Water way to relax

HOTEL barge cruising specialist European Waterways announced the completion of its recent upgrade and refurbishing program across the company's fleet as it prepares to launch its 2018 season.

Hotel Barging is a boutique, unique experience which offers an immersive, all inclusive "gentle voyage of discovery" that focuses upon the culture, history, fine wine and gourmet cuisine of the region. 

With a 6 to 20 person capacity and 1:2 crew to guest ratio, European Waterways are able to provide an impeccable level of on board service and can transport their guests on the intimate inland waterways that are inaccessible to larger vessels. This fascinating network of smaller canals allows for flexibility, spontaneity and ample opportunity to hop off and explore the beautiful surroundings via bicycle or on foot. 

In addition to this there are daily chauffeured excursions "off the beaten track" to a wide variety of enthralling locations, from exquisite wine tastings to private tours of stately homes. With over 40 years' experience and a fleet that spans nine countries it is the largest luxury hotel #barging company in #Europe.

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Climb aboard for spring savings

SPRING is an ideal time to visit Burgundy. Warming temperatures are perfect for sightseeing and cycling alongside the canals. The hillsides are in bloom with colorful flowers, market squares return to life as town folks set up their open-air shops again, and the scenic waterways reward travelers with the lively songs of birds. The nearby city of Paris is also a prominent spring destination. 

European Waterways is jump-starting its spring 2018 hotel #barge cruising season by offering up to 20% off cabins and charters in #Burgundy, #France. The offer is available for select departures in April on some of its most popular cruise routes in the famed wine-making region. Eligible hotel barges include L’Impressionniste, La Belle Epoque, L’Art de Vivre, Finesse, and Renaissance. Cruises must be booked by February 19, 2018 to be eligible and other restrictions may apply. 

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Picture Credit: Burgundy

Goa to tap river tourism sector

#GOA is planning to promote its rivers to attract more tourists and help transportation within the state. 

‘The state government will give priority to waterways and we have scope to develop waterfronts’ says Goa’s chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar.

Goa has 400 miles of viable waterways, and an additional 155 miles that could also be utilized if they are dredged and their navigation channels are deepened.

‘We should use our rivers as waterways and further reduce the pressure on our roads. We could also build river jetties in coastal villages and the hinterland so that the pressure created by tourism can be spread across Goa and not just along the beaches’, says Mr Parsekar. ‘Once we have investment, we could have job creation and diversify tourism in the hinterland from the coast.’

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Picture Credit: 092 barque</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin

Picnic on the Broads

BOAT operator Herbert Woods in #Norfolk, has launched a Picnic #Boat – Starlight 24 – which can trace its roots back to the original Starlight designed by the company approximately 85 years ago. 

The company is introducing ten day-hire boats.

The 24ft, glass fibre boats have space for up to ten people and have gas hobs, sinks, fridges, hot and cold water, hot air heating, lavatories, life jackets … and full views front and back.

Full day hire cost from £180 to £200, with half day rates from £100 to £110.

www.herbertwoods.co.uk/day-boat-hire/picnic-boats.html

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Sights worth their salt

FROM iron spiders to steaming salt-pans, visitors are invited to explore Cheshire's industrial heritage and the county's 2,000 year relationship with salt through two major attractions: the Anderton Boat Lift and the Lion Saltworks Museum. 

Built by Edwin Clark in 1875 to haul cargo boats 50 feet from the River Weaver to the Trent & Mersey Canal, the Anderton Boat Lift is now a significant attraction in the heart of Cheshire. It is perched on the banks of the river, where it looks like a giant three-storey-high iron spider. A visitor centre tells the story of the lift and the industrial heritage of Northwich.

The nearby Lion Salt Works Museum – opened in June 2015 – relates the story of salt and its significance to Cheshire and Britain. The museum is next to the Trent & Mersey Canal, and is one of the few attractions in the UK with its own canal moorings. It is one of the last four open-pan salt-making sites in the world and has a unique industrial heritage.

www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/anderton-boat-lift

www.westcheshiremuseums.co.uk

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/65811939@N00/13957574812">The Anderton Boat Lift and Weaver Navigation, Northwich, Cheshire.</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Canal retreat

'Serenity' is not an average narrow boat. It offers a quirky holiday in Warwickshire's countryside.

The boat is unusual because it marries two seemingly incompatible worlds: urban chic and rural canal. With a contemporary interior, she is moored by a Victorian toll house and canal lock. It’s in the middle of nowhere, reached by a farm track over three fields.

It has a small bedroom (for two), a bathroom, a sitting area and a fully-equipped kitchen.

Serenity is permanently moored and cannot be moved.

Children cannot be accommodated, but a small dog is acceptable.

www.qualityunearthed.co.uk/accommodation/boats/narrow-boat-holidays

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Picture Credit: www.qualityunearthed.co.uk

Art on water

THE UK's 2,000 miles of rivers and canals are shaping up to become a massive cultural space, as this year sees more arts events taking place on or along the water than ever before. 

This summer, the Canal & River Trust's arts programme includes … 

Super Slow Way: A £2 million three-year programme on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, focusing on the towns of Blackburn, Accrington, Burnley, and Brierfield. Funded by Arts Council England, the programme draws its inspiration from Ian McMillan's poem, carved into a lock beam in Gargrave, which captures the contrast between the canal as a 19th century super highway and the tranquillity now found on its banks. Projects planned along the canal route include artist residencies and performances. (www.superslowway.org.uk)

The Line: The trust is a leading partner for a new world-class sculpture walk in London. The three-mile route, named after the Meridian Line, takes in the River Lee Navigation, passes through the ever-changing East London landscapes, and links the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the O2. (www.the-line.org)

The Floating Cinema on Tour – Brentford to Bristol & Back Again: With the support of the trust and Arts Council England, a boat will travel to Bristol and back between June and August. A series of archive screenings, talks, and workshops will tap into local heritage and culture along the Kennet & Avon Canal. (visit www.floatingcinema.info/about)

LAND by Antony Gormley: Marking the Landmark Trust's 50th anniversary, the trust has commissioned the positioning of a new life-size Gormley sculpture overlooking the canal at Lengthman's Cottage on the South Stratford Canal, Warwickshire. The sculpture complements four others being placed in Suffolk, Dorset, the Mull of Kintyre and on the Bristol Channel. All five will be unveiled as part of the Landmark Trust's Golden Weekend (May 16-17). (www.landmarktrust.org.uk)

Tim Eastop, who produces the Canal & River Trust's Arts on the Waterways programme, says: ‘Canals and rivers have long been a source of inspiration for artists and there is a rich tradition of great art associated with the waterways. Our programme for 2015 embraces the full creative spectrum of artforms, from poetry, literature, and music, to sculpture, theatre, and film.’

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Picture Credit: "Regents canal London at dusk" by Caroline Ford - Own work via Wikimedia Commons.