Est. 2009 · Twelve boats · Six routes

Sleep on the water.Wake to the river.

Self-drive houseboats the length of a lock-keeper's cottage — proper beds, a real galley and a mooring of your own every night. No licence needed, two hours of handover aboard, then the river is yours.

Check availability See the fleet
  • 3-night minimum
  • Sleeps 2 – 8
  • Dog-friendly boats
  • No licence required
Licensed & inspected by
Inland Waterways Association Boat Safety Scheme River Trust Moorings Visit England — 4 Star RYA Inland Helmsman Green Boating Charter
A DriftAway houseboat moored on a calm river lined with broadleaf trees
Fern Hollow, Willow Reach
A white floating home with wide windows moored beside a canal wall
Boathouse No. 4
A long houseboat with red shutters moored along a canal at dusk
The Willow, Old Quarter
Who we are

Built for people who want the quiet water

We started with one tired 1970s cruiser and a hand-drawn chart of the mill race. Today twelve boats sit on the same stretch — timber-lined, insulated for winter, and simple enough that most guests are steering confidently within the first mile.

  • Two-hour handover, not a lecture

    We show you the throttle, the ropes and the loo — then we cast you off and follow for the first bridge.

  • Every boat serviced every eighth week

    Hulls, engines, gas and safety kit checked on a rolling schedule — plus a 24-hour river call-out number.

  • Slow by design

    Our routes are chosen for 4 mph cruising, empty lock chambers and pubs within a ten-minute walk of the mooring.

Explore the twelve boats
The fleet

Twelve boats, three sizes, one river

Every boat is self-drive and self-catering: made-up beds, hot water, a full galley and a covered helm so rain never spoils the view. Filter by how many of you are coming.

The Willow, a long houseboat with red shutters moored along a canal
Most booked
Classic 32

The Willow

£240per night

Our first boat and still the favourite. A long, low narrowboat with a double aft cabin, twin bunks forward and a saloon that opens onto the towpath.

  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 cabins
  • Shower + WC
  • Wood stove
Inside
Nightjar, a dark timber houseboat moored on still water beside a city canal
Couples
Coupe 26

Nightjar

£215per night

Compact, dark-timbered and unapologetically cosy — a queen berth under the foredeck skylight and a two-burner galley that cooks better than it looks.

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 cabin
  • Shower + WC
  • Skylight berth
Inside
Blossom, a houseboat with flower boxes along its roof moored on a sunny canal
Dog-friendly
Garden 30

Blossom

£255per night

Planters along the roofline, a folding table on the aft deck and a bow deck wide enough for two chairs and a bottle of something cold.

  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 cabins
  • Deck dining
  • Pet bedding
Inside
Meridian, a modern dark floating house with full-height glass on a lake
New for 2026
Float 45

Meridian

£395per night

Our largest boat: a modern floating home with full-height glazing, three cabins, an induction galley and a rooftop terrace with a four-person hot tub.

  • Sleeps 6 – 8
  • 3 cabins
  • 2 bathrooms
  • Hot tub
Inside
Riverbank, a timber houseboat with a railed deck moored beside green river water
Riverside mooring
Timber 36

Riverbank

£275per night

Wide-beam and steady underfoot, with a railed wraparound deck, a hatch-up galley and a low double berth that catches the morning water light.

  • Sleeps 4 – 5
  • 2 cabins
  • Bath + shower
  • Wrap deck
Inside
Fern Hollow, a houseboat moored on a calm river with trees behind it
Birdwatchers' pick
Meadow 34

Fern Hollow

£250per night

Shallow-draught and happy in quiet backwaters — the one to book if you want to moor where the only sound is a moorhen arguing with the reeds.

  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 cabins
  • Shower + WC
  • Shallow draught
Inside
River routes

Six routes, all of them slow

No experience required and no tidal water on any of our marked passages. Each route is a suggested three- to seven-night loop with pump-out points, water taps and a pub mooring marked on the chart we hand you at handover.

Historic gabled canal houses lining the water in the old quarter
Easy

The Old Quarter Loop

Straight into the city's canal ring — gabled warehouses, two staircase locks and a floating market every Saturday morning.

14 miles3 nights4 locks
A dark blue canal boat on still water with trees and a house on the bank
Easy

Willow Reach

Our house route: nine miles of wooded bend, one lock keeper's cottage and the best wild-mooring stretch on the river.

9 miles3 nights1 lock
A white house on posts beside calm water with trees on the far bank
Moderate

Millpond & Marshes

Downstream to the flats, where the river widens, the reed beds start and kingfishers work the edge of the mooring all evening.

21 miles4 nights3 locks
A guest standing on a boat deck watching the sun set over the water
Moderate

Estuary at Dusk

A longer passage to the sea lock and back, timed so you take the last hour of light on open water with the tide behind you.

38 miles7 nights6 locks

Routes are suggestions, not itineraries — you keep the boat for the full hire period and moor where you like within the marked navigation. Longer passages available on request for experienced guests.

Onboard amenities

Small boat, properly equipped

We over-specified everything that matters — the water, the heat and the bed — and kept the rest simple. Linens, towels and the first tank of fuel are always included.

