Waking each morning to the gentle bobbing of waves against the boat, as you breakfast on the bow amid visiting swans and moorhens, is the most intimate way to enjoy the very best of Britain
the Weaver where only mallards, swans and the occasional rowing team break the stillness. Mooring on the Edinburgh Union canal at Linlithgow
overlooking the historic palace and lake, on the Oxford Canal close to the picturesque village of Cropredy, or on the Kennet and Avon canal close to the impressive stone aqueduct is another magical way to spend an evening. Celebrities too have been drawn to the waterways, from
Keira Knightley with her waterborne hideaway on London’s canals to the broadcaster David Dimbleby and actor Kevin Spacey. Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart cruised gently through Shropshire towards Llangollen for its wonderful Eistedfodd, pausing for a pint or two at the Narrowboat Inn at Whittington and staying at the lovely Bryn Howel hotel, with its log fires and spacious accommodation overlooking the Llangollen Canal. Surrounded by tranquil lake views in the glorious
Cheshire countryside, the award-winning country house hotel Nunsmere Hall Hotel is within striking distance of the Anderton Boat Lift and historic Chester, where the narrowboats cruise deep below the refortified Roman walls. And, if you stop over at the Mill Hotel and Spa in Chester, constructed over the canal with an internal footbridge, you can simply stroll into this unusual and very pretty walled city and down to the scenic River Dee. Cruising south, the Best Western Stoke-on-Trent Moat
House has an award-winning canopied conservatory restaurant with gourmet menus, and adjoins the historic home and canal created by the famous potter Josiah Wedgwood, close to the narrowboat marina.
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Or the Lion Quays Waterside Resort has a new generation spa in a tranquil waterfront setting. Cruising into the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon through
Shakespeare country is simply magical. Boaters moor opposite the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and feed curious swans as the Stratford Canal meets the River Avon. The four-star and gorgeous half-timbered Falcon Hotel, dating back to the 16th century, is just a short stroll away through quaint streets. And in the heart of Stratford, the luxuriously renovated Arden Hotel offers tranquil views over the Avon. Chugging gently into the World Heritage City of Bath takes visitors back in time to Regency days, with tranquil
Clockwise from top left: Union canal near Linlithgow, Edinburgh; canal boats moored on the Regents Canal at Noel Road in Islington; holiday with the family pet; Anderton Boat Lift; the lock at Bradford on Avon
PHOTOS: © LOOP IMAGES, RICKY LEAVER/BRITAINONVIEW/CANAL BOAT HOLIDAYS/WATERWAY IMAGES
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