We've compiled a list of the UK best canal boat hire bases as rated by their customers. There are over 100 different hire bases in the UK, and with reviews spread over different platforms and with the off fake review slipping in here and there it can be difficult to find the best ones. So we've compiled this list of the top rated canal boat hire, simplified their customer ratings into a single easy to compare score and provided the list below to make finding your next canal boat holiday that little bit easier.
The Method: We took each hire base in the UK and added the reviews from their Google Business Profile together with whichever other review platform has the most reviews for a given hire base. Sometimes this was feefo, sometimes facebook, sometimes tripadvisor etc etc. We then disregarded any low reviews that were from people that hadn't even used the businesses services, or seemed odd and potentially fake such as leaving a 1 or 2 star review without any text.
Finally we adjusted* for qty of reviews so that a hire base 100 5 star reviews and 2 4 start reviews would outrank a hire base with a single 5 star review. And so here you have it, the best holiday hire canal boat bases as of the Monday the 22nd of July 2024:
A full list of hire bases along with their ratings.
Hire Base Name | Final Rating | Source Ratings | Reviews Disregarded |
---|---|---|---|
Union Canal Carriers | 9.6433 | 4.7 (101 Google Reviews) / 4.9 (1148 Feefo Reviews) | 0 |
Beacon Park Boats | 9.6417 | 4.9 (225 Google Reviews) / 5 (333 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 0 |
Andersen Boats | 9.6313 | 4.7 (96 Google Reviews) / 5 (432 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 2 |
Ashby Boat Co | 9.5127 | 4.9 (198 Google Reviews) / 5 (135 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 0 |
Grand Union Narrowboats | 9.4753 | 5 (66 Google Reviews) / 5 (150 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 0 |
The Wyvern Shipping Co | 9.4485 | 4.8 (409 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 6 |
Galleon Marine | 9.4215 | 4.8 (194 Google Reviews) / 5 (94 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 2 |
Aqua Narrowboats | 9.4205 | 4.8 (18 Google Reviews) / 5 (157 Reviews) | 1 |
Duck Island Boat Company | 9.4179 | 5 (170 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 0 |
The Boat Co North | 9.4037 | 5 (125 Google Reviews) / 5 (35 Facebook Reviews) | 1 |
Crabtree Narrowboat Hire | 9.3968 | 4.9 (14 Google Reviews) / 5 (146 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 0 |
Napton Narrowboats (Napton) | 9.393 | 4.6 (144 Google Reviews) / 5 (89 Reviews) | 9 |
Waterways Experiences | 9.392 | 4.8 (146 Google Reviews) / 5 (90 Reviews) | 1 |
College Cruisers | 9.3525 | 4.7 (58 Google Reviews) / 5 (112 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 1 |
Road House Narrowboats | 9.3375 | 4.9 (66 Google Reviews) / 5 (73 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 0 |
Silsden Boats | 9.3294 | 4.8 (217 Google Reviews) / 4.5 (34 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 4 |
Twyford Wharf Narrow Boats | 9.3275 | 4.7 (34 Google Reviews) / 5 (99 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 1 |
Boutique Narrowboats | 9.3208 | 5 (20 Google Reviews) / 5 (90 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 0 |
Cambrian Cruisers | 9.2981 | 4.9 (106 Google Reviews) / 5 (15 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 1 |
