Customer Reviews.

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Hi Peter,
We have just returned from a seven day break onboard your boat Premier Cru and we wanted to say how much we had enjoyed ourselves and that we would have no hesitation in recommending friends and family to try a trip through your company, on the Kennet and Avon canal. The boat was very spacious, comfortable and clean and it was just right for our party of four adults and two children aged 9 and 7. After a nervous start, supervised by you, we quickly got the hang of moving forwards in a relatively straight line and we found ourselves cruising leisurely through some of the most beautiful countryside England has to offer. Having never been a holiday like this before we did not know what to expect but we all have come home saying that it was the most relaxing break we had ever been on but at the same time there were lots of things to see and do to keep us and the children occupied. A fantastic adventure from start to finish. Thanks again, and we hope one day to come back for another trip.
Bes wishes,
The Lockley party


Mon to Fri break. We all had an amazing time. Loved the challenges of the locks + swing bridges. Boat really well equipped and so warm. Thank you.
The England Family

Hi Peter

Want to thank you again for our lovely weekend.

xx Elizabeth

London

We hired the fleet of boats for a big family weekend, which was such a delight.
Peter and his crew were amazing: really helpful and set us up for a great trip.
The boats have EVERYTHING you might need, are spacious, comfy and brill.
Barging is pretty easy to get the hang of and such a beautiful part of the world to drop down a gear and relax stopping by some fun old Inns en-route.
Highly recommend to anyone planning a barge holiday and especially recommend Bath Canal Boats as a company, enjoy!

Hired la "Grand Cru" from Friday to Sunday. Turned out to be one of the best weekend breaks I have had in years. Beats airport security cues and budget airlines, hands-down.

Mr. D. Joyce

Wapping London

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"As first time canal boaters we were quite apprehensive about what was in store.  As soon as we arrived, the warm, friendly welcome set us at ease. The helpful advise on boat handling and locks was excellent and we didn't feel at all rushed, within an hour aboard we were cruising down the canal relaxing with our bottle of chilled complementary wine! Grand Cru is a beautiful boat, superbly equipped and we had an unforgettable holiday...we enjoyed it so much that within 3 months of our first trip we had to book again for some frosty evenings (weather!) in front of the log fire. Would highly recommend for any time of year."

The Boyles

Portland Dorset

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Last December I spent my birthday weekend on Grand Cru with my partner. We had a wonderful romantic time. Peter Brown gave us a big welcome and explained everything to us in great detail. We did not feel rushed. The canal boat was well equipped, very clean and the fridge was stocked up. The wood burning stove and central heating kept us warm and cosy. Peter Brown reassured us that he was at hand if we had any difficulties but we didn't have any!!!!! I highly recommend this for an amazing weekend break on the Avon Canal.

Mrs. Davies

Wimbledon London

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We hired the Grand Cru boat and spent three gorgeous days bobbing down the canal. The boat was superbly equipped, the sleeping accommodation was excellent and the living accommodation was big enough for two adults and three very boisterous children. Well worth it.

 Mr.  Hook

 Bristol  

Four grand days on the 'Grand Cru'

Three families (one from Cardiff, one from India and another from USA) got together on this lovely boat for an extended weekend. It was, in fact, a family re-union.

Peter's hospitality was brilliant as was his boat. We parked our car by the boat at the outskirts of Bath and hopped on to the Grand Cru. We left some luggage at Peter's place and soon after he showed us around, we were off eastbound. To accommodate all of us, Peter arranged for extra beds and even a portable baby-cot for our six-month old!

The boat was considerably different from the usual canal-boats. It was longer and much broader and had a spanking new look. It sure did draw the admiration of the passer-by!

Overall, it was a fitting place to hold the reunion of our family of three generations. Most importantly, we got the personal touch of the owner alongside his professional attitude.

