Canal Boat Hire Firms - UK and Ireland

There are many, many boat hire firms in the U.K. and Europe. These are the ones I know of that have a web presence. Many firms are now on the web, but there are probably still some that are not; I have not attempted to list those. Boats are hired (rented) from boatyards. Hire is usually by the week, though some 3/4 day hires ("short breaks") are also offered by some firms.

Many ads can be found in the pages of canal and waterway-related magazines.

See also hotel boats.

When contacting any firm, please tell them you saw them listed on the internet on canals.com.

Important! See disclaimer.

Table of Contents

On this page:

• Agencies for last minute bookings
• Multi-base Hire Firms - U.K.
• One- or Two-base Hire Firms - UK and Ireland
  • England
  • Scotland
  • Wales
  • Ireland
• Hire Firms with Specialised Offerings - U.K.
  • offerings for special groups
    • Canal Holidays for Disabled People
    • Canal Holidays for Schools and Youth Organisations, and Other Groups
  • offerings for less-common hire periods
    (Generally hire firms deal in weekly hires or "short-break" (3-4 day) hires.)
    • Day Boats
    • Hire Nightly or B&B
    • Highly flexible booking schedule
    • Long Term Hire/Lease
  • offerings for less-common route type
    (Generally one returns a hire boat to the same base at which they began.)
    • One-way trips
  • offerings for less-common boat type
    • Broad-beam "narrowboats"
    • Electric Boats
    • "Trad" (traditional) Narrowboats

Last minute bookings

• Hireboats2go - England and Wales - last minute hireboat and hotelboat offers

• Latelink - last minute boating holidays

Multi-base Hire Firms - U.K.

Due to changes made by Google, my Map of Hire Bases in England and Wales, and Map of Hire Bases in Scotland, are no longer working.

• ABC Boat Hire. Sixteen bases, including one at Falkirk in Scotland. (combines Alvechurch, Viking Afloat, Wessex, Tillerman, Reading Marine, and Red Line - all operated by ABC Leisure); was "UK Boat Hire"
• Alvechurch - see ABC Boat Hire above
• Anglo-Welsh Waterway Holidays. Ten bases.
• Black Prince Holidays. Nine bases, including one at Falkirk in Scotland.
• Hire a Canalboat Ltd - Dissolved July 2018 - had four bases; also used name Robin Hood Boats.
• Tillerman Boats - see ABC Boat Hire above
• Viking Afloat - see ABC Boat Hire above

