So don't take our word for it, see what thousands of our customers are saying about us!
We had a relaxing week cruising the Llangollen canal
23 Oct 2026
Great service from start to finish. The boat exceeded expectations, the kitchen was fully equipped, the shower and bathroom were far better than expected the heating was effective and everything on the boat worked. Little touches like decent towels, linen, a pack of cards, starter tea bags and a personalised box of washing up cloths and bin bags were much appreciated I wouldn't hesitate to book with ABC again
23 Oct 2026
We hired a boat from Blackwater Meadow marina and travelled to Llangollen and back, leaving plenty of time for sightseeing 😊
23 Oct 2026
We enjoyed sunny weather for most of our trip and the Llangollen canal was beautiful. We travelled from Whitchurch to Llangollen and back in 6 days, the canal was quiet and peaceful most of the time. Highlights were the Aquaducts, tunnels and Langollen itself. The wildlife and views were numerous and memorable
23 Oct 2026
We have an issue with ABC as a company. We originally booked our trip for June from Kings Orchard paying top price. Unfortunately we had a close family bereavement a week before we were due to holiday. We could have cancelled and gone through our travel insurance, but at the time couldn’t face the hassle, we asked if we could defer until next year. We could not defer for 12 months so chose to holiday in October and was told the same boat would be available from Wrenbury. We accepted this. Of course a £50 administration fee was required. A week before cruising we looked at our route options, and found that either side the marina there were issues blocking either direction. We contacted ABC who confirmed this and again offered us another marina, Alvechurch, we didn’t particularly want Alvechurch so chose Gailey as we had been on the Shropshire Union before. It was said that it would be a different boat. We feel quite let down by ABC and the lack of communication regarding Wrenbury and their situation. When would they have contacted us? Also we feel we have paid an excessive amount for a holiday in October, on a older boat. Obviously in hindsight it would have been cheaper to go through our travel insurance and actually cancel the holiday and rebook for October. Whatever happened to a bit of empathy and compassion?
23 Oct 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are sorry to hear that you were disappointed with how we handled your booking amendment. At ABC Boat Hire, we always strive to treat our customers fairly and take individual circumstances into consideration wherever possible. In accordance with our Terms and Conditions, bookings may be amended for a fee of £50, provided the amendment takes place within the same calendar year and at least 28 days before the scheduled departure date. Had you decided not to postpone your booking within 2026, we also explained the option of attempting to resell your holiday. If a resale had been successful, we would have retained a small administration fee, with the remaining balance returned to you in accordance with our terms. When your booking was transferred from Kings Orchard to Wrenbury Mill , we explained that cruising would only be possible in an easterly direction due to the ongoing repairs to the breach on the Llangollen Canal, which had already been affecting navigation for some time. Unfortunately, a further breach occurred later in the year which stopped cruising from our Wrenbury Mill. We contacted affected customers seven days before their arrival to explain the situation and advise that, while some boats had been relocated to our Nantwich base, others were unable to move due to the canal stoppage and position of the boats. In your case, we offered the alternatives of Alvechurch or Gailey, and you chose to depart from Gailey. We also made you aware that the boat available at Gailey was of a different class. We would like to clarify that, as stated in our Terms and Conditions, we cannot guarantee a particular cruising route, as navigation may be affected by circumstances beyond our control. Nevertheless, we did our best to accommodate your booking and help you enjoy your planned 10-night holiday despite these significant disruptions. We would also like to confirm that customers may request an insurance letter up until the day of their scheduled departure should they require documentation to support an insurance claim. If you had chose to submit this later in the year we could have provided you with a document. While we appreciate that the circumstances were frustrating and may not have met your original expectations, we are pleased to understand that you enjoyed your holiday departing from Gailey Wharf. Thank you again for your feedback. We hope you will consider returning to ABC Boat Hire in the future, and we would welcome the opportunity to provide you with another enjoyable boating holiday. ABC Boat Hire
24 Oct 2026
Small but comfortable. Enjoyable experience
22 Oct 2026
We were welcomed by ABA boat hire and straight away introduced to the craft of boating and our boat. The hand over and boat operation instruction was very friendly, well explained and thorough. When we set off, the final boat handling instruction was equally good and reassuring. On return after our trip, the hand back was smooth, efficient and friendly.
22 Oct 2026
Cruising the canal was very peaceful, even when navigating through tunnels and past other boats. The scenery was great and the wildlife along the banks lovely. Most of all, the boat was very comfortable and had everything we could have needed for a great break.
22 Oct 2026
We chose a challenging route for our first ever canal boat holiday - the Caen Lock Flight - but the comfort of the boat, coupled with the support from ABC and the CBT volunteers (and friends) meant we had a rewarding and enjoyable trip.
22 Oct 2026
The service from ABC for our first ever canal boat holiday was great. Our boat was very well equipped, clean, with excellent facilities such as bathroom/shower, wi-fi, microwave etc. We would definitely recommend ABC to anyone considering a canal boat holiday!
22 Oct 2026
Very kind, helpful staff.
22 Oct 2026
Having Wi-Fi on a canal boat is a must, and it's something I didn't have on a previous boat hired from another company. The boat was thoughtfully stocked with useful sundries, making our stay more comfortable and convenient. The combination of good connectivity and well-provided facilities made for a much more enjoyable experience.
22 Oct 2026
It was our first time on a narrowboat. Very challenging at first, but such a grand experience.
22 Oct 2026
ABC have excellent boats and everything you need is on board. We were novice sailors and could have used a bit more detailed handover. Such as places to moor, canal exequite and expectations as to how far we would travel in our timescale. Given that, we had a fabulous weekend.
21 Oct 2026
Aldermaston Wharf is a great location and easy to get too
21 Oct 2026
