[aageneral] Canal cruising holidays
Know first that canal and waterway cruising is not a holiday that will
please everyone. If you like playing tennis and golf all day, if your
idea of happiness is lying beside a pool looking at the young ladies
in their miniature bikinis, if you must absolutely be able to enjoy a
hectic night life every day of your holiday then a canal cruising
holiday is most certainly not for you.
On the other hand, if you don't mind gliding peacefully through some
of the most beautiful country in the world at a speed of around 7 km
an hour, seeing parts of the countryside that other people never do,
avoiding all the rush hour traffic, and slowing down the pace of your
life to a gentle amble, then a canal cruising holiday will be very
much your speed.
Canals are not straight roads you rush down. Typically they turn
around following the bends of the countryside, although, occasionally,
you may find yourself going through a town even through the center
of a major city.
To liven the proceedings you will frequently come across locks which,
in almost every case, you will have to work yourself. You soon get
used to it. It is a small but pleasant skill that provides an
enjoyable break in the day. It is also a good place to meet people
from other boats who will be full of information and advice some of
it correct and valuable.
There are several guide books available for each country, and they
list the waterside pubs, which are some of the most interesting and
attractive of hostelries in Europe.
Basics
If you are going to be operating the boat yourself and there is
no other way to totally enjoy the experience then you need to be
agile enough to get on and off the boat fairly quickly and you need to
have somebody to steer the boat. In fact, a three person crew is
preferable. If that is impossible, then there are hotel boats,
especially in France, which cater to your needs.
There are no high levels of skill involved in handling a canal boat.
It is not like a yacht. Steering is either from a small hand wheel or
a tiller at the back of the boat, and you have a throttle lever to
control the speed.
When you hire the boat you will be given a very short training course
to show you how to handle the locks, bridges and other items of canal
technology.
There will be a towpath running along one side of the canal, which is
where the horses used to walk when they towed the boats. When you want
to stop you can moor the boat on the tow path side. There is no charge
for mooring and you either use mooring posts or hammer some stakes
into the ground.
You, of course, carry your water with you and you will have to re-fill
the tanks every second day or so. You will not have that trouble with
fuel as typically you will be supplied with enough to more than last
for the duration of your holiday.
You can cook on the boats all utensils are supplied but
you will probably find yourself having dinner at one of the many
waterside hostelries. You will have to take with you proper boat shoes
so that you do not slip on wet decks.
On older boats, the person steering can sometimes be annoyed by the
sound of the diesel engine. This is not a problem on the newer boats
which are normally those for hire. In either case, it is only the
person steering who notices. At the front of the boat there is no
noise except for the lapping of the water and the swishing of the
reeds.
In Britain, the canals are fairly narrow two meters is fairly
wide and that is why the boats are called 'narrowboats'. Despite
their lack of beam these boats have all of the conveniences of home
including showers, kitchens and the inevitable television. Note that
they never come equipped with telephones it is not meant to be that
sort of holiday. But if you need to be in constant touch you can hire
a mobile phone.
Almost all boats have a dining area which can be made up into an extra
double berth. Unless you are very pushed you should avoid this. It is
only suitable for young people.
Thus the rule is that if you are hiring a boat for four people you
hire a six person boat.
The electricity after all, this is Europe is weird and
wonderful and if you need to use a hair dryer or recharge a camcorder
you need to check with the hirers very carefully before you start out.
In Europe there are several cruising grounds, some more attractive
than others. For example, canal boating in Scotland sometimes means
that you are sailing across quite large bodies of water and you need
something other than a narrow boat.
Ireland, on the other hand, has become a major area for canal cruising
and many of the canals have been restored and reopened.
In Ireland the Grand Canal and Barrow Systems and the Shannon River
offer you the freedom of 240 kilometres of uncrowded waterways. The
start of the Grand Canal is only 100 km from Dublin. The Shannon is
the backbone of a vast network of inland waterways, joined to the Erne
via the newly restored Shannon-Erne link. The Grand Canal connects it
to Dublin and the east coast, while the Barrow Navigation makes it
possible to travel to the south east. The river immediately to the
south is ideal for beginners.
