Canal boating festivities on the Grand Union Canal

This spring or summer, combine a narrowboat holiday on the diverse and historic Grand Union Canal – as featured on the BBCs Countryfile last weekend – with a variety of canal boating festivities suggests specialist boating holiday agency, Waterways Holidays.

Over the Bank Holiday Weekend (25-27 May), for example, the Crick Boat Show & Waterways Festival - to be opened by Julia Bradbury – is held at Crick Marina, located just south of Foxton Locks, the largest flight of staircase locks on the English canal system.

Attractions and exhibitions include boating marquees and displays, a selection of historic boats, traditional fun fair for the children, Punch & Judy show, live bands throughout the day and evening as well as food and drink stalls – including real ale bars.

For those wishing to visit these festivities in the heart of England, the company suggests hiring a narrowboat from the base at Braunston on the Grand Union Canal – from where it’s a leisurely seven hour cruise along a pretty, rural route to Crick.

As an example of prices, three nights’ hire of Clee – a well-equipped, four-berth, 41ft narrowboat – starting 24 May costs £735 inclusive of all fuel (gas & diesel), life jackets, car parking and tuition on arrival.  In addition, one well behaved pet is welcome free of charge.  Alternatively, a week’s hire at this time costs £1049.

Other bases on the Grand Union Canal featured by the company include Linslade, Gayton, Napton, Stockton, Warwick, North Kilworth, Market Harborough and Loughborough.

waterwaysholidays.com offers live availability on more than 1600 narrowboats, cruisers and sailing yachts operated by the UK’s leading boat operators and with more than 80 different start locations.  The new website also offers lots of advice on boating holidays as well as featuring listings of the latest special offers.