English Canal Cruises

Ashby Boat Company

• The Ashby Boat Company hires out boats for cruises on the Ashby Canal and branching out through the countryside of the Midlands. Heading north, cruises take in the Battle of Bosworth Field battleground. The Leicestershire Loop combines both river and canal cruising and includes five tunnels and several aqueducts. To the south, the Ashby Canal leads towards Rugby and Oxford. Alternatively canal enthusiasts might consider traveling the Warwickshire Ring. This circular route passes through magnificent English countryside offering a glimpse of the canal's historical past. The towns of Warwick and Leamington Spa are pleasant places for a diversion just south of the ring.

  Ashby Boat Company

  Canal Wharf

  Stoke Golding

  Nuneaton

  Warwickshire, CV13 6EY

  011-44-1455-212671

  ashbyboats.com

Rose Narrowboats

• Rose Narrowboats, based near Rugby, has a fleet of boats that cruise over 2,000 miles of inland waterway. The longest, but most interesting route for a holiday cruise, is the Grand Ring heading down the Grand Union Canal to Brentford. The route then heads up the tidal Thames past Hampton Court, historic Windsor and Oxford. The Thames Locks can cause some delays so this three-week route requires detailed planning. To the North, possible routes for cruises include a voyage along the Shropshire Union Canal into Cheshire and towards Manchester. Alternatively, a trip into Wales is possible, diverting towards Llangollen from Hurleston.

  Rose Narrowboats Limited

  Fosse Way

  Stretton-Under-Fosse

  Warwickshire CV23 OPU

  011-44-1788-832449

  rose-narrowboats.co.uk

Edward Elgar Riverboat Hotel

• For those wishing to experience 100 percent relaxation on a canal cruise, a trip on the Edward Elgar Riverboat Hotel with English Cruise Holidays is a great idea. Unlike the self-drive cruise boats, these tours offer full-service hospitality on a boat that carries 22 passengers. Enjoy comfortable cabins, food and drink, and an attentive crew that provides round-the-clock service, along with live entertainment and games in the evenings. Tours take place on a number of canal routes.

  English Holiday Cruise Ltd

  3rd Floor, Alexandra Warehouse

  West Quay, The Docks

  Gloucester GL1 2LG

  011-44-1452-410411

  englishholidaycruises.co.uk