Chas Hardern Boats | 9.2954 | 4.8 (82 Google Reviews) / 4.9 (61 Facebook Reviews) | 2 |
Marine Cruises | 9.2925 | 4.8 (22 Google Reviews) / 5 (86 Trustpilot Reviews) | |
Whittington Wharf Narrrowboats | 9.2721 | 4.8 (113 Google Reviews) / 5 (25 Reviews) | 1 |
Thorn Marine | 9.2708 | 4.9 (39 Google Reviews) / 5 (57 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 0 |
Black Prince Stoke Prior | 9.2691 | 4.8 (94 Google Reviews) / 5 (32 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 1 |
Drifting Wood Canal Boat Holidays | 9.2523 | 5 (13 Google Reviews) / 5 (64 Tripadvisor Reviews) | |
Calcutt Boats | 9.2451 | 4.6 (232 Google Reviews) / 4.8 (29 Facebook Reviews) | 8 |
Canal Cruising Co | 9.2406 | 4.5 (110 Google Reviews) / 4.9 (58 Reviews) | 7 |
On The Wey Narrowboat Hire | 9.2359 | 5 (70 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
Cafwin Cruises Narrowboat Holidays | 9.2359 | 5 (30 Google Reviews) / 5 (40 Facebook Reviews) | |
Fox Narrowboats | 9.2185 | 4.8 (32 Google Reviews) / 5 (38 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 1 |
Kate Boats | 9.2174 | 4.7 (213 Google Reviews) / 4.5 (87 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 4 |
Black Prince Stoke On Trent | 9.2094 | 4.4 (26 Google Reviews) / 5 (57 Reviews) | 2 |
ABC Boat Hire Whitchurch Marina | 9.2084 | 4.7 (151 Google Reviews) / 4.7 (17 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 2 |
Armada Boat Hire | 9.207 | 4.8 (63 Google Reviews) / 5 (18 Facebook Reviews) | 1 |
Castle Narrowboats | 9.2034 | 4.9 (52 Google Reviews) / 5 (18 Tripadvisor Reviews) | |
North Kilworth Wharf | 9.2019 | 4.8 (95 Google Reviews) / 4.8 (18 Facebook Reviews) | |
Heritage Narrow Boats | 9.1956 | 4.7 (90 Google Reviews) / 4.8 (49 Facebook Reviews) | 1 |
Bloomsbury Canal Boats Ltd | 9.1931 | 5 (50 Google Reviews) / 5 (16 Tripadvisor Reviews) | |
Midland Mallard | 9.1906 | 4.8 (49 Google Reviews) / 5 (12 Facebook Reviews) | 2 |
Bath Canal Boat Co | 9.1777 | 4.7 (52 Google Reviews) / 4.9 (44 Facebook Reviews) | |
Anglo Welsh Great Haywood | 9.1755 | 4.7 (139 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 1 |
Anglo Welsh Trevor | 9.1735 | 4.5 (101 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 8 |
Lyneal Trust | 9.1706 | 4.9 (32 Google Reviews) / 4.9 (27 Facebook Reviews) | |
Water Babies Narrowboat Hire | 9.1651 | 4.9 (34 Google Reviews) / 5 (17 Tripadvisor Reviews) | |
Farncombe Boat House | 9.1615 | 4.7 (201 Google Reviews) / 4.5 (81 Tripadvisor Reviews) | |
Anglo Welsh Wooton Waven | 9.1602 | 4.9 (54 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
Southern Narrowboats | 9.1598 | 5 (14 Google Reviews) / 5 (27 Facebook Reviews) | |
Cheshire Canal Boat Hire | 9.1598 | 5 (17 Google Reviews) / 5 (24 Tripadvisor Reviews) | |
Foxhangers | 9.1531 | 4.7 (33 Google Reviews) / 5 (23 Facebook Reviews) | 1 |
Chilterm Narrowboat Holidays | 9.1478 | 4.9 (26 Google Reviews) / 5 (17 Tripadvisor Reviews) | |
Floating Holidays | 9.1391 | 4.8 (43 Google Reviews) / 5 (11 Trustpilot Reviews) | |
Pennine Cruisers | 9.139 | 4.7 (169 Google Reviews) / 4.5 (261 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 3 |
Ducklings Narrowboat Hire | 9.1348 | 5 (18 Google Reviews) / 4.9 (19 Facebook Reviews) | |
Anglo Welsh Tardebigge | 9.1314 | 4.6 (116 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 3 |
ABC Boat Hire Blackwater Meadow Marina | 9.1282 | 4.8 (33 Google Reviews) / 5 (9 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 1 |
