There are over 35,000 canal boat on Britain’s 3,000-mile inland waterways network.
Around 1,000 of these are holiday hire narrowboats. You can hire a boat for £1,200 and upwards for a week. Generally, the price includes up to four adults and two children, car parking, tuition, towels, bed linen, buoyancy aids. Most company’s offer helmsman’s waterproofs and welcome pack with cleaning materials. Fuel is extra and costs based on use around £15 per hour of cruising. There is often a compulsory extra £70 damage waiver. You can take a pet with you for an extra £45 each per week and extra adults are charged at £50 each.
Here’s a run-down of 6 new boats for hire in 2025
‘Willow’ will be available at Napton
The 61.5ft ‘Willow’ is a Regency Class semi-traditional stern narrowboat for up to six people. She will be available to hire from Drifters’ narrowboat hire base at Napton, on the Oxford Canal in Northamptonshire. She will have two king-sized double bed cabins and two bathrooms. The headroom is 6ft 4in throughout. And there are TV’s and DVD players in both cabins and an extra large TV in the Saloon. There’s an extra outside table for alfresco dining and a bike rack is available for the front deck. ‘Willow’ has a reverse layout, so the galley is at the back of the boat. The interior dining area can be converted into a double bed.
ROUTES: On a short break from Napton, boaters can travel to Rugby, Crick or Cropredy; and on a week’s break, to Coventry, Banbury, Market Harborough or Leighton Buzzard.
‘Hill Partridge’ will cruise from Anderton
The 66ft ‘Hill Partridge’ is a semi-traditional stern canal boat for up to six people. She will arrive at Anderton on the Trent & Mersey Canal in Cheshire. ‘Hill Partridge’ will have two double cabins that can be made up as singles or doubles (with optional wider beds), and the seating/dining area can be converted into a double bed. She will have two shower/toilet rooms, a front deck table, LED lighting, two televisions and WiFi.
ROUTES: on a short break from Anderton, boaters can head to Middlewich or Lymm; and on a week away, they can reach Manchester, Marple, Nantwich or Chester.
The ‘Little Swift’ will navigate from Gayton
The 49ft ‘Little Swift’ is cruiser stern narrowboat for up to four people. She will be available to hire from Drifters’ narrowboat hire base at Gayton on the Grand Union Canal near Northampton. ‘Little Swift’ will have one cabin, which can be configured either as a double or twins (with optional wider beds), and a seating/dining area which can be converted into a double bed. She will have a shower/toilet room, a front deck table, LED lighting, two televisions and WiFi.
ROUTES: on a short break from Gayton, boaters can travel to Cosgrove or Braunston; and on a week’s holiday they can reach Crick, Market Harborough, Milton Keynes, Leighton Buzzard or Coventry.
‘Blackpoll Warbler’ will be bookable from Aldermaston
The new 69ft ‘Blackpoll Warbler’ is semi-traditional stern narrowboat for up to eight people. She will arrive at from Drifters’ base at Aldermaston on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Berkshire. The boat will have three cabins: one fixed as double; and two which can be configured as doubles or singles. ‘Blackpoll Warbler’ will have LED lighting, a front deck table, optional wider beds, two shower/toilet rooms, WiFi and two TV’s.
ROUTES: on a short break from Aldermaston, boaters can travel to Newbury or Hungerford; and on a week’s holiday they can reach Oxford, Pewsey or Windsor.
‘Coral’ will be found at Trevor
The 60ft ‘Coral’ Gem Class cruiser stern narrowboat for up to six people. She will be available to hire from Drifters’ base on the Llangollen Canal at Trevor in North Wales. The boat will feature: two double cabins that can be configured either as a doubles or singles; a dinette double; and two toilet/shower rooms. ‘Coral’ will have a reverse layout, meaning the galley is at the rear and the main sleeping areas are at the front and middle of the boat.
ROUTES: on a short break from Trevor, boaters can cruise across the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct to Chirk; and on a week’s holiday, they can continue to Whitchurch or Wrenbury.
‘Drake‘ will be available at Bradford on Avon
The new 67ft ‘Drake‘ is an ‘Admiral Class cruiser stern narrowboat for up to six people. She will be available to hire from Drifters’ base on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire. The boat will feature: two double cabins that can be configured either as a doubles or singles; a dinette double; and two toilet/shower rooms. As well as central heating throughout, ‘Drake‘ will have a multi-fuel stove.
ROUTES: On a short break from Bradford on Avon, boaters can travel to Bath or Devizes; and on a week’s holiday, they can reach Pewsey or Great Bedwyn.
