Save 10% on 2024 day hires

Quiet rural moorings and historic waterside pubs make narrowboat day hire the perfect romantic getaway. Fox Boats offer day boat hire near Ely and Cambridge for up to ten people, on the March Adventurer or the March Explorer. This gives couples the chance to escape on board their own private canal boat, or take family and friends along to celebrate an engagement, anniversary or another important relationship milestone. You can even bring your dog! There is plenty of seating both inside and outside the boat, and a see-through cover at the front protects passengers from any occasional rain showers.

If you hire a boat for the day you can enjoy a peaceful cruise along the east Anglian waterways, getting close to nature under the wide Fenland skies. Look out for kingfishers beside the river, and animals grazing in the fields while you’re getting away from the fast pace of modern life.

If you’re celebrating a special occasion, or even planning a marriage proposal, we can arrange delicious food platters to be available on board, from Grazing by Gem. Choose from a traditional afternoon tea, a gentleman’s afternoon tea or a selection of graze boxes.

On board the narrowboat you will find the galley equipped with a hob, fridge and sink, so that you can enjoy snacks and hot drinks while you travel. There is a convenient Tesco and other shops in March, before you set off. There is a dinette and seating area inside the boat. There is also a toilet on board.

Romantic Destinations

Cruising east through the town of March you can pass the windfarm and visit the picturesque villages of Upwell and Outwell. Church Bridge moorings are a great place to stay for a lunch for two. There are also idyllic moorings at Outwell Basin, which is convenient for The Crown (pub) and The Crown Lodge Hotel. Treat your partner to an afternoon tea here, or an intimate meal in the award-winning restaurant.

Church Bridge moorings

Alternatively, travelling west towards Peterborough, past Floods Ferry Marina Park you can reach Ashline Lock and Whittlesey; an ancient market town with an interesting maze of streets. Whittlesey offers limited moorings at the back of a leisure centre and only a short walk from the historic market place. There are two beautiful churches to visit, and a range of restaurants and takeaways.

Our day boats are really popular at weekends so book early if that’s your preferred time to get away. But they are also available on weekdays. If this is your first time narrowboating we will show you the basics. We’re a friendly family-run business, so you can ask us any questions you like, before you set off.

So, create special memories together with the one you love and take lots of happy-couple photos on a day out on a narrowboat this year.

We are spreading the love for Valentine’s Day. From now until 16th February 2024 you can save 10% off our 2024 day hires.

For more surprising and unusual tips and ideas for days out in Cambridgeshire, enter your email address in the box in the right side bar (‘Follow blog’) and we’ll send you articles direct to your inbox. (We never share or sell email addresses; this is just to send you our latest blog posts.)

The post This Valentines Offer is a Romantic Idea for Couples appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Romantic getaways to Venice or Paris have become somewhat cliched. You can still push the boat out this year, without sitting in a gondola or climbing the Eiffel Tower.

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, let us inspire you with some of our more romantic themed holiday ideas, whether you’re planning a city break with a special someone this year, or a first holiday together, English narrowboating is full of old-fashioned romance.

Here are some ideas to make wonderful memories with that special someone.

Get Back to Nature

There’s something so romantic about cruising the waterways on a canal boat; just the two of you. Imagine the tranquility of being moored in the countryside and cooking dinner in your own little galley, then eating outside on deck, looking up at the stars. The cruising itself is a real adventure, never knowing what scenery the next day has in store for you. Boating is such a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of ordinary life.

On a short boating break with your partner, you could travel towards Ely or Peterborough and explore the Middle Level Waterways, The River Ouse or The River Nene.

Enchanted Sight Seeing

Visit the charming twin villages of Upwell and Outwell, and then carry on to cross the tidal River Ouse. If you’re heading this way don’t miss the Oliver Cromwell Museum and the many shopping opportunities at Ely. Alternatively, for historic market towns, meadows, lakes and woods cruise towards the River Nene Country Park and visit Peterborough.

Romantic Restaurants

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. Ely and Cambridge also offer many romantic restaurants, and the waterways en route provide a choice of cosy waterside pubs.

A waterways guide book is provided with your boat and will show you many places to eat along whichever boating route you decide to take.

City Breaks

City breaks are a popular choice for couples: Offering a romantic blend of convenience, and culture, our top recommendations are Ely, for the waterside antique shops and stunning cathedral, and Cambridge for the history, colleges, shopping and restaurants.

Avoid Honeymoon Hotspots

Avoid crowded hotels this year and enjoy the solitude of your own 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.

Our boats are available to hire from April onwards, and offer something really special for you both to look forward to this year.

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 Warning: Avoid Valentine’s Holiday Clichés appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Are you too busy for a weekend getaway?

Do you want something relaxing to look forward to?

Trying to think of the best Valentine’s surprise?

Simply tell your partner that you’ve booked a romantic narrowboat trip for the Spring!

Whether you enjoy walking, nature, heritage, market towns, rural villages, country pubs or city shopping, there are plenty of romantic, relaxing, and fun things to explore on the Fenland Waterways.

Our Urban Fox narrowboat is ideal for a couple and the hire price includes all fuels used (diesel and gas), VAT, car parking, towels and bedlinen. She is a pretty little boat, painted brightly in the Fox Boat colours of red, yellow and green. Urban Fox is a 45ft boat with a cruiser stern, which means there is room to relax on the back deck, whether you are cruising or moored up for the night. Entering the boat from the back deck you’ll find there is a double berth and TV in the master cabin. The bed will be made up for you on arrival with a duvet and fresh linen.

Moving forward through the boat to the galley you’ll find a full size oven with four burner hob, a microwave, fridge and Denby crockery. If you’d like to order your shopping online we’ll put it on board for you, so that it’s ready at the start of your trip.

Walking through the galley towards the bow you’ll find the comfortable saloon has a dining table and flat screen TV with Freeview, stereo CD player and a USB charging point. On a sunny day you might leave the bow doors open so that you can look down the canal as you enjoy your evening meal.

Also on board you will find 240v electrics, a 12v mobile phone charging point, WiFi, a hoover, hairdryer and radiator central heating. Browse around inside the little narrowboat by looking at these photos: Narrowboat Urban Fox.

This boat has a cycle rack, so you could bring along your own bikes if you wish. Your dog would also be welcome on board, just contact us to let us know if you are bringing a pet!

If this is your first time on a narrowboat, or if it’s a while since you steered one, we offer free boat handling training at the start of your holiday.

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

Here are our top 5 romantic ideas to rock your boat: The Ultimate Valentine’s Narrowboat Break: 5 Romantic Ideas

There’s nothing like spending quality time together cruising the waterways on your own narrowboat; just the two of you. Check the availability of narrowboat Urban Fox now. We are now taking bookings from March onwards.

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 The Surprising Narrowboat Break Your Valentine is Going to Love appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.