Bramblewick canal boat holidays | 9.1237 | 5 (22 Google Reviews) / 5 (7 Facebook Reviews) | |
Trinity Boats Ltd | 9.1227 | 4.8 (16 Google Reviews) / 5 (20 Facebook Reviews) | |
Cheshire Cat Narrowboat Holidays | 9.1199 | 4.8 (51 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
Sally Narrowboats | 9.1162 | 4.5 (164 Google Reviews) / 4.5 (62 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 7 |
Shire Cruisers | 9.116 | 4.7 (90 Google Reviews) / 4.5 (79 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 1 |
The Epic Boating Company | 9.1011 | 5 (14 Google Reviews) / 5 (8 Facebook Reviews) | |
Cambridge Narrowboats | 9.1011 | 5 (6 Google Reviews) / 5 (16 Tripadvisor Reviews) | |
Honeystreet Boats | 9.101 | 4.7 (37 Google Reviews) / 5 (4 Facebook Reviews) | 1 |
Crest Narrowboats | 9.1007 | 4.6 (8 Google Reviews) / 5 (21 Tripadvisor Reviews) | |
Black Prince Acton Bridge | 9.1004 | 4.9 (28 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
Bluebell Narrow Boat Holidays | 9.0943 | 5 (6 Google Reviews) / 4.8 (25 Facebook Reviews) | |
Lancaster Canal Boat Hire & Holidays | 9.093 | 4.8 (21 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 1 |
Oxfordshire Narrowboats | 9.0902 | 4.6 (129 Google Reviews) / 4.5 (125 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 2 |
ABC Boat Hire Goyte Wharf | 9.0889 | 4.7 (31 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 1 |
Blisworth Tunnel Boats | 9.0866 | 4.6 (80 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 1 |
Warwickshire Narrowboat Hire | 9.086 | 4.9 (16 Google Reviews) / 5 (5 Facebook Reviews) | |
Chesterfield Canal Boat Co | 9.0843 | 5 (4 Google Reviews) / 5 (13 Tripadvisor Reviews) | |
Bear Boating Shipley | 9.084 | 4.7 (18 Google Reviews) / 4.7 (15 Facebook Reviews) | 1 |
Jones Family Cruising | 9.0808 | 5 (10 Google Reviews) / 5 (6 Yell Reviews) | |
The Purple Boat Narrowboat Holiday Hire | 9.0779 | 4.9 (28 Google Reviews) / 3.5 (3 Tripadvisor Reviews) | |
Countrywide Cruisers | 9.0747 | 4.7 (57 Google Reviews) / 4.5 (72 Tripadvisor Reviews) | |
The Bruce Trust | 9.066 | 4.9 (15 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
Marine Cruises Falkirk | 9.066 | 4.9 (15 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
Pintail Boats | 9.0632 | 0 (0 Google Reviews) / 5 (11 Reviews) | |
Rowington Narrowboats | 9.0605 | 4.9 (13 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
ABC Boat Hire Worcester Marina | 9.0587 | 4.6 (65 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
Anglo Welsh Banbury | 9.0583 | 4.5 (147 Google Reviews) / 4.5 (147 Reviews) | 4 |
ABC Boat Hire Anderton Marina | 9.056 | 4.6 (59 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
Wiltshire Narrowboats | 9.0558 | 4.5 (30 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 2 |
Country Craft Narrowboats | 9.0546 | 4.6 (56 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
Black Prince Falkirk | 9.0544 | 4.4 (9 Google Reviews) / 5 (11 Reviews) | |
Tiller Girl Canal Boat Holidays | 9.0486 | 0 (0 Google Reviews) / 5 (7 Reviews) | |
Moonraker Canalboats | 9.0466 | 4.6 (40 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
W4 Canal Boat Hire | 9.0412 | 5 (5 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
ABC Boat Hire Hilperton Marina | 9.0412 | 4.5 (6 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 1 |
Pea Green Boats | 9.0379 | 4.7 (11 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
