Ashby Boat Company
WHERE
Nuneaton
What it’s like
Hire a narrowboat and pilot it yourselves along the Ashby Canal, a stretch with no locks to fumble with.
The whole point of the Ashby Canal is that it's lock-free, so a family who's never touched a tiller before can take a boat out without spending the whole day working gates. You can do a day trip or go the whole hog with a multi-day narrowboat holiday, steering past fields and under bridges at a pace that suits nobody in a hurry.
They give you tuition to get started, but it's only the first 20 minutes that's included, so it pays to actually listen rather than nodding along while you eye up the kettle. After that you're on your own at the tiller, which for most kids is the bit they'll go on about, especially if you let them have a go steering on a quiet straight bit.
Opening hours are a bit of a puzzle to work round. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday you've got until 4:30pm, Friday it's a shorter 4pm finish, and weekends are a short window, 9am to noon only. Tuesday it's shut altogether, so that's one day off the list before you even start planning.
Need to know
- Best for
- No set age range given, but younger kids will need close watching near the water
- Weekend hours are short, just 9am to noon, so plan an early start
- Tuesday is closed all day
- Only the first 20 minutes of tuition is included, so pay attention at the start
Plan your visit
Do we need boating experience?
No, the Ashby Canal has no locks, so it suits a family who's never steered a narrowboat before. You get some tuition to start you off.
How much tuition do you get?
The first 20 minutes is included when you set off. After that you're steering on your own.
What days are you open?
Monday, Wednesday and Thursday it's 8:30am to 4:30pm, Friday until 4pm, and weekends just 9am to noon. Tuesday it's closed.
Can we do more than a day trip?
Alongside day trips they do multi-day narrowboat holidays on the Ashby Canal if you fancy longer than an afternoon.
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