Boats
We will ensure before you leave us that you know as much as you need to about the boat. This video might help, but we will be on hand after your arrival to clarify and answer all your questions.
Thomas David
Cross double, twin convertible singles or convertible double in the lounge.
38 foot
Cruiser Stern
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Already Booked?
We will ensure before you leave us that you know as much as you need to about the boat. This video might help, but we will be on hand after your arrival to clarify and answer all your questions.
Please see https://www.kateboats.co.uk/coronovirus/
Please take out travel insurance as soon as you book, even if you regard this as “just a UK trip” – why would I need it? Our terms and conditions state that you will lose your deposit if you cancel. If you cancel within 6 weeks of your trip, with your balance paid you will lose the full amount.
While it is unusual, we have a number of customers each year that have to cancel for completely unexpected reasons, from their own health, to that of others, to flooded houses. While we are sympathetic to the issues, equally we find that it is difficult to fill a late cancellation, and even on a popular week the boat may stay unbooked. Travel insurance is designed to help.
I have no connection with the money saving expert, but have always found their site useful, so I offer:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/cheap-travel-insurance/
- We do not provide towels (except for overseas visitors) – Please bring towels!
- Our Narrowboats are designed to give plenty of storage for everything you bring with you.
- Try to bring soft bags rather than suitcases as they are easier to store.
- Waterproof clothing and a large golfing umbrella may be something to consider due to the unpredictability of the British weather.
- Sunglasses and sun cream, especially for little ones.
- Rubber soled or nonslip shoes or trainers are a must.
- A hat or cap as the sun can be quite bright.
- Some gloves for working the locks. And hand cream for same.
- Slippers or warm socks.
- A torch, for coming back from the pub in the dark.
- Mobile phone and charger. There are normal 3 pin plugs aboard.
- Some DVDs as reception can be hit and miss. Perhaps some CDs and books.
- Some games or cards for that special Family Time.
- A camera or binoculars for those wildlife surprises.
- Air freshener may be helpful for close quarters.
- Food and Snacks, tea, coffee milk etc. Sometimes its exciting to find those waterside shops and pubs along the way. At least one “store cupboard” dinner, in case you don’t make the pub.
- Shopping can be ordered from your favourite shop and delivered to the Boatyard on the morning of your arrival.
- Wine would be better in a box, (and you get more of it) than bottles.
- A few extra toilet rolls.
- The water in the taps is fresh but will need topping up every day, so some bottled water may be useful.
- We can also supply life jackets and pet buoyancy aids if requested.
- If you are bringing a pet – Pet food, lead, collar, old towels, (just in case). Beds, poo bags – you will need to “pick up”!
When you arrive with us to collect your boat we will have fully prepared it for you. Diesel topped up, gas bottles refreshed, toilet tanks emptied. It will have been cleaned internally and externally, engine serviced, all aspects of the internal workings for the boat checked, and any repairs needed carried out. This all takes time, and we want to make sure it is all ready for you. In order to do this we need the boat back from the previous hirer in good time.
We have parking available at both bases, we may need to keep your car keys whilst you are out on the boat.
Kate Boats, The Boatyard, Nelson Lane, Warwick CV34 5JB
Directions to Kate Boats at Warwick
(BUT FOR CLARITY ALL BOATS THIS YEAR WILL BE RUNNING FROM STOCKTON)
From M40: Exit M40 at J15 and follow the A46 north towards Coventry.Take the 2nd exit, about 4 miles from M40, signposted to Leek Wootton & Hill Wootton (B4115). At the roundabout, take the 4th exit (A429) to Warwick…
From M1 South: Exit M1 at J17 onto M45 towards Coventry. Continuefor 16 miles on M45 and then A45 to the A46. Take the A46 exit southt owards Warwick. After 6 miles, take the A429 exit south to Warwick…
From M1 North: Exit M1 at J21, and follow the M69 south towardsCoventry. After 16 miles proceed onto A46, and follow A46 signs around Coventry towards Warwick and Stratford. 6 miles after leaving A45 at Coventry, take the A429 exit south to Warwick…
From M6: Exit M6 at J2 onto A46 south, and follow A46 signs around Coventry towards Warwick and Stratford. 6 miles after leaving A45 at Coventry, take the A429 exit south to Warwick……
from A46 junction, after about 1 mile, proceed ahead at the roundabout on the outskirts of Warwick. Continue up the hill for 400 yards, passing the BP Petrol station, and crossing the canal bridge, and take the first left into Nelson Lane (adjacent to the 30 speed limit signs).Kate Boats is just 50 yards on the left.