One- or Two-base Hire Firms - UK and Ireland

England

Canal name abbreviations used below

• Acier Narrowboats - No longer trading - (was nr. Lichfield on T&M)
• Afloat Boat Hire - Website defunct - (Kings Bromley Marina, on T&M) (WS13 8HT)
• Andersen Boats (Middlewich, Ches.)
• Aqua Narrowboat Hire (Burton-on-Trent)
• Arlen Hire Boats (Lancaster Canal)
• Ashby Boat Company (Ashby Canal)
• Banks Hire Boats - ceased hire operation (Selby, N. Yorks.)
• Barnes Brinkcraft - (Wroxham, Norfolk, on Norfolk Broads) (NR12 8UD)
• Bath and Dundas Canal Co. (Bath on K&A)
• Bath Canal Boat Company - two broad-beam "narrowboats" (Bath, on K&A)
• Bear Boating - one-way hires between Apperley Bridge and Barnoldswick on L&L; pet friendly
• Bettisfield Boats - two 35-foot narrowboats (Bettisfield on Llangollen Canal)
• Bidford Boats As of 2011, no longer offering hire boats - (Bidford-on-Avon, Warks.)
• Boating Days - (Northwich, Ches.)
• Braidbar Boats (on Macclesfield Canal)
• Bridge Boatyard - narrowboats and cruiser-style boats (Ely, Cambs.)
• Broads Boating Company - 28 Nov 2019: boatyard under administration and restaurant closed - [thanks to Nick Sadler for initially pointing out this one, and later telling me of it's closing] - cruisers at Acle Bridge on Norfolk Broads
• Bronte Boats (Hebden Bridge, W. Yorks, on Rochdale Canal)
• Broom Boating Holidays - cruiser-style boats in the Norfolk Broads
• Cafwin Cruises Narrowboat Holidays - one new 57' narrowboat; on Droitwich canal, Droitwich Spa Marina, Worcs. (WR9 7DU)
• Calcutt Boats (Rugby, Warks., on N. GU)
• Calmer Cruising - widebeam "narrowboat" (near Marlow, on R. Thames) (SL7 1RT)
• Canal and Tipi Experience - Thames and K&A (Reading, Berks.)
• Canal Boat Cruises - Riley Green, on L&L
• Canal Boat Escapes - Website defunct - (Barnoldswick, on L&L)
• Canalbreaks Narrowboat Holidays (Coventry)
• Canal Cruising Company (Stone, on T&M)
• Caversham Boat Services - cruiser-style (Reading, Berks., on R. Thames)
• Challenger Stealth Canal Hire Fleet has been absorbed by ABC Leisure Group
• Chas Hardern Boats (Beeston, Cheshire, on SU)
• Cheshire Cat Narrowboat Hire (on SU)
• Chesterfield Canal Boat Co - nr Gainsborough, Notts., on Chesterfield Canal
• Churchdale Canal Cruises - Website defunct; (Rugeley, Staffs., on T&M)
• Claymoore Navigation - many boats with hydraulic drive (Preston Brook, Cheshire, on Bridgewater)
• Clifton Cruisers (Rugby, on N. Oxford)
• College Cruisers (Oxford)
• Copt Heath Wharf - near Solihull, W. Mids. (northern GU)
• Cotswold Boat Hire - cruiser-style (Lechlade-On-Thames)
• Countryside Cruising - (Endon, Staffs., on Caldon Canal)
• Countrywide Cruisers (Brewood, on SU)
• Crabtree Narrowboat Hire - (Barton Grange Marina, on Lancaster Canal) (PR3 0BT)
• Crest Narrowboats - (bases at Chirk on Llangollen and Stoke-on-Trent on T&M)
• Distinctive Charters - Website defunct; private boats for hire; various locations so not on hire base maps
• Drayton Narrowboat Holidays - (Fazeley, Staffs., and Polesworth, Staffs.)
• Duck Island Boat Company - one narrowboat-style widebeam boat (Tewitfield, Lancs, at n. end of Lancaster Canal)
• Empress Holidays (Nantwich, Ches., on SU) is now Welsh Gateway Canal Holidays - but website now defunct (in Jan 2013)
• Farncombe Boat House (Godalming, Surrey, on R. Wey)
• Foxboats (March, Cambs., on Nene-Ouse)
• Foxhangers Canal Holidays - weekly and short breaks (Devizes on K&A)
• Foxton Boat Services Ltd. (Foxton, Leics., on GU, Leicester section)
• Galleon Marine (Basingstoke Canal)
• Gloucester Narrowboats - 1 hire boat and 2 day boats; moving to Slimbridge, Gloucs. (on G&S Canal) in 2019
• Grebe Canal Cruises - Business has closed (Pitstone on GU)
• Guildford Boat House (River Wey)
• Hapton Valley Boats - 8 May 2016: link removed - reported by Google as an "attack page" - 2 narrowboats and 1 broad-beam (Burnley, Lancs., on L&L)
• Harmony Narrowboat Hire - Website defunct - Evesham, Worcs., on Upper Avon (WR11 3XZ)
• Herbert Woods - on Norfolk Broads; hire cruisers, holiday cottages, day boats; Potter Heigham, Norfolk (NR29 5JF)
• Heritage Narrowboats (Scholar Green, Ches., on Macclesfield)
