The Great Canal Barges of UK and Ireland

I have enjoyed barge holidays in England and Ireland. Let me start by telling you that a barge holiday is not cheap! But in the words of a MasterCard advert, they are "priceless". There are few, if any holidays, that I have enjoyed more than the two occasions I have cruised the canals of Nottingham and the rivers of Ireland.

Generally speaking, there are two types of canal boats available. The houseboat that remains moored throughout your stay and the traditional canal barge. It is the latter that I intend to tell you about today.

I was looking for a 'timeshare' exchange near the British city of Nottingham where I had had the privilege to teach at their university in the 50's. There was nothing available! The exchange company representative with whom I was dealing suggested that I look at a company called "Canaltime" who had houseboats that were moored at the Marina in Nottingham and had a vacancy. I think I replied "book it Dan'O" or words to that effect.

I had no idea what awaited us. My first shock on arrival was the deposit of 500 British Pounds ($764.00 US at today's exchange rate) Next was the utility charge (gas, diesel and electricity?) 139.95 pounds ($ 215.00 US).
Oh did I mention the 20 pound ( $31.00 US) tuition charge for showing us how to operate the barge - I should point out that we arrived outside the recommended arrival time which activated the charge!

So having parted with $1,010.00 good old US dollars we were all set to depart! I should point out two things before I proceed:
1. The $764.00 was fully refunded on completion of our week!
2. If you don't own a timeshare and are just a regular client, as I suspect most of you are, the charge for your week will vary between $1200.00 US and $ 2,000.00 before the above mentioned charges!

As I said, not cheap.

We had opted for the Narrow boat (barge) rather than the House Boat, the charges by the way were the same.
I was very pleasantly surprised with the standard and layout. It was more than comfortable.

I inserted the key and started the engine. Like driving a golf cart - you had two options 'forward and back'.
The speed limit on the canals is a terrifying 4 miles per hour! No kidding, the recommended speed however is between 2 & 3 MPH.

I can't begin to tell you the fun and excitement we had. As you cruise the endless canals you meet residents and tourists alike. You would be amazed how many retirees enjoy a life on the canals - a bit like RV'ers. Scattered along the canals are your typical English Pub. You can stop along side anywhere you choose and stay as long as you like. The 'locks' that you encounter every few miles seem daunting at first but you soon get the hang of them. They really are what make the journey so enjoyable and exciting. If you are interested in this exciting vacation opportunity explore the links below and you will find a whole new world of opportunities and exciting
holidays.

Enjoy -Dr. Peter J. Shield PhD (http://pjshield.com)
http://britishwaterways.co.uk
http://canaltime.com
http://cruiseireland.com