1. Planning a Narrowboat Holiday

If you’re thinking about your next trip, these posts are full of tips and ideas to help you plan with confidence, whether it’s your first holiday or your fiftieth.

collage spring 2025 – april narrowboat holiday is the perfect spring get away

• Don’t Book a Narrowboat Holiday – Before Trying this One-Minute Hack
  Smart narrowboaters subscribe to this blog before booking; find out why and get insider tips to make your holiday stress-free.
• First-Time Narrowboat Holiday? Here’s What the Internet Wants You to Know
  From managing locks to keeping dogs safe on board, discover the advice seasoned boaters wish they had before their first cruise.
• Buying a Slice of Heaven – My Experience of Buying a Narrowboat
  If you’re planning to go boat shopping but are a novice, it is always a good idea to enlist an “in-the-know” friend to accompany you.
• Why an April Narrowboat Holiday is the Perfect Spring Getaway
  Spot wildlife, enjoy cosy waterside pubs, and cruise through peaceful Fenland landscapes in the best season for a trip.

2. Family Life and Shared Adventures

Narrowboating is full of moments big and small that bring families closer together; from learning to steer to tending a rooftop garden, there is plenty for everyone to enjoy.

milla & daughter narrowboat alice elgie

• Boating Adventures with Four-Legged Friends
  With endless towpaths for walks, relaxing cruising time, and cosy evenings on deck, boating is perfect for pets as well as people.
• Narrowboat Roof Gardening (with or without children!)
  Gardening from the boat teaches patience and wonder, perfect for little hands and curious minds alike.
• Why Your Kids Will Love a Narrowboat Summer Holiday
  From spotting ducks to steering the boat, discover how a narrowboat holiday offers adventure, relaxation, and family bonding without leaving the UK.
• A Writer’s Experience of a Family Narrowboat Adventure
  In an increasingly busy world, an escape to life on the cut gives families the chance to slow down and reconnect.

3. Romance, Rest and Reconnection

Sometimes a canal boat holiday is just about slowing down, spending time together, or finding a little magic in everyday moments.

• Narrowboating Through Winter
  There is a quiet romance to basic meals cooked on the fire, giving you permission to hunker down and switch off from the world.
• The Lovers Guide To The Fen Waterways
  Scenic views, cosy pub lunches, and strolling hand in hand along cobbled streets make the Fenland waterways a perfect romantic getaway.

4. Living a Slower, Greener Life

Life on the cut encourages a gentler rhythm and a closer connection to the world around you; mindfulness, seasonal awareness, and simple eco-friendly choices can make every trip feel special.

greener living on a narrowboat

• Mindfulness on the Waterways
  Mindfulness is a way of being within the community, both human and animal, and it helps keep canals peaceful for everyone.
• A Simpler Greener Freer Lifestyle On Board A Narrowboat
  Use your move afloat or narrowboat holiday to slow down, reconnect with nature, and consider the impact of technology and your environmental footprint.
• Autumnal Foraging on the Towpath
  Enjoy seasonal treats while treading lightly, and discover the beauty and bounty of the hedgerows.

5. Places, Nature and Inspiration

From wildlife to seasonal scenery, waterways maps to historic destinations, there is always something to inspire you on the canals.

• Spring On The Cut
  Nature through a narrowboat window draws you in like nothing else, offering an immersive, ever-changing view of the world outside.
• Autumn On The Water – Diary of Living On A Narrowboat
  Reeds sway and leaves twirl across the water, a reminder of the beauty of seasonal change.
• Exploring Cambridgeshire’s Wildlife: Spotting Flora and Fauna with Fox Narrowboats
  Swans, kingfishers, and more, there is always something new to spot around every river bend.
• The Seven Wonders of the Fenland Waterways
  From medieval bridges to breath-taking scenery, take a canal journey through hidden Fenland wonders.
• A Canal-Themed Christmas, Dreaming of Your 2026 Waterways Escape
  While our boats rest for winter, imagine frosty towpaths, festive days out, and the timeless beauty of Ely Cathedral.
• Puss in Boats: Can Cats Live Afloat On A Narrowboat?
  From towpath adventures to roof-top sunbathing, discover how boat cats enjoy life on the cut.

