Travelling through the countryside at just four-miles-an-hour, canal boat holidays are the fastest way to slow down this summer. 

Drifters offers 550 narrowboats for hire from 45 bases across England, Scotland and Wales.  Our summer holiday prices for a short break (three or four nights) on a boat for four people start at £979, and at £1,530 for a week.

Narrow boat holiday-makers don't need a licence and it's easy to learn how to steer a narrowboat. Tuition is included as part of all Drifters' holiday packages.

All Drifters' narrowboats have heating, well-equipped kitchens, quality furnishings, flushing toilets, hot water, showers, TVs and DVD players, and many also have WiFi on board.

Drifters has published a guide to the Top 10 Summer Canal Boat Holidays for 2022:

1. Visit Skipton and its medieval castle: on a short break from Drifters' Barnoldswick boatyard, narrow boat holiday-makers can head east along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal to Skipton and back. The journey travels a total of 26 miles, passes through 30 locks (15 each way) and takes around 20 hours.  This breath-taking route winds along the contours of the side of Airedale, with extensive views of sheep country - farmhouses, barns, stone walls and the occasional village or town.  Once in Skipton, boaters can moor in the centre of the town, visit shops and restaurants and explore Skipton Castle, one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England. ***The 56ft 'Huntingdon 4' narrow boat for up to four people is currently available 1-5 August for £1,340.  Prices include damage waiver, pre-holiday information, comprehensive instruction, fuel, gas, parking, buoyancy aids and bed linen.
2. Glide through the Usk Valley to Brecon and back: from Drifters' base at Goytre Wharf near Abergavenny, on a week's break boaters can navigate through the wooded Usk Valley to the pretty market town of Brecon, in the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Brecon offers theatre, cinema, cafes and restaurants and access to the National Park, with walking routes, cycle hire and pony trekking.  Along the way, boaters can stop off at Llanfoist to take the old tramway into the Black Mountains, visit the 13th century caste at Crickhowell and walk to the Blaen y Glyn waterfalls at Talybont-on-Usk.  The total journey there and back travels 51 miles, passing through 12 locks (six each way) and takes around 25 hours.  ***The 47ft 'Redpoll' narrowboat for up to five people is available for a week 30 July to 6 August for £1,699.  Price includes a non-refundable damage waiver, bed linen, towels, car parking, two pets, buoyancy aids and tuition.  A fuel deposit of £50 for a short break, £90 for a week is payable with the balance of hire. Fuel costs approx. £10-15 per day.
3. Cruise along the River Thames to Oxford: on a short break from Drifters' canal boat hire base on the River Thames at Eynsham near Witney, boaters can reach the beautiful City of Oxford in just three hours. Most of the locks on the Thames are manned, so it's easy for beginners.  Once in Oxford, boaters can moor up a short walk from the City Centre, and take time to explore some of the historic attractions.  ***The 65ft 'Amethyst' narrowboat for up to four people is available from Oxford for a mid-week break 8-12 August for £1,475.  Price includes boat hire, damage waiver, gas, car parking, tuition on arrival, buoyancy aids, bed linen towels and first pet.  Diesel is extra – a £50 deposit is taken for short breaks (three or four nights), £90 for a week.  Charge based on use, circa £10-15 per day.  Second pet is charged at £25 for a short break, £35 for a week.
4. Navigate the Warwickshire Ring: on a two-week holiday from our Napton base on the Grand Union Canal, boaters can navigate the popular Warwickshire Ring. The route follows 104 miles of urban and rural waterways, passes through 120 locks and takes around 54 cruising hours. Highlights include: the awesome Flight of 21 locks at Hatton; Warwick Castle; Cadbury World; and Birmingham's Brindleyplace, home to the Sea Life Centre. ***The 58ft 'Duchess' narrowboat for up to four people is available for two weeks (29 July to 12 August) for £3,989.  Price includes boat hire, damage waiver, gas, car parking, tuition on arrival, buoyancy aids, bed linen towels and first pet.  Diesel is extra – a £50 deposit is taken for short breaks (three or four nights), £90 for a week.  Charge based on use, circa £10-15 per day.  Second pet is charged at £25 for a short break, £35 for a week.
5. Glide across the awesome Pontcysyllte Aqueduct: passing through stunning North Wales landscapes, the Llangollen Canal is one of the most popular waterways on the network. On a short break from our base at Chirk, boaters can travel to the pretty Eisteddfod town of Llangollen and back.  The route cruises the 11 miles of the Llangollen Canal that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the awesome Chirk and Pontcysyllte aqueducts. ***The 58ft 'Duchess' narrowboat for up to four people is currently available to hire from Drifters' base at Chirk for a short break 19-22 August for £1,375.  Price includes damage waiver, tuition, Wifi, gas, bedlinen, towels and car parking. Fuel is extra, charged depending on use, circa £10-15 per day.
6. Travel along the peaceful Ashby Canal to Shakerstone: on a week's holiday from Drifters' Braunston base on the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire, boaters can explore the beautiful Ashby Canal. With no locks, and mile-upon-mile of countryside to enjoy, this peaceful 22-mile long waterway passes the pretty town of Market Bosworth and the site of the Battle of Bosworth Field.  The journey to Shakerstone and back, travels 95 miles, passes through eight locks (four each way) and takes around 37 hours. ***The 65ft 'Arbury' narrowboat for up to six people is available from Braunston 15-22 August for £2,060. Price includes diesel, gas, damage waiver, cancellation protection, parking, tuition and first pet. Second pet is charged at £25 per week.

