A houseboat vacation may not be everyone’s idea of luxury. But approach with an open mind and you might be surprised. Nowadays, a number of riverboats are equipped to a surprisingly high standard, and it is perhaps more about the luxury of the lifestyle – the slow pace of life and the opportunity to explore the UNITED KINGDOMthe network of canals and the many treasures that run along it.
Our recent trip was organized by Wanderersa collaborative marketing and booking consortium made up of 10 distinct UK riverboat charter companies who represent a collective fleet of over 500 narrowboats, representing more than half of all holiday rental boats available on the UK’s inland waterways.
He allowed us to explore the Llangollen Canal aboard the Starks Lark, a small 66-foot, 20-ton boat available from ABC boat rentalone of the core members of the Drifters, renowned for his impeccably maintained boats.
The reception Shortly after getting out of our car at Whitchurch Marina we were spotted by Laurie, warmly greeted and escorted to reception and the shop where we collected a detailed and proper map of the canal – absolutely essential if you want to know what to expect on your route and where you can actually moor up for the night. This is where we also met Richard who took care of our introduction to the boat and provided us with a thorough and essential briefing for novices like us. (I had taken a barge trip before, but that was over 30 years ago.)
The barge Starks Lark was our home for our trip. She is a 66ft Lark Class vessel from ABC Leisure, designed with a semi-traditional stern.
The layout is a smart design; Given that narrowboats are, by definition, incredibly narrow, the interior space is used remarkably well. It can accommodate two to six people. There are two private cabins that can be configured as doubles or singles, as well as a lounge area that converts into an additional double bed if you’re traveling with a full house.
The real surprise is the national specifications. In addition to two bedrooms, the boat comes with two full bathrooms, each with a proper sink, electric flush toilet and shower.
A water-cooled diesel engine keeps everything running quietly, and a 2kW inverter ensures you have constant 240V power from standard outlets for charging laptops or running the toaster.
The rest of the inventory isn’t much different from a high-end holiday home: full central heating (certainly not necessary for our trip which coincided with the UK’s highest temperatures on record in June, but undoubtedly useful for an off-season trip), a huge 200-gallon water tank with double-filtered drinking water, a kitchen with a four-burner gas stove, oven, microwave and fridge.
There’s also free Wi-Fi, a TV, and indoor and outdoor seating at the bow.
The boat is also dog friendly, which meant we were able to take our Springer Spaniel George with us (and he loved the experience!).
The location Our route took us along the Llangollen Canal from Whitchurch to Ellesmere and back, winding through an area apparently known as the Shropshire Lake District. As someone who lives in Cumbria, I’m naturally a little biased in favor of our own Lake District. I’ve been to the Italian lakes and heard of the ones in Northern Ireland, but a Shropshire version was entirely new to me.
It turns out to be a truly beautiful low-lying wetland region, centered around the market town of Ellesmere and, although it doesn’t have the dramatic, imposing hills of the famous English Lake District to the north-west of Englandit was not without its own quiet, cinematic charm.
Geologically, it is also a fascinating place. And just as Cumbria is the product of the last ice age, so too is the Lake District of Shropshire, albeit in different circumstances. These Shropshire lakes are actually kettle holes formed when huge blocks of ice broke away from receding ice, were buried in sediment and eventually melted to leave deep water-filled holes. Because they are fed by underground springs rather than fast-moving rivers, they are rich in nutrients and teeming with birds, with Whixall Moss, located along the canal and one of Britain’s largest raised bogs, being an excellent place to view a variety of species.
The area is very tranquil and relaxed, and a gentle-paced barge cruise is a great way to see it all. We stopped a short walk from the Sun Inn in Welshampton one evening and they were incredibly accommodating, serving us even though we arrived just as the kitchen was finishing.
We managed a lovely walk around Cole Mere, went wild swimming in Lake Ellesmere and caught the England v Ghana World Cup match at the Ellesmere pub (they don’t serve food but were happy for us to bring takeaway fish and chips across the road).
Because the geography between Whitchurch and Elleswmere is so flat, the whole stretch is completely lock-free. The only obstacles are a handful of seesaw lift bridges, which you open manually using a standard windlass, and the occasional bridge.
Everything you need to plan your trip in 2026 Other Nice Touches There were a number of discreet touches aboard Starks Lark that may seem small, but demonstrate a degree of care and attention to detail. As well as a supply of tea and coffee, a small bouquet of fresh flowers in the kitchen and a personalized deck of cards to take home as a souvenir, all of this did not go unnoticed. There was also a ‘Welcome to Shropshire’ envelope waiting for us, filled with local information to save on any unnecessary Google searches, and a photo on the wall telling us about the Starks’ lark (Spizocorys starki), a highly nomadic bird native to Angola, BotswanaNamibia and South Africa.
The cost Narrowboats such as Starks Lark are part of Drifters’ Elite range. To obtain this classification, a boat must be less than ten years old or recently refitted and designed for maximum comfort. A midweek break Monday to Friday on an equivalent boat in high season costs £1,999. If you want a full week (Friday to Friday) it’s £2,799, although you can currently find it discounted at £2,240. If you can travel in the off-season, those numbers drop to significantly less than half of those numbers.
The best piece The highlight of our trip was how unique and collaborative the experience was. Modern family holidays these days unfortunately involve everyone looking at their own screen, but houseboat holidays require everyone to be together. Whether it’s pulling up lift bridges, scanning reeds for herons or helping steer a 66-foot boat through a narrow hole in a brick bridge, everyone has a job.
The final verdict Our stay at Starks Lark opened our eyes to what a luxury UK getaway can look like. Forget any stereotypes of traditional boating you might have and replace them with something truly comfortable and modern. Combining a top-of-the-range boat with the tranquil beauty of Shropshire’s wetlands is a perfect way to escape the hectic pace of everyday life and relax your mind for a few days. Starks Lark doesn’t just take you along the Llangollen Canal; it immerses you in a world where the landscape moves as you walk and the only real requirement is to sit back, enjoy and watch it pass by.
Disclosure: Our trip was sponsored by Wanderers And ABC boat rental.
Paul Johnson Paul Johnson is the editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for over 30 years. He is the winner of the Innovations in Travel “Best Travel Influencer” award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Telegraph.
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