We hope these highlights inspire your own adventures on the waterways this year. There is always something new to discover.

Love canal boating? Make 2026 your year on the waterways! For inspiring tips, seasonal ideas, and surprising insights for your next Fenland adventure, enter your email in the ‘Follow Blog’ box on the right-hand side, and we’ll send new articles straight to your inbox.

Peggy Melmoth is a writer who spent thirteen years living on canal boats with her family. She writes about narrowboat holidays, life on the waterways, and finding adventure in everyday moments at www.narrowboatwife.com

The post Fox Narrowboats: Highlights from Our Blog in 2025 appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

straw bear festival whittlesey cambridgeshire picture: shutterstock licenced

This weekend event, now known as the Straw Bear Festival, follows a nineteenth century tradition celebrating Plough Monday as the start of the agricultural year. Agricultural labourers dressed one of their own in a costume of straw, saved for the purpose from the previous harvest. They went from house to house begging for money after the “Bear” had entertained householders with a dance. The takings were shared amongst the labourers and most of the money was spent in the Whittlesey public houses of which there were many. The farmworkers often blacked their faces with soot in the hope of not being recognised as their entertainment became more and more rowdy. In fact, the event was finally banned by the local constabulary as it was seen as an opportunity for cadging and drunkenness.

In 1980, the tradition was revived by the Whittlesey Society and local folk enthusiasts. The event is held on the weekend nearest to Plough Monday which is itself always celebrated on the Monday after Epiphany. As well as the parade with over 250 invited musicians and dance sides, there are storytellers and a ceilidh style concert. On Sunday, known as Plough Sunday, a church service is held where a plough is taken into the church to be blessed. The event finishes when the costume of straw “The Bear” is set alight and burnt.

In 2024 the Straw Bear Fenstival will be held from 12-14 January You can visit the stawbear festival from the Whittlesey moorings.

The post History of the Whittlesey Straw Bear appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Blackbeard’s Tea Party Ely Folk Festival

Last week we enjoyed our annual St George’s Fayre which takes place in the town of March, where our marina is located.  Visitors enjoyed a free programme of arts, music, demonstrations, displays, dance, comedy and food.

If you missed this event you could still combine this year’s narrowboat holiday with one of these festivals this summer.

1) Strawberry Fayre

This renowned, free music festival had been going for over 40 years, before it was rudely interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. This year it returns on Saturday 3^rd June and the theme is Revolution. It always begins with a parade around Cambridge’s city centre, and then returns to Midsummer Common for the main event. There are usually over a dozen stages, and marquees offering entertainment until 11pm. Each year the fayre attracts over 30,000 visitors. Strawberry Fayre is run entirely by volunteers dedicated to giving Cambridge a free day out. Check out the Strawberry Fair website  to find out more.

Cambridge is worth visiting at any time of year because of the world famous colleges, art galleries, history, shops and restaurants. To get to Cambridge from March by narrowboat you’ll pass through the Middle Levels, and up the Ely section of the Great Ouse. When in Cambridge your cruise will take you through Midsummer Common to Jesus Green where there are public moorings. You won’t be stuck for things to see and do.

2) March Fest

The 2023 March Summer Festival is also free and will be in West End Park, March, on 9^th, 10th and 11th June.

Friday night is ‘Rock in the Park’ and on Saturday there will be a craft fair with, kids zone, live music on an open air stage, a variety of food stalls, a classic car show, dance tent and fair ground rides.

Sunday will be a picnic in the park aimed at children of all ages. There will also be a dog show, circus skills workshop, face painting, live music on the main stage and a junior disco.

Our hire boat base is in March and you will quickly arrive at the town centre. You could start or end your narrowboat hire holiday with this festival giving you a summer to remember.

