No Experience? No Problem

Fox Narrowboats, based on the beautiful Fenland Waterways in March, Cambridgeshire, has been welcoming complete beginners aboard for years. Before you untie the ropes and head off, the team gives you a full handover: how to steer, how to work the locks, how to moor up for the night. It’s thorough, friendly, and specifically designed for people who don’t know their windlass from their elbow. By the end of your first day, you’ll wonder what you were ever worried about.

Two Ways to Try It

day boat hire cruising

If you’re not quite ready to commit to a week away on the water,  we offer dayboat hire as the perfect way to dip your toes in. Hire a boat for a day, pack a picnic, and potter along the rivers and canals at whatever pace takes your fancy. There’s no schedule, no sat nav, and no one rushing you along. Just water, willows, and the odd swan giving you a suspicious look as you chug past.

rural fox narrowboat

For families or couples who want to go further, a multi-day hire holiday on one of the Fox fleet opens up a wonderful stretch of waterway. Rural Fox is a 47 foot luxury narrowboat for families, with one double and two twin beds on board. You can wind through the Fens, moor up beside a riverside pub for supper, wake up to mist on the water, and feel genuinely, properly switched off from ordinary life in a way that a hotel simply cannot replicate. It’s like disappearing into your own private, whimsical world!

rural fox boat galley

What About the Children?

Canal boats and curious children are a surprisingly brilliant combination. Life on the water is naturally adventurous without being scary, and children who spend a week helping to operate locks, spotting herons, and learning to coil a rope properly, come home with a very different kind of confidence.

excited on the bow | fox

During the 19^th century’s canal age, families lived and worked on board 70 foot cargo-carrying boats, and children as young as eight would be expected to work and steer the boat. These days, life jackets are provided, the waterways are calm and wide, and the pace of travel means nobody is ever far from the bank. Even babies and toddlers can enjoy time on board. After all, in the 21st century, boaters raise children safely in floating homes all over England.

helping on the lock | fox

The Bit Everyone Worries About

“But what if I crash it?” This one comes up a lot, and the answer is reassuring: narrowboats bump gently into things, that’s just part of boating, and no one is going to shout at you. The boats are robust, and the waterways are forgiving. You will make small mistakes. You will also have a very good laugh about them. One thing worth knowing: narrowboats move slowly, but they’re equally slow to stop. If you suspect you’re on a collision course, put the engine into reverse gear, which will bring you very gradually to a halt. There are no brakes! Almost everyone bumps into the bank or clips something when they’re first getting used to the tiller. It’s all part of the adventure.

Ready to See What It’s All About?

Whether you fancy a leisurely day on the water or a full week exploring some of England’s most beautiful, uncrowded, inland waterways, Fox Narrowboats has a boat and a welcome ready for you. Search our narrowboat holiday breaks, and check availability. Then, if you have any questions, just give us a ring or drop us an email. We really have heard them all before, and we love hearing from first-timers.

You might just discover your new favourite kind of holiday.

swan family | fox

You may also like: Love Letters From the Water – what our guests have enjoyed lately.

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Peggy Melmoth is a writer who shares her memoir-style writing and poetry at Life, Locks and Literature.

The post Could You Really Hire a Narrowboat? (Spoiler: Yes, You Absolutely Could) appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Are you looking for that elusive family holiday; the one that can please all of the people all of the time? Relaxing, yet adventurous, a change from everyday life, without the modern day hassle of traffic and airports?

We’ve got the perfect family holiday for you. Enjoy beautiful scenery and quality time together, explore new places and learn to steer a boat and work a lock.

Boating appeals to all ages; so everyone can be as active or relaxed as they like. You could buy fish and chips, or find a pub or restaurant along the way, as you travel. Our boats are fully equipped with a cooker, fridge and sink, crockery and cutlery.

A picnic offers the opportunity to spend some quality family time together, gets everyone outdoors and costs very little money. Find out where to shop, where to stop and what to bring in: How to Use Your Canal Boat Holiday to Plan the Perfect Picnic

Beginning in March at our hire boat base, you can travel the Middle Level and visit the Ramsey Rural Museum or the twin villages of Upwell and Outwell. Stop at The Crown Lodge Hotel moorings, meet friendly lock keepers, and see wind farms and kingfishers. The River Great Ouse is a beautiful river which takes you to visit St Ives, Ely and Cambridge. Alternatively, the River Nene towards Peterborough offers stunning countryside, attractive villages, and beautiful lock surroundings with ancient mills.

For the Parents

Maybe mum would like to stop at the visitor moorings on the waterfront in Ely? While you’re there you can visit the antiques centre, the city centre shops, the famous Ely Cathedral and the museum at Oliver Cromwell’s House.  Or in Cambridge try shopping, restaurants and punting, while admiring the incredible architecture. Buy her a book before you go: Books for the Narrowboat Mum.

Check out The Ultimate Mother’s Day Surprise

Perhaps Dad sees himself in the role of Captain? Before you set off, one of our qualified instructors will explain how to steer the boat and operate the locks, so you will be fully trained in boat handling. Pubs are marked on the maps and cruising guides, to provide refreshments for the crew.

