily on Saturday morning. The weather was great and we only had a couple of showers mid-week.

 

Loved it so much we are going again next year – hopefully to the Oxford Canal and hopefully again on one of Napton’s Edwardian Elite boats. Can anybody suggest any other week cruises that we might try – we don’t mind the locks because this is where you get to meet so many nice people.

 

Thanks

It's just like a drug, once you have done it you have to have another go. My brother & sister inlaw, my wife and I have not that long ago done the four counties ring(11/4/08-25/4/08) and even though we have to travel 12,000 miles to do it we are already planning to go again, hopefully in 2010

[Machpoint005]

Loved it so much we are going again next year – hopefully to the Oxford Canal and hopefully again on one of Napton’s Edwardian Elite boats. Can anybody suggest any other week cruises that we might try – we don’t mind the locks because this is where you get to meet so many nice people.

 

Head north, young lady! We've lot's o' locks oop 'ere, and reet friendly folks too.

 

Glad you enjoyed it!

[stewey]

Loved it so much we are going again next year – hopefully to the Oxford Canal and hopefully again on one of Napton’s Edwardian Elite boats. Can anybody suggest any other week cruises that we might try – we don’t mind the locks because this is where you get to meet so many nice people.

The fabulous Llangollen Canal certainly comes to mind - mainly because we did it in May!

 

What with glorious scenery, staircase locks, numerous other locks, lifting bridges, three tunnels and two major aqueducts including the worlds longest and highest, the mighty Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. What more could you want? Oh and delightful villages and towns such as Ellesmere, Wrenbury, Whitchurch and, of course, Llangollen itself. There are several hire firms based on the canal or nearby on the Shropshire Union Canal.

 

And hopefully in July it will be added to the list of World Heritage Sites.

 

YouTube video:

 

 

We will be doing the Four Counties over two weeks in September. It sounds like you have also caught the addiction. I'm afraid there is no known cure!

 

Stewey

[Junemc153]

Head north, young lady! We've lot's o' locks oop 'ere, and reet friendly folks too.

 

Glad you enjoyed it!

 

 

Hi Ian

 

We are from the North! I think this is why we were hoping to go "south"

 

But thanks anyway

[NiceNarrowboat]

Honestly, don't discount the north - the canals really are fab up there (well bar a few) and tons to do. When you get on a boat, it's a whole different world even if you're two minutes away from where you live usually.

[Janet S]

Two of our last three hire boat holidays have lead me no more than a mile past where I live...honestly, it really is a different world. Don't discount what's on your doorstep. You get a whole new perspective on things when you view your home town from the cut....

 

Janet