3) Ely’s Aquafest

A return trip by narrowboat from March to Ely takes approximately 18 hours. There are visitor moorings on the waterfront when you get there. Our boating customers like to visit the antiques centre, the city centre shops, the famous Ely Cathedral and the museum at Oliver Cromwell’s House.  Instead of returning to March you can also carry on towards Cambridge.

If you visit Ely on Sunday 2^nd July you’ll be moored in the middle of Aquafest. This family-friendly event takes place at three riverside locations: Lavender Green, Jubilee Gardens and the Maltings Green. There is usually a fun fair, beer tent, burger bar and stalls. Everyone likes the raft race, featuring numerous decorated rafts. To find out more about this free festival visit Aquafest.

4) Ely Folk Festival

If you book a boating holiday around 7^th July you could experience three days of great music at one of the UK’s top weekend folk events. Ely Folk Festival offers a real ale bar, lots of kids activities, morris dancing displays, ceilidhs, workshops and music sessions. Tickets are available in advance at Ely Folk Festival.

If you’d like to travel to one of these festivals by narrowboat checkout our bookings page now, and see if your boat of choice is available for the dates you want.

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Photo Credit: cc-sa-4.0 GiddyStu

The post Our Top 4 Summer Festivals to Visit by Narrowboat appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

anglesey abbey house – credit: wiki cc stephen turner

As the nights begin to draw in and Christmas music begins to ring out around the country, you may be planning Christmas activites with the family. Here are 3 family-friendly Christmas attractions close to our waterways  and activities you can visit during the 2022 / 2023 festive season.

Meet Father Christmas at Wicken Fen Nature Reserve

The National Trust-run Wicken Fen Nature Reserve sits alongside Burwell Lode, and they have a few Christmas activities planned over the festive period. The reserve is the National Trust’s oldest nature reserve and is situated in England’s most famous fen.

Father and Mother Christmas will be visiting the reserve in the lead-up to Christmas, and you can bring the kids to meet them in the Fen Cottage. While waiting to meet Father and Mother Christmas, the kids can then join the elves for a Christmas decoration workshop.

The Wicken Fen Festive Woodland Trail is also open from the 26th of November, and you can enjoy a wander through the fen on a raised boardwalk. It’s the perfect way to get some family exercise in the great outdoors if you have already started tucking into the mince pies…

Visit National Trust website for more info

Winter Lights at Anglesey Abbey

Anglesey Abbey is thought to have been founded by Henry I in 1135, and it then served as a priory from the early 13th  century until Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries. In 1596, Anglesey Abbey was bought by the Fowkes family, who converted the remains of the priory into a house in 1609.

During December, the ground floor of the house will be fully dressed for Christmas and open for the public to enjoy, with the highlight being the tree in the Tapestry Hall.

anglesey abbey gardens – credit: wiki cc the wub

The Abbey will run its Winter Lights show from the 9th of December through the 23rd of December. Entitled “Nature by Night, Nature by Light,” the light show aims to be an after-dark journey that brings the beautiful gardens of Anglesey Abbey to life.

In addition to the light show, stalls will sell an array of delectable festive treats.

Christmas at Anglesey Abbey

Booking Winter Lights

Wisbech Christmas Fayre

The market town of Wisbech lies just north of March and will be hosting a Christmas Fayre on the 11th of December.

The fayre will feature a wide range of stalls offering festive gifts and delicious seasonal food. The event will kick off at 10 a.m., and there will be plenty of live music and dancing, as well as free children’s attractions and interactive family activities to keep everyone entertained until around 3 p.m.

There will be plenty of Christmas treats, such as mulled wine, roasted chestnuts, and hot chocolate, available at the food stalls. While at the handicraft stalls, you can find decorations for your Christmas tree, artisanal wrapping paper, and hand-made cards. Christmas trees and hampers will also be available alongside handcrafted toys and games, and you can even purchase this year’s Christmas jumper!

www.fenland.gov.uk/wisbechchristmasfayre

If you like the idea of exploring the Fenland waterways by boat check out our narrowboat holiday availability for the 2023 season.