Syamantak

India

We really enjoyed our 5 days "afloat" and the peaceful "away from it all" feeling.  The most notable things were the superb fire, the sense of space, the high quality sound system and the high standard of cleanliness.  Thank you. Without wishing to be critical, the map was out of date as there is no water where shown East of Bradford just before the turning point. We refilled at Alverton Marina on Christmas Day but could have run dry.  Also the 60W wall light is essential for comfortable reading in the evenings. Luckily we found a shop that sold new bulbs, its probably worth keeping one or two in case.
 
Thanks again and I hope the 2008 season is a good one for you
 
With best wishes
 
Gary and Jewel Dyer

East Sussex

I just wanted to write to say how much we enjoyed our honeymoon on 
the Grand Cru. It was really special to pull up to the beautifully 
decorated boat complete with ribbons and champagne- and such a 
surprise! . It was a brilliant post wedding chill out.

Elizabeth

Bristol

 
My stay on the Premier Cru. I stayed on the Premier Cru boat from the 27th to the 30th May 2011, we picked up the boat and met the owner Peter, he showed us around the boat and it was amazing it was so tidy and clean it looked brand new. Peter then took us on a little trip down the canal to show us how the boat worked he was so good at explaining everything that when we had a go ourselves we looked like we had done it before! Peter jumped off the boat and let us turn the boat around ourselves, after we had turned around we came across another boater coming towards us and we had to pass each other but because it was shallow we ran aground, but with a little help we were soon on our way again. Our first night was amazing the beds were so comfy and we loved the wood fire it was so lovely and warm. The next day I got out a magnet that Peter told me about so I tied it up and chucked it over the side it was a new type of fishing for me!, within the first go I caught a blue buggy this was another great thing about the boat there are so many things to do you never got bored, we would love to come again we seemed to be the envy of the other boaters as we even had others asking to look around and they were so jealous of the luxuries and space we had! Peter was so friendly and welcoming and the little touch of the welcome pack of tea, coffee, sugar and of course wine for Mum and Dad was a nice touch. We would recommend Peter and his crew and will be definitely returning for a longer trip.

James aged 13.5 away with Mum, Dad, Sister, Auntie & Uncle for 50th Birthday celebrations.

Berkshire
 
I just wanted to drop you a short note to say how much my family and I enjoyed our time on the Grand Cruz. We were particularly impressed with the luxurious internal fittings (particularly the fire) which is better than many hotels we have stayed at.  Having breakfast on the rear deck, enjoying the local canal scenery and watching the world go by is an excellent way to start the day.  It was a completely hassle free couple of days and the assistance from you was first class, especially given our lack of knowledge on boating generally. We will certainly be back for more and once again, thanks for a fantastic few days.

The Astons

Singapore

 

Hi Peter, Tim Kennedy here in Edinburgh. Sorry it has taken so long to get back to you sadly real life is not as easy going as canal life! More than happy to offer feedback on our week on Grand Cru in august. Apart from the obvious stuff about the size and comfort of the boat, we were impressed to find bacon eggs wine and various other goodies on board already for our consumption. We also liked your relaxed and laid back manner as you introduced us to the boat and canal life. Being available on the phone to give us directions to Stonehehge on the last day also wins you some brownie points. This was our fourth year spending a week on the canals and was easily the best due to the size of Grand Cru and your friendly and chilled manner.... keep up the good work and continue to deanalize ( if you know what i mean!) canal life. thanks again from all of us.

Mr. Kennedy

Edinburgh, Scotland

 

"My parents wanted to enjoy an English experience; their first trip to England.  Three days (two nights) on Grand Cru gave them that experience and a chance to slow down after a hectic month of travelling around Europe and England.  The prompt responses to my enquiries and bookings on their behalf and the hospitality upon arrival and return to land were welcomed.  An expensive treat for New Zealanders but well worth it.  The canal boat is one of the larger on the canals to manoeuvre but all the more comfortable for four adults - plenty of room and comforts at hand.  My father relished the experience taking charge of the steering for most of the trip while we soaked up the sun!  The small barbeque we had on board one evening was a highlight".