• Kate Boats (Warwick, on N. GU, and Stockton, Warks., on GU)
• Kennet Cruises - No longer hiring; (Reading, Berks)
• Kris Cruisers (R. Thames at Windsor)
• Lancaster Canal Boat Hire & Holidays - three pet-friendly boats
• Lee Valley Boat Centre (North East London, on R. Lee)
• Marine Cruises. Two bases, one at Swanley, Chesire East, on Llangollen, and one at Falkirk in Scotland.
• Mary Gray Narrowboat Holidays - (Church Minshull, Ches., on Middlewich Branch)
• Maestermyn & Welsh Lady Cruisers (Whittington, Salop., on Llangollen) - meeting of creditors held in court in Mar 2017
• Mid Devon Hire Boats - No longer offers narrowboat hire; (Tiverton, Devon, on Grand Western Canal)
• Middlewich Narrowboats - No longer trading - (Middlewich, Ches., on T&M)
• Midland Mallard - one 6-berth narrowboat; (Bosworth Marina on Ashby) (CV13 6PG)
• Moonraker Narrowboat Company (K & A, nr. Bath, broad-beam boats)
• Moor Time Narrowboat Holidays - Website defunct - (on Prees Branch of Llangollen Canal)
• Napton Narrowboats (bases at Napton, at junction of GU and Oxford, and Autherley at junction of SU and S&W)
• Narrowboat Zinfandel - nr. Cambridge (River Cam) - must have some boating experience
• Narrow Escapes (Sandbach, Ches., on T&M)
• Nene Valley Boats (Oundle, Northants., on R. Nene)
• Norbury Wharf Ltd. (Stafford, on SU)
• Norfolk Broads Direct - cruiser-style boats; Wroxham (NR12 8RX)
• Norfolk Broads Yachting Company - "sailing yachts for hire on the Norfolk Broads" (Horning, Norfolk)
• On the Wey Narrowboat Hire - one 60' narrowboat (Guildford, on R. Wey) (GU1 1LH)
• Otters Boat Hire - Website defunct - one 57-foot narrowboat (Barton Grange Marina, on Lancaster Canal)
• Oxfordshire Narrowboats. Two bases.
• Pennine Cruisers of Skipton (Skipton, N. Yorks., on L&L)
• Pintail Boats - narrowboat and wide-beam hire (Tewitfield, Lancs, at n. end of Lancaster Canal)
• Portharb Narrowboat Holidays - (Worcester, on R. Severn) (WR3 7AF)
• Posh Boats - cruisers on Norfolk Broads
• Reading Marine - fleet now operated by ABC Boat Hire (Aldermaston, on K&A)
• Richardsons Boating Holidays - cruiser-style boats (Stalham or Acle, on Norfolk Broads)
• Rose Narrowboats (nr. Rugby, Warks.)
• Royalls Boatyard (Hoveton, Norwich, on Norfolk Broads)
• Saddleworth Canal Cruises - (Oldham, on Huddersfield Narrow Canal)
• Saisons - no longer offering boats - (Daventry, Northants.) [was Coronet]
• Sally Narrowboats - (Bradford on Avon, on the K&A)
• Savanna Canal Boat Hire (Guildford, Surrey, on R. Wey)
• Shire Cruisers (Sowerby Bridge, W. Yorks., on Rochdale Canal; secondary bases at Foulridge and L&L and Ashton on the Ashton Canal)
• Sileby Mill Boatyard ( Loughborough, Leics.; GU, Leics. section)
• Silsden Boats - narrow and broad-beam boats (Silsden, W. Yorks, on L&L)
• Snails Pace Narrowboat Holidays - one 44-foot narrowboat (Tewitfield, Lancs, at n. end of Lancaster Canal)
• Snaygill Boats of Skipton (Skipton, Yorks., on L&L)
• Starline Narrowboats - boats offered year-round (Stourport-on-Severn, Worcs.)
• Star Narrowboat Holidays - one 57' narrowboat; near Worsley on Bridgewater Canal
• Teddesley Boat Company (Penkridge, Staffs., on S&W)
• Tek Holiday Narrow Boat Hire - website now defunct; (Kings Bromley, Staffs., on T&M)
• Twyford Wharf Narrow Boats - Banbury, on Oxford Canal (OX17 3JN)
• Union Canal Carriers (Braunston, Northants., nr. junc. of GU and Ox.)
• Valley Cruises - 24 Oct 2019 - under liquidation - under new ownership from Autumn 2011 (2 bases - Nuneaton, Warks., on Coventry, and Stratford-upon-Avon)
• Water Babies (Lancaster Canal)
• Water Farm Boat Hire - two narrowboats (Barton Grange Marina, on Lancaster Canal)
• Welsh Gateway Canal Holidays - website now defunct (in Jan 2013) - (Nantwich, Ches., on SU)
• White Horse Boats (Devizes on K&A)
• White Rose Canal Holidays - 45 foot narrowboat; Leeds, on L&L
• Willow Wren Cruising Holidays (Rugby, Warks., on N. Ox.)
• Wyvern Shipping Co. (Leighton Buzzard, on GU)
• York Marine - Now doing dayboats only; (York, on R. Ouse)
• Yorkshire Narrowboats - boat building; hire boats; on Sheffield & S. Yorks Canal, Sprotbrough, Doncaster, DN5 7NB

