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 Finch - Red Backed Finch from Goytre Wharf

Cleanliness needs looking at . Dog hair all over and smelt of dog. Had to clean the floors with dustpan and brush to get most of it up. The boat slept 5 but only had 4 mugs. Not told about the board for mooring if we needed to use it or the poles if we got stuck.

26 May 2026

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Your recent holiday on Warbler - Reed Warbler from Nantwich Marina

Great service, easy to use website, very friendly and helpful staff at headquarters and the Marina!

26 May 2026

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Your recent holiday on Finch - Red Backed Finch from Goytre Wharf

Always been on ABC boat hire, but must admit this time a bit disappointed with the boat. There must have been a dog on before us as there was lots of dog hair all through the boat and smelt of dog. I have nothing against dogs but it shouldn't have been so obvious one had been on the boat. A good job none of us were allergic to dogs. There were 3 of us on the boat that slept 5 and only 4 mugs. The boat seemed a bit sluggish to respond but that could have been reaction to the shallowness of the canal.

26 May 2026

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Your recent holiday on Warbler - Reed Warbler from Nantwich Marina

Lovely trip, we did the Four Counties ring! Only downside is that the Warbler we had this time, which I believe is the newer version, isn’t as good as the table is lower in the lounge which means you can’t see out of the side windows when sitting! Also a lot of storage space which is much needed has been removed to make space for larger showers!

26 May 2026

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Your recent holiday on Wren - Inca Wren from Whitchurch Marina

The ABC staff were very helpful and knowledgeable, the boat was very clean and tidy and the route we chose on the Llangollen canal was was very scenic and beatiful

26 May 2026

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Your recent holiday on Wren - Inca Wren from Whitchurch Marina

the staff in the office and at the marina were very friendly and helpful.

26 May 2026

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Your recent holiday on Swan - Mute Swan from Hilperton Marina

Easy to get to marina, ideal if this was first canal holiday or like us with a range of elderly and very young on board as not too many locks (going towards Bath) Easy to pace over Mon -Fri break plenty of time

26 May 2026

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Your recent holiday on Swan - Mute Swan from Hilperton Marina

Excellent service from booking to moving dates twice and throughout the process of booking, collecting boat, hand over and help when emergency accident happened to one of our party

26 May 2026

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Your recent holiday on Swift - Little Swift from Gayton Marina

Everything went according to the plan.

26 May 2026

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Your recent holiday on Swift - Little Swift from Gayton Marina

The responded well when we accidently shut off the hot water pump. Diagnosed with a phone call. They held a package from Amazon for us with no problems.

26 May 2026

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Your recent holiday on Wren - Golden Crested Wren from Alvechurch Marina

Se tidigare svar som sammanfattar hela upplevelsen

25 May 2026

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Your recent holiday on Wren - Golden Crested Wren from Alvechurch Marina

Personalen var trevlig men båten lite dåligt förberedd. Den var och mer sliten och inte lika välstädad som vid de tidigare tillfällen vi hyrt (Whitchurch och Nantwitch. Vi fick påminna flera gånger att fylla på tvål, handdukar, bäddset, toapapper,mm då vi hyrt den i tre veckor. Dessutom upptäckte vi att ankringspinnar, fendrar och dammsugare saknades. Marinan saknade dessutom de kartor vi behövde för rutten. Vi fick köra till en annan marina för att införskaffa dessa.

25 May 2026

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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.