But it is in England that British canal cruising comes to perfection.
There are three areas.
The first is the Norfolk Broads which consists of canals and rivers
connected to lakes which are called Broads. There are no locks in this
area, but there are tides and you need to acquire the skill of using
the tides to move you along.
This is some of the most beautiful country in Europe, and even for
England, it is a very quiet and remote place.
The river Thames provides yet another area for cruising, but it has
some differences. The locks right up to Oxford are worked by lock
keepers, who know the area and are normally great characters in their
own right. The banks of the Thames are a panorama of English history
and you could not be bored for one minute.
Then there are the canals which run throughout England and Wales.
There are about 3,000 km still available for recreational use, as they
are rarely used now for commercial transportation. It is here that you
have to use a narrow boat. It will come with all the comforts of home
and is very simple to use. Anyway, you cannot do much damage at a
maximum speed of about 7 km an hour.
The centre of the canal system is in the city of Birmingham, but most
of the canals run through the countryside. You amble along and enjoy
the scenery and then at night moor beside a waterside pub. You
probably will only travel for four hours or so a day, which will leave
you plenty of time for exploring.
It takes about 15 minutes to get through a lock and you need to change
your way of thinking of distance from km to lock km. You will it
normally find that you travel at something under 30 lock km a day.
You can either cruise from your starting pint and back along the same
canals or you can go on a circular tour which brings you back to your
starting point. Take the advice of the boat yard as to how long a trip
will take. Their judgment is better than yours.
Canal cruising on the Welsh borders between Chester and Llangollen can
get a little crowded at the height of the season, but many regard this
as the ideal first trip.
There is much discussion as whether to carry a bicycle. You will find
that carrying a bicycle for each person on-board will make the trip
much more interesting because it is very easy then to cycle along the
tow path to some close by destination. On the other hand storing them
can be a dashed nuisance, and if you put them on the cabin top you
will find problems with overhanging trees and some of the bridges,
which can be very restricted. Nevertheless, they improve the holiday
no end.
When you have finally decided where to go, and have arranged to hire a
boat, buy a guide for the canals you intend to cruise. In Europe
Nicholsons, Pearsons and Waterways World each publish a series of
guides. These are useful on the cruise, as they will show you where
the villages, pubs and water points are. An overall map of the system
is useful for appreciating where the canals are in relation to the
rest of the country, and for overall planning.
There are no big differences between cruising in Britain and cruising
on the continent. Perhaps the biggest difference is that on the
continent the major canals are still used for commercial traffic. But
otherwise it is much the same. You never go faster than eight km per
hour - there is a speed limit - and you need to allow 15 minutes for
going through a lock. Otherwise, it is a very similar experience and
the canal system extends through France, Germany and Holland.
Web sites
George's: Canal Boating in the U.K. and Europe
http://www.canals.com/index.htm
The definitive guide. Has everything you want to know plus links to
lots more. Says of itself, modestly, `Being an introduction for
those unfamiliar with the pleasures of canal and waterway cruising, as
well as a resource for experienced boaters.'
UK Canal Network
http://www.ukcanals.net/
Has more links than you can poke with a stick. Total coverage.
Whatever you want to know, this site has a link to it. Quite amazing.
UK Vacations Afloat on Canal, River and Sea
http://www.holidayuk.co.uk/canals/index.htm
Commercial site listing what it has to offer. There is an immense
amount.
AccomoDATA Canal Boating
http://www.accomodata.co.uk/boats.htm
Another commercial site dealing with canals in Britain.
Croisières Le Dauphin / Dolphin Cruisers, Pelican Canal Boat Rental
http://www.le-guide.com/dolphin/pelican.html
Commercial site on cruises more powerboat than true canal boats
in France.
Waterways Holidays
http://www.waterwaysholidays.com/
Has something well over 500 different boats for hire. Pretty much
everything you ever needed to know.
Gareth Powell is the author of several travel books, has been the
travel editor of two metropolitan newspapers and has a travel website
- http://www.travelhopefully.com
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please everyone. If you like playing tennis and golf all day, if your
idea of happiness is lying beside a pool looking at the young ladies
in their miniature bikinis, if you must absolutely be able to enjoy a
hectic night life every day of your holiday then a canal cruising
holiday is most certainly not for you.
