That’s not a rhetorical question. It’s what a narrowboat holiday in the Fens actually feels like. Not every minute of every day, (this is still a family holiday after all!) But more often than you might expect.

The holiday that moves at your own pace. Literally.

Fox Narrowboats are based in March, Cambridgeshire, right in the heart of the Fenland waterways. From here, you can cruise east towards the ancient cathedral city of Ely, west towards Peterborough, or south east towards Cambridge; arriving not via a ring road, or searching for a multi-storey car park, but along the river, approaching at a leisurely pace, the way travellers have for centuries.

fox narrowboat on holiday cruise

The speed limit on the navigation is 4mph, but you’re likely to be travelling even slower than that. Within about half an hour on board, you’ll be used to operating the boat, and moving at such a relaxed pace. You’ll begin to understand the old adage, ‘it’s about the journey, not the destination,’ because river cruising is just the best way to enjoy the huge open skies and flat horizons of the Fens.

No experience needed. No licence needed. No problem.

You don’t need any previous boating experience to hire a Fox Narrowboat. Before you set off, the team gives you a full hands-on briefing; steering, mooring, locks, everything. Most families are surprised by how quickly they get the hang of it all. Older children can even steer the boat.

The Fenland waterways are a particularly good choice for first-time boaters. Unlike most of the UK canal network, this stretch has very few locks; the landscape is flat and the rivers are wide. It’s also far less crowded than the Norfolk Broads in summer, which makes the whole experience feel more spacious and genuinely peaceful.

A floating home. A proper one.

If this is your first canal boat holiday you may be wondering if it’s comfortable enough, and whether there is really enough space for a family like yours?

fox narrowboat interior galley

Fox’s holiday boats are 5-star rated and fully equipped: fitted galley kitchen with oven, hob, microwave and fridge; hot shower; separate bedrooms. The Platinum Fox, our most popular family boat, sleeps up to six and has a double cabin and two singles; so everyone gets a proper bed. There’s a supermarket delivery service to the marina before you set off, so you can arrive to a stocked fridge rather than a frantic dash to a petrol station. If you feel like a treat, you can even arrange an afternoon tea or grazing box from Glam Grazing, delivered to the boat.

So it’s really not roughing it. It’s more like the perfect combination of modern comforts and nostalgic charm, and you can take these charming comforts wherever you choose to travel each day.

The week the whole family was in the same boat

The thing about a narrowboat holiday that nobody tells you before you’ve done one: it imperceptibly changes a family for a while. Not dramatically, not overnight; but by day two or three, something has usually shifted. The children are outside more. Conversations happen that wouldn’t happen in a hotel room or around a restaurant table. Somebody secretly enjoys learning to steer. Somebody else discovers a sense of accomplishment as they work through their third lock with confidence.

There are no organised activities and no schedule. You decide where to go and when to stop, based on how the day is feeling. Some days that’s a long cruise and a proper explore of somewhere like Ely or Huntingdon. Some days it’s mooring up early next to a field and doing absolutely nothing for an afternoon.

The dog can come too, the towpaths are perfect for walking alongside the boat.

Read more: Canal Boating With Your Dog: The Ultimate Guide

What to do along the way

Depending on your route and how far you cruise, a week could include: The medieval city of Ely, Oliver Cromwell’s house, the colleges of Cambridge, riverside pubs, market towns, kingfishers, herons and swans. You may like to come back next year to do the bits you missed!

cambridge river uni aerial view stock | deposit

Fox Narrowboats Guide to Fenland Waterways

How long should you go for?

Fox Boats offer weekend breaks (3 nights), midweek breaks (4 nights), and full week holidays (7 nights), as well as longer breaks of 10, 11, and 14 nights for those who’ve been once and can’t quite face going back to normal life.

For families, a full week is so worth it. Holiday prices start from £979, and with up to six berths on the larger boats, that’s a family holiday that compares very favourably with a week abroad once you add up the flights, transfers, and an airport breakfast for everyone.