Stockton Top Marina, Rugby Road, Stockton CV47 8HN
Directions to Kate Boats at Stockton (CV47 8HN)
From M40: Exit M40 at J12, and follow the B4451 north towards Southam. Enter Southam, and turn right at the first roundabout onto the A425. At the next round aboutturn left on the Southam bypass, proceed ahead at the following roundabout. And turn right at the next roundabout onto the A426 towards Rugby. Kate Boats is located on Blue Lias Industrial Estate, about 2 miles from the roundabout
From M1 South: Exit M1 at J16 onto A45 towards Daventry. Continue around the Daventry bypass, and turn left onto the A425 towards Southam. Approaching Southam, turn right on the Southam Bypass, following the signs to A426 Rugby. Turn right at the next roundabout onto the A426 towards Rugby. Kate Boats is located on Blue Lias Industrial Estate, about 2 miles from the roundabout.
From M1 North: Exit M1 at J21, and follow the M69 south towards Coventry. After 16 miles proceed onto A46, and follow A46 signs to the A45. At the roundabout, turn left onto the A45 towards Rugby, then after 300 yards take the exit to the A423 toSoutham. On the outskirts of Southam, enter the roundabout and take the first exit onto the A426 towards Rugby. Kate Boats is located on the Blue Lias Industrial Estate, about 2 miles from the roundabout.
From M6: Exit M6 at J2 onto A46 south, and follow A46 signs to the A45. At theroundabout, turn left onto the A45 towards Rugby, then after 300 yards, take the exit to the A423 to Southam. On the outskirts of Southam enter the roundabout and take the first exit onto the A426 towards Rugby. Kate Boats is located on Blue Lias Industrial Estate, about 2 miles from the roundabout.
Boating
We will ensure before you leave us that you know as much as you need to about the boat. This video might help, but we will be on hand after your arrival to clarify and answer all your questions.
Please see https://www.kateboats.co.uk/coronovirus/
We do not allow single handed boating, for a number of reasons. Firstly our insurance doesn’t allow boats to travel with only one member of crew aboard. It is also be much more difficult to manage the locks alone, meaning that you have to climb off or onto the boat during the locking process.
If you do arrive to collect a boat without a crew you are more than welcome to use the boat in the marina, as a floating hotel, but you will not be allowed to cruise.
We provide buoyancy aids free of charge for those requiring them. We suggest that children wear them at all times, especially when near locks. They will be fitted on arrival. They are fitted by weight, it is useful to know weights in Kg when you arrive.
You do not need a licence to drive a narrowboat in the UK. We will ensure that you are comfortable with handling the boat before we leave you to your holiday.
Yes. You need to get used to the idea that you can enjoy life by going relatively slowly. 4 mph is a comfortable walking pace, so someone on the bank can keep up with you. The speed is set to minimize damage to canal banks, and disturbance to the whole host of wildlife that the canal is home to. And lets face it with the speed we all live our lives these days it has to be good just to slow down.
And slower past moored boats!
Yes, if you are on a moored boat, however carefully moored it will move as a boat goes past, and if, as you will no doubt experience, someone goes past too fast the boat will rock alarmingly, so tickover past moored boats.
It is likely that if someone is shouting at you that you are moving too fast its because you are – just get into the rhythm of it and slow down.
You need to have someone in the group able to cope with the locks, which have to be pushed, pulled and the paddles “wound”, and someone needs to be able to pop on and off the boat easily to pull ropes and get the boat into position sometimes. We will show you how everything works, and take you to the first lock if you haven’t done it before. If there are just two of you one needs to be able to steer, while the other gets off and does the locks (and ideally it’s great if you can swap jobs, to give each other a break – but whatever works for you!)
Boats
We will ensure before you leave us that you know as much as you need to about the boat. This video might help, but we will be on hand after your arrival to clarify and answer all your questions.