Melissa Shipman

Richmond, London

 

I recently hired Grand Cru for a short break with my extended family, their teenage children and my three year old. Although I have hired canal boats before I was concerned about the boredom threshold of the teenagers and the general safety implications of a three year old, who can kick off at any moment. Peter assured me that although he couldn't guarantee that my little one wouldn't have a paddy he would be safe on board. There was a life buoy and a life jacket available that fitted my three year old perfectly. The front end of the boat was enclosed, so it was quite safe for him to play, feed the ducks etc. There was plenty to see along the canal to keep him interested, he even had a go at driving. He was happy and so, therefore, I could relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the canal. There was a good selection of DVDs available for all ages which always helps when there are children around. As for the teenagers, well, they drove the boat, opened the swing bridges, moored up and then retired exhausted to stare at a screen of some sort until it was time to go to the pub and eat lots. We all had a lovely time. 

Liz Morris,

  Oxon

"Had an absolutely fantastic time aboard the Premier Cru - managed to pick the best weekend for weather all year!
The boat was extremely comfortable with everything that we could possibly need for our long weekend.
Would thoroughly recommend Bath Canal Boat Company and will be back next year so we can attack the Devices
locks as we only managed to get to the bottom and back in the time we had. If you're looking for a relaxing holiday – you can't beat boating.

Many thanks again and we look forward to seeing you sometime soon.

Tom, Richard & Karen,

Cambridgeshire


What a fabulous weekend we had on Grand Cru! My husband and I could not have asked for a more romantic setting and the fact we had great weather, for February, was an added bonus! The boat is absolutely beautiful and the accommodation is of a very high standard. There is plenty of room on board and the wood burning stove gives the boat such a cosy and romantic feel. There were lots of lovely touches on board, such as flowers, a bottle of wine, food in the fridge, milk and all the essentials needed. We received a hugely warm welcome from Peter Brown and his son Joshua and with a thorough pep talk from Peter before we set off, we were able to get the most out of life on the canal. We highly recommend a trip on Grand Cru. Excellent!


Emma Hawkins

London

We had a wonderful stay on the Grand Cru, our passenger's age ranged from 12 to 70 and everybody enjoyed the holiday. Most of us had never experienced this type of holiday before, so nobody could wait to get going, and once we had, none of us wanted to go home. We were all impressed at how big the boat was, and how well everything was set up.It was lovely to see other people on boats too, who waved and said hello as we passed them. It was a very peaceful and fun holiday and we would all love to do it again.

F. Smedley
Hatfield



Just a brief note to say thanks very much for such an excellent weekend spent cruising the canals around Bath. We thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone we're already looking forward to the next trip back! Thanks also for the superb restaurant and pub recommendations!
All the best, Ed.
Poole Dorset



We needed a boat that could cater for two 6ft 4" blokes, two ladies who like their comfort and a baby with a 4x4 off-road V8 buggy! The Bath Canal Boat Company came up with goods. Gentle, yet expert advice before we set off and a quick pint got us all into the lazy weekend mood immediately. We pootled down the canal towards Bath, feeling very proud that we had one of the best boats on the canal. The main event for us happened on Saturday afternoon, somewhere between Bath and Keynsham on the river Avon, when Gilbert and I decided to save the life of a sorry look sheep that had fallen into the river. The sight off two idiots slipping and sliding up the river bank in our underpants with a muddy, miserable and soggy looking sheep was one to behold, the ramblers walking through the field at the top got quiet shock too. Anyway, a wonderfully memorable weekend on board an incredibly comfortable and spacious boat. If you are thinking of renting on the Kennet and Avon, don't bother looking any further... this is the way to do it. Just don't try and farm-yard heroics, best left to the RSPCA!
Cheers

M.Chiles
Bath



Diese Rezension macht Freude, weil beim Schreiben Erinnerungen an eine herrliche Zeit auf Premier Cru lebendig werden. Wir waren eine Fünfer-Mannschaft, Anne und Frank aus Paignton mit Retriever Bootshund Max und meine Tochter Nicola und ich aus Bremen. Anders als das normale 7’ breite Kanalboot verfügt Premier Cru mit 10’ Breite über einen Gang und Kabinen. Mehr Privatsphäre und Geräumigkeit einerseits verlangen mehr Umsicht bei der Navigation mit Überbreite andererseits, aber das ist sowieso selbstverständlich in der entspannten Bootsfahrergemeinschaft. Wir genossen es, alle in der großzügigen Lounge beisammen zu sein, die vollständig ausgerüstete Kombüse zu nutzen und geschlossene Kabinen zur Ruhe zu haben.

