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Are you thinking of booking a romantic boat trip in February? Or perhaps you want to surprise your mum with an idyllic Mother’s Day outing? Are you curious about a day in the life of a liveaboard boater? Last year on our blog we covered all of these topics, and we also enjoyed watching ‘Narrow Escapes’, learning the cost of living aboard, and we published a mini-guide to our must-see local attractions. Here are some of the best parts of 2024 on the Cambridgeshire waterways.
The third Monday in January is “Blue Monday”; the most depressing day of the year. But this was only created in 2005 by a travel firm, so the “science” is of dubious credibility! However, the media now use the idea of the January blues to promote self-care and mental health awareness. So, if you are feeling a little bit gloomy this month, we hope that daydreaming about narrowboating will cheer you up!
Historic waterside pubs and quiet rural moorings make narrowboat day hire the perfect romantic getaway. If you hire a boat for one day you can enjoy a peaceful cruise getting close to nature under the wide Fenland skies. If you’re celebrating a relationship milestone, or even planning a marriage proposal, we can arrange for some fancy food platters to be available on board.
From last February, read: This Valentines Offer is a Romantic Idea for Couples
Planning a family day out boating on Cambridgeshire’s peaceful inland waterways can be a lovely way to say ‘thank you’ this Mothers’ Day (30th March 2025). If your family are new to canal boating, our experienced instructors will show you how to steer the boat, moor up and work the locks. You can stop at a waterside pub for refreshments, or visit a fish and chip shop for dinner.
From last March, read: Hire a Canal Boat for Mothers Day
In 2024 we began offering skippered boat trips along the Middle Level waterways. Setting off from our marina in March, allow our qualified skipper to take the tiller, and point out the many interesting things that can only be seen from the river. Each boat trip is 90 minutes aboard our newest day-hire narrowboat.
Read: New: Skippered Cambridgeshire River Trips on a Canal Boat
The TV documentary series, ‘Narrow Escapes’ was new to Channel 4 in April 2024. It features various roving canal traders, live-aboard characters, and boaters renovating their current boat. This series offers a lovely escape from the January blues. Who doesn’t love a bit of armchair canal-boating?!
Read: 8 Good Reasons to Watch Channel 4’s Narrow Escapes
From the tranquil morning mist lifting off the canal, to the vibrant sunset over the water, imagining a typical summer’s day aboard a narrowboat in the Fens, may also lift your spirits.
Read: A Day in the Life: Experience the Serenity of Fox Narrowboats’ Routes
If you’ve ever dreamed of living on a boat, then you could hire a narrowboat from us for one or two weeks, to see if you take to it, “like a duck to water”. You can find the answer to many of your questions about what the costs may be in last autumn’s article:
Read: The Costs Of Living On A Narrowboat
Making such a major lifestyle change can be scary, but… if you enjoy being scared, then snuggle up with some Fenland-inspired horror fiction from M R James, and consider visiting these eerie, reclaimed marshlands and isolated villages by boat. Laughing children, rattling chains, and a wandering nun are just some of the spectres you may encounter on a narrowboat holiday, in one of England’s most haunted areas!
Read: Halloween: Five Haunted Destinations for Your Narrowboat Holiday
If you have never been to the Fens, and want to visit charming English villages, as the skipper of your own canal boat, then we have the answer: Discover the hidden gems of Cambridgeshire’s waterways on a journey, where historic landmarks, and scenic landscapes await at every lock and bend.
Read: From Locks to Landmarks: A Guide to Cambridgeshire’s Must-See Attractions by Boat
Our canal boat hire base can be found on the Middle Level, between the River Ouse and the River Nene. Our friendly, family business has been here for generations, offering you a warm welcome, from the descendants of respected local boat builder, Charlie Fox.
If you enjoyed reading ‘A Year in the Life of Fox Narrowboats’, look for ‘Follow Blog’ in the sidebar on the right and enter your email address. We’ll send you occasional stories, tips and advice about narrowboating around the Fens. (We never share or sell email addresses – your details are safe with us.) If you want to beat the winter blues and book a canal holiday in 2025 check availability now.
You may also like: Why January is the Best Time to Book Your Hire Boat Holiday
