It’s difficult to avoid the romantic mood this week, as the shops offer Valentines cards, gifts, flowers and chocolates for your loved one. But those who enjoy canal boating will know that there is no better way to spend quality time with your partner than a peaceful trip on the water.

Fox Boat’s narrowboat hire includes all the home comforts you would expect on a romantic mini-break, and it’s the best quirky alternative to a holiday cottage.

If it’s your first time boating we will teach you how to steer the boat, and suggest itineraries for you. Popular romantic destinations are Ely or Cambridge, or visiting quaint villages on the picturesque River Nene. You don’t need a steerer’s licence and no previous boating experience is necessary. A boat is easily manageable with a crew of two.

1) The Romantic Getaway

Far from the hassle of everyday life, a canal boat trip is an original idea that makes for a perfect relaxing experience for couples. The privacy and seclusion of your own boat offers a unique sense of intimacy, away from modern distractions. Enjoy a candlelit dinner at night and breakfast in the sun on deck in the morning. It’s a good way to recharge your batteries and rekindle the spark in your relationship. As you travel to a new place each day the sense of adventure that comes with exploring new places will give you both memories to treasure.

2) The Special Events

A narrowboat break is perfect for celebrating a special event or significant moment in your relationship, because it’s something different. Consider booking a canal boat holiday for your honeymoon, anniversary or milestone birthday. Take plenty of pictures to reminisce together about your cruise later. A trip on the waterways offers romance, seclusion and a sense of getting away from it all.

3) The Dining Experiences

There’s nothing like sharing a romantic meal with your partner to reconnect with them. Order supermarket shopping ahead of your break and we’ll make sure it’s waiting on board your boat for you. Then when you’re moored in secluded place in the English countryside enjoy cooking a meal together in your fully equipped galley. You could also order from a selection of afternoon teas or graze boxes from Glam Grazing by Gem to enjoy on board. Just imagine eating out on deck together on a summer evening as some swans drift by for a visit.

As you cruise you will notice several river-side pubs, and you can plan ahead where you want to eat by finding these in the guidebook provided with the boat. Moor your boat near to a beer garden and enjoy a romantic meal for two in a traditional pub that serves food. Alternatively, as you explore the towns and villages of the Fenland waterways you can also discover charming cafes and fancy restaurants. The choice is yours as you enjoy romantic meals together!

4) The Love Boat

For couples we suggest our Rural Fox narrowboat which sleeps two to four people. The price includes VAT, diesel, gas, car parking, towels and bedlinen. Brand new in 2019, Rural Fox is a luxury narrow boat with fully fitted galley and a saloon with a folding table for eating.

If you’re holidaying with a group of couples, you could choose one of our larger boats to offer you all comfortable accommodation. Our boats are designed for beginners and experienced boaters, alike.

5) The Fenland Skies

What’s more romantic than watching the sunset or enjoying an evening under a clear starry sky? The answer is; experiencing these things on a narrowboat! Enjoy evening drinks sitting on the deck, or go exploring by walking in the countryside or discovering an ancient town. We feel you haven’t really seen a sunset or a starry sky until you’ve experienced the big Fenland skies, known for being so picturesque due to the unusually flat landscape. The Fens in Eastern England are the UK’s largest man-made landscape: 400,000 acres of dramatic, flat landscape that stretches across Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Norfolk and a small part of Suffolk. It’s a romantic location to remember.

A Valentines Gift For You Both

February doesn’t always offer the best weather for canal boating in England, but you can book a Fox Narrowboat from 31^st March onwards this year. Consider surprising your Valentine with a boating holiday; a unique gift that you can both enjoy.

Love canal boating? For more surprising and unusual tips and ideas for days out on the Fenland Waterways, enter your email address in the box in the right side-bar (‘Follow blog’) and we’ll send you articles direct to your in box.

Credit: Fox Narrowboats & Glam Grazing Gem

The post 5 Reasons Why Canal Boats are the Most Romantic Holiday appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

The government has recently advised against booking a summer holiday abroad this summer, and discussed introducing quarantine hotels. Meanwhile, Valentine’s Day has just gone by and many of us are thinking of creative ways to surprise our partners; and yet romantic restaurants and hotels remain closed due to lockdown.

Booking a romantic narrowboat break is the perfect solution.

Your partner deserves a little getaway to look forward to later this year, and booking something in the UK is the safest option right now. England’s stunning countryside and rich heritage make it this year’s most romantic destination! We are looking forward to the day when boating will reopen and our holidays and day trips can continue. (Remember your booking is covered by our Covid guarantee.) Booking early will guarantee the dates that suit you and your plans.

Here are four reasons why narrowboats are the most romantic break right now.

A Different Date Every Day

One day you could be strolling hand in hand through a quiet nature reserve, the next you could be discovering the historical colleges and charming streets of Cambridge. From pretty village walks, quaint churches and cosy pubs, to the nostalgic steam trains of the Nene Valley Railway, the Fens offer an idyllic English countryside experience. Shop in ancient market towns and discover quaint independent shops. Then eat out in a fancy restaurant, or absorb the incredible architecture of Ely Cathedral. A waterways guide book is provided with your boat and will give you lots of ideas of places to stop, whichever boating route you decide to take.

