Putting confidence into travel can easily start from your doorstep. Whilst many of us like to go away to get away from our usual surroundings, Drifters Waterway Holidays offers over 550 narrowboats for hire across the UK from 45 bases, including one on the River Ouse at Ely, Cambridgeshire.
Traveling through the countryside at just 4mph takes the stress out of life and puts the enjoyment back in a slower pace.
On a short break from Ely (three or four nights), narrowboaters can cruise along the unspoilt waters of the fourth largest river in the UK to St Ives and back. The route begins on the River Great Ouse (Old West River) passing through Earith village, and moves on through the tidal section of the Great Ouse for a couple of miles to Brownshill Lock. Then it’s a further five miles along the canalised section of the Ouse to reach moorings at the Old Riverport of St Ives – a beautiful historic town with regular markets, a great range of independent shops and restaurants, Norris Museum and splendid 15th century bridge and chapel over the river, one of only three such surviving in England. The journey to St Ives and back travels a total of 45 miles, passes through six locks (three on the way, three on the way back) and takes around 14 hours.
A trip on a narrowboat gives you a completely new perspective to the surroundings in your local area and takes you away from the day-to-day chores and stresses that we aim to avoid when going on holiday.
Prices start from £599 and best of all, you don’t need a licence and it’s easy to learn how to steer a narrowboat. Tuition is included as part of all Drifters’ holiday packages.
Find out more at www.drifters.co.uk.