On the other hand, if you don't mind gliding peacefully through some
of the most beautiful country in the world at a speed of around 7 km
an hour, seeing parts of the countryside that other people never do,
avoiding all the rush hour traffic, and slowing down the pace of your
life to a gentle amble, then a canal cruising holiday will be very
much your speed.
Canals are not straight roads you rush down. Typically they turn
around following the bends of the countryside, although, occasionally,
you may find yourself going through a town even through the center
of a major city.
To liven the proceedings you will frequently come across locks which,
in almost every case, you will have to work yourself. You soon get
used to it. It is a small but pleasant skill that provides an
enjoyable break in the day. It is also a good place to meet people
from other boats who will be full of information and advice some of
it correct and valuable.
There are several guide books available for each country, and they
list the waterside pubs, which are some of the most interesting and
attractive of hostelries in Europe.
Basics
If you are going to be operating the boat yourself and there is
no other way to totally enjoy the experience then you need to be
agile enough to get on and off the boat fairly quickly and you need to
have somebody to steer the boat. In fact, a three person crew is
preferable. If that is impossible, then there are hotel boats,
especially in France, which cater to your needs.
There are no high levels of skill involved in handling a canal boat.
It is not like a yacht. Steering is either from a small hand wheel or
a tiller at the back of the boat, and you have a throttle lever to
control the speed.
When you hire the boat you will be given a very short training course
to show you how to handle the locks, bridges and other items of canal
technology.
There will be a towpath running along one side of the canal, which is
where the horses used to walk when they towed the boats. When you want
to stop you can moor the boat on the tow path side. There is no charge
for mooring and you either use mooring posts or hammer some stakes
into the ground.
You, of course, carry your water with you and you will have to re-fill
the tanks every second day or so. You will not have that trouble with
fuel as typically you will be supplied with enough to more than last
for the duration of your holiday.
You can cook on the boats all utensils are supplied but
you will probably find yourself having dinner at one of the many
waterside hostelries. You will have to take with you proper boat shoes
so that you do not slip on wet decks.
On older boats, the person steering can sometimes be annoyed by the
sound of the diesel engine. This is not a problem on the newer boats
which are normally those for hire. In either case, it is only the
person steering who notices. At the front of the boat there is no
noise except for the lapping of the water and the swishing of the
reeds.
In Britain, the canals are fairly narrow two meters is fairly
wide and that is why the boats are called 'narrowboats'. Despite
their lack of beam these boats have all of the conveniences of home
including showers, kitchens and the inevitable television. Note that
they never come equipped with telephones it is not meant to be that
sort of holiday. But if you need to be in constant touch you can hire
a mobile phone.
Almost all boats have a dining area which can be made up into an extra
double berth. Unless you are very pushed you should avoid this. It is
only suitable for young people.
Thus the rule is that if you are hiring a boat for four people you
hire a six person boat.
The electricity after all, this is Europe is weird and
wonderful and if you need to use a hair dryer or recharge a camcorder
you need to check with the hirers very carefully before you start out.
In Europe there are several cruising grounds, some more attractive
than others. For example, canal boating in Scotland sometimes means
that you are sailing across quite large bodies of water and you need
something other than a narrow boat.
Ireland, on the other hand, has become a major area for canal cruising
and many of the canals have been restored and reopened.
In Ireland the Grand Canal and Barrow Systems and the Shannon River
offer you the freedom of 240 kilometres of uncrowded waterways. The
start of the Grand Canal is only 100 km from Dublin. The Shannon is
the backbone of a vast network of inland waterways, joined to the Erne
via the newly restored Shannon-Erne link. The Grand Canal connects it
to Dublin and the east coast, while the Barrow Navigation makes it
possible to travel to the south east. The river immediately to the
south is ideal for beginners.
But it is in England that British canal cruising comes to perfection.
There are three areas.
The first is the Norfolk Broads which consists of canals and rivers
connected to lakes which are called Broads. There are no locks in this
area, but there are tides and you need to acquire the skill of using
the tides to move you along.