Check narrowboat availability

Ready to book?

July is peak season on the waterways; the days are as long as they get, the Fens are at their warmest, and the school holidays mean the whole family can actually come. Boats go quickly at this time of year, so if you’ve been thinking about it, this is the moment to stop thinking.

Tap here to check availability and book. Booking online gets you an instant discount.

No experience necessary. One week on the water. Memories that last considerably longer than that.

You may also like: Why Your Kids Will Love a Narrowboat Summer Holiday

Hey! Are you new here? 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.

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

The post Is Narrowboating the Best Family Holiday You Haven’t Taken Yet? appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Are you up for a vibrant music festival this year?

Or a quiet retreat cruising under our spectacular Fenland skies?

Perhaps you are looking for a budget narrowboat holiday?

We have a canal boat holiday to suit every kind of person; it just depends what time of year you would like to visit us, and which narrowboat route you plan to take.

Here are 10 surprising ideas for this coming year, taken from the highlights of last year’s blog posts.

1) The Romantic Holiday

If you want to avoid staying in an overbooked hotel with dozens of other Valentine’s couples this February, the answer is to book a romantic getaway, on a narrowboat, in the Spring! Our Top 3 Romantic Destinations.

2) The Festival Holiday

Join us for a short canal boat trip this April, at St George’s Fayre, or combine this year’s holiday with a summer festival. Enjoy live music, funfairs and market stalls, then head back to your holiday boat for some rest and recuperation. Four Festivals to Visit by Narrowboat this Summer.

3) The Easter Holiday

A Spring break away means that the waterways are less busy, the wildlife are awakening from hibernation and new baby animals and waterfowl are born. Daffodils, primroses and other seasonal flowers line the waterways. How to Grab a Last Minute Easter Boating Holiday.

4) The Art Lover’s Holiday

What’s a sophisticated narrowboater to do on a rainy day? Where can a cultured canal cruiser go to view art? And which local exhibitions are free to enjoy? Four Fenland Galleries for the Classy Canal Boater.

5) The Middle Level Holiday

Fox Narrowboats is in a great position, nestled in the centre of the Middle Level Waterways, not far from the idyllic riverside villages of Upwell and Outwell. This holiday will suit you if you want to visit ancient churches and charming old English pubs. Five Things You’ll Love About the Middle Levels.

6) The Quiet Retreat

While Norfolk is teeming with holiday cruisers in the summer months, Fenland boaters enjoy a quieter life. The Alternative Boating Holiday is by Narrowboat: Avoid the Busy Norfolk Broads.

7) The Budget Holiday

If lavish boating holidays are beyond your budget we have several low cost alternatives for families, friends and couples on a budget. Boating on a Budget: 3 Low Cost Alternatives.

8) The Family Holiday

School holidays used to be a time for children to spend their days running around outdoors, and a rural narrowboat holiday can give your family an experience reminiscent of simpler times. Last Minute Narrowboat Holiday: Deals for Families.

9) Back to School: The Cambridge Holiday

Visit the ‘city of perspiring dreams’; a world-famous University City. Cambridge is the home of students, bicycles and colleges; a place to go shopping while admiring the incredible architecture. Three Amazing Things to do in Cambridge.

10) The Spooky Holiday

And finally, whether you’re an enthusiastic paranormal investigator, or just someone with an appetite for history, heritage and old-fashioned storytelling, East Anglia is rife with ghost stories, legends of drownings, and tales of disappearances and violence. How to Hunt Fenland Ghosts, Even When it isn’t Halloween.

For more haunting ideas to add to this year’s holiday plans, sign up for digital updates from this blog. (We never share or sell email addresses – your details are safe with us.) Just look for ‘Follow Blog’ in the sidebar on the right and get insider knowledge about the Fenland Waterways.

You may also like: Why January is the Best Time to Book Your Hire Boat Holiday

The post The Top 10 Narrowboat Holiday Ideas for 2020 appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.