The post Family Friendly Activities Around the Cambridgeshire Waterways this Christmas appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Do you love to escape into the tranquillity of nature?

Are you intrigued by ancient English traditions and heritage?

Want to explore the Fens at your leisure, on a narrowboat holiday?

#CelebrateTheFens Day 2022

Then Celebrate the Fens Day may give you some great ideas of where to visit this year.

Celebrate The Fens Day, will be returning on 18th June 2022 (for the whole weekend 17th-19th). There will be a mixture of actual and virtual events taking place, so whether you are here exploring the Fens by narrowboat, or comfy at home, you can still enjoy it!

The Fens are an area in the east of England that cover parts of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Lincolnshire and Suffolk.  (Fox Narrowboats are based in Cambridgeshire, in the heart of The Fens.) The Fenlands are known for their rich history, flat fertile farmlands, rare wildlife and unique traditions, festivals, myths and legends.

Karen created the website Fascinating Fens, and Celebrate the Fens Day “for the love of the Fens and to unite with others who might feel the same.” She says, “The Fens are an essence of calmness and beauty, a tranquil place to escape the crazy pace of this world.”

Karen’s intention for this not-for-profit venture, is to bring people and communities together to explore and promote the Fens.

“The fens are unique, inspiring, mysterious, fascinating, beautiful, yet misunderstood….”

So, Celebrate the Fens Day is an idea that brings communities together, with events and activities that showcase the unique landscapes, towns, heritage, nature and beauty of the Fens. It promotes and explores the area through creativity, nature, wellbeing and accessibility.

Events already planned for 2022 include heritage open days, guided walks and tours, craft activities, exhibitions, nature trails, music, films, poetry, talks and competitions.

For example, on Friday 17th and Saturday 18^th June you can visit ‘Discover Downham’ heritage centre in Downham Market, to see St. Winnolds horse fair video and exhibition, and download self-guided walking trails. Other displays include: Fen life, ‘Bread or Blood’ telling the story of the Downham riots, and Fen skating.

Downham Market is a charming market town, nicknamed the ‘Gingerbread Town’ due to the type of bricks used in some of its older buildings, as seen on the church and town hall. Downham used to hold the largest horse fair in Europe, and it still celebrates it with an annual parade.

On a narrowboat holiday you can cruise to Downham Market along the relief channel and moor on a 48 hour Environment Agency mooring. There is a variety of shops for stocking up with provisions, as well as a local market held on Fridays and Saturdays.

From Downham Market you can also take the short train journey to Kings Lynn. As part of Celebrate the Fens Day there will be a guided walk in Kings Lynn on 18^th June, (which must be pre-booked). This tour combines a visit to St George’s Guildhall – Britain’s largest medieval guildhall and oldest working theatre – with a tour of the town from both banks of the River Great Ouse.

However, if you can’t make it to the Fens in June, virtual events include Fen Folks Friday, Fen Poetry and Words, virtual tours and art activities.

The Fenland waterways have more than twice the navigational distance than the Norfolk Broads, so there is more choice of places to explore and more boating routes to take. Our hire boat base is in March town, where there are restaurants, pubs, a small museum and an unusual church to visit; St Wendreda. Like many Fenland towns, this market town was once an island surrounded by marshes. March lies on the banks of the old course of the navigable Nene, which is perfect for leisure boating and enjoying the stunning Fens scenery.

If reading about Celebrate the Fens Day has made you keen to visit the Fenlands, browse availability of our boating holidays here: Search narrowboat breaks.

To find out more about boating in the Fens you may like to follow us on Facebook or sign up to receive blog articles by email. (See ‘Follow Blog’ in the sidebar on the right.)

The post Celebrate The Fens Day 2022 appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

After two years of social distancing and pandemic precautions festivals are coming back to England this year! We are so ready to kick off the festival season with the return of our local St George’s Fayre, which will take place on Sunday 24th April 2022.