This is some of the most beautiful country in Europe, and even for
England, it is a very quiet and remote place.
The river Thames provides yet another area for cruising, but it has
some differences. The locks right up to Oxford are worked by lock
keepers, who know the area and are normally great characters in their
own right. The banks of the Thames are a panorama of English history
and you could not be bored for one minute.
Then there are the canals which run throughout England and Wales.
There are about 3,000 km still available for recreational use, as they
are rarely used now for commercial transportation. It is here that you
have to use a narrow boat. It will come with all the comforts of home
and is very simple to use. Anyway, you cannot do much damage at a
maximum speed of about 7 km an hour.
The centre of the canal system is in the city of Birmingham, but most
of the canals run through the countryside. You amble along and enjoy
the scenery and then at night moor beside a waterside pub. You
probably will only travel for four hours or so a day, which will leave
you plenty of time for exploring.
It takes about 15 minutes to get through a lock and you need to change
your way of thinking of distance from km to lock km. You will it
normally find that you travel at something under 30 lock km a day.
You can either cruise from your starting pint and back along the same
canals or you can go on a circular tour which brings you back to your
starting point. Take the advice of the boat yard as to how long a trip
will take. Their judgment is better than yours.
Canal cruising on the Welsh borders between Chester and Llangollen can
get a little crowded at the height of the season, but many regard this
as the ideal first trip.
There is much discussion as whether to carry a bicycle. You will find
that carrying a bicycle for each person on-board will make the trip
much more interesting because it is very easy then to cycle along the
tow path to some close by destination. On the other hand storing them
can be a dashed nuisance, and if you put them on the cabin top you
will find problems with overhanging trees and some of the bridges,
which can be very restricted. Nevertheless, they improve the holiday
no end.
When you have finally decided where to go, and have arranged to hire a
boat, buy a guide for the canals you intend to cruise. In Europe
Nicholsons, Pearsons and Waterways World each publish a series of
guides. These are useful on the cruise, as they will show you where
the villages, pubs and water points are. An overall map of the system
is useful for appreciating where the canals are in relation to the
rest of the country, and for overall planning.
There are no big differences between cruising in Britain and cruising
on the continent. Perhaps the biggest difference is that on the
continent the major canals are still used for commercial traffic. But
otherwise it is much the same. You never go faster than eight km per
hour - there is a speed limit - and you need to allow 15 minutes for
going through a lock. Otherwise, it is a very similar experience and
the canal system extends through France, Germany and Holland.
Web sites
George's: Canal Boating in the U.K. and Europe
http://www.canals.com/index.htm
The definitive guide. Has everything you want to know plus links to
lots more. Says of itself, modestly, `Being an introduction for
those unfamiliar with the pleasures of canal and waterway cruising, as
well as a resource for experienced boaters.'
UK Canal Network
http://www.ukcanals.net/
Has more links than you can poke with a stick. Total coverage.
Whatever you want to know, this site has a link to it. Quite amazing.
UK Vacations Afloat on Canal, River and Sea
http://www.holidayuk.co.uk/canals/index.htm
Commercial site listing what it has to offer. There is an immense
amount.
AccomoDATA Canal Boating
http://www.accomodata.co.uk/boats.htm
Another commercial site dealing with canals in Britain.
Croisières Le Dauphin / Dolphin Cruisers, Pelican Canal Boat Rental
http://www.le-guide.com/dolphin/pelican.html
Commercial site on cruises more powerboat than true canal boats
in France.
Waterways Holidays
http://www.waterwaysholidays.com/
Has something well over 500 different boats for hire. Pretty much
everything you ever needed to know.
Gareth Powell is the author of several travel books, has been the
travel editor of two metropolitan newspapers and has a travel website
- http://www.travelhopefully.com
########################################################
Looking For Quality Content?
The Syndicator provides free, quality syndicated articles
for your website that are automatically updated each week.
Syndication feeds include:
Business/Sales
Internet Marketing/Promotion
Web Design/Development
Biz Tips
Web Design Tips
Home & Family Matters
Dinner Ideas
Health & Fitness
Horoscopes
AngelVoice
Headlines
and more...
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