Wir mieteten das Boot Anfang September 2010 für 4 Tage auf dem Kennet & Avon Kanal von Bath ostwärts nach Devizes und zurück. Water ship Farm außerhalb von Bath ist ein idealer Ausgangspunkt für einen Bootsurlaub beliebiger Dauer, ob westwärts nur nach Bath hinein, weiter bis ins Tidengewässer nach Bristol, oder ostwärts am Talsaum über dem Avon entlang mit überwältigenden Ausblicken in die liebliche Hügellandschaft über die Aquädukte von Dundas und Avoncliff. Wir machten am Cross Guns Pub am Treidelpfad über dem Fluss beim Avoncliff Aquädukt fest und unternahmen eine kleine Wanderung auf dem Flussuferpfad durch Wald und Weiden nach Freshford mit dem traditionellen Inn unter einer riesigen Buche. Beide Lokale sind einen Besuch wert. Um einen Eindruck von Caen Hill Flight mit seinen 16 Schleusen zu gewinnen, fuhren wir bis zur Marsh Lane Brücke und drehten am nächsten Tag direkt vor dem Hügelanstieg. In Gedanken sind wir weiter und bald zurück an diesem reizenden Fleckchen Erde.

It’s pleasure to give this review as writing brings to mind memories of a great time we spent on Premier Cru. We made a crew of five, Anne and Frank from Paignton with Retriever boat hound Max, and my daughter Nicola and me from Bremen. Unlike the ordinary 7’ beam narrow boat Premier Cru as a 10’ wide beam avails of a corridor and cabins. More privacy and spacious living on the one hand require more foresight in wide beam navigation on the other, but this is a matter of course in the relaxed boaters’ community anyway. We enjoyed assembling in the wide and comfortable lounge with log fire, using the fully equipped galley and after all resting in a closed cabin.

We chartered the boat early September 2010 for a 4 days cruise on the Kennet & Avon Canal from Bath eastward up to Devizes and back. Water ship Farm outside of Bath makes an ideal starting point for a boat break of any duration, either westward into Bath and further down into tidal waters towards Bristol, or eastward along the valley slope above River Avon with stunning views of the lovely hilly landscape over the Dundas and Avoncliff aqueducts. We moored at the Cross Guns Free House on the towpath above the river at Avoncliff aqueduct and had a decent walk on paths through wood and pasture land along River Avon to Freshford with the traditional Inn under a huge beech tree. Both pubs are worth-while a stop. In order to get an impression of the Caen Hill flight with its 16 locks we proceeded up to Marsh Lane Bridge and turned the next day right before the Hill section. In thoughts we pass beyond and back soon to this delightful spot.

Best regards from Bremen, Germany

Gunter, on behalf of the whole crew



Hope you are keeping well. The weather up here has turned rubbish, so we are thanking our lucky stars that it was 100% better a couple of weeks ago. I thought I would write this review for you whilst all the memories are still fresh, so here it is.Four first-time canal boaters, three full days of lovely sunshine, two o'clock start and one 30th birthday celebration were all the ingredients for an amazing holiday on board Grand Cru. We cruised from Bathampton to Bristol floating harbour and back again over 4 days. The sun shone down on us as we trickled along at 4mph admiring the river and enjoying a few glasses of wine on deck. Grand Cru was a lovely home from home, with everything we could have needed on board. Peter gave us some excellent driving tuition and helped us when we encountered the first lock. The rest was plain sailing, lots of laughter, some real relaxation and a great time had by all. We cant recommend Grand Cru enough - enjoy!