Pre-Covid this was an annual event in our home town of March, Cambridgeshire. You can expect the streets in the town centre to be pedestrianised, making way for a bustling street market and fun fair. The day begins with an opening parade at 10am, followed by live music throughout the day.

Fox Narrowboats will be offering river trips on board the March Adventurer day boat with a qualified skipper. Visitors can enjoy a half hour trip along the tranquil waters of the River Nene, leaving from the town bridge every half hour. This beautiful cruise travels through a park, continuing down the quiet Nene Parade.

If you don’t live close to March, you may like to book a narrowboat holiday to coincide with St George’s Fayre. Enjoy live music, dance performances, Punch and Judy shows and circus skills workshops.  St George’s Fayre is delivered by Fenland District Council and a committee of volunteers; it’s one of four ‘Four Seasons’ events which usually take place in Fenland’s market towns throughout the year.

On previous years attractions have included sword dancers, stilt walkers, mini golf, birds of prey, traditional games, storytelling, a vintage fire engine, a duck race and knights in shining armour.

The patron saint of England is often associated with the mythical tale of St George and the Dragon. This story is loosely based on a real-life George who was a Christian soldier of the Roman Empire, born around 280AD. Legend has it that George slayed a dragon that was terrorising the countryside, intent on devouring a princess. The idea of George as the nation’s patron saint probably began in William Shakespeare’s time. In his play ‘Henry V’, the king’s famous battle cry is, “God for Harry, England and St George!”

A Fenland narrowboat holiday is the perfect way to soak up the history and heritage of England. After a day at St George’s Fayre you could set off by boat, to explore the charming villages of Upwell and Outwell on the Middle Level navigation. Grab some fish and chips and take them back to the boat. Then if you carry on along the River Ouse and River Cam towards Ely and Cambridge you will discover Oliver Cromwell’s House, Ely Cathedral and the colleges of Cambridge University. You may like to travel at a leisurely pace and stop at some cosy waterside pubs along the way. This is an idyllic way to take a break from all the challenges we’ve faced over the past two years.

Choose from week boating holidays (seven nights), midweek boating breaks (four nights), or weekend boating breaks (three nights). We have different narrowboats available depending on the size of your group, and you can view the different boat layouts here: Fox Holiday Hire Fleet.

Price Discount: Holiday price discount of 7.5% until 1st April 2022 (VAT at 12.5%). Act now to take advantage of the VAT discount.

You may also like: How to Stop Gongoozling and Start Narrowboating

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Covid-19: Check out our safety precautions and coronavirus guarantee.

Image credit: St George’s Fayre March facebook page

The post Enjoy Canal Boat Trips at St Georges Fayre This Year appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

My friend, and fellow former Senior Proctor (though a year or two before I was Senior Proctor!), Gordon Johnson, asked me to write a few words about the bit of river — Sandall’s Cut — that is hosting the boat race this afternoon, as it also did in 1944. Here are those few words, which I hope you’ll find interesting.

I thought it’d be helpful to overlay a modern map with some reasonable approximations of old courses of some of the Fen rivers, which I’ve colour-coded for convenience. Red shows the course of the Ely Ouse from around 1110 to 1830.

Green shows an old course of the Little Ouse before it was diverted north. No one is entirely sure when that happened. In the Middle Ages, the old Ely Ouse and the old Little Ouse joined roughly where indicated, and then flowed off to the northwest towards Outwell as the Wellenhee (from where Welney gets its name) along what is now the mouth of Littleport Boathaven, and on to Wisbech.

The yellow course is the old course before the river was diverted in the early twelfth century to run through Ely and allow stone to be brought from Barnack Quarry in Northamptonshire, along the Nene to Wisbech, Wellenhee to Littleport, and on to Ely on the red course, to build the cathedral.

This red course via Prickwillow is the one we’re interested in today. Sandall’s Cut, the course used for the boat race, is the long, straight section you can see connecting the two open ends of the old red course.

