Narrowboat hire is on the rise, according to recent research by the tourism industry, which has found that more and more people are opting for a staycation exploring the canals of Britain as opposed to foreign package holiday in the sun.
Canal boats can be hired for weeks at a time, or just a short weekend break depending on what you’re looking for. With narrow boats available to hire from 2 berth up to 6 and 8 berth boats, these holidays are proving popular with couples looking to get away for a weekend, and also groups of family and friends who want to spend some quality time together.
Tourism experts believe the resurgence in the popularity of the canal boat holiday may be due to the current trend for staycations in the UK as the poor foreign exchange rate has deterred many from venturing abroad for their summer holiday.
The idea of a relaxing holiday cruising the canal network of the UK is something which has come to the attention of a number of Brits after celebrity names such as Harrison Ford, Calista Flockhart and Cerys Matthews were spotted holidaying on the canals in recent times.
No prior boating experience is required in order to hire a canal boat. Boat hire companies generally offer around 40 minutes of instruction on how to operate the boat and information on navigating the canal network before allowing customer to set off on their own.
The tourism industry is calling for taster courses to be offered for would-be canal boat holiday makers to try out a narrow boat before they commit themselves to a week or weekend long hire.
