Have you been following our blog this summer? So many people enjoyed narrowboat holidays with us, and had such an amazing time that I thought I’d share with you some of the things that made this summer so great! So sit back, grab your tea and biscuits, and enjoy our top seven list of narrowboat blog highlights (in no particular order)!

1) Celebrate the Fens Day in June was an opportunity to be reminded why the Fens are so “unique, inspiring, mysterious, fascinating, beautiful, yet misunderstood….” There were heritage open days, guided walks and tours, craft activities, exhibitions, nature trails, music, films, poetry, talks and competitions.

2) We Welcomed So Many Family Groups

For that elusive family holiday; the one that can please all of the people all of the time, we provided the perfect getaway this summer. Families enjoyed beautiful scenery and quality time together, explored new places and learned to steer boats and work locks. Boating appeals to all ages. Read: Why Narrowboating is the Perfect Family Holiday

3) Canal Folk Art

In a traditional boatman’s cabin you would find antique ribbon, lace plates and original Measham pottery. You would also see horse brasses, oil lamps, cabin lace and rag rugs. Find out more about the origins of roses and castles in The Fox Boats Guide to Traditional Canal Ware.

4) Steam on the Nene

The Nene Valley Railway is a preserved railway running between Peterborough, Nene Valley and Yarwell Junction. This summer narrowboaters got on the train at Overton and relaxed in a restored wooden panelled coach on a heritage steam train. Here are three steam railway events you may have missed in 2022. Three Reasons to Visit the Nene Valley Railway by Narrowboat

5) Operating the Locks Was Fun

Are you new to canal boating? Are you wondering if locks are really complicated? Don’t worry. These simple tips helped this summer’s cruising go smoothly for everyone. How to Work a Lock (Even if You’ve Never Done it)

You may also like Three Things About Locks That Only Fenland Boaters Know

6) The Heat Waves

This summer’s heat waves saw the Met Office issuing extreme heat warnings, and the public were urged to use water wisely as drought had affected several areas. Liveaboard narrowboaters and those on canal boat holidays had to think about the best ways to manage boating in a heatwave.

Five Cool Ideas for Narrowboating in a Heatwave

7) The Day Trippers

Because we are just a short train journey from Cambridge or London, in the Fenland market town of March, many people found that Day Boat Hire is The Antidote to Stress!

However, soon the poles and planks will been removed from our hire boats as we start our winter maintenance jobs. Bookings are already coming in for the 2023 season so there’s plenty for us to be getting on with.

If you want to join us for an awesome day out, or a week on the waterways next summer, check availability here: Book Narrowboat Hire Online.

Get more canal-themed tips and stories by signing up for our blog updates. Subscribe on the right, by email. (We never share or sell email addresses, we’ll only be sending you our local, insider knowledge, every two weeks.)

Image credit: Fox Narrowboats

The post Summer Narrowboat Holidays: 7 Awesome Things We Loved 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.