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Boutique Narrowboats

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boutique narrowboat

things to do on a canal boat holiday include mooring outside a pub
Canal boat hire

Best Canalside Pubs on the Grand Union Canal

Our handpicked pub stops for romantic canal adventures. There’s something magical about mooring up outside a cosy pub after a day cruising the Grand Union Canal. Whether you’re sipping a pint by the fire or enjoying a meal with waterside views, canalside pubs are a highlight of any narrowboat holiday. Read more

By Simon Youthed, 7 days1 October, 2025 ago
Holiday on a luxury narrowboat
Canal boat hire

10 Things you never knew you’d love about a canal boat holiday

The slow magic of life afloat…   A canal boat holiday offers more than a change of scenery – it offers a complete shift in perspective. At just 4 miles an hour, everything slows: your breath, your thoughts, your sense of time. Even if you’ve never stepped aboard a narrowboat Read more

By Simon Youthed, 3 months23 July, 2025 ago
Narrowboat built for private clients by Boutique Narrowboats
Narrowboat design

Narrowboat built for private clients

This week we waved off the latest Boutique Narrowboat built for private clients. Swallow is 53 foot of loveliness, every inch of it designed with our clients in mind. Here’s what was involved. First design meeting Our clients asked to meet with us a couple of years ago, after seeing Read more

By Sharon Peach, 2 years ago
Logo British travel awards silver winner Boutique Narrowboats
Canal boat hire

National award for narrowboat holidays

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded silver in a national award for UK short breaks. The British Travel Awards are given to all kinds of companies in the hospitality industry every year. They are voted for by the public, which makes our own award even more Read more

By Sharon Peach, 2 years ago
narrowboat dinette boutique narrowboat drawing
Narrowboat interiors

Narrowboat dinettes and their alternatives

Many boat owners and builders consider narrowboat dinettes to be essential part of the interior design. Most hire boats have one (or two) in order to maximise the number of berths. Before, say, 2020, boatbuilders also automatically installed dinettes into their fit outs for private customers. But over the last Read more

By Sharon Peach, 2 years2 January, 2024 ago
Boutique Narrowboats British Travel Awards nominee logo
Press

British Travel Award hope for canal boat holidays

Our canal boat holidays are nominated for a top national award!! We are so excited that our canal boat holidays are nominated for the British Travel Awards 2023. Our aim is that the Boutique Narrowboats are amongst the most luxurious canal boats on Britain’s waterways and we are delighted to Read more

By Sharon Peach, 2 years23 June, 2023 ago
latest boat build ready for top coat
Narrowboat interiors

Painting the latest narrowboat build

The latest narrowboat build is now in the painting sheds of John Barnard, a leading expert in narrowboat exterior paint. We have been planning with our clients the colour scheme of the boat exterior and they have chosen complementary Epifane colours, made up especially in a hard wearing formula. The Read more

By Sharon Peach, 3 years24 August, 2022 ago
boutique narrowboats and union wharf being filmed
Press

Boutique Narrowboats on TV – interview with the BBC

Boutique Narrowboats is on TV! Okay, so the circumstances aren’t great. BBC Regional News wanted to cover the story of how the global pandemic is affecting canalboat businesses and so it was never going to be particularly optimistic coverage. But at least they took some lovely footage of Woodland Grayling. We will Read more

By Sharon Peach, 5 years22 December, 2020 ago
Antique chair on hire boutique narrowboat
Canal boat hire

Inside out newest luxury canalboat for hire – Woodland Grayling

Luxury canalboat for hire Many of you have been following the creation of our newest luxury canalboat for hire, Woodland Grayling, and we are delighted to show you the final result. We had hoped that the maiden voyage would take place last month, but alas the second lockdown meant that Read more

By Sharon Peach, 5 years7 December, 2020 ago
Feature image for Lock Etiquette
Canal boat hire

Canal lock etiquette – your guide to canal locks

To all you narrowboat novices: we say, don’t be put off by these fellas . Locks can look intimidating and you do need to take things slowly and carefully. But here’s the thing: as you exit your first lock, you will have been a little apprehensive together, figured it out Read more

By Sharon Peach, 7 years30 December, 2018 ago

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  • TripAdvisor

BOUTIQUE NARROWBOATS
UNION WHARF MARINA
1A CANALSIDE
MARKET HARBOROUGH
LEICESTERSHIRE
LE16 7UW


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