British Coastal, Canal, and River Cruises

Page 4
Continued from page 3

ABOVE: Henley-on-Thames, which is on the standard itinerary of Magna Carta (first inset photo below). SECOND INSET: The Caledonian Canal, home of Go Barging's Scottish Highlander. 

Barge cruises

A hotel barge could be described as "like a narrowboat, but bigger with more deck space." Most wide-beam barges are converted cargo carriers from the early to mid-20th Century, and they differ from narrowboats in two significant ways:

• They're more spacious, with larger cabins, public rooms, and sundecks than you'd find on a narrowboat.

• Because of their width, they cruise only on rivers, lochs, and larger shipping canals.

In other ways, hotel barges offer a cruising experience that's similar to a narrowboat's: Barges meander slowly through inland waterways, they cater to a small number of guests (typically eight to 12), they offer plenty of opportunities to hop off and enjoy villages or pubs along the towpath, and passengers are treated to gourmet meals prepared by an onboard chef.

The best-known British barge line is Go Barging, a subsidiary of European Waterways Ltd., which is headquartered in Wraysbury, England. Go Barging chairman Derek Banks purchased his first Dutch cargo carrier for conversion into the hotel barge Anjodi more than 30 years ago, and Go Barging currently operates luxury barge-cruise holidays in England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Belgium, Germany, Holland, and Italy.

In England, Go Barging markets six-night cruises on Magna Carta, which runs between Henley-on-Thames and Hampton Court Palace for most of the cruising season with additional cruises organized around themes such as antiques, gardens, West End theatre, and Christmas. The luxury barge accommodates eight guests in four twin or double staterooms with ensuite facilities.

Farther north, Go Barging's Scottish Highlander cruises the Caledonian Canal between Fort William and Inverness. The standard six-night itinerary includes castle visits, cruising in Loch Ness, and plenty of Highland scenery. Christmas, New Year's, and specialty charter cruises are also available.

Like narrowboats, some barges are run by owner-operators. Joe Odgers and Rachel Cockell are the proprietors of Actief, which was a European cargo vessel for 70 years before being brought to England and converted into a luxury hotel barge in 1976. Actief cruises the Upper Thames from early April to late October, carrying a minimum of four and a maximum of 11 passengers. (Charter rates are available for six to 11 guests.)

Steve and Steph Furniss own Tranquil Rose, a nine-passenger barge that cruises on the Thames, the Grand Union Canal, the Kennet & Avon Canal, and other English waterways from April through October. Most cruises are seven nights, with a handful of nine-night itineraries. Whole-boat charters are available.

To get an idea of what to expect from a luxury hotel-barge cruise, read our illustrated barge cruise review of La Renaissance, the flagship of Go Barging's fleet in France.

• Note: Cruises on European-style barges (as opposed to English-style narrowboats) are less common in Britain than they are in Continental Europe for a simple reason: Continental canals were modernized and widened in the 19th Century to accommodate larger ships and barges, while the narrow British canals were mostly left at their original width as railroads became the UK's dominant mode of freight transportation during the Industrial Era.

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