How much does it cost?
Renting a narrowboat is surprisingly affordable, depending on the exchange rate and time of year, of course. For instance, I just checked the price of a boat that sleeps six to pick up in Bath on the Kennet & Avon Canal for a mid-week break on Aug. 8, 2016 (pick up the boat that Monday afternoon and return it Friday morning). It would be even cheaper during the off-season.
Cost of the boat for four nights, five days: £1,041
Fuel deposit: £50 (you’re credited for unused fuel)
Damage deposit: £50
Cancellation insurance: £25
Subtotal: £1,166 (at current conversion rate—$1,816)
Divided by four nights: $454
Per person/per night (crew of four): $113
Practicalities
So first pick your canal based on some connection you have to a city, a region, an author or even your favorite football club. Then start to consider the practicalities.
Although they’re called mid-week breaks, implying Monday through Friday, most boat hires have some flexibility. The same isn’t true for weekend breaks, which start on Friday.
Days vs distance
How many days your first canal trip should be obviously depends on the type of person you are. If you want to tour ruined castles or make brass rubbings at parish churches or enjoy a village concert, then you’re not going to get very far and may have to plan a longer trip. On our boat trips, we’ve explored said ruined castles, visited narrowboat museums, marveled at lock flights, lingered over pub lunches and even rented taxis to explore the countryside. Your crew, however, may be content to rack up the miles, eating most of your meals onboard and avoid brass rubbings and drafty castles.
Senior (often called concession) discounts in the UK start at age 60. Although boat hires rarely offer a senior discount (they’d go out of business), most attractions like museums, castles and stately homes do.
For your first trip, I recommend a mid-week break, which is four nights and five days, returning the boat on the fifth day. So how far can you get in that amount of time, considering that you’re traveling between 2 and 3 mph? It all depends on the number of locks and swing bridges, but using the worksheet on the next page, about 43 miles is realistic, assuming 10 locks and three swing bridges. Then start estimating how many stately homes and museums you want to visit to see whether you can get it done in the remaining hours.
A mid-week break is just long enough to be relaxing and will leave you wanting to come back. If you’re traveling with friends, five days together shouldn’t have strained the friendship and will give you an idea whether you want to travel together on another boat trip.