Anna, Phil, Laura & John,
Sheffield



We hired the 'Grand Cru' for 7 days in early September for a family reunion. We all thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and were impressed with the space on-board the Grand Cru - it feels quite palatial compared to your traditional narrow boats! We (5 adults) did not feel cramped (in spite of having to spend quite a few hours in doors due to inclement weather!) We were impressed with the pot-belly fire (though were not impressed that we had to light the fire twice... in early September !!) and also the well appointed crew quarters - the beds were really comfortable. The Grand Cru's galley is also well appointed - so much so that the crew were treated to some quite amazing meals prepared by the Head Chef (i.e. Mum) and we all appreciated the bottle of wine, bacon and eggs provided on arrival - very nice touch! We have recommended Bath Canal Boats and the Grand Cru to a number of friends already and look forward to booking another trip with you soon.
Many thanks

The Peacock Family
Hunter Valley, Australia
Toronto, Canada
London, UK



Hi Peter, Hi Josh, I trust you are both well. I felt I just had to write to you to say thank you and congratulations. We have just returned from what must be the most relaxing, peaceful and enjoyable break we have ever had. Maureen and I arrived on Friday afternoon to a warm welcome from yourselves, parked right next to the mooring, and went straight on board. Your tour of the boat and talk through were first class. Premier Cru is, I have to say, superb. The cleanliness, decor and facilities are excellent. On you departure we set off in the direction of Bradford on Avon with full confidence. After about an hour of cruising we decided to moor up for the night due to failing light. We were about ten minutes walk from the nearest pub in a lovely quiet spot with few boats nearby. I lit the woodburner and Maureen and I went for dinner. On return Premier Cru was lovely and warm inside. We decided to take full advantage of the bath, a rarity on canal boats, and we sat in the bath together for almost an hour drinking wine, such peace and tranquility in this day and age is so hard to find, but we found it. We lay on the sofa beds watching television well into the night in front of a glowing red fire, paradise. In the morning it was cold outside but thanks to the central heating we were lovely and warm inside. Later that morning the rest of the family joined us and we continued our cruise. At every loch all eyes were on Premier Cru, and at one loch while I was waiting to open the gate, I was asked by one fellow boater, if I was the one on the Queen Mary, as he pointed to Premier Cru. I was so tempted to make out she was mine, but had to be honest. The following days proved as brilliant as the first day, and enjoyed by all, such a shame we had to return, and worse still return to work. Well enough said, and once again many thanks. You mention on your web site,"a small company", maybe, you would struggle to find such professionalism and high standards in a large company.

Ian & Maureen Hardy
Northampton.



what a great holiday we had, from the moment that we set foot on the spacious modern and extremely comfortable boat, we felt at home. the expertise that Mr Brown taught us, with humour, in such a short space of time was amazing. We felt confident from that time and the experience way out passed our expectations and I would have no hesitation in recommending Bath canal boats to anyone in the future...

Richard McCraith
Chipping Sodbury



A group of four of us hired the Grand Cru over a long weekend. Excellent break from the city and the boat is situated on a great stretch of canal. The boat feels more like a cottage than a small boat with plenty of room to move about and has all the essential cooking and entertainment equipment. The views were fantastic as we headed up the canal and plenty of pubs and villages to stop off at. Peter was very accommodating in terms of meeting us late on the Friday and gave us some excellent instructions on operating the boat. Would definitely recommend this to friends as a perfect weekend escape.

Graham
London



We had a wonderful weekend especially because of the two wonderful sunny days that made our trip even better. A special thank you for the time you spent with us and the relaxed manner of your communication and assistance. We always felt safe and reassured that if we had any problems you would be there to help us. The Grand Crew is very spacious and equipped well. It was a pleasure and experience to travel with her. You may remember that the trip was a 30th birthday present for our daughter following her exhausting treatment for breast cancer, there is hardly a week goes by when she doesn't mention that weekend away. She had such a wonderful time and has said on many occasions that it was the best birthday present she has ever had. We bought her a painting in Bath of the canal boat moored by The George. This is now hung proudly in her lounge as a constant memory!
Thanks again Peter and also to your good lady wife who met us on our return.
Kind Regards

Danny and Jennifer
Devon



Always eager to spend some time on a 'Cru'! Here's a review... "There's no better way for a group of city-weary folk to relax than spend a few days on the river, and after a week on Grand Cru the idea of doing anything other than cruising along at 2mph caused furrowed brows! It was unanimously the holiday of the year and we couldn't recommend Bath Canal Boats more, the easiest and most effective getaway in the country."