Before drainage began in the seventeenth century, Wisbech was a sea port on The Wash. Cargo was unloaded there onto smaller boats, which took the Wellenhee across to Littleport, where it was reloaded onto yet smaller boats for the circuitous and difficult journey via Prickwillow to Ely, shown in red.

At some point in the Middle Ages — dating is very difficult, maybe in the fifteenth century, but could possibly have been a bit earlier — a cut was made to connect Lynn (later King’s Lynn) with Littleport, Wisbech’s importance faded, and the once-mighty Wellenhee became a backwater, before finally being bisected by Vermuyden’s Bedford Rivers in the seventeenth century.
Most cargo now came up river from Lynn directly to Littleport in large vessels, but there it met with a problem.

This old, natural, course between Littleport and Ely was too shallow and unreliable for navigation — often too dry in the summer and too boggy in the winter — which is why Sandall’s, or Sandy’s, Cut was dug between 1828 and 1830, offering almost straight navigation on a canalised new river more than 100 feet wide and, at the time, 20 feet deep.

It’s said that some 20,000 navvies dug the cut over two and a half years, all by hand, of course, in those days. The Cutter Inn in Ely took its name not from the boats called cutters, but from those men who cut their way through Middle Fen and Padnal Fen to shorten and straighten the river, and who presumably liked a pint or two at the end of a hard day’s work!

Sandall’s Cut opened in 1830, and there was now a quick, reliable, deep, straight channel, suitable for larger boats, between Littleport and Ely, and river trade flourished.
Well, it didn’t flourish for long. Within twenty years, the railway connecting Ely to the south with Cambridge and London was extended north to King’s Lynn, and from 1850 cargo could travel directly from the docks at Lynn to London on the same day.

Sandall’s Cut’s heyday was short, which is why we’re left today with an impressive four and a half mile long, deep, wide canal that took nearly three years and cost a fortune to cut, connecting two quiet Fenland towns in the middle of nowhere!

If you wish to cruise this route by narrowboat you can check out our holidays and short breaks we recommend a 4 night break to comfortably visit Ely.

The post As Ely hosts the Boat Race looking at the course on the Ely Ouse. appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Photo: RCTA Roving Canal Traders (top.left), WendyBsfloatingartgallery (bottom+middle), nancymoo-22 ebay (right)

After the recent lockdown it’s now more important than ever to support the small businesses and communities around us this festive season. By celebrating canal-based businesses and the products they produce we can celebrate the boaters themselves, and the stories behind them.

We have handpicked a couple of gift suggestions from independent canal traders to create a unique guide that will make your Christmas shopping simple and stress free. We want to showcase the talents of waterways artists, shop owners and independent book sellers whilst also providing a practical way to shop for your loved ones.

The Floating Market

The Roving Canal Traders Association are currently hosting an online Christmas Market Place on Facebook every day until 17^th December 2020.  Boating business are posting their wares for sale daily, with links to their websites, Facebook pages, Instagram and Etsy shops.

RCTA Christmas Market: https://www.facebook.com/events/365873371151095/

This virtual online Christmas market is showcasing all canal traders, both floating and land-based.

Photo: RCTA Roving Canal Traders Market

Unless you have extensively walked or travelled the canals of England and Wales, you will not have seen most of these traders or experienced the talent among them. The real fun of a floating market usually lies in strolling down a crowded towpath, chatting to the many characters that live and work on the “cut”. But this year’s pandemic has put a stop to such social events, and left many independent traders struggling. So please take some time to browse the posts knowing that floating traders are self-sufficient, and leave only a small carbon footprint on our world. It’s a chance to find a special, one-off gift while also supporting small business.

The Floating Traders Online

Wendy Baughn is an international artist who used to be moored at Fox Boats marina. She has been painting all of her life, and offers acrylic paintings on stretched canvas boards. On her floating art gallery Facebook page you can see examples of her portraits, animals, scenic views and canal scenes.

Check out: https://m.facebook.com/WendyBsfloatingartgallery/

She is currently moored on the Shropshire Union canal.

