On Sunday 23 April 2023, Drifters Waterway Holidays is offering people the chance to try canal boating for free at 16 locations across England and Wales.

The taster sessions, which will be on from 11am to 4pm, will include free short trips on skippered narrowboats, and the opportunity to look round holiday-hire boats at many of the locations.  

Haley Hadley, of Drifters Waterway Holidays, explains: “Travelling at just 4mph through peaceful countryside, past canalside pubs, sleepy villages and vibrant waterside towns and cities, canal boat holidays are often described as 'the fastest way to slow down'. 

“Around 450,000* people enjoy holidaying on Britain's canal network and around a fifth of hirers are new to our holidays each year.  Our free canal boat taster sessions are a great way for people to find out what makes canal boat holidays so special and to see if this sort of holiday would work for them. 

“We look forward to welcoming people to our open day events and we are hoping around 3,000 visitors will get afloat that day, including many families enjoying a day out by the water.”

For further details of Drifters' Open Day events and to download a free voucher for a boat trip, go to www.drifters.co.uk/openday

For more information about canal boat holidays, go to www.drifters.co.uk or call 0344 984 0322.

For more information about visiting the canal network, go to www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

ENDS

For Drifters press enquiries & images, contact Debbie Walker on 01628 318069 mb 077486 40577 walker.debbie@sky.com

Notes to editors

*Source: British Marine's 'Watersports Participation Survey 2018'

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.  2023 hire prices start at £590 for a short break, £815 for a week. Narrowboats range from 32ft to 70ft and can accommodate up to 12 people.  Drifters also offers day boat hire from 17 bases across England and Wales.