Holidays and Short Breaks
The fastest way of slowing down… That’s what a canal holiday is all about. It’s the perfect antidote to the breakneck pace of modern life. Just cruising along the stunning Kennet & Avon canal through the outstanding Vale of Pewsey in Wiltshire.
Lock-Free Cruising for those who wish. From Devizes Wharf you can take a relaxing break cruising the beautiful 15 mile ‘Long Pound’ to Wootton Rivers without having to negotiate any locks at all and simply relaxing in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside. Walk the towpath, visit a country pub, admire the WhIte Horses at Alton Barnes and Pewsey. Take pictures, nots of pictures - Wiltshire landscapes and skyscapes are famous for their beauty
An Adventure Holiday ideal for couples, families and friends. Boat as far as you like negotiating as few or as many locks as you wish. Starting from Devizes Wharf, admire the majesty of the Kennet and Avon Canal amidst the sublime cruising scenery of the Vale of Pewsey in Wiltshire – part of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape. For further information about the K & A Canal, Follow this Link. Please remeber that we only allow our boats to travel east from Devizes Wharf towards Hungerford and Newbury. We do not allow cruising west of Devizes down the Caen Hill Locks towards Bath.
From a romantic break for two, to a summer family holiday, we have designed our boats with en-suite facilities, exceptionally quiet new engines, and spacious rear decks.
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Weekend Breaks
A 3 or 4 night short break is the ideal introduction to canal boating. A weekend break from Friday afternoon until Sunday evening/ Monday morning offers easy, lock-free cruising through glorious Wiltshire countryside from our historic Devizes base with time to visit pubs, villages and take in the many sights of Wiltshire from White Horses to crop circles.
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Midweek Breaks
Take a midweek break, gaining an extra day, from Monday afternoon to Friday morning and work some Kennet & Avon Canal locks too if you wish to reach the wonderful Savernake Forest, traverse past historic Burbage Wharf, through Bruce Tunnel, and reach the world famous Crofton Pumping Station with its steam-driven beam engines. There’s also the working Wilton Windmill with lots of lovely walks to enjoy.
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One Week Canal Holiday
A one week canal holiday on the best part of the Kennet & Avon Canal: lots to do! As little, or as many, locks as you could wish for. Beautiful rolling scenery from the Vale of Pewsey to the Kennet Valley. Sleepy villages, country pubs, bustling market towns including Devizes and Newbury and the antiques’ centres of Hungerford & Marlborough. Meet the horse-drawn trip boat at Kintbury. Visit the many sights along the way such as the famous Alton Barnes White Horse, the Wilton Windmill, the Crofton Pumping Station, or Savernake Forest.
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Two Week Canal Holiday
A two week canal holiday allows you to reach Reading at the eastern end of the Kennet & Avon Canal – ask for details. We don’t allow our boats to go onto the River Thames and therefore don’t usually hire boats for longer than two weeks (please contact us to discuss hires longer than 2 weeks). If you want to cruise the Thames visit our sister company, Oxfordshire Narrowboats.
LONG TERM BOAT HIRE
If you are looking for longer term boat hire, for a month or more, we would recommend talking to a specialist company for a more cost effective holiday. Please follow this link to find out more about Long Term Narrowboat Hire.
CRUISING ADVICE
If you need any cruising advice please just phone or email us – we’re here to help! The canals are maintained by the Canal and River Trust (CRT). Their website has lots of information about the canals such as lock flight opening times (e.g. Crofton Summit Flight is open daily from 8am to 4pm), notices and stoppages, maintenance, repairs and other incidents.
For all the relevant information you need on boating, you can download the excellent The Boaters’ Handbook. This is produced by the Canal and Rivers Trust.