There is nothing like the feeling of steering a narrowboat, gliding under tree branches, noticing ducks passing you by on the rippling water. There is an amazing sense of freedom, and a feeling of being connected to nature, in a way that you don’t get when travelling cocooned inside a car. Travelling slowly allows you to notice everything that is around you.

Read: What’s it Like to Actually Steer a Narrowboat?

Fox Boats staff can help you to decide upon a holiday route, but you may also like to look at the options online: Fox Boats Routes. Even if you have never navigated a lock before you will find it is manageable with two adults on board. Older children may enjoy helping with locks and mooring the boat, you just have to make sure they understand all of the relevant safety information.

For the Kids

Make some simple safety rules for younger children, such as no running on the towpath, stay close to a grown-up and keep away from the edge.

If your older children like ghost stories or fantasy novels (Philip Pullman based part of Northern Lights in the Fens) why not include some paranormal investigation into next year’s boating holiday? Our local ‘Horrible Histories’ include ghost stories, legends of drownings, and tales of disappearances and violence.

Read: How to Hunt Fenland Ghosts, Even When it isn’t Halloween

For cosy family evenings on board our boats have WiFi, DVD players and charging points for your devices.

Festivals

Most festivals offer children’s activities, live music, market stalls, food stalls and real ales at the beer tent. You could plan your holiday to coincide with St George’s Fayre, Strawberry Fayre, March Fest, Ely’s Aquafest, or Ely Folk Festival.

Read: Four Festivals to Visit by Narrowboat this Summer

You may find that discovering rural England at a lazy three miles per hour with your family by your side is a holiday memory to treasure. If you’re ready to try booking a daytrip or a holiday for this year or next Check availability here.

You may also like: The Top 5 Tips for a Family Narrowboat Break

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The post Why Narrowboating is the Perfect Family Holiday appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Do you live in Peterborough, Wisbech, Ely or Huntingdon?

Want to get together with some friends and family?

Have you thought about hiring a narrowboat, just for a day?

A relaxing boat trip on the Cambridge river network could be just the thing you’re looking for.

Imagine exploring the wonders of the beautiful East Anglian waterways, on board a luxury day boat, with a group of your best friends. Some people choose the Fenland waterways for a special family gathering. Whoever you travel with, here are three great reasons for booking day boat hire in March this summer.

1) The Boat is Gorgeous

We have two luxury day boats available to hire: The March Adventurer and the March Explorer. They are colourfully painted, have a nostalgic charm, and you can chug along peacefully with up to ten people on board. (You can also bring your dog!) Each boat has a cute little galley area complete with a hob, fridge and sink, for making refreshments en route. There is also a dinette equipped with crockery and cutlery, a toilet and a seating area. On board you’ll find a 12v mobile phone charging point, so that you can keep taking pictures with your phone.

2) The Scenery is Stunning

You’ll find our hire boat base between the River Ouse and the River Nene, not far from Cambridge, and your cruising journey will take in local wildlife, kingfishers, flowers and quaint cottages.

If you meander through the Middle Level Navigations eastwards, towards the village of Upwell you’ll pass through the Marmont Priory lock before the village unfolds before you. Upwell really is one of the prettiest villages in the Fenlands. It will take you around six and a half hours to cruise there and back.

If you cruise west, towards Whittlesey and Peterborough, you’ll go through plenty of peaceful countryside, and pass Floods Ferry Marina Park. The route crosses the Greenwich Meridian before arriving at Ashline Lock and the ancient market town of Whittlesey.

3) The Choice of Food

At Whittlesey you can turn your boat above the lock, and picnic in Manor Fields before beginning the journey back to March. Read our best tips for a narrowboat picnic.

If you are planning a picnic you can do a food shop at Sainsbury’s or Iceland, near our hire boat base in March. If you are heading to Upwell you will find the village store on the riverside. Outwell’s village shop is a two minute walk from the river.

In Upwell you can stop to eat at The Five Bells, which has a beer garden. Their full menu is on their website: Five Bells Inn. Alternatively, carry on to Outwell basin for a picnic at the former junction of the Wisbech Canal. For a more lavish treat The Moorings Restaurant at The Crown Loge Hotel offers large group meals and afternoon tea. For both of these options we recommend advanced booking!

Back in March, The Acre is a popular riverside pub not far from our hire boat base. It’s known for its friendly staff, prompt service and warm friendly atmosphere. Shooters American dinner is also riverside and is a great treat for children and the young at heart.

Good Value

“We had a lovely day out starting off at March and arrived at Outwell just in time for a fish and chip supper from Stotts. The boat is well equipped with inside and outside seating. We were fortunate to have a lovely day out and our Captain Claire and mate Debs were great. We are hoping to do it again this year. Very good value for money. Would highly recommend.” – Karen K – Trip Advisor

Whether you’re a group of friends celebrating a special occasion, or a family getting together to mark an anniversary or milestone birthday, exploring these secret rivers and waterways will give you a wonderful day out.

Read more: Day Boat Hire near Cambridge and Ely

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