Nancy Moo sells ethnic clothes, shoes, accessories and jewellery from her narrowboat, where she lives aboard with her two dogs. She sources the items herself, when travelling in India, and sells her wares while cruising the Grand Union Canal. Items include embroidered boho bags, a variety of beanies and other wooly hats, Tibetan yak wool shawls and throws, boho earrings, scarves, gloves, and embroidered silk cushion covers from Kashmir.

Check out her eBay shop: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/nancymoo-22/m.html

Word on the Water, the London Bookbarge, is A 100 year old Dutch barge, selling quality second hand and new books. They have classics, cult, contemporary fiction, a large range of children’s books and art and photography, plus some quirky stuff that you would never think to look for but may be very pleased to find. Before Covid-19 restrictions, visitors could enjoy a wood-burning stove, poetry slams, readings and live acoustic music on their roof stage. To request any book for delivery to your door just use the form on their website. They also have a selection of Christmas gift suggestions. Let’s support the little guys instead of Amazon this year.

Word on the Water: https://www.wordonthewater.co.uk/

The Gift of Family Time

Christmas can be a time to appreciate the people we love, despite the struggles our loved ones may have been through this year. Instead of giving gifts under the tree you may like to treat one another to an opportunity to spend quality time together in 2021.

If you book a day-boat hire trip for next spring you could surprise your family with the idea on Christmas Day. Boating appeals to all ages; so family members can be as active or relaxed as they like. You can bring a picnic, buy fish and chips, or find a pub or restaurant along the way. You may even get the kids away from gaming, and the adults away from their smart phones!

Find out more: Day Boat Hire near Cambridge and Ely

Tuition and lifejackets are included and there is no extra charge for fuel. You could ask the whole family to chip in, and agree to make some good memories together in 2021.

You may also like: The Ultimate Canal Boater’s Christmas Gift Guide

Beyond Christmas: The Forgotten Churches You Should Visit by Boat

From all at Fox Narrowboats, Merry Christmas and happy shopping!

PS: One more gift for you! Click ‘Blog’ (top right) and look for ‘Follow Blog’ in the right sidebar to get the latest helpful holiday tips in these changing times. (We never share or sell email addresses, we’ll only be sending you our local, insider knowledge, every two weeks.)

Photo: Copyright is held by the respective traders and associations

The post This Christmas: Buy it Off a Boat! (Gift Guide) appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Image*: Ely Eel Festival

Are you new to eel throwing?

Or have you been following this annual event?

Most importantly, who will be named World Eel Throwing Champion 2021?

All this and more will be revealed at the next Ely Eel Festival.

Sadly, the much loved Eel Festival has been cancelled for 2020, in line with current Government health advice. However, the team are already working together on bringing you an even bigger, better Eel Festival and Food & Drink for 2021.

Ely (pronounced EE-lee) is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, about 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about 80 miles from London. It’s a popular destination on our narrowboat holidays, because of the old English charm and character, waterside antique shops and stunning cathedral.

The origin of Ely’s name is obscure, but possible meanings are thought to be “district of eels” or “eel island”. Before the draining of the Fens, Ely was an island. Eels are ray-finned elongated fish. The annual festival in their honour involves local traders, acts, demonstrations, celebrity chefs and community organisations. The Eel Food Safari offers jellied eels, roasted eel, eel pate and other eel related cuisine. The weekend also includes a food and drink festival, and an Eel Day parade. This year’s event had been planned with a VE Day theme, meaning that the food events would have included some ‘old fashioned’ inspired recipes, and the carnival style parade would have been led by a WW2 vehicle, followed by Army and Air Cadets and band.  Ely’s ‘Ellie the Eel’ would have wiggled its way to Waterside and into Jubilee Gardens for plenty of eel related activities. There was also going to be 1940’s singers, dancers, and a wartime tribute.

The highlight, of course, is the World Eel Throwing Competition. No eels are harmed in the competition, just stuffed toys! The World record of 17.7 meters was set in 2013. The competition is open to everyone. There are some rules; you have a few practice throws and then when you are ready you have your measured throw with the “golden eel”.  Each hourly winner receives a certificate and the overall winner of each category receives a trophy.

