spring 2025 narrowboat holiday

Why Go Boating in April?

April is when nature bursts back into life. Picture the blossom on the trees, and the plants and towpath-grass lining the waterways, making your journey as scenic as it is peaceful. It’s also the perfect time for spotting wildlife. Who doesn’t love to see a mother duck bobbing past their boat with a row of her ducklings in tow? The swans will be nesting, and if you’re lucky you could also glimpse a flash of a kingfisher, or a heron.

fox narrowboats heron

For families, an Easter holiday on the water is a unique and fun experience. You may like to bring some chocolate eggs for a boat-based Easter hunt. When my kids were young we lived on a narrowboat, and hid Easter eggs in a field near the towpath for our children to discover. Many of our local towns host Easter events and markets, perfect for a family outing. If you enjoy exploring history, you can moor up and visit iconic sites like Ely Cathedral, Ramsey Abbey, or even our charming home town of March, before the summer crowds arrive. Other local events in spring include St Georges Fayre in March, and Ely Eel Festival, home to the world eel throwing competition!

st georges fayre march april 2025 poster credit fenland gov

Spring’s mild temperatures and longer daylight hours make it a great time for walking and cycling along the towpaths. If you want to bring your dog on a boat trip, just let us know at the time of booking. And of course, no boating holiday is complete without stopping at a cosy waterside pub or café. Enjoy a drink or a classic cream tea as you take in the view. You might also want to browse local markets in Ely or St Ives, picking up fresh veg to cook up a delicious meal in the galley on-board.

Why Book Your Holiday Early?

Booking your holiday in advance means you get the best pick of boats and travel dates, so you won’t miss out on your ideal trip. Spring cruises are sometimes better value than peak summer breaks, making them a budget-friendly option.

spring 2025 holiday booking fox narrowboat st ives river

The weather in April and May is pretty mild, with crisp mornings and sunny afternoons—ideal for comfortable cruising. You’ll also find the waterways much quieter than in summer, meaning less waiting at locks and more choice when it comes to available moorings. If you’re new to narrowboating, this is the perfect time to give it a go. With fewer boats on the cut, you can take your time and enjoy a relaxed introduction to life on the water. (Our staff will show you what to do, if you’re new to this.)

Plan Your Spring Boating Break

A narrowboat holiday in April is the perfect way to slow down, enjoy the beauty of nature, and make lasting memories. Whether you’re planning a romantic getaway, a family adventure, or a get-together with a group of your closest friends, Fox Narrowboats has a boat to suit your needs. Book early to make sure you don’t miss out—your springtime adventure in Cambridgeshire awaits!

collage spring 2025 lily flower credit fox

Ready to start cruising? Get in touch with Fox Narrowboats today and start planning your trip!

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Image Credits: St Georges Fayre Fenland.Gov Easter Eggs Jasmine Waheed on Unsplash. Fox Narrowboats Facebook photos

The post Why an April Narrowboat Holiday is the Perfect Spring Getaway appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Image: Holme Fen – Silver Birch Woodland – By Wehh*

There’s nothing like a canal boat holiday for getting away from it all, and there’s nothing like The Middle Level in Cambridgeshire, for getting even further away from it all, exploring the little places off the main routes, and places that only the locals would know.

The Middle Level is a fascinating interconnected waterway combining natural rivers and manmade canals, and dating back to the 17^th century. Since the draining of the Fen, over the years the land here has sunk, and most of the area is now below sea-level. The Middle Level rivers now have to be pumped up to sea-level to drain the land.

Our marina in March, Cambridgeshire, is the ideal starting point for exploring these lesser-known waterways. Here are three things you must not miss on your Middle Level adventure.

1) The Three Churches in March, Upwell and Outwell.

St Wendreda’s Church is a short walk from our marina and is locally known for its beautiful double-hammer beam roof with 120 carved angels. St Peter’s Church in Upwell, dating back to the 13th century, is worth a visit because of the unusual tower. Inside there are 25 carved oak angels in the roof looking down into two Victorian galleries. St Clement’s Church, in the middle of Outwell village, is a treasure-house of unique mediaeval sculptures and beautiful stained glass. Check out: Four Churches to Visit When it’s not Even Christmas.

2) This Low Point is a Highlight

The lowest point in England: Holme Fen nature reserve, is a beautiful place for a stroll. Holme Fen is quite a walk from the nearest navigable waterway, which itself is quite remote from the main link route. But if you’re a bit of an explorer and like to go off the beaten track you will find the 19^th century Holme Post, which measures the ongoing land shrinkage, worth a visit. Explore the finest silver birch woodland, and discover the birds, dragonflies, marsh plants and fungi, that make the reserve a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Read more: Middle Level Navigations – Points of interest.

3) Rare Animals and Plants

Woodwalton Fen is a nature reserve and wetland site west of Ramsey. If you’re cruising towards Ramsey there is a mooring just under the second bridge, and a village shop with a pub there. This beautiful reserve is internationally important for wildlife, and provides a refuge for thousands of species of fen animals and plants, many of which are found nowhere else in the country. Ramsey is four hours cruise from March marina, and is also home to the Ramsey Rural Museum. This fascinating little museum is currently closed due to the pandemic, but keep an eye on their website for up to date information. https://ramseyruralmuseum.co.uk

Where to Moor on the Middle Level

There are pub moorings, visitor moorings and wild moorings on The Middle Level. However, mooring is a little limited through the Levels, so journeys do have to be planned. Try playing with the https://canalplan.uk/ website if you want to “geek out” before your holiday! Alternatively, the guidebook supplied with your hire boat will show you available moorings. Public moorings have a 48 hour maximum stay time.

There are visitor moorings in March town centre, which is good for shops and pubs. The Ship is directly opposite the moorings, and there is also The Griffin and a Wetherspoons.

The mooring at Whittlesey, on Kings Dyke, by the leisure centre is not too far to walk to the pubs. There are also a few nice wild moorings. For example on Beavills Leam, (near Whittlesey) you can moor to the left bank; there is plenty of room to turn around.

You can moor at Three Holes Bridge on the Main Drain/Sixteen Foot River. There are also visitor moorings in the villages of Outwell and Upwell. In Upwell it’s possible to moor at Church Bridge, and in Outwell moor at Boat Basin.

There are moorings at Benwick, on the old River Nene, and a good pub called The Five Alls, about 10 minutes’ walk from the moorings. This rural, family-friendly pub offers food to eat in or takeaway. From March marina it’s about two hours cruise on the River Nene, old course. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for up to date information and the current menu. https://www.facebook.com/fivealls/

If you’re heading onto the River Great Ouse there are holding moorings at Salter’s Lode that you can moor on overnight, or there is a nice mooring, Gladys Dacks, just west of Nordelph.

If you’re looking for something a little different, off the beaten track, The Middle Levels are a great place to explore by narrowboat.

Watch our Middle Level Boating Video on Facebook.

You may also like: Seven Surprising Differences We Discovered Cruising the Middle Levels

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Image Attribution: By *Wehha – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

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