7. Travel through the Scottish Lowlands to Edinburgh: from Drifters' base at Falkirk, Edinburgh Quay is an 11-hour, 32-mile journey along the Union Canal, perfect for a mid-week break. The journey starts with a trip through the world's first rotating boat lift, the Falkirk Wheel. Boaters then pass through two tunnels and soon after across the magnificent Avon Aqueduct.  Then it's on through the lovely lowland villages of Linlithgow, Broxburn and Ratho.  Visitor moorings are available at Edinburgh Quay, just a five-minute walk from Princes Street and many of the City's top attractions. The 58ft 'Shakespeare' narrow boat for up to six people is available for a mid-week break 29 August to 2 September for £1,475. Price includes boat hire, damage waiver, gas, car parking, tuition on arrival, buoyancy aids, bed linen towels and first pet.  Diesel is extra – a £50 deposit is taken for short breaks (three or four nights), £90 for a week.  Charge based on use, circa £10-15 per day.  Second pet is charged at £25 for a short break, £35 for a week.
8. Cruise to the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port: on a week's holiday from Drifters' base at Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal, it takes around 11 hours to cruise the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port. On the banks of the Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal, this museum brings together a unique fleet of historic boats, docks, warehouses, forge, stables and workers cottages, collections and archives, to tell the story of Britain's canals.  From Bunbury, it takes around 11 hours to cruise to the National Waterways Museum.  The journey there and back travels 22 miles and passes through 32 locks (16 each way). ***The 58ft 'Killington' narrow boat for up to four people is available from Bunbury for a week 22-29 August for £1,550.  Price includes boat hire, damage waiver, gas, car parking, tuition on arrival, buoyancy aids, bed linen towels and first pet.  Diesel is extra – a £50 deposit is taken for short breaks (three or four nights), £90 for a week.  Charge based on use, circa £10-15 per day.  Second pet is charged at £25 for a short break, £35 for a week.
9. Visit Georgian Bath afloat: on a short break from Drifters' canal boat hire base at Devizes, boaters can navigate to the beautiful World Heritage Status City of Bath. The journey there and back travels 39 miles of the Kennet & Avon Canal, passes through 20 locks (10 each way) and takes around 19 cruising hours.  Along the way, the route passes a series of canalside pubs, and over the beautiful Bath stone Avoncliff and Dundas aqueducts.  There are moorings at Sydney Wharf, a 15-minute walk from Bath City centre.  ***The 58ft 'Tibetan Fox' narrowboat for up to six people is available for a weekend break 15-18 July for £1,037. Price includes fuel, gas, damage waiver, parking, bedding, towels, life jackets and tuition.  Pets are extra, charged at £30 each.
10. Cruise through the Shropshire countryside to Market Drayton: on a four night mid-week break from Drifters' base at Brewood on the Shropshire Union Canal in Shropshire, boaters can reach the historic market town of Market Drayton. The route passes through a series of villages with canalside pubs, including the Junction Inn at Norbury and the Royal Oak at Gnosnall.  And through tunnels of trees in the deep canal cuttings. The total journey there and back travels 42 miles, passes through 12 locks and takes around 19 hours. ***The 55ft 'Sir Ulfius' narrow boat for up to four people, is available for a mid-week break 25-29 July for £1,005.  Price includes diesel, gas, damage waiver, bed linen, buoyancy aids, tuition on arrival, parking and pets.

For more information about Drifters boating holidays call 0344 984 0322 or visit www.drifters.co.uk

For more information about visiting the canals go to www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

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For Drifters press enquiries contact Debbie Walker on 01628 618069 mb 077486 40577 walker.debbie@sky.com

Notes to editors

Drifters Waterway Holidays is made up of nine hire boat companies: ABC Boat Hire, Anglo Welsh, Black Prince, Countrywide Cruisers, Foxhangers, Kate Boats, Napton Narrowboats, Shire Cruisers and Union Canal Carriers.  Between them they offer over 550 boats for hire, operating from 45 bases across England, Scotland and Wales.  Narrowboats range from 32ft to 70ft and can accommodate up to 12 people.  www.drifters.co.uk Tel 0344 984 0322.