Hiring a canal boat is a great holiday for groups of friends.

• A canal group holiday is a great way to spend quality time with friends you’ve not seen for ages.
• Everyone can be take time to be as chilled out or active as they want, do a little or do a lot!
• You can party as much as you want, just remember to keep safe and not disturb other people.
• You can drink on board, but not while you’re in charge of the boat or acting as crew.
• If you make noise just remenber to be considerate to other boaters and local residents.

Is Canal Boat Hire A Good Holiday For Groups?

It’s a great holiday for everyone and certainly a magic way to get re united with friends you’ve not seen for ages, with old school pals or work mates. A chance to leave all the hassle behind, chill out and spend some quality time relaxing and re-bonding!

By day you’ll be working as a team to get the boat through the locks, taking it in turns to steer, opening the gates, mooring up and casting off. By night you’ll be sitting round the barbeque with glasses of wine or in the pub with local ales and good company. An ideal way to refresh friendships and forge lasting memories. And next year a different route!

We Just Don’t Want To Sit About, How Can We Be A Bit Adventurous?

If you want more of a boating challenge you could tackle one of the circular routes – the ‘rings’. The rings vary in length, but they all involve several different canals or rivers and offer a greater variety of surroundings than single canal cruising ever can, whilst incorporating the challenge of getting to where you’re going in time! With enough planning and enough time, you’ll get there, but it is recommended that at least one person in the party has some prior experience. We’ve got Guides and Maps of our Top Ten Canal Rings.

Don’t forget you don’t have to stay on the boat; visit golf courses, organise walks or runs, go orienteering, all from your friendly cosy canal boat base! Some hire firms will allow you to take a limited number of bicycles, canoes or paddleboards with you, but check first.

Can We Drink Alcohol On The Canal Boat?

You can, but preferably in the evening when you’re moored up and not going anywhere. It’s worth pointing out the obvious – that you’re on a boat and that boats are surrounded by water and if something goes wrong you may be a long way from help or medical care. Your boat weighs ten tons or more and takes a few hundred meters to stop. You should not drink when in charge of the boat or when up on deck or acting as crew. Most hire firms to not allow cruising after dusk anyway so that gives you plenty of time to indulge in a safe tipple. Sadly there have been some very serious accidents, injuries and boat sinkings caused by people on canal boats who have had too much to drink.

Can We Have A Party, Stag-Do Or Hen Night On A Canal Boat?

It depends what kind of party you want! If the focus is on spending time with friends, then it’s ideal, but if you’re more inclined to the traditional clubbing approach, then perhaps not. Some hire companies have a no-hen/stag policy or don’t allow single sex groups to hire, others specialise in it, so make sure you check first and go with a stag/hen friendly company.

What About Noise At Night?

It depends where you moor. If you’re in the middle of nowhere you might be able to make noise and nobody will hear you, but if you’re moored up hull-to-bow in a row of boats or near houses, you need to be considerate of others in the same way you would be if they were your neighbours – because that’s what they are. Most people choose canal holidays for peace and quiet, so if you do want to turn up a stereo and have a dance on the towpath, find a secluded wood and get your dancing shoes on where nobody will disturb you. And remember that sound carries much further over water.