ABC Boat Hire Aldermaston Wharf | 9.0379 | 4.5 (28 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 1 |
Stratford Boat Hire | 9.0374 | 5 (1 Google Reviews) / 5 (3 Reviews) | |
Blue Otter Skipton | 9.0374 | 5 (3 Google Reviews) / 5 (1 Reviews) | |
Black Prince Bradford On Avon | 9.0349 | 4.2 (6 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 1 |
Black Prince Ely | 9.0331 | 4.8 (5 Google Reviews) / 4.5 (2 Reviews) | |
Norbury Wharf Canal Boat Hire | 9.033 | 4.4 (699 Google Reviews) / 4.7 (235 Reviews) | 13 |
ABC Boat Hire Alvechurch Marina | 9.0298 | 5 (2 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
Nene Valley Boats | 9.0282 | 4.6 (9 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
Black Prince Napton | 9.0279 | 4.3 (13 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 1 |
ABC Boat Hire Gayton Marina | 9.0272 | 4.7 (6 Google Reviews) / 4.5 (34 Reviews) | |
ABC Boat Hire Gailey Marina | 9.0259 | 5 (1 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
ABC Boat Hire Springwood Haven | 9.022 | 0 (0 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
ABC Boat Hire March Marina | 9.022 | 0 (0 Google Reviews) / 4.5 ( Reviews) | |
Anglo Welsh Whixall | 9.022 | 0 (0 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
Mable of marbury | 9.022 | 0 (0 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
Shelby Narrowboat Company | 9.022 | 0 (0 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
ABC Boat HIre Nantwich Canal Centre | 9.022 | 0 (0 Google Reviews) / 0 (0 Reviews) | |
Canal Boat Cruises of Riley Green (Reviews not counted as mostly for weddings/lunches etc so not representative of self-drive hire) | 9.022 | 0 (0 Google Reviews) / 0 (0 Reviews) | 2 |
Jelleyworld Narrow Boat Hire | 9.022 | ( Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
Anglo Welsh Monkton Combe | 9.022 | 0 (0 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
ABC Boat Hire Kings Orchard Marina | 9.0121 | 4.3 (6 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
Napton Narrowboats (Autherley) | 9.0102 | 4.3 (122 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 9 |
ABC Boat Hire Falkirk | 9.0098 | 5 (3 Google Reviews) / 3 (2 Tripadvisor Reviews) | |
Black Price Lower Hayford | 9.0074 | 4.2 (6 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | |
Black Prince Chirk | 9.0054 | 4.2 (30 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 2 |
Anglo Welsh Oxford | 8.9803 | 4.2 (42 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 2 |
Rose Narrowboats Ltd | 8.9687 | 4.1 (163 Google Reviews) / 4 (57 Tripadvisor Reviews) | 26 |
Willow Wren | 8.9574 | 4.1 (36 Google Reviews) / 5 (4 Facebook Reviews) | 1 |
Clifton Cruisers | 8.9514 | 4.4 (198 Google Reviews) / 4.7 (12 Facebook Reviews) | 1 |
Bath narrowboats (AW) | 8.9353 | 4.3 (106 Google Reviews) / ( Reviews) | 2 |
If you would like to go on a particular canal, it can still be tricky to find the right one from a list of 100 even if they are sorted by rating. That's why we've broken the list down by canal.
Many people will want to do a canal ring route, so we've also broken the list down to show the best rated canal boat hire bases directly on any given ring.
One of the great things about canal boat holidays is that they can allow you to explore an area you call home, but from a totally different perspective. So we've put together a list of the top 5 hire bases within 75km of multiple cities around the UK.
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