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Canal Boat Day Hire is a family-run business based at Apsley Marina in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. We offer self-drive and skippered narrowboat experiences on the beautiful Grand Union Canal, providing a unique and relaxing alternative to traditional days out. Our boat, Tilly, is available for private hire and can accommodate groups of up to 10 people. Whether you're planning a family day out, a birthday celebration, a catch-up with friends, a team-building event, or simply looking for a peaceful escape from everyday life, we aim to provide a memorable experience on the water. One of the things that makes us different is that no previous boating experience is required. We provide a comprehensive handover and practical instruction before every trip, helping customers feel confident and comfortable before setting off. Many of our guests are first-time boaters and are often surprised by how easy and enjoyable canal boating can be. We pride ourselves on offering a personal service from the moment a booking is made through to the end of the hire. As a small independent business, we genuinely value every customer and work hard to ensure each trip is safe, enjoyable and stress-free. Located just a two-minute walk from Apsley railway station, with direct links to and from London, Canal Boat Day Hire offers an easily accessible way to experience the tranquillity of the British waterways and create lasting memories with family, friends and colleagues.
Apsley Marina, HP3 9WQ, Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom
4.5
15 reviews
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Our canal boat hire of Tilly was truly incredible. We had such a wonderful time on this clean and beautiful boat! I can’t recommend it more to anyone who is looking to hire a canal boat in this area. Paul is wonderful.
Reply from Canal Boat Day Hire
Thanks for the lovely review Charlotte. It was great meeting you and your family. I'm so pleased you all had a nice time on Tilly. I hope you can come back again sometime soon.
Absolutely brilliant! We had the best day on the canal and would definitely do this again. Paul was very friendly and helpful and trained us up in no time so that we felt confident to drive ourselves - our teenagers loved steering the boat as well as operating the various locks on the route. A perfect introduction to canal boating for us beginnners!
Reply from Canal Boat Day Hire
Thanks so much for the review Jill. It was lovely meeting you and your family. I'm pleased that the kids enjoyed being on Tilly the canal boat and got on well with the locks. It was lovely meeting you all, hope you come back again soon.
Fantastic experience. The boat was clean and had everything you needed for a day trip. Our Skipper Paul was really friendly and so patient with my daughter while she spoke to him constantly! Had lots of fun taking turns to steer the boat and operate the locks. Will be booking again soon.
Reply from Canal Boat Day Hire
Thank you Natalie, you have a lovely family and your daughter was brilliant at steering the boat. I'm really pleased you all had a nice time and I hope to see you all again soon.
It was an amazing experience of sailing on the canal aboard Tilly. We self sailed the boat. Paul the owner went through all instructions regarding how to operate the boat and how to open and close the locks to sail safely through different elevations. I would definitely do it again through Paul. He’s patient and very friendly.
Reply from Canal Boat Day Hire
Thank you so much for your wonderful review. I’m delighted you all had such an incredible journey on Tilly and that you enjoyed the challenge of the locks as well as the experience of steering her yourself. It was a pleasure to welcome you from Apsley Marina, and I’m really pleased the instructions were clear and that the facilities onboard helped make the day enjoyable for everyone.
We (family, friends, adults and children) have a fantastic day trip on Tilly. The boat is very nicely maintained and clean. The stretch of canal around Apsley is lovely, good amount of sailing and locks. The host was very friendly and we were made to feel welcome and safe. Clear instructions and guidance. I would highly recommend taking Tilly out for the day.
Reply from Canal Boat Day Hire
Thank you so much for such a lovely review. I’m really pleased you and the family all had such a fantastic day on Tilly, and it’s great to hear that you found the boat clean, well maintained and welcoming. It means a lot to know you felt safe and that the instructions and guidance were clear.
A wonderful day out in beautiful scenery. Expert tuition from Paul on the lock system meant we felt confident to handle the elegant ‘ Tilly’ narrowboat for the day by ourselves. It was a dream come true for the skipper but the whole crew loved the relaxing, peaceful setting and seeing the abundant bird and water life as we cruised on the outskirts of London. A well - equipped kitchen meant food and hot drinks are available or a pub meal if you choose. Thank you Paul !
Reply from Canal Boat Day Hire
Thank you so much, Maree, for such a lovely review. I’m really pleased you all enjoyed the day, felt confident with Tilly after the tuition, and had the chance to relax and enjoy the scenery, wildlife, and the experience together. It was a pleasure to have you aboard, and I’m delighted it was a dream come true for the skipper.
We had a great day out on Tilly. Paul the owner meets you on arrival and talks you through everything. He also steers you out of the Marina and through the first couple of locks until you gain your confidence which is great. I thoroughly recommend this as a lively day out for anyone.
Reply from Canal Boat Day Hire
Thank you so much for your wonderful review. I'm really pleased you had such a fantastic day on Tilly. It was a pleasure meeting you all and I'd love to welcome you back for another day on the Grand Union Canal in the future.
We had such a fun family day out aboard Tilly. Paul was very helpful getting us up to speed with how to operate the boat and made us feel very comfortable. We'll definitely be back for a future visit!
