We absolutely fit into a specific group of people called “boat people.” Regardless of where we travel, we always find a boat to jump on. From ferry’s to sailboat to kayaks and tour boats. Boating is kind of our thing (minus cruise ships).
So when we planned our last gap year, renting a canal boat was high on our list. Unfortunately after 9 months of travel – we were getting tired and a little poor so we skipped that part of our trip. This time, canal boating was not part of the original plan but the thought just kept eating away the back parts of my travel brain and we eventually decided – we just had to.
So that’s how our family of 5 ended up on a canal boat drifting through wales and England of the UK. Our last trip was amazing but the canal boat was probably my favorite part.
History of Canal Boats in the United Kingdom
Narrowboats and canals were developed in the UK starting in the 18th century as a way to move goods across the country. These boats were originally pulled by horses. These tow paths are still present today and make wonderful walking and hiking paths.
Somewhat soon after the canal system was started, railroads became a better method of transporting good. Because of this, many of the canal systems became abandoned and were not maintained. Many other routes were not completed.
More recently the canals have been used for recreation with canal boating being a popular activity.
Where to rent a Canal Boat?
Canal boats can be rented in several areas of the UK. A popular starter route is the Llangollen Canal because it has a variety of experience, many rental companies and small towns to visit. This route crossed the border between England and Wales. Another choice may be Scotland through the Farkirk Wheel or other areas of England.
How to Rent a Canal Boat
We just simply booked our canal boat online. We rented ours from Anglo-Welsh but there are many great choices for rentals. The online booking process was easy and the website has loads of information like this brochure.
What Starting Point to Choose for a Canal Boat Rental
After researching several starting points we chose the closest to Trevor, Wales because of it being close to the Pontcysyllte Aquaduct. It was very close, like just a few feet. I would definitely rent from there again. We had a wonderful experience. However, renting from a location just a little bit away may give you more time to build up to the main event. We kind of jumped on the boat and went immediately to “oh, my … I can’t believe we’re doing this” all without a chance to catch our breath. You do go over the Aquaduct on the return trip if you end up being overly excited the first time.
Other nearby options include renting from Llangollen, Ellesmere or anywhere in between. All of these are on the Llangollen Canal.
Llangollen Canal
The Llangollen Canal was predominantly built around the early 1800’s and has several great engineering examples. The canal initially thrived but then was abandoned after WW1. Since some of the area depended on the canal for water supply it was officially but not totally closed and eventually boats started to use the canal again. In 1968 the waterway was officially designated as a cruiseway and is now one of the most popular routes or holidays. In 2009 an 11 mile stretch including both the Pontcysyllte and Chirk Aqueducts was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
How long should I rent a Canal Boat for?
We rented our boat for a Monday through Friday. When you include pick up and drop off, you generally have 3 full days. Renting for a week would be better but we did feel that we had a wonderful trip just with the 5 days. A two week trip would be amazing.
What is the Best time of Year to rent a Canal Boat in the UK?
I’m a huge fan of shoulder seasons. We rented our boat in early May and it was perfect. The weather was good and signs of spring were everywhere. The kids stated that they had never been somewhere that felt so much like spring – lambs, ducklings, were all over the place.
Renting in shoulder season also makes the trip more affordable than the summer and likely more enjoyable due to less boats. We had the perfect amount of saying hi and passing other boaters as well as space all to ourselves.
Where will we go on the canal boat?
Renting form Trevor we casually made our way to Ellesmere and back again over 5 days.
If we had a week, I would have gone from Trevor to Llangollen then to Ellesmere and back to Trevor.
For additional maps try here this map allows you to make selections to show dinning and and other choices along the way.
Working while on a Canal Boat
We had both taken off this week (the only week we did officially take off) but we were hoping to check in and do outschool classes. Internet only worked sporadically and we found that even when we picked our spots based on internet, it would still not work and go down. I thought it made a nice break but caused some anxiety in some of the crew that has a difficult time unplugging.
What did you “do” while being on a Canal Boat in the UK?
Luckily for me, my husband loves to drive boats – I really enjoyed reading and watching the scenery go by (it’s my favorite).
Probably the kids favorite part of the trip was the wildlife. We slept by beautiful cows, fed ducks, geese and ducklings, and giggled at baby sheep. The kids loved walking along the boat and our middle guy probably walked 3 miles a day. All of us participated in some way when going through locks. We enjoyed the amazing views of the aqueducts and were fascinated by the tunnels.
We also took time to relax, play cards and enjoy some screen free family time.
What to pack on a canal boat
Packing clothes was pretty simple. You don’t need to be fancy. Pack layers – In late spring and early summer the weather will go from beautiful and sunny to misty and chilly. So comfortable clothes with pullovers and rain jackets when needed.
How to get to the Canal Boats
We wanted to take public transportation for most of our trip but it ended up being cheaper to rent a car so we drove to the pick up location and left the rental car in a designated parking spot. If you would prefer to arrive by train, bus or Uber – call the location to get options.