A narrowboat cruise to Ely takes about 18 hours return trip from our hire boat base in March. After the Middle Level waterways your boat will navigate a short length of tidal river between Salter’s Lode and Denver Sluice. You will also pass through the pretty, twin villages of Upwell and Outwell, where the village streets line both sides of the river, and you’ll see shops, pubs and churches along the way.

If you want to extend your holiday, Cambridge, on the River Cam is just 5 hours cruise from Ely, passing through some electric locks and the village of Fen Ditton.

If you want to make Ely part of your 2021 holiday plans Check availability here.

In the meantime, please stay safe, listen to Government Advice and we look forward to welcoming you to a Fox Narrowboats holiday as soon as it is safe to do so.

Don’t miss more articles about what to see and do when narrowboating in the Fens: Sign up to follow this blog in the sidebar on the right.

*image copyright Ely Eel Festival | Eel Day 

The post Don’t Miss Next Year’s World Eel Throwing Competition! appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

A narrowboat holiday on The River Nene offers stunning countryside and charming villages with stone cottages and thatched rooves. This navigable river in Cambridgeshire is a lovely, quiet waterway, but in September there are some extra things to see and do.

The Nene Valley Festival takes place from 14-22 September, celebrating the area through a nine day programme of outdoor events, theatre productions, concerts, guided walks, brewery tours, food and drink festivals, wine tasting, art and craft workshops.

To get there by boat from our hire boat base in March you would travel through the Middle Levels. The full route to Peterborough is described here: March to Ferry Meadows Country Park; and it is a 12 hour return trip. However, if you want to see some of the festival you could plan a longer cruise. Along the Old River Nene you will cross the Greenwich Meridian, then Ashline Lock and the ancient market town of Whittlesey is an attractive place to moor. Beyond Whittlesey you pass through open country, and as you travel towards Peterborough you will see the cathedral across the flat fields that lead to Stanground Lock. During the Nene Valley Festival there will a Nene Wetlands Bat Walk at The Nene Wetlands Visitor Centre, on the evening of Saturday 21 September 2019.

A short branch of the River Nene leads from Stanground lock. Travelling by boat, turn left here and you will find visitor moorings along the length of the park which are convenient for visiting Peterborough and the cathedral. Peterborough celebrated the 900th anniversary of its iconic cathedral last year, and hosts a variety of events all year round.

The Nene Valley Railway is a preserved railway running between Peterborough Nene Valley and Yarwell Junction.  Relax in a restored wooden panelled coach and go back in time, on a heritage steam or diesel train.

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Family friendly events in September include Cyclefest, Heritage Family Fun Day at Rushden Lakes and Bushcraft Skills at Ferry Meadows Country Park.

As you cruise up river from the centre of Peterborough you will see parts of the acres of meadows, lakes and woods that make up The Nene Park. It runs for around six miles alongside the River Nene. On a longer holiday you can take your boat towards Fotheringhay and Oundle. From Ferry Meadows to Fotheringhay is a 12 hours return trip. The buildings in Oundle date back from the 17th, 18th and 19th century. Market Day is Thursday with a selection of at least 20 market stalls.

A Hidden Heritage Tour starting at Peterborough Museum is on every Saturday afternoon at 2pm; just turn up or pre-book. This is a fun guide to the interesting and undiscovered past of Peterborough – from earliest times, to the secrets of the Saxon abbey and Cathedral precincts, to the modern city.

Offering some beautiful views and striking landscapes, the Nene Valley is an oasis of tranquillity with a variety of family activities and heritage to explore. If you carry on upstream from Peterborough the river has a number of interesting towns and villages to visit on the way to Northampton. The Nene eventually links up with the Grand Union canal. Read more about The River Nene, (routes, maps and top attractions).

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Note: This article refers to the Nene Valley Festival 2019. For up to date info on the festival check the official website. Nene Valley Festival.

Image Credit: nenevalley.net

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