Places To Stay
Travelling by historic narrowboat is a wonderful way to visit the very heart of Britain's cities
Above left: Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Above right: An overnight mooring, Bath, Somerset
moorings close to the wonderful Pulteney Weir and Bridge. Tucked away in one of Bath’s most evocative Georgian streets, the Georgian Stables at Smallcombe House have beautiful gardens meandering down to the Kennet and Avon canal. Just a short stroll away, a stunning Georgian mansion, once a family home, is now the Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel and another world of timeless elegance and fine dining. A short cruise along the canal, the idyllic medieval
town of Bradford on Avon has some picturesque moorings and wonderful hotel accommodation, such as the characterful Barge Inn with its canal-side gardens, recently refurbished restaurant, and roaring log fires – perfect for cooler evenings. Travelling by narrowboat is a wonderful way to visit
the very heart of Britain’s cities and wake in a magnificent setting, as pretty canal boats tie up to the weathered rings set deep in every towpath. Mooring close to the centre of Oxford, just a short distance from the Drifters narrowboat hire base at Eynsham on the River Thames, you can relax in the heart of the city, lulled by the gentle lapping of water. Set in acres of parkland, the Oxford Thames Four
Pillars Hotel stands in a wonderfully tranquil setting with grounds rolling down to the river. At the Trout Inn in Tadpole Bridge in Oxfordshire,
boaters are welcomed to moor and then dine in the award-winning restaurant where the French head chef Pascal Clavaud serves crayfish caught in the River Thames, which you'll find located at the end of the garden.
80 BRITAIN While moorings in some parts of London are in demand
ahead of the Olympics, gaily-painted narrowboats bedecked with the traditional roses and castles now chug gently onto the Regent’s Canal at Little Venice. Cruising sedately through the capital takes you past London Zoo, where local residents occasionally hear the lions roar at night, and past Regent’s Park to Camden Town. Joining at Limehouse, cruising onto the River Thames
gives boaters wonderful views of the Tower of London and Houses of Parliament before mooring beside a peaceful towpath and visiting the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Further north, boaters journey slowly through dramatic
countryside, mooring in idyllic rural locations like those on the Rochdale Canal with fabulous Pennine views, or close to medieval market towns and weathered mill towns, pausing at quintessentially British canal-side pubs as they journey towards historic York. Mooring at Edinburgh Quay with its restaurants and
bars, just a short walk from the delights of the Scottish capital, is a wonderful way to visit. And as Britain’s most beautiful shortcut, the Crinan Canal in Mid-Argyll in the West Highlands of Scotland abounds with golden eagles, ospreys, beavers and red squirrel, with whale and dolphin spotted off the coast. At the heart of the lovely village of Crinan, the Crinan Hotel serves magnificent seafood with splendid sea views, in a wonderful setting that celebrates the best of Britain and its historic waterways.
For links to the places mentioned in this article visit the BRITAIN website at
www.britain-magazine.com
www.britain-magazine.com
PHOTOS: © TERRY MATHEWS/ALAMY/CANAL BOAT HOLIDAYS
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