Reply from Canal Boat Day Hire
Thank you so much for your wonderful review, Daniella. It was a pleasure meeting you and your family, and I'm so pleased you all had such a fun day aboard Tilly. I'm glad the handover helped you feel confident and comfortable before setting off. Thank you for choosing Canal Boat Day Hire, and I look forward to welcoming you all back for another relaxing day on the canal in the future!
We had a brilliant experience,
Paul was a lovely gentleman, brilliant at instructing us how to drive the canal boat and we felt really reassure if we needed any help along the way, he was on the other end of the phone and also not far away.
The boat was in beautiful clean condition
And was equipped with everything we needed for the day
Beautiful views and scenery , right at the heart of nature.
The most relaxing, fun day out , which is also a bit different- would definitely recommend
Can’t wait to come back
Reply from Canal Boat Day Hire
Thanks so much for your wonderful review, Annemarie. It was a pleasure meeting you, and I'm so pleased you had such a relaxing and enjoyable day on the canal. I'm glad the briefing helped you feel confident before setting off, and it's great to hear Tilly had everything you needed. Thank you for your recommendation, and I really look forward to welcoming you back for another day on the water soon! 🚤😊
Excellent intro from Paul including guidance about routes and stopoffs, and boat was well presented and equipped. Had a great time and highly recommend!
Reply from Canal Boat Day Hire
Thank you so much for your kind review, Christopher. It was a pleasure meeting you, and I'm delighted you had such a great day on Tilly. I'm glad the route suggestions and stop-off recommendations helped you make the most of your time on the canal. Thanks again for taking the time to recommend us, and I hope to welcome you back for another relaxing trip in the future.
We had a lovely boat hire and trip on Tilly on nice warm Friday evening. Paul was super helpful in getting us all set up, learning our way through the locks and being patient with us as we got more confident in steering the boat. The ride was lovely and green with some beautiful views - the children enjoyed helping out with the locks, feeding the ducks and having a snack and game time on the boat. The marina has some lovely restaurants as well or an enjoyable evening after. We hope to be back with friends and highly recommend the experience.
Nidhi
Reply from Canal Boat Day Hire
Thank you so much for your lovely review, Nidhi.
It was a pleasure meeting you and your family. I'm glad you enjoyed the evening hire and that everyone quickly gained confidence with the boat and the locks. It's always great to see children getting involved, whether that's helping with the locks, feeding the ducks or simply enjoying time away from screens on the canal.
We were certainly lucky with the weather, and I'm pleased you were able to make the most of the beautiful scenery and peaceful surroundings.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review and for recommending Canal Boat Day Hire. I hope to welcome you back again soon, perhaps next time with your friends as well!
Best wishes,
Paul
Canal Boat Day Hire
We had a fantastic Father's Day experience on the canal boat. Paul, our skipper, was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and knowledgeable from start to finish.
He took the time to show everyone how to steer the boat and work the locks, making the trip both enjoyable and educational. His patience and enthusiasm helped us all feel involved and confident, and he made the whole day relaxed and fun.
The canal itself was beautiful, and having such a great skipper really made the experience special. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone looking for a memorable day out with family and friends. Thank you, Paul, for a wonderful Father's Day!
Reply from Canal Boat Day Hire
Thank you so much for your wonderful review.
It was a pleasure spending Father's Day with your family and I'm delighted to hear that everyone enjoyed the experience.
One of my favourite parts of a skippered trip is helping people get involved, whether that's steering the boat, learning how the locks work or simply gaining the confidence to try something new. It's great to hear that everyone felt included and enjoyed learning about life on the canal.
Thank you for your kind words about the scenery, the boat and the day as a whole. Reviews like yours mean a great deal to a small family business.
I hope to welcome you all back aboard Tilly again in the future.
Best wishes,
Paul
Canal Boat Day Hire
Reply from Canal Boat Day Hire
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it and I'm pleased that you had a nice time on the boat.
We had an amazing day out with family. Something different and fun to do and all the mobile phones were away for a change! Lovely . The boat was very clean and Paul told is everything we needed to know for a safe and fun day out . Definitely would recommend
Reply from Canal Boat Day Hire
Thank you so much for your lovely review.
I'm delighted to hear that you and your family had such a great day out. One of the things I enjoy most about canal boating is seeing people put their phones away and spend quality time together, so it's wonderful to hear that was part of your experience too.
Thank you for your kind comments about the boat and the handover. I always try to make sure everyone feels confident and comfortable before setting off, especially those who are new to boating.
It was a pleasure meeting you all, and I really appreciate the recommendation. Hopefully I'll see you back on the Grand Union Canal again in the future.
Kind regards,
Paul
Really lovely day out with our Leadership Team from Life Health Foods
What a great way to spend to spend time together outside the office
Great instructions , lovely boat , scenic but simple route and an enormous pub lunch at our turnaround point
I will definitely be booking again
Reply from Canal Boat Day Hire
Thank you Mike. It was great meeting you and your team. I'm glad you all had a nice time. Thank you for looking after the boat for me. Hope to see you all again soon.
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