Scotland

• Caley Cruisers Ltd (Inverness)
• Capercaillie Cruisers (Falkirk, on Forth & Clyde Canal)
• Marine Cruises. Base at Falkirk, at junction of the Forth & Clyde and Union canals.
• Ness and Moray Yacht Charters - sailing yacht hire (Inverness, Scotland, on Caledonian Canal)
• West Highland Sailing - sailing yachts and motor cruisers (nr. Ft. William, on Caledonian Canal)

Note: several of the Multi-base Hire Firms - U.K. have bases in Scotland

Wales

• Beacon Park Boats - narrowboats and several broad-beam in fleet (on Mon. & Brec.)
• Cambrian Cruisers (on Mon. & Brec.)
• Castle Narrowboats (on Mon. & Brec.)
• Country Craft (on Mon. & Brec.)
• Road House Narrow Boats (on Mon. & Brec.)

Ireland

• Barrowline Cruisers - broad-beam "narrowboats"; on Barrow Line branch of the Grand Canal (english, deutsch)
• Canalways Ireland - 1-Feb-19 Website unreachable - narrowboats; Rathangan, on Barrow Line branch of the Grand Canal
• Carrickcraft - 3 bases; cruiser-style; Shannon-Erne Waterway (english, français, deutsch)
• Corraquill Cruising Holidays - Dutch barges; Shannon-Erne Waterway
• dublinbargehire.com - Grand Canal, Dublin
• Emerald Star - now part of Le Boat
• Jennifer's Travels - 42 ft narrowboat (Monasterevin, Co. Kildare, on Barrow Line branch of the Grand Canal)
• Larry's Barge - R. Barrow
• Rent Our Boat - two 33ft cruisers; Ballinamore,Leitrim, on Shannon-Erne Waterway
• Riversdale Barge Holidays - broad-beam "narrowboats"; on the Shannon Erne Waterway (english, français, deutsch)
• Shannon Castle Line - no longer operating
• Silver Line - cruiser-style; R. Shannon (english, deutsch)
• Waveline Cruisers has merged with Carrickcraft in 2015

Hire Firms with Specialised Offerings - U.K.

Canal Holidays for Disabled People

• Accessible boating - info from the Canal & River Trust
• Pamela May - on Droitwich Canal; accommodates disabled people; seats 10; also available for special occasions, etc.
• Nottingham Crusader - seats 50; in the past, this was St John Ambulance Waterwing Nottingham location
• Newark Crusader - in the past, this was St John Ambulance Waterwing Newark location
• LNBP Community Boating at Braunston - "for a wide range of community groups and organisations, schools and those working with people who have special needs"; (Braunston, on GU)
• Baldwin Trust - boats at Leicester and Pillings Lock Marina in Quorn
• Nancy Oldfield Trust - boating, fishing, and bird watching on the Norfolk Broads for "disabled as well as socially disadvantaged people"
• Pride of Sefton - "free trips to under-priviliged and disabled people as well as educational trips for the local community"; also charters
• Rivertime Boat Trust - "Disabled and disadvantaged children and adults can now have a wonderful day out on the river Thames"; (Thames between Windsor and Oxford)
• South West Herts Narrowboat Project
• Swansea Community Boat Trust - (Swansea, on Tawe River)
• Wizard Accessible Narrow Boat - Warrington area on Bridgewater Canal
• Accessible Boating Association - two boats on Basingstoke Canal
• Bruce Charitable Trust has a fleet of four specially constructed broad-beamed boats on the Kennet and Avon Canal, available for hire by groups including groups of disabled people. Two bases.
• CanalAbility - (on R. Stort in Harlow) (formerly the Canal Boat Project)
• Disabled Afloat Riverboats Trust - Thames, K&A, Yorkshire Ouse
• Ethel Trust Community Barge (Thorne, n. of Doncaster, on Stainforth and Keadby Canal)
• Lyneal Trust - nr. Ellesmere on Llangollen Canal; cottages also
• Mary Sunley canal boat (Macclesfield Canal)
• National Community Boats Association - "... encourage and support community boating organisations within the UK ..."
• Peter Le Marchant Trust - (Loughborough, Leics.)
• Seagull Trust - free canal cruising (Scotland)
• South Staffordshire Narrowboat Company - (Wolverhampton, West Mids.)
• Stockport Canalboat Trust offers day trips and short holidays for people with disabilities around the canals of North West England.
• Swansea Community Boat - (on the Tawe River Navigation in Swansea, Wales)
• Willow Trust - (Saul Junction, on G&S)

