Boating

Our canals and rivers are home to over 35,000 boats, which come in all shapes, sizes and colours. Housing a vibrant community of live-aboard boaters, holiday makers and traders, boats are what make the Canal & River Trust's waterways so special.

Taking to a canal or river by boat is a unique experience not to be forgotten. As you leave the pressures of the modern world behind, the pace of life slows down considerably. Read More

Boating on our canals and rivers will transport you back to a time when there was no term for ‘road rage’ and travelling from Birmingham to London in 12 days was considered hasty. What were once the speedy highways of the 18th century are now green corridors providing a leisurely way of travelling from town to town.

Boating allows you to appreciate the unique variety of wildlife our canals are home to while passing through 200-year-old working heritage structures. However, not everything about boating is shrouded in history. While you can enjoy the novelty of using a Victorian transport system, passing through locks and over aqueducts built at the height of the industrial revolution, you no longer have to rough it! The vast majority of today’s boats come with running water, sanitation facilities and heating!

Whether you’re a live-aboard boater, thinking about getting a boat of your own or just want to find out more about taking a holiday you’ll be able to find the information you need on these pages.

The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Llangollen Canal
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Llangollen Canal