Dave Cornthwaite, Little Book Creative Design Company
East Dulwich
London



We found the experience of living on a broader beamed boat very different from the narrowboats we had hired before. The spacious lounge/kitchen area was a pleasure to sit in during the evenings, and the stove made it really cosy. The kitchen was well equipped with everything we needed. The DVD player and books provided helped to keep the children entertained too. The feeling was more like staying in someone's home than in a hired boat. The bathroom has significantly more space in it than the very cramped ones found on a narrowboat. Handling was very similar to a narrowboat, though more care was needed at bridgeholes, and technically everything worked well on the boat. We had to take the weedhatch off once; Clearing the prop was fairly easy. The high point of the trip for us was an evening cruise into Bath, with the low sun golden on the stone of the ornate buildings as we passed by, and in some cases under them. The whole of this stretch of canal is delightful though, especially as it criss-crosses the steep sided valley just east of Bathhampton, and I'd highly recommend it. We got to the bottom of the Devizes locks and back in 5 days and had time to go into Bath and back as well, but those who prefer more stops or shorter days might want to take a week over it. We appreciated your flexibility in letting us keep the boat a bit longer as the next hirers were coming later. A few minor issues, we would have liked more fuel provided for the stove, as we used all there was, plus some dead wood we stopped and gathered. It would be good to make the arrangement of the double bed cabins, with one partially over the other a bit clearer in the brochure, as it came as a bit of a surprise to us. My wife hurt her back when the step up to the back cabin bed slipped. It would be good to make that secure. I was also a bit unhappy about the hygiene of the water filler being flush with the deck. We cleaned and dried off the deck around it carefully before opening it, but of course we couldn't know it the previous people had done the same.
Regards

Ian Anderson

Guilford



I went on Peter Brown's Grand Cru mid-September with my partner Gary and my 80 year old parents, our first time on a canal boat. First of all, I would like to say that Peter is very friendly and relaxed, he was very helpful both before and during our holiday, it really made us feel relaxed from the start. His boat “Grand Cru” is very comfortable, well kitted out and spacious. We started from Bathampton and went eatswards to Caen Hill Locks (flight of 29 locks, just West of Devizes). Each of us found exactly what we wanted out of our 4-day holiday. My fit and active father thoroughly enjoyed opening and closing the swing bridges and locks. My mother enjoyed putting her feet up and admiring the scenery. My partner, who always likes a challenge, learnt to navigate perfectly even through narrow spaces (especially considering Grand Cru is a wide-beam), and managed to get through a fallen tree lying across the canal ! He relished the necessary but simple daily boat checks. He probably had the most demanding job, although you wouldn't have thought so, looking at him smiling constantly whilst at the tiller with the occasional beer in his hand. He found the superbly calm and relaxing evenings in the comfort of our 10-foot wide boat very enjoyable. We were pleased to have brought enough food and drinks with us, to alternate our home-prepared meals with those in the Pubs on the way. As for me, who likes being active as well as taking it easy, I found everything I wanted: opening locks, a bit of navigating, walking on the toe path alongside the boat, picking blackberries, taking photos, etc... Another aspect of this holiday is that you meet great people and you have the possibility of making friendships.
We would do this holiday again.
M. Egan



Nous avons beaucoup aimé notre petite croisière sur la péniche dénommée Grand Cru, au départ de Bathampton qui se trouve juste à l'est de la ville thermale de Bath. Nous étions avec notre fille et son compagnon qui, résidents en Angleterre, s'étaient chargés de la location. Nous avons été très bien accueillis par le propriétaire et agréablement surpris par la taille et le confort du bateau (cuisine équipée, chauffage central, télé, etc). Notre trajet entre Bathampton et la série d'écluses à l'ouest de Devizes se résume ainsi : tranquillité, beaux paysages, écluses à fonctionnement manuel, promenades à pied sur le chemin longeant le canal, escale dans un Pub, visite de la jolie ville de Bradford. Bref, repos total pour certains et activités pour les autres : chacun y a trouvé son compte. A notre retour, nous avons visité Bath, un must !
Odette et Raymond



