Top 10 Boating Experiences

1. Punting in Cambridge 

There’s no better way to see Cambridge’s colleges than by hiring a punt and cruising along the Backs. Even without the distraction of beautiful buildings, manicured grounds and champagne-quaffing students, a punt isn’t the easiest thing to handle. But that just makes it more fun…

2. Sailing on the River Severn 

At 220 miles long, the River Severn is England’s longest river, and a great place to sail. Start at Bewdley and you’ll pass rolling countryside, a fair few pubs selling “scrumpy” cider and – rather appropriately – the National Waterways Museum at Gloucester Docks.

3. Kayaking in the Lake District 

For thrills and plenty of spills, squeeze yourself into a kayak in the Lake District . A popular white water location is the River Cocker, which is relatively negotiable apart from the surprise drop below Harris Park. Keep an eye out for it…

4. Narrow Boating between Windsor and Oxford 

This short stretch of Thames between Windsor and Oxford has got to be one of the best places to take a narrow boat. There are pubs aplenty (think riverside and ye olde), history by the barge-full (Windsor Castle, Eton school and the Oxford colleges) and tons of wildlife – from swans and kingfishers to stoats and coots.

5. Canoeing in the Norfolk Broads 

You’ll want to take your time exploring the Norfolk Broads, which is why a canoe is a good idea. If you’re looking for birds, head for the reed-fringed Hickling Broads, or if you’re feeling brave paddle to Malthouse Broad – it’s said to be haunted by a 12th-century monk who appears in the early mornings…

6. Speedboat through Central London 

Relive all those James Bond fantasies by taking a RIB speedboat down the Thames (they even play the theme tune during the trip). You’ll pass the Houses of Parliament on your left, before the London Eye looms into view on your right. After that the sights come thick and fast, as you speed down to the Thames Barrier.

7. Sailing in Cornwall 

Cornwall’s dramatic coastline and sandy beaches are crying out to be explored. So why not grab a sailing boat and explore the smugglers’ coves and sheltered waterways of Carrick Roads – or float your boat over to the Scilly Isles?

8. Pleasure Boating along the River Tees 

This medieval trading river starts in the Pennines and ends in the North Sea near Middlesbrough, and was once home to shipyards and steelworks. Nowadays it’s been regenerated, though, so you can now join a bunch of other pleasure boaters who regularly take to the serene waters for a cruise.

9. Canal Boat on in The Fenlands, East Anglia 

Hundreds of miles of waterways criss-cross the Fens – and a canal boat is the perfect way to navigate them. Due to its extreme flatness, there aren’t too many locks to trouble yourself with, although you might tempted to stop rather a lot at pretty villages like Oundle and Flore...

10. Canadian Canoeing on the River Tamar 

It’s quite normal to see a salmon leaping or an otter slivering into the water along the River Tamar in Devon . And, in a Canadian canoe, you’ll be about as close as you can get to them…