5 Best scenic canal routes UK
- Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal from Goytre Wharf.
- Kennet & Avon Canal from Hilperton Marina.
- Chester return from Gailey Wharf.
- Llangollen Canal from Whitchurch Marina.
- Forth & Clyde Canal from Falkirk.
How much does it cost to hire a narrowboat in the UK?
Hire boat prices vary depend on time of year and boat size but are probably between £350 to £450 per person per week. Hotelboat Holidays are usually all inclusive, fully catered and serviced, costing between £1,000 to £1,500 per person per week.
How much does it cost to rent a narrowboat?
Average monthly cost of renting a narrowboat in London: £650
Sharing a houseboat with the owner can help you learn more about boat maintenance and can result in incredibly cheap rent of as little as £300 per month, but the average rental is around double this.
How long does it take to travel the Kennet and Avon canal?
The complete length of the canal and return takes 2-3 weeks. Several bases offer suitable out-and-back routes for one or two week trips, notably in the Bristol/Bath area or the central section around Devizes. Short breaks are also available.
Which is the most beautiful canal in UK? – Related Questions
Can you walk along the River Avon in Bath?
A two mile circular walk along the Kennet & Avon Canal in Bath, taking in Georgian architecture and many impressive local landmarks. This circular canal and river trail links with the city centre and passes by the Holburne Museum and Pulteney bridge. It can be started at any point along the route.
What canal runs through the Cotswolds?
The Cotswold Canals comprise the Stroudwater Canal (or Navigation) and the Thames & Severn Canal. Together this 37-mile route used to link the River Severn at Framilode to the River Thames near Lechlade, both of which are in Gloucestershire in the United Kingdom (UK).
Where does Kennet and Avon Canal start and finish?
A brief history of the Kennet & Avon Canal
The canal starts in Bristol and ends at Reading. Whilst the river sections were in use in the early 18th century, the construction of the canal section was not started until 1794 and completed in 1810.
How wide are locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal?
Kennet & Avon Canal Broad canal, 86 miles Bath to Newbury, 106 locks, 1 tunnel, at least 1 week to cruise. Locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal were built to take barges with maximum dimensions of 73 feet long by 13 feet 10 inches wide.
Can you walk the Kennet and Avon Canal?
The full Kennet and Avon Canal walking trail enjoys 95 miles of gentle canal towpaths and easy paths. The route stays close to the River Avon as it meanders through the North Wessex Downs from Reading to Bristol.
Where does the Kennet and Avon Canal start in Reading?
This first part of the canal from Reading to Newbury is in fact a river navigation, where the engineers canalised the River Kennet in the period between 1718 and 1723 and built 20 locks. At Reading , the Kennet leaves the Thames just below Caversham Lock, and it soon reaches Blakes Lock.
How many locks are there on the Kennet and Avon Canal?
More information. The Kennet & Avon Canal has awesome examples of canal engineering. The 16 locks that form the steepest part of the flight at Caen Hill are not only a scheduled ancient monument, they are an Olympic sized challenge every boater must do.
What canal goes through Bath?
What we know as the Kennet & Avon Canal is actually made up of three historic waterways, the Kennet Navigation, the Avon Navigation and the Kennet & Avon Canal. In 1724 the River Kennet was made navigable from Reading to Newbury, and by 1727 boats could reach as far as Bath.
Which canal has the most locks?
Caen Hill Locks (/ˈkeɪn ˈhɪl/) are a flight of 29 locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal, between Rowde and Devizes in Wiltshire, England.
What is the deepest canal in the UK?
Located near Halifax on the Rochdale Canal, the Tuel Lane Lock is the deepest in the United Kingdom – with a 6-metre difference between the highest and lowest point of water.
What is the deepest canal?
The Corinth Canal, Greece, opened in 1893, is 6.33 km (3.93 miles) long, 8 m (26 ft) deep and 24.6 m (81 ft) wide at the surface and has an extreme depth of cutting of 79 m (259 ft). It is still in use today.
Where is the deepest lock in UK?
The deepest lock in the UK is Tuel Lane Lock on Rochdale Canal which is over 19 feet.
How fast can a narrowboat go on a river?
How to calculate travel time on a narrowboat. As previously mentioned, your canal boat is not permitted to travel at more than four miles per hour – and you also have to allow around 15 minutes for passing through each lock.
How deep is the water in a canal?
The Grand Canal – the big canal that runs through the heart of Venice – is deeper, at an average of 5 metres, while the Canale della Giudecca – which separates the main part of Venice from the island of Giudecca – is around 12 to 17 metres deep.
Canals |
Depth |
Canal Grande |
5 meters |
Canale Della Giudecca |
12 to 17 meters |
1 more row
Are all canals in UK connected?
Most of them are linked into a single English and Welsh network from Bristol to London, Liverpool to Goole and Lancaster to Ripon, and connecting the Irish Sea, the North Sea, the estuaries of the Humber, Thames, Mersey, Severn and Ribble.
Can canal boats travel at night?
Can I drive a canal boat at night? If you own a canal boat, it is not illegal to drive your canal boat in the dark – however, if you are renting from a canal boat supplier, such as ABC Boat Hire, these hire boats are not permitted to be driven at night.