Hi Peter

Our family (my husband and I and our two teenagers aged 17 and 14) together with 4 friends, the Ingrams and the van Rooyens, fulfilled one of the items on my bucket list in July 2011. We went for a week long barging holiday on a canal boat. After carefully surfing the web for many weeks I settled on the Kennet & Avon canal as it allowed us to include Bath, Bradford-on-Avon, Devizes and what was reported to be a beautiful rural area of England. After sifting through the numerous boat hire options in this area, I settled on Bath Canal Boats as the boats were wide-beam and looked really spacious and comfortable on the well layed out website. I contacted Peter and received immediate and helpful assistance. Both choices turned out to be winners. The area between Bath and Devizes is stunning and the accommodation couldn’t have been better.

We arrived on the 2nd July and were collected from the Bath Coach terminal by Peter and his son Josh who took us out to where the boats were moored. The ladies left the training and test run to Peter and the men while Josh Kindly took us up to the local Spar to buy a few provisions to see us through to Bradford-on-Avon. The boats were spacious, clean, well laid-out and quite easy to operate after a thorough training session from Peter. The bathroom on Premier Cru is very modern and the beds were as comfy as home. We had constant hot water and appreciated the many plugs for our various items of technology.

We started off towards Bath because that is the direction the boats were facing and turned around at the next winding hole and headed towards Bradford-on-Avon. We learnt quickly not to steer to close the banks and made good use of the pole to get us back on track. We moored for our first night before the Avoncliffe aqueduct and were enchanted by the local pub feel of the Cross Guns. Waking on Sunday to the most beautiful birdsong and a crisp sunny day, we moved on to Bradford-on-Avon where we moored next to the Tithe barn. I had arranged a guided tour of the town with the Tourism office and we spent a very interesting 2 hours with Ed who showed us the interesting historical sites of the town. The walk up to the weavers cottages was quite steep but the views were well worth the climb. Monday saw us through to Sells Green where we overnighted after a great meal at the 3 Magpies. On Tuesday we went as far as Foxhangers wharf and then cycled up to Devizes (we rented bikes in Bradford-on-Avon and put them on the top of the boats). Quite a long ride but very pleasant. I had arranged a tour of the Wadworth’s brewery which was very interesting. Devizes is a lovely town and has a very nice shopping area. Because of the late sunset, we were able to travel back as far as the Barge Inn at Seend where we had another great pub meal and spent the night. Wednesday was spent getting to Bathampton and although it was quite a lot of driving (does one drive a boat?) the scenery was so lovely and the pubs we stopped at were so enchanting that it was certainly no hardship. It was the first rainy day and, being used to hot weather, we found it quite cold. Hooray!! We got to try out the fire in the lounge. Brilliant. We moored for the night and ate at the George. Thursday saw us to the beautiful city of Bath. We moored before the top lock as we didn’t want to waste precious time with locks. The town centre was an easy 15 minute walk (10 minutes once we found the shortcut) and we spent Thursday and Friday exploring the city. Early on Saturday morning we turned Premier Cru around and then discovered that Grand Cru is a tiny bit too long to turn at that point so Steve and Ivan had to take their boat through the top lock, turn around and then come back through the lock. We arrived back at Claverton at 10 and Peter took us back to the Bath rail station.

One mistake I made was to overestimate the distance we could travel. I worked on 3 miles per hour but in reality, with all the boats that one is passing, 2 miles per hour is more realistic. Next time I will rather reduce the distance and increase the exploring of the towns and surrounds. The one couple on the Grand Cru complained about having to sleep with their feet in “the hole” but managed to work out a plan and it never detracted from the experience. Pumping out and filling up the water was easy and although time consuming was no hassle. Of course it helps to have bigger children that can attend to that while mom and dad go to the pub for a pint

What a spectacular holiday! It appealed to each member of our party in different ways. It’s a busy holiday but so relaxing at the same time. I uploaded an edited version of my holiday video to youtube if you would like to see a few of the sights we saw.