Canal Holidays for Schools and Youth Organisations, and Other Groups

• Canal Boat Project - (on R. Stort in Harlow)
• Dacorum Narrow Boat Project - (Hemel Hempstead, Herts., on GU)
• Ethel Trust Community Barge (Thorne, n. of Doncaster, on Stainforth and Keadby Canal)
• The Pirate Castle - evening, half-day, day, weekend, and longer trips
• South Staffordshire Narrowboat Company - (Wolverhampton, West Mids.)
• Swansea Community Boat - (on the Tawe River Navigation in Swansea, Wales)
• nb Tarporley - "the only original working boat available for hire as a community boat in London".
• Tuptonia Narrowboat - a 12 berth narrowboat owned by Guides and available for hire, preferably by youth groups

Day Boats

• Allington Belle - day boats (Maidstone, Kent, on R. Medway)
• Bath and Dundas Canal Co. - (Bath on K&A)
• Bath Narrowboats - 16 day boats, some diesel, some electric (Bath on K&A)
• Beacon Park Boats - 6 electric day boats in 2 sizes (on Mon. & Brec., in S. Wales)
• Bidford Boats - (Bidford-on-Avon, Warks.)
• Blisworth Tunnel Narrowboats (Blisworth, Northants., on GU)
• Boating Days - (Northwich, Ches.)
• Bridgehouse Marina - (on Lancaster Canal)
• Broads Tours - scheduled trips and charters; day boats; Hoveton, Norfolk (NR12 8RX)
• Bronte Boats (Hebden Bridge, W. Yorks, on Rochdale Canal)
• Caversham Boat Services - cruiser-style (Reading, Berks., on R. Thames)
• Chertsey Meads Marine - Chertsey, Surrey (Thames)
• Copt Heath Wharf - (near Solihull, W. Mids., on northern GU)
• Cotswold Boat Hire - cruiser-style (Lechlade-On-Thames)
• Debbies Day Boats Ltd. - maintenance, craneage; day boats (Fazely, on B&F)
• Drayton Narrow Boat Hire - (Fazeley, on Coventry)
• Ellerbeck Narrowboats (nr. Chorley, Lancashire, on L&L)
• Farncombe Boat House - (Godalming, Surrey, on R. Wey)
• Fish & Duck Marina - moorings, shop, day boats; Ely, Cambs., at junction of Cam & Gt. Ouse
• Foxton Boat Services Ltd. - (Foxton, Leics., on GU, Leicester section)
• Freedom Boats - (Macclesfield, Ches., on Macclesfield)
• Gloucester Narrowboats - 1 hire boat and 2 day boats; moving to Slimbridge, Gloucs. (on G&S Canal) in 2019
• Grebe Canal Cruises - (Pitstone on GU); no longer operating as of Spring 2015
• Herbert Woods - on Norfolk Broads; hire cruisers, holiday cottages, day boats; Potter Heigham, Norfolk (NR29 5JF)
• Kennet Cruises - No longer offers day boats; (Reading, Berks)
• Kris Cruisers - (R. Thames at Windsor)
• Lee Valley Boat Centre (North East London, on R. Lee)
• Mid Devon Hire Boats - (Tiverton, Devon, on Grand Western Canal); no longer offering boats
• Oxfordshire Narrowboats - (3 day hire locations: Lower Heyford and Thrupp, both on the Oxford Canal, and Bradford on Avon, near Bath)
• Phoenix Day boat Hire - (Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire on Peak Forest Canal)
• Punting and self drive boats in Oxford
• Saisons (Daventry, Northants.) [was Coronet]; no longer offering boats
• Saltisford Canal Trust - (Warwick)
• Sileby Mill Boatyard - ( Loughborough, Leics.; on GU, Leics. section)
• Snaygill Boats of Skipton (Skipton, Yorks., on L&L)
• Stewart Marine (Surbiton, Surrey, on R. Thames)
• Streethay Wharf - (Lichfield, Staffs., on Coventry Canal)
• Thorn Marine - chandlery, repairs and maintenance, day boats, short break boat; Warrington, on Bridgewater Canal (WA4 6LE)
• Tooley's Boatyard - day boats; boat trips (Banbury, on Oxford Canal)
• Trafalgar Marine Services - see Phoenix Day boat Hire above
• Twyford Wharf Narrow Boats - Banbury, on Oxford Canal (OX17 3JN)
• White Horse Boats (Devizes on K&A)
• York Marine - cruiser-style boats (York, on R. Ouse)

