Are you looking for the best spots to cruise in the UK this spring? Whether you live aboard your canal boat or it is solely for recreation, spring is an ideal time to explore the UK’s waterways as it’s when nature starts to come alive again and the weather is just right for cruising. However, what happens if you’re a wide-beam canal boat owner?
Wide beam boats offer more livable spaces, which is why they make such great residential options, however, their wider beam, means that they quite literally won’t fit in the slimmer channels of canals built to accommodate their narrowboat brethren.
So the question remains, where can a wide-beam boat owner take a cruising trip? Well never fear in this article, we’ll discuss some of the top spots in the UK for wide beam canal boat cruising in spring 2023.
The Grand Union Canal
Originally known as the Grand Junction Canal, The Grand Union Canal formed the link between Birmingham and London back in their industrial heyday. Whilst initially intended for narrowboats it underwent work in the 1930s where it was enlargened and deepened with the intention of allowing access for wide beam vessels. Whilst the work was never fully completed (limiting total access for wide beam boats) there are still large sections of the southern stretch of the canal that are accessible to wide beam canal boats.
Part of the charm of the Grand Union is that it still retains much of its industrial heritage, from the canal side workshops to the pumping stations that stretch along its length.
There are a few drawbacks for some wide-beam owners, as water depth can be a bit of an issue, along with suitable mooring spots the closer you get to London.
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal was built to link the two cities and no other canal in the UK links two cities that are further apart. Dating back 200 years, this scenic stretch of waterway boasts some of the best walking and nature-watching spots (over 127 miles of them).
Cutting through Lancashire and on through the Pennines, the canal touches the edge of one of the UK’s most loved beauty spots, the West Yorkshire Dales, before reaching Leeds.
Looking for a Wide Beam Canal Boat to Start Your Adventures?
Collingwood is the UK’s largest canal boat builder and offers a range of wide-beam vessels with a host of features. Browse our boats or start your own build for a fully customisable liveaboard vessel.
For more information on the best cruising spots throughout the UK visit the Canal & River Trust.