Many thanks Peter for a fabulous experience.

Kind regards, Linda Penny South Africa



Wir hatten Grand Cru im Oktober 2009 für 8 Tage gemietet. Die Übergabe des Bootes verlief völlig problemlos. Der Liegeplatz des Bootes war Dank der guten Wegbeschreibung, die den Buchungsunterlagen beigelegt war, prima zu finden. Wir hatten ein Auto gemietet; eine Abholung von Bath oder Flughafen Bristol wäre aber problemlos arrangiert worden. Wir wurden in die Handhabung des Bootes eingewiesen und auch die Bedienung der Schwingbrücken, von denen es am Kennet & Avon zahlreiche gibt, wurde an der nächstgelegenen Brücke geübt. Das Boot ist mit allem ausgestattet, was man braucht und wesentlich geräumiger als die Boote, die wir bisher kannten. Die Gasheizung machte superwarm und zusätzlich gab's noch genug Holz und Kohlen, um den gemütlichen Kamin einzuheizen. An Bord ist für Unterhaltung gut gesorgt: Fernsehen, DVDs, Bücher und viel Reiselektüre und Kartenmaterial. Auch Kaffee, Tee und Zucker gab es reichlich, hat für die gesamte Fahrt gereicht. Sogar ein passendes Handyladegerät wurde uns besorgt, da wir unseres vergessen hatten. Wir sind bis Devizes und zurück gefahren (lässt sich problemlos in einer Woche bewerkstelligen - aber man sollte nach den Schleusen mindestens einen Tag Verschnaufpause einplanen). Mal abgesehen von der Schleusentreppe bei Devizes ist der Kanal ansonsten sehr ruhig und verwunschen. Insgesamt eine sehr schöne Woche. Die Übergabe des Bootes am Anfang und Ende der Reise lief sehr entspannend ab und auch zwischendrin war immer jemand für Notfälle zu erreichen. Eine absolut empfehlenswerte Reise ! Kind regards Cordula, Dieter und Luca





I just wanted to send you a quick email to let you know how much we enjoyed our trip on the barge this weekend. After our training session, we set off towards Bradford-on-Avon. Although it was raining to begin with, by the time we got to the first aquaduct the sun was shining, and the boys in our team were feeling a lot more confidant handling the barge (us girls did have a go but only sporadically!).

The scenery en route was simply stunning. Being amidst such beauty has made us all feel really relaxed and the fishing was great too. It was a great team building experience, and though we were worried about the locks, we felt a big sense of achievement after completing them plus there were always friendly people about to help and cider to cheer us on. Needless to say after lots of fun and challenges all day, we slept well in the cosy cabins each night.


We will definitely recommend you to our friends, as it was such a fantastic holiday!
Many thanks,
Tamsin, Sam, Barney, Jake and Helen.
Bristol


Hej Peter. Din båd var rigtig fed. Det var rigtig hyggeligt at ligge oppe på taget og læse en bog eller bare slappe af. Sengene var rigtig gode og stuen med pejs var
hyggelig. Når vi sejlede så vi både kaniner, køer og får.
Hilsen Jonas og Emil.

Hi Peter.
We rented the Grand Cru for one week in late July. What follows is a translation of Jonas's (10 years) and Emil's (15) brief review above of one week on the Grand Cru
in late July:
"Your boat was really cool. It was really nice to simply lie on the roof, reading a book or just relaxing. The beds were really comfortable,
and I liked the living-room area with the stove. Sailing on the K&A canal, we spotted rabbits, cows, and sheep."

Let me just add that the adults enjoyed it very much as well. Would like one day to do an extended version of that week.

Sincerely, Kåre Kildevang

Denmark

Barging on the Kennet and Avon Canal

Bath Canal Boat Video