Blog

With the UK’s push to become carbon neutral by 2050, many motoring sectors are looking within themselves to assess how they can become environmentally friendly. The canals sector is no different – in this guide, we will be looking into how electric narrowboats operate and how cruising can become more eco-friendly. What is an electric narrowboat? An electric narrowboat is not powered by a convent...

Fishing on the canals isn’t as simple as you may think - there are in fact fishing rights in place throughout various canals and rivers. It is important that you are familiar with the ‘incorporeal fishing rights’ – for example, most of the canals are owned by the Canal & River Trust, therefore you will have to buy fishing permits from them. Learn more about canal fishing from our detailed guide....

Canal season is upon us and soon the waterways will be filled with narrowboats cruising up and down the UK. In the meantime, why not prepare for your next canal boat holiday? Now is the time to start reading up on the waterways. In this guide, we will be discussing both informational and non-fiction books about British canals. Who knows? You may even want to take one of these reads on your next ca...

The UK is home to 4,700 miles of canal that stretches throughout British countryside, towns and cities. Canals are a seamless part of the British landscape, however, have you ever wondered how they came to be? In this blog, we will be investigating the history of ‘canal mania’ and how this small island became home of the waterways. The first canal age Canals have been a staple part of the UK sin...

When planning a canal boat holiday, it may feel like that there are so many things to see and do. You’ll come across many cities, marvellous engineering, canal wonders, historic sites as well as beautiful wildlife. If you are not quite sure where to start when planning your canal holiday, we can provide you with the ultimate canal holiday bucket list. Through this guide, we recommend some of the...

The Anderton Boat Lift, which is Britain’s first boat lift and a well-known and loved canal attraction, is gearing up to celebrate its 20th anniversary on Saturday 26 March, 2022. The anniversary kick starts with two winter works public open days on the weekend of 26th – 27th February, 2022, where engineers from the Trust will highlight the constant challenges that keeping the lift in working ord...

When embarking on your waterway adventure, you may hope to see some impressive aqueducts along the way. Seeing these remarkable sights of engineering are most likely to take your breath away, and are a great reason to travel along some of routes to see them. Through this guide, we will be exploring the biggest aqueducts in the UK – and perhaps you can plan to see these feats on your next adventur...

Fancy a trip out on the waterways, but perhaps you’re not too keen on staying the night on a narrowboat? A canal boat day trip is the perfect option for you. Combining the benefits of canal boat holidays with the flexibility of returning back to your own home at the end of the day, day boat trips make for a special day out with loved ones – and are perfect for a special occasion. ABC Day Boat Hir...

If you are a keen bird spotter, chances are canal boat holidays are the perfect choice for you. Exploring the canals gives you a great opportunity to delve into the scenic UK wildlife and see new sights. In our helpful guide, we will be discussing the best ways you can bird spot on the canals and all the UK canal birds you can potentially see on your adventures! Things you will need to go bird sp...

Each year at ABC Boat Hire, we attend a number of boating events across the UK to let our customers and potential canal boaters know about the fantastic benefits of booking a boating holiday with us. Are you considering your next, or your first, canal boat holiday? Make sure you visit us at one of the boating events in 2022 with help from this handy guide. Visit us at boating events this year Bo...