So many families get stuck in a routine of holidaying in the same place year after year. It almost becomes like a habit – you go there because you know where the best beaches are, you know where the best restaurants are and there is always those couple of places that you didn’t visit last year that are definitely going to be on this year’s itinerary.
What happened to adventure, where did our adventurous spirit disappear to? Holidays are about relaxing but are they not about exploring as well? Hiring a narrow boat is a win-win situation as you get both of these rolled into one (I cannot however guarantee the weather!).
Here are 6 reasons why you think outside the box a little next year and think about taking a canal boat holiday:
- The kids love it! Let them drive the boat, let them operate the locks (even you are feeling brave and the weather is good let them take a dip in the river). Not only is the boat like a small home away from home where they can have all of life’s little comforts but they can take the time to explorer on land as well. If you plan ahead there are loads of attractions that you can visit on any given canal.
- You can take your pets! Take the family dog along, there will plenty of walks and exploration along the way and most canal boat operators have a pet friendly policy, so there is no need to leave old shep in the kennels.
- Your holiday is your holiday! Do you ever get fed up of holidays that have the kid’s events at certain times on a Monday or only do curry night in the hotel on a Thursday? On a canal holiday you can do what you want when you want. You are not tied by camp site law, or hotel closing times or anything that stops you just going with the flow. Don’t fancy moving today – don’t bother. Fancy a pint in that pub that you have just passed? Just moor up the boat and off you go!
- You don’t need a license or special insurance or experience. Most travelling holidays require you to have some sort of licence or you need special insurance. All you need when you go on a canal holiday is the pre launch training and a crew that are willing to help (the family!)
- You get to see places that other people don’t! One of the greatest things about canal holidays is the fact that there are loads of great sites that are off the beaten track, hidden away from everyday tourists. You may want o do a little research before hand or you may want to see what you come across during your trip. Either way you can be sure that you will see things that the regular tourist will not.
- It’s outdoors and indoors. I suppose most holidays are! What I mean by this is that you get to experience some real countryside whilst have the home comforts of the boat – perfect for those that like the countryside but aren’t that fond of camping.
Narrow boat holidays are one of the best ways to bring a family together, under one roof and with few modern distractions – if that doesn’t sound like the perfect holiday I don’t know what does!
After relaxing on some of the greatest canals in the UK Wayne Barker works for Hire A Canal Boat, one of the UK’s largest canal barge hire companies.
