Canal Boating in Autumn

Autumn season is just around the corner which brings with it the changes of colors in leaves, a drop in temperature, and a very pleasant view of tourist destinations via boating. Canal and river boating takes the stress away from life and makes you appreciate the wonders of the world.

The luscious views during the autumn season can be experienced by boat through rivers and canals of the most attractive places. Here we bring you some of the places in the UK that you can venture through, being completely relaxed, on a boat. For a trip like this, you may need to pre-plan your itinerary and also hire a boat in advance. Since you'll be visiting canals and rivers, a narrowboat would be the best option. However, there are a number of options to choose from boats for sale, for you to select the best one according to your budget.

Talybont-on-Usk

Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal offers a picturesque view of the countryside whereas, near Abergavenny, tourists can marvel over the historic market towns of Crickhowell and its 13th-century castle. On their way through the Talybont-on-Usk, boaters can witness the clear night skies, which are perfect for star-gazers, and are supposed to be the best star-gazing sites in all of Britain.

Ashby Canal

This canal has been selected as SSSI or Site of Special Scientific Interest. If you love to watch the wildlife, this canal is rich in animals and stretches along a 22-mile waterway with nothing but peace and quiet.

Stratford Canal

A seven-hour cruise from the countryside of Warwickshire to Stratford-upon-Avon, nothing but luscious greenery and hedgerows will captivate you. As you move along, you can moor up at Bancroft Basin and visit all the colourful shops, restaurants, and museums.

Rochdale Canal

With an 11 hour journey, to and from, you can witness the old stone houses and a series of woods and fields along the ride. From the Sowerby bridge and along the Rochdale Canal, you can stop off at Hebden Bridge, which is located in the hills and visit the old mill town.

Foxton Locks

From Market Harborough, Foxton Locks which is situated on the Grand Union Canal Leicester Line, boaters can cruise along and take in the scenic countryside view of Leicestershire. They can also moor up and check out the museum which is dedicated to the Foxton Inclined Plane boat lift that lifted boats up and down the hill in giant bathtub-like vessels; You will get to witness the most marvelous Victorian engineering here.

Kennet & Avon Canal

Cruising along this canal, you can capture the beautiful hilltop views and the Wiltshire countryside and reach the historic architectural town of Bradford-on-Avon. With its 14th-century Tithe Barn and striking view of the Town Bridge over the River Avon, this place takes you back in time. The restaurants and inns are designed like the old century times and even the staff put on the clothes that are of a different time period. 

Standedge Tunnel

Built-in 1811, it's known as Britain's longest canal tunnel and has been rebuilt to include boat trips, cafes, and exhibitions. Cruising along, you will get to see the wonderful hilltops surrounded by trees and also pass through old tunnels which gives you a glimpse of the past; i.e. takes you back in time.

Fourteen Locks Canal

Here, the time stands still and the overwhelming history will engulf you, and you may not want to leave. All the natural habitat here is still as it was before and no artificial man-made designs have been added or done to beautify this already amazing place. 

Apsley, Grand Union Canal

The town of Apsley was once famous for paper manufacturing. The Grand Union Canal was used to trade raw materials by using barges to the paper mills. Now, the canal is used for boat trips, and usually, the users are given the training to maneuver the boat themselves. The entire town is filled with colourful centres, pubs, restaurants, and even small parks for kids. All in all, it makes a great boating destination if you are celebrating an occasion. 

Dudley Canals & Caverns

With 428 million years of history on display in their canals, tunnels and mines, Dudley Tunnel is the second largest in all of the UK; first being Standedge Tunnel. The caverns and tunnels will make you feel like you are cruising along with a magical world that is thick in history and brings the past back alive. 

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

It is a navigable aqueduct with an 18-arched stone and cast iron structure that is used by narrowboats to pass through. You can either walk, cycle, or have a boat ride across the aqueduct but the only problem is the height. The trip is not recommended for the faint-hearted as it is almost 40m above ground. However, the view is extraordinary and breathtaking, and if you're not afraid of heights, it would be the most memorable trip you'll ever have.

London Canal Museum

This place is rich in history and also shows you the entire route of canals and rivers from and to London. The story involves the building to destroying and then to restoring canals, colourful boats and cargoes, and different trades that happened years ago. Ice trading was more popular and there is also Victorian ice well in the underground preserved as a relic. Exhibitions are held to let the visitors know the stories behind it all and how it all came to be.

There are more than hundreds of canals, rivers, and destinations that can be explored via boating, and each and every one of them offers unique and the most breathtaking views you can imagine. So, if you're thinking about taking that family holiday, go on a boating trip and visit one or more of these places and fill yourself up with not only relaxation but also knowledge about the history that these places have to offer. So, sit back, relax, and let nature overwhelm you with many of its wonders and mysteries which will make you come back for more.