Canal Boat Holidays

a slower pace of life

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Cast off and leave your cares behind with a canal boat holiday from ABC Boat Hire.

Canal boat hire like you've never experienced before. With 16 starting locations across the waterway network and canal boat sizes to accommodate 2 to 12 people. You, your family or friends can afford to kick back and relax as you enjoy watching Britain's most stunning countryside drift by. See for yourself just how relaxing and enjoyable a canal boat holiday can be - watch our boating videos if you don't believe us!

SPECIAL OFFERS & DISCOUNTS!
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AWARD WINNING
BOAT HIRE

Feefo - Platinum trusted service award 2026 Feefo - Platinum trusted service award 2025 Feefo - Gold trusted service award 2024

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Your recent holiday on Duck - Musk Duck from Gailey Wharf

Boat was ready and waiting.

26 Jun 2026

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Your recent holiday on Duck - Musk Duck from Gailey Wharf

Well designed and fairly spacious for 4 persons. Good instruction before leaving.

26 Jun 2026

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Your recent holiday on Wagtail - Mountain Wagtail from Hilperton Marina

Extremely helpful during our trip

26 Jun 2026

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Your recent holiday on Warbler - Dartford Warbler from Blackwater Meadow Marina

Seven of us plus dog spent a few days on the Dartford Warbler for my husband’s 60th birthday.. The boat was very comfortable and well equipped. The staff at Blackwater Meadow marina were super friendly and helpful, talking us through all we needed to know. The canal up to Llangollen includes locks, tunnels, aqueducts and lift bridges, as well as some stunning scenery. A perfect break, thank you.

26 Jun 2026

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Your recent holiday on Wagtail - Mountain Wagtail from Hilperton Marina

Very friendly and helpful dervice

26 Jun 2026

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Your recent holiday on Warbler - Dartford Warbler from Blackwater Meadow Marina

A great trip. Loads of variety along the way and quiet places to moor up overnight. Llangollen is beautiful.

26 Jun 2026

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Your recent holiday on Wren - Cactus Wren from Falkirk Marina

Our narrow boat vacation was great. The boat was in very good shape and clean and well equipped. The introduction before was excellent!

24 Jun 2026

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Your recent holiday on Wren - Cactus Wren from Falkirk Marina

See above. The same as customer experience

24 Jun 2026

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Your recent holiday on Wagtail - Yellow Wagtail from Gayton Marina

We couldn't set off on the first day as we were going down the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union and we were told there wasn't enough water in the pounds between the locks to stop overnight. The flight was indeed very short of water when we went down the next day but we got through. We had help from a very obliging CRT member of staff to bring water down for our return trip a week later. The Nene is lovely - remote and abundant wildlife. But it lacks many suitable places to moor for the night. We had to spend 4 nights at different lock landing stages where you aren't supposed to moor. But at least the EA seem to look after the locks reasonably well.

24 Jun 2026

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Your recent holiday on Wagtail - Yellow Wagtail from Gayton Marina

Helpful staff, well equipped boat. Phone calls elicited useful responses when required. Quality equipment on the boat.

24 Jun 2026

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Your recent holiday on Lark - Crested Lark from Blackwater Meadow Marina

Great journey with locks, aqueduct and tunnel. Plenty of beautiful countryside to travel slowly through too

23 Jun 2026

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Your recent holiday on Sandpiper - Spotted Sandpiper from Hilperton Marina

Great weeks break every thing I was expecting. A bit more instruction on manoeuvring the boat would have been helpful

23 Jun 2026

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OUR VIDEO

Find your next canal boat adventure!

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Our Canal Boat Holiday Locations

Explore our beautiful canal boat hire locations across the country – from the stunning Welsh countryside to the bustling lifestyle of Scotland’s lively cities.

Berkshire

Aldermaston Wharf

Cambridgeshire

March Marina

Worcestershire

Alvechurch Marina

Cheshire

Anderton Marina

Shropshire

Blackwater Meadow Marina

Staffordshire

Gailey Marina

Forth and Clyde

Falkirk Canal

Monmouthshire

Goytre Wharf
View all locations

Download
A Brochure

Our latest brochure makes choosing your boating holiday as easy as ABC. Inside it you'll discover advice on how to plan your trip, find comprehensive boat layouts and details, plus maps, guides and handy tips to help you make the most of our beautiful waterways on your canal holiday.

BROCHURE DOWNLOAD
ABC Boat Hire Brochure 2026

Choose your canal boat

Whatever your group size, we have a range of beautiful hand-built canal boats to hire for your narrowboat holiday.

Two to Five berth

Accommodating up to 5 people, these boats are perfect for couples or small families searching for their next boating holiday

View Two to Five berth boats

Six to eight berth

These boats accommodate between 6 and 8 people, making for a perfect boating holiday for larger families and groups

View Six to eight berth boats

Up to twelve berth

With space for up to 12 people, if you're planning a multi-family boating holiday or big celebration, these are the boats for you.

View Up to twelve berth boats

Dog-Friendly
Trips

Your furry friends can join your UK canal cruise for free. Simply add them to your booking - up to three pets per boat at no extra cost.

Pet-Friendly Holidays

What's
on Board?

All of the key essentials have been included. There's central heating, an oven, fridge, charging points, TV and even free-wifi. Bedding and towels are provided, and the boat is fully serviced before handover.

See What's on Board

International Visitor Information

View our locations and within our location pages, you’ll be able to see routes to the airport.

Our Locations

Over
140 Routes
available

View all Routes

Special Offers

View offers

Maps & Guides

View guides

Canal Boat FAQs

Can I hire a boat just for the day?

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Yes - we have day hire boats at several of our locations - For more information, head to our day boat hire website: www.abcdayboathire.com

How much does it cost to rent a canal boat?

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The price of renting a canal boat varies depending on the location and length of your holiday, as well as the canal boat you choose. We provide a range of special offers, including a 2-week discount, 2nd holiday discount, multi-boat discount, loyalty discount and early bird discount. We also allow you to spread the cost of your holiday with our easy payment plan. Contact a member of our friendly team to find out more about the costs of our canal boat holidays.

Where is the best place for a canal boat holiday?

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It all depends on the type of canal boat holiday you’re looking for! We have locations across England, Scotland and Wales such as Anderton Marina, Falkirk Canal and Goytre Wharf. Not sure where to spend your next canal boat holiday? Check our locations, routes and boats for inspiration. Alternatively, contact a member of our knowledgeable team who will offer invaluable canal boat holiday advice.

Can I still book if I haven't 'driven' a boat before?

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No previous experience is necessary, as our boats are extremely easy to handle and full tuition is given at the start of every holiday. Comprehensive cruising information is in a manual on the boat and details are sent out with the holiday documents to introduce you to the theory of locks and the 'rules of the road'. We provide our own 24hr emergency helpline. 

Do you need a license to drive a boat?

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You do not need a driving licence for a canal boat or narrowboat and the boat itself is licenced by us for CRT waterways. There are a few waterways outside their jurisdiction for which you will need to purchase an additional licence as you enter them, such as the Scottish Canals, Rivers Avon, Thames and Wey. Our start bases can provide details when you arrive to pick up your boat. Aldermaston boats have a Thames license.

The maximum number of people allowed on board is restricted to the number of berths.

Can we bring pets aboard?

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This really is a holiday the whole family can enjoy together. We do not charge for any of your pets - however there is normally a maximum of 3 allowed. We obviously request that the boat is returned in a clean and tidy condition and reserve the right to refuse pets or charge for any additional cleaning or repairs required as a result of pets being on board during your holiday.