What to eat on a canal boat
Pack enough food so you don’t feel like you have to go out to eat. You will be able to find some places to stop and get a meal but getting somewhere at a specific time will make you rush the trip a little more. In 5 days we ate 2 meals out.
There is a grocery store near the town of Trevor (10-15 minute by car) and a small grocery/gas station that is a short walk and will have starter supplies. Chirk also has some stores in town (a walk) and Ellesmere has a large grocery that is close to the canal boats.
When packing, consider making simple meals. The boats do have a kitchen but like all boats, it can be cramped and space is limited.
Canal Boat Itinerary for the Llangollen Canal
Day 1 (Monday) on a Canal Boat in Wales:
Our marina arrival time was between 2-4. I would aim to be there at 1 or 2 if possible. We arrived at the Trevor location about 3 – traffic was more than we were expecting. We checked in, purchased a map, loaded the boat, and signed the contract. Because we had not gone by the grocery store, the husband quickly ran over to the nearby convivence store to get us enough food for the night and morning.
If you are a little early, I would take some time to enjoy walking the area and the Pontcysyllte Aquaduct before getting your boat and watch the boat traffic. Definitely buy some duck food – 2 packs per person.
The area with the boats is going to feel pretty chaotic. The Trevor marina is at the edge of a turn-around and the start of the canal to the city of Llangollen. We watched the craziness for a little bit to make a plan (and saw someone fall in — ooops, he was fine). There’s a lot going on and not a lot of room to practice. When we were ready the guide explained everything we needed to know about the boat and gave us a quick lesson. My husband drove boats before he was driving cars so we didn’t need a lot of help but any new boat can be nerve racking until you’re use to it.
We were excited to be on our way. Just few minutes later, the guide jumped off and we found ourselves and our boat floating down the aqueduct. It really did feel like go, go, go and then holy poop – they just gave us this boat and there’s no wall and a big drop. If you get there early, then you may not have such a rushed feeling. The kids and us were all so excited that it was hard to enjoy the moment but regardless it was amazing.
If you start from Ellesmere, you will have more time to practice before the aqueduct. Another option is to first go towards the city of Llangollen (the small side canal). That area is very narrow and only one boat can pass at many times. You will likely want to have either walkie talkies or cell phones (which may or may not have service) to send someone ahead to check the path. That path may be a little more difficult and could be saved for the end of a trip if you have time.
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
The Pontcysyllte Aquaduct is the reason we (and many other people) choose this route. It’s an absolute bucket list item. This aqueduct was built in 1805 and took 10 years to complete. It is the highest aqueduct in the world and is a grade 1 listed building and a UNESCO heritage site. It’s 336 yards long, 126 feet high and 12 feet wide with a water depth just over 5 feet and 18 arches supporting the upper structure.
One side of the Aqueduct has a walking path and the other has about a 4 inch steel edge to hold the water in. It’s pretty inspiring and beautiful. We had a kids must keep seated rule since we just jumped on the boat and it was such a cool experience.
Navigating the aqueduct is actually pretty simple. The path is one way so boats will take turns going each direction. It’s a straight path and is actually pretty hard to mess up in a canal boat. As long as the kids are sitting and no one is leaning over – all should go well (I would not want to kayak this area but some do).
There are also tours available where you can ride in a canal boat or kayak (again that’s a no from us) across the bridge.
The Bridge
After the aqueduct you will have a little time to adjust to driving in a quieter area. Then there is a little town area with a fun bridge. You get out, crank the bridge up, then let it down after you (and maybe another boat or two) pass under.
This is a cute photogenic area and was our first time of several that the kids got to play with a family of ducklings (get that duck food before you leave).
After the bridge you get to settle in to a routine of beautiful scenery and going under lovely bridges. Our kids loved jumping off at one bridge, walking with a podcast and getting back on at the next one.
Night 1 on the Llangollen Canal:
We could have made it farther on day one but we decided that this trip was not a time to rush. The canal boats can only run in daylight hours with times posted in the boat. We found a wonderful place to dock overlooking a field of beautiful curious cows and near a picnic bench. We ate dinner on the path just before sunset, played cards, and really enjoyed a delightful family evening. The kids were free to walk up and down the tow path. Pedestrians occasionally walked by and there were a few other boats in the area just at the edge of where we could see them. This was my favorite docking point.
Day 2 (Tuesday) on a Canal Boat in Wales/UK:
Our had to do task for day 2 (after breakfast and setting off) was to find more food.
Whitehouse Tunnel
But first, the Whitehouse Tunnel. This is one of 2 tunnels on our route. This tunnel is over 500 feet long. We paused at the beginning as one boat came through then debated on if there was another and once we were convinced that there was not, off we went. The tunnels on the canal are really a cool experience. The water is super clear and the tunnel is just bid enough for one boat and a tow path. We made it through without any problems.
