Narrow Boating Highlights
Narrow boating can take you to some beautiful places. Cross breathtaking aqueducts and
cruise through two hundred year old tunnels. Scale the biggest flight of locks or visit the
prettiest canal town in Britain. Whatever your expectations for your narrow boat
holiday, you won't be disappointed.
Here's a selection of some of the best sights, experiences, and challenges for narrow
boaters on Britain's canals.
Standedge Tunnel
At 3.5 miles long, Standedge Tunnel on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal is the longest of all
Britain's navigable canal tunnels. It can also lay claim to being the highest and the deepest
as it burrows through the Pennines at 196 Metres above sea level.
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Arguably the most beautiful of Thomas Telford's creations, this Aqueduct on the Llangollen
Canal lets you glide 35 metres above the ravine below.
Tardebigge Locks
The longest lock flight in Britain! If you fancy the challenge then cruise to Tardebigge on
the rural Worcester and Birmingham Canal, and make your way up a total of 36 locks - not
for the faint hearted!
Harecastle Tunnel
At 1 and a half miles, Harecastle Tunnel on the trent and Mersey is only half as long as
Standedge. Yet what it lacks in length it makes up for in legend! Boaters of the 19th
Century would avoid making the journey through this tunnel if at all possible due to its
spooky reputation. A headless corpse was once found here and her ghost is well known to
haunt the tunnel- make the journey if you dare!
Anderton Boat Lift
Lifting narrow boats 15 metres to the canal above, Anderton Boat Lift only reopened in 2002
having been shut since the 1980s. Hydraulics power this impressive feat of engineering on
the trent and Mersey Canal.
Stoke Bruerne
Known as Britain's prettiest Canal village! If you're in the area, it's not to be missed as a
picturesque and traditional part of Canal life.
Falkirk Wheel Boat Lift
Scotland's claim to Canal fame! A massively impressive structure connecting the Forth and
Clyde Canal to the Union Canal.
Hatton 21
Known as 'The Stairway to Heaven', Hatton's 21 locks are a challenge and an achievement!
Near Warwick on the Grand Union Canal, the thought of the award winning cafe at the top
should help to keep you going!
Foxton Locks
Not as challenging as some of its bigger brothers, Foxton has 10 locks to traverse on the
Grand Union Canal. The remains of the famous 'inclined plane' can still be seen- built in
1900 to mechanically move narrow boats up the 75 foot rise and to ease the canal traffic of
the industrial revolution. There's a chance it will reopen in the near future with a National
Lottery Grant and plenty of engineering enthusiasts' campaigning.
If any of these sights takes your fancy, come and have a look at our marinas and hire a canal boat from us. You will be able to visit many of the interesting places above on your narrow boat holiday.
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