A bright timber-lined saloon with panoramic windows looking out over the water
The saloon

Windows on both sides, benches for all of you

The heart of every boat: a folding oak table, an L-shaped bench that makes a fifth berth, and glazing low enough that sitting down still means seeing the water.

A warm timber-panelled cabin with a made-up double bed and low lamps
Berths

Real mattresses, made up before you board

Pocket-sprung doubles and full-length singles, cotton linen and a reading light at every pillow.

A snug timber interior with a lit wood-burning stove and a low sofa
Wood stove

Warm through to March

A sealed wood-burner plus diesel central heating, so shoulder-season and winter hires are genuinely comfortable.

Interior view of a boat cabin with upholstered bench seats beside a window
Lounge

Covered helm and observation seats

Steer dry in the rain, or slide the canopy back and take the sun with an unbroken view forward.

Breakfast laid out on a wooden table with coffee and fresh bread
Galley

Full galley, proper gas oven

Four burners, a grill, an oven that fits a chicken, a 12V fridge and enough worktop to actually use it.

Included as standard

  • Bed linen, towels and tea towels for the whole crew
  • Mooring kit — pins, mallet, fenders, two mooring lines
  • Life jackets in every size, including child and dog
  • Printed river chart with taps, pump-outs and pub moorings
  • First tank of diesel and two gas bottles
  • 24-hour river call-out for the length of your hire

Add-ons & extras

  • Welcome hamper — local bread, cheese, wine and coffee · £48
  • Two kayaks and dry bags on the roof rack · £60 per trip
  • Fishing licence for two rods, posted before you arrive · £22
  • Pet pack — bedding, bowls and a towel for the towpath · £30
  • Firewood bundle for the wood-burner · £18
  • Late return to 14:00, subject to the next handover · £45
Life after dusk

Moor up, cook something, watch the light go

The best hour on the river is the one after the engine stops. We keep a list of forty-one tried-and-tested moorings — quiet ones, pub ones and the two where the herons turn up at dusk.

  • Moonlit towpath moorings and quiet backwater cuts
  • Silent-hours etiquette explained in your handover pack
  • Solar top-ups and shore power at all our own moorings
Seasonal pricing

Rates that follow the light

Published rates are per boat, per night, for up to the stated crew — not per person. Seven nights or more takes 15% off, and we hold three boats back for last-minute midweek breaks.

Winter

Nov – Feb
£180from, per night
  • Cosy Cruiser 26
  • Wood stove lit before arrival
  • Free firewood first night
  • Empty locks, quiet banks

Midweek nights from £150 on selected boats.

Spring

Mar – May
£215from, per night
  • Coupe 26 and Garden 30
  • Blossom in flower from April
  • Dawn mist on Willow Reach
  • Nesting season bird notes

Easter and both bank holidays priced as summer.

Peak season

Summer

Jun – Aug
£295from, per night
  • All twelve boats afloat
  • Saturday-to-Saturday weeks
  • Kayaks half price on 7-night hires
  • Café moorings open until 21:00

Peak weeks book out by February — enquire early.

Autumn

Sep – Oct
£240from, per night
  • All classes, no minimum week
  • Mulled cider at the boatyard
  • Golden towpath light
  • Fungi and foraging guide

Half-term week sells out — book six months ahead.

Length-of-stay discounts

3 nights standard. 4–6 nights take 8% off, 7 nights or more 15% off, and 14 nights 22% off. Applied automatically on the quoted confirmation.

Deposit and cancellation

25% at booking, balance 30 days before boarding. Free date changes up to 14 days out; full refund on cancellations made 30 days or more ahead.

Fuel and mooring fees

First tank of diesel and every DriftAway mooring included. River Trust visitor moorings are £8–£14 per night, paid on the bank or via the trust app.

Enquiry form

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Questions

Before you cast off

Do I need a licence or any experience?

None at all. Our boats sit below the threshold that requires a licence, and every hire includes a two-hour handover covering the throttle, tiller, ropes and locks. We follow you to the first bridge on departure day and stay reachable by phone for the whole trip.

Can we bring a dog?

Yes — Blossom, Riverbank and Fern Hollow are dog-friendly, and a £30 pet pack covers bedding, bowls and a towpath towel. We ask that dogs stay off the beds and are kept on a lead at moorings where livestock graze.

What happens if it rains for three days?

You stay dry. Every boat has a covered helm, a heated saloon and a proper galley, so the worst weather just means better cooking. Boats are only held ashore in a named red weather warning, in which case we move your dates at no cost.

How do moorings work at night?

Moor where you like along the marked navigation, except in lock chambers, bridge holes and the two conservation cuts we list on the chart. Our own five moorings are free to guests; River Trust visitor moorings run £8–£14 a night.

Is it suitable for young children?

Yes, with a few sensible rules that our crew talk through at handover. Child life jackets from 12 kg are included, and every cabin has a lockable door. We recommend the Coupe 26 or Garden 30 for families with toddlers.

What if something breaks or we run aground?

Call the 24-hour river number in your handover pack. Most issues are solved over the phone in minutes, and we will come out to you if not. Running gently aground on soft bank is normal on a shallow navigation — we walk you through getting off.