Chirk Tunnel then Chirk Aqueduct
Chirk Tunnel and Aqueduct were next. The tunnel was similar to the previous tunnel but then it is quickly followed by Chirk Aqueduct. Chirk Aqueduct is another beautiful aqueduct overlooking a very scenic field of sheep and lambs as well as a train viaduct. This one has a little more of an edge on each side but is just as fun. After the Aqueduct, you’ll be officially crossing from Wales to England.
The Town of Chirk
We really needed to do a little better grocery shopping so our next stop was the town of Chirk. We tied up along a small group of houses and walked about a half mile to town (this road can be a little busy). The town itself is cute with a few good choices for lunch as well as several options for groceries and dessert. On the walk back we found a path to skip the busiest part of the road and have better views of the aqueduct. The Bridge Inn may be a closer option for food (but is not where we went).
The kids really liked this stop for the geese and ducklings but be careful – geese can be a little snappy and demanding with handouts.
There is a castle (Chirk Castle) in this town that can be visited if you stop east of the tunnel (before the tunnel for our route). Other accounts say it’s about a 20 minute walk but we skipped this stop – the kids had seen plenty of castles on this trip already. I’ll also mention that there is no obvious path from the canal to the castle or the rest of the city from the east side but it may be a shorter walk to town from this side.
The Locks
This stretch of the canal really has all the main to-do’s of a canal boat trip including 2 locks. This area of the canal starts to turn long and straight with views of fields then 2 locks. We were able to watch a boat use the locks before our turn (highly recommend). I also recommend watching a couple of videos prior to the locks and reading the information from the canal boat company. Usually there will be someone that’s about to go through or just went through that can help – or even someone watching over things from the nearby house.
There is definitely a rhythm to getting through the locks and other canal boaters are generally glad to help. After the second one, we felt much more confident coming back.
The two big things not to mess up – staying to far back when lowering and tipping the boat on the sill and letting the crank start rolling on it’s own (can trap an arm). The locks were definitely fun but need your full attention.
Night 2 on the Llangollen Canal in England
Our goal for Wednesday was to make it to Ellesmere for lunch then make it back near the locks by Wednesday night so we could get close to Trevor Thursday night. We made our way to fields that seemed to be just outside the city and it was a good choice. Any farther we would have been crowed but we were still close enough.
Day 3 (Wednesday) on the Llongollen Canal in England
Ellesmere
On day 3 we arrived in Ellesmere just before lunch time and turned ourselves around at the fork before mooring. We wandered around a little bit, looked a maps, got a little lost then tried again. Eventually we ended up at the Boathouse Restaurant on the lake for lunch. We said hi to more geese and birds and took a few minutes to play at the playground.
The Tesco is the best place to get groceries (it’s close and a big store) so we loaded up for the next couple of days.
After lunch and a little time catching up on internet tasks, we started to make our way back. We stayed overnight just prior to the locks.
Day 4 (Thursday) and Day 5 (Friday)
Thursday we repeated the process on the way back starting with the locks.
There was also a lot of boat driving (hubby), reading (me), walking (middle kid), sketching (oldest kid) and wiggling (youngest kid). The middle guy absolutely loved walking the path while listening to podcasts. His favorite thing to do was jump on the front of the boat at the bridges, walk through the boat grabbing a snack (apples usually) and jumping back off while still under the bridge. He probably walked 3 miles and did the bridge jump 10 times.
There was a little more current going back which made the tunnels a little trickier to navigate and keep the boat from bumping the edges. It was still OK just not as smooth.
We also saw more cows, more ducks and more sheep.
We moored after the roll up bridge and in a scenic area before the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
Friday morning boat drop off was at 9 am and went smoother than expected for our crew of 5 but took some preparation the night before to get all of us and our stuff off the boat with a little bit of tiding up.
Final Thoughts about Renting a Canal Boat in the UK
Just do it. Renting the boat was a super fun experience for all of us and I would love to be able to figure out how to do it more often. There were enough challenges to make it interesting. The scenery was really peaceful and it was nice to be in nature. Other canal boaters and locals in the area are very friendly. Plan to go slow and take your time, it’s not fun to rush.
If I could make adjustments to our trip, I would have gone 7 days instead of 5 and added the city of Llangollen. You can add Llangollen to a 5 day trip but it likely would feel rushed.
Canal Boat Frequently Asked Questions:
Was it difficult to drive a canal boat?
Is renting a Canal Boat Expensive
When is the best time to rent a canal boat?
Where is the best place to rent a canal boat in the UK?
Is renting a canal boat a good family vacation?
Can I work remotely while on the Canal Boat?
Want to learn more about Canal Boating before you go?
We love these videos and they are the same trip that we took (and actually the same week – we may have passed each other)
And then there are these videos that we watched as inspiration for our trip.
