Eating and Drinking

Where can we shop for food or eat out along the way?

If you think you’ll need to trudge the towpaths for miles and miles with overflowing supermarket bags, think again… your options are many and far more inviting!

Canal-side pubs are among the finest treasures of the British Waterways network and on average you’ll come across one in every 5 miles you cruise. They offer anything from a traditional pint and a packet of crisps to the finest gastronomic delights. What could be better than cruising the canals all day and rewarding yourself with a hearty pub-meal and a refreshing and well earned drink in a canal-side beer garden on a beautiful summers evening.

As well as the canal-side pubs there are tens of thousands of village, town and city pubs, inns and hotels which are often well worth a short walk in the evening. Even the smallest of villages in England and Wales have their own inns, pubs and grocery shops, and these often provide the best glimpse of local culture. In towns and cities, there’s always a wide range of places to eat out. We list canal pubs and restaurants.

What about eating in?

Your hireboat will have all the cooking facilities you’ll need, including a fridge, often a microwave. Bring food from your local supermarket but also enjoy local produce from shops and markets along the route, there will be plenty of towns, villages and shops within walking distance of the canals.

Can we have Barbeques?

For those on a lower budget, barbeques are a fantastic way to combine good food with the great outdoors. Nothing beats the smell of charcoal in peaceful surrounds on a summer’s eve after a long cruise.