Guide
Canal Holiday Activities
Beyond cruising and lock work, a canal holiday is a base camp for all sorts of activities, on and off the water. This guide covers the activities that work best
3 min read · Updated 2025-12-07
Canal Holiday Activities
Beyond cruising and lock work, a canal holiday is a base camp for all sorts of activities, on and off the water. This guide covers the activities that work best from a moored boat, what equipment to bring, and how to fit them into a typical week.
On the water
Stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking
Inflatable SUPs and pack-rafts fit easily on a canal boat and turn quiet stretches into a private waterway. Choose calm sections, away from busy junctions. Most canals are 1-1.5m deep; a fall is unpleasant but rarely dangerous if wearing a buoyancy aid.
Fishing
Canal fishing is excellent on many stretches (perch, roach, bream, occasional pike). You need an Environment Agency rod licence (cheap, available online) and need to follow local club rules where waters are leased. Fishing from a moored hire boat or the towpath is generally acceptable; check signage.
Swimming
As covered elsewhere: not in the canal itself. Lidos, lakes and supervised river swims along canal routes are a different matter, and several canals run alongside lovely outdoor pools.
On the towpath
Walking
The towpath is a continuous, level walking route between most points on the canal network. Day-walks of 5-15 miles between hire boat stops are easy to plan. Long-distance towpath trails (Trent & Mersey, Grand Union, Llangollen) can structure a whole week's walking around a moored boat.
Cycling
Folding bikes pack onto a back deck without much fuss. Towpath cycling rules vary; look for the cyclist's code of conduct (slow past pedestrians, dismount at lift bridges). Cycles double your shopping range and pub options.
Running
A morning run along the towpath before the boat sets off is one of the best small pleasures of a canal holiday. Smooth surfaces, no traffic, plenty of distance markers (bridges are numbered).
Off the water
Visiting attractions
Most canal routes pass castles, historic houses, country parks and museums. Plan one or two as set-piece days. National Trust and English Heritage properties along the canals are particularly common.
Pub crawls
A short walk between pubs along a stretch is practically a national tradition. Most rural canal areas have well-trodden walking pub routes; ask any landlord for their recommendation.
Markets
Canal towns often have weekly markets (Stratford, Stone, Skipton, Banbury, Ellesmere). Plan a stop on market day and stock up on local produce.
Wildlife reserves
Many canals run alongside or through nature reserves. RSPB, Wildlife Trust and National Trust reserves are often within easy walking distance of moorings.
On the boat
Reading
A canal holiday is the best reading week most crews have all year. Bring more than you think you need.
Cooking together
Half the fun of a hire boat. Pick a route with a couple of farm shops or markets, cook proper meals together, eat on the back deck.
Photography
Reflections, dawn light, locks, wildlife. Phone cameras are enough.
Card and board games
Light, packable, and the best end-of-day activity for a crew of four to six.
Music
A small Bluetooth speaker on a low setting is fine on board. Volume travels far over water; respect other moored boats.
A kit checklist
- Walking boots and waterproof
- Folding bikes (optional, brilliant)
- Inflatable SUP or kayak (optional)
- Buoyancy aids for water activities
- Binoculars
- Wildlife guide (or app)
- Books and a Kindle
- A pack of cards
- A small Bluetooth speaker
- Camera or phone
Pacing the week
Don't try to do everything. A typical pleasing rhythm:
- Days 1 and 7: short cruise, settle in / wind down
- Day 2: pub stop and a wildlife walk
- Day 3: a lock flight and a market town
- Day 4: a set-piece attraction (castle, aqueduct)
- Day 5: a long quiet stretch with reading and cooking
- Day 6: cycle ride or paddle stop
Conclusion
A canal boat is a base camp, not a cruise ship. The best canal holidays mix cruising with two or three off-boat activities and plenty of unstructured time. Pack for one or two extras (a SUP, a folding bike, binoculars) and you'll find the week fills itself.