More Glamour Than Glamping

A narrowboat is the perfect way to enjoy being close to nature with all the modern conveniences of staying in a holiday cottage. You may be surprised to discover that your boat comes equipped with radiator central heating, a microwave, hairdryer, WiFi, flatscreen TV with Freeview, full size oven, fridge, electric power points, and comfortable duvets and bed linen. It’s a cosy and secluded place to snuggle up with a glass of wine together at the end of the day. Enjoy the solitude of your own private boat on the quiet East Anglian waterways. Our Rural Fox narrowboat is perfect for a couple, and the price includes VAT, diesel, gas, car parking, towels and bedlinen. Brand new in 2019, Rural Fox is a luxury narrow boat with fully fitted galley and a saloon with a folding table for eating.

The View Changes Daily

A luxury hire boat is the romantic hideaway that moves, and the view changes every day. You may start the day moored in the countryside, with only swans and livestock as your neighbours, but by that evening you could be moored in historic Ely, wandering the ancient streets and deciding on the perfect romantic restaurant. Variety is the spice of life, and will keep your romantic holiday interesting!

New Experiences Create Shared Memories

If it’s your first time learning to navigate and steer a canal boat it can bring you closer together to develop these new skills. (Read: What’s it Like to Actually Steer a Narrowboat?) We offer free boat handling training at the start of your holiday. You get to plan your own route, and decide where to shop and where to eat as you go along. Take lots of photos and reminisce about these memories long after the holiday is over. An adventure shared is a bonding experience.

On a three night weekend break you could cruise to the cathedral city of Ely, or head along the pretty River Nene to Ferry Meadows Country Park. (Read more in: Two Valentine’s Breaks to Fall in Love With.) There’s nothing like spending quality time together cruising the waterways on your own narrowboat; just the two of you. Give yourself something really special for you both to look forward to this year.

Top tip: You can beat the VAT 15% price rise if you book and pay in full by 31st March 2021.

Love canal boating? For more surprising and unusual tips and ideas for days out on the Fenland Waterways, enter your email address in the box in the right side-bar (‘Follow blog’) and we’ll send you articles direct to your in box.

The post Why Booking a Narrowboat is the Perfect Romantic Break appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Are you planning to surprise your loved one this spring?

Looking for something different to the usual ideas, gifts, hotels and breaks?

Want to avoid staying in an overbooked hotel with dozens of other couples?

The answer is to book a romantic getaway, on a narrowboat, this year!

This surprise boat trip with your partner is an alternative idea for a romantic break. Our narrowboats are available to hire from April onwards, and will give you something to look forward to. Escape crowded hotels and enjoy the solitude of your own boat on the quiet waterways. As the warmer weather encourages animals out of hibernation you may see ducks, swans and moorhens with their fluffy young ones bobbing along behind them. Listen out for the high-pitched shriek of a bright blue kingfisher on the canals. As the vegetation bursts into life in April you will see cowslips, primroses and daffodils near England’s waterways. Trees will blossom and herons will form breeding colonies in the crowns of any tall trees close to water.

On a short boating break with the one you love you could travel towards Ely or Peterborough and explore the Middle Level Waterways, The River Ouse or The River Nene. Here are our top three ideas for a cosy boat trip for two.

1) Peterborough

From March to Ferry Meadows Country Park is a 12 hour return trip by narrowboat, which is ideal for a short romantic break. On the approach to Peterborough the cathedral can be clearly seen across the flat fields. If you stop at the visitor moorings beside the park you can explore the city centre, where you can enjoy shopping, the theatre, markets and all the restaurants you would expect to find in a major city. However, you can also enjoy peaceful waterside walks, cycling, fishing or a cup of tea in the cafe at Ferry Meadows Park. This destination has all the benefits of city life plus some added rural relaxation.

2) Downham Market

If you’re adventurous and want to get off the beaten track, then from the River Ouse you can cruise along the relief channel and moor the narrowboat at Downham Market. This little town on the edge of the Fens has a variety of shops for stocking up with provisions, as well as a local market held on Fridays and Saturdays. The town dates back to the Middle Ages, and was once known for its butter market and horse fairs. Check out the Victorian clock tower when you visit, and wander around hand in hand imagining that you’ve gone back in time together…

3) The Pub

A romantic break away would not be complete without a romantic meal. Waterside pubs offer the chance to moor up outside, and it’s therefore only a short walk home to your boat at the end of the evening. A waterways guide book is provided with your boat and will show you many cosy pubs along the route you have chosen. The Fox Boats team like to eat at The Acre in March, The Swan on the River near Ely, and The Cutter. Read: Our Top 3 Pubs for Your Fenland Narrowboat Holiday

You may also like: The Surprising Narrowboat Break Your Valentine is Going to Love

That article will tell you all about Urban Fox, a pretty little boat, painted brightly in the Fox Boat colours of red, yellow and green. Need more inspiration? You’ll also love Two Valentines Breaks to Fall in Love With.

And finally, here are our top 5 romantic ideas to rock your boat.

Want to learn more about boats and boating? Subscribe to our blog in the right sidebar and get insider knowledge about the Fenland Waterways; look for ‘Follow Blog’. (We don’t send spam or salesy type stuff – just interesting articles about boats and waterways!)

The post Top 3 Romantic Destinations on the Fenland Waterways appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.