Hire Nightly or B&B

• Bath Narrowboats - "Boat Bed & Breakfast"; Bath
• Castlerose Boat Stay - wide-beam "narrowboat"; hotel boat on Bridgewater Canal, or self-catering docked in Manchester
• Elizabeth Rose narrowboat B&B - nr Leek, Staffs.
• Houseboat Hotels - 2 static narrowboats; nightly rates; Sheffield
• Narrowboat Jessie - stationary narrowboat, moored in Little Venice, London (W9 2PF); nightly rates
• Search airbnb.com for narrowboats - usually there quite a few, but since they come and go, this search is easier for me than attempting to maintain an up-to-date list of all of them

Highly flexible booking schedule

• Copt Heath Wharf - near Solihull, W. Mids. (northern GU)
• Narrowboat Zinfandel - nr. Cambridge (River Cam)
• Carrickcraft - 3 bases; cruiser-style; Shannon-Erne Waterway in Ireland (english, deutsch)

Long Term Hire/Lease

• Escape The Rat Race
• Laughing Dog Boats - Website defunct - six-month minimum hire
• Long Term Narrowboat Hire - one 55ft narrowboat; one month minimum
• Rose Narrowboats - rentals of up to six months

One-way trips

• Carrickcraft - 3 bases; cruiser-style; Shannon-Erne Waterway in Ireland (english, deutsch)
• Shire Cruisers - (Sowerby Bridge, W. Yorks., on Rochdale Canal; secondary bases at Foulridge and L&L and Ashton on the Ashton Canal)

Broad-beam "narrowboats"

• Barrowline Cruisers - broad-beam "narrowboats"; on R. Barrow Ireland (english)
• Bath Canal Boat Company - (Bath, on K&A)
• Beacon Park Boats (on Mon. & Brec., in S. Wales) - several broad-beam in fleet
• Calmer Cruising - broad-beam "narrowboat" (near Marlow, on R. Thames) (SL7 1RT)
• Duck Island Boat Company - one narrowboat-style widebeam boat (Tewitfield, Lancs, at n. end of Lancaster Canal)
• Hapton Valley Boats - 8 May 2016: link removed - reported by Google as an "attack page" - 2 narrowboats and 1 broad-beam (Burnley, Lancs., on L&L)
• Moonraker Narrowboat Company (K & A, nr. Bath)
• Pintail Boats - narrowboat and wide-beam hire (Tewitfield, Lancs, at n. end of Lancaster Canal)
• Riversdale Barge Holidays (Ireland, on the Shannon Erne Waterway)
• Silsden Boats - narrow and broad-beam boats [The broad-beam boats are "Hum Drum", "Helen's Drum", and "Marley's Drum".] (Silsden, W. Yorks, on L&L)

Electric Boats

"Trad" (traditional) Narrowboats

• Black Country Narrow Boat Hire - No longer trading - 70ft R.W.Davis Northwich Trader Class Tug (Oldbury, W. Mids.)
• Braidbar Boats - (on Macclesfield Canal)
• Middlewich Narrowboats - No longer trading - (Middlewich, Ches., on T&M)
• Tradcraft Hire Boats - (Market Drayton, Salop.) - Website defunct

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