Thomas David
Cross double, twin convertible singles or convertible double in the lounge.
38 foot
Cruiser Stern
Booking
Please see https://www.kateboats.co.uk/coronovirus/
Please take out travel insurance as soon as you book, even if you regard this as “just a UK trip” – why would I need it? Our terms and conditions state that you will lose your deposit if you cancel. If you cancel within 6 weeks of your trip, with your balance paid you will lose the full amount.
While it is unusual, we have a number of customers each year that have to cancel for completely unexpected reasons, from their own health, to that of others, to flooded houses. While we are sympathetic to the issues, equally we find that it is difficult to fill a late cancellation, and even on a popular week the boat may stay unbooked. Travel insurance is designed to help.
I have no connection with the money saving expert, but have always found their site useful, so I offer:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/cheap-travel-insurance/
Kate Boats have traditionally been named after the owners family members, and we now have Rebecca and Stephen (our children), Stephen recently married Rachel (already in the fleet as Nick’s sister – all very complicated), and Jenella, Isabella, Marie, Esma Frances and Martin, their grandparents, with their cousin, Alexander, his mum Patricia Helen and her sister Susan. Lucy May joined the fleet shortly after Lucy and Alexander got married.
Yes, full information can be found at https://www.kateboats.co.uk/gift-vouchers/
There is availability at the side of most of the pages (at the bottom on the mobile view). Select a date and it will give you the boats in that date range. If it is easier please ring and we can give advice over the phone.
We have details of all the boats on our website, with photos to give you an idea of what they are like.
Give yourself as much space as you can, it is nice not to have to make beds up every night, although that is less relevant for a weekend, and much more important if you are talking about a fortnight.
We have cruiser or semi trad sterns to the boats, the cruiser giving you an open back deck, and the semitrad giving an enclosed space, often good for children and dogs.
If you would like some advice please email or phone and we are happy to talk through the possibilities.
Facilities aboard
Bring a torch, sensible shoes, and don’t forget your towels, we only provide towels for overseas visitors. Our useful information leaflet lists the boat inventory, and hopefully gives you some idea of what you will find aboard.
There is an underbench fridge, with small freezer compartment. They don’t cope well with the big 6 pint containers of milk, you will find a smaller size easier. You should find places along the way to buy bread and milk.
All the boats have a gas cooker with a 4 burner hob, oven and grill, some are built in, some free standing.
The boat has 240 electric with normal 3 pin sockets, there is a limit to what it can run, but fine for charging electrical kit, and a bit more. We supply the hair dryer. If you can’t live without straighteners it will run those. Bring your normal chargers for your phones, cameras, etc. We suggest you charge during the day, whilst the engine is charging the batteries.
We don’t, reception around the system varies. Your smart phone may well offer a good data connection. Many pubs offer free Wifi these days, or just tell them at work that you can’t be reached, and enjoy turning off the technology!
Routes
Warwick and Return
Stockton – 10 locks – Long Itchington – 9 locks – Radford Semele – Leamington Spa – Warwick
Distance 20 miles. 19 locks. 18 hours cruising time. Two or Three days.
Overnight stops suggested at Leamington Spa or Warwick and Long Itchington.
Head West on the Grand Union Canal and in less than five minutes you will arrive at the top lock of the Stockton Lock flight. This is the first of eight locks within the next mile which lower the canal some 54 feet. Pass through the bridge after the eighth lock and you will find the “Blue Lias” pub on your left, as well as a water point on your right. Blue Lias is a stone which in times gone by was heavily quarried in this area. You will also notice a number of old and historic work boats in various states of repair just past the pub, in the “Kaye’s Arm”. You can use the Kaye’s Arm to turn round too. The canal then descends a further 15 feet through two locks and enters Long Itchington.
There is some good mooring on your right after Long Itchington bottom lock which extends along the towpath to the canal-side “Two Boats” pub on your right. There is also the “Cuttle” pub on the opposite side of the canal. You can moor outside both of these pubs. There are another four pubs in the village itself, all about a ten minute walk from the canal, as well as a small “Co-Op” store. If you pass through the bridge just after the “Two Boats” and “Cuttle” you will find more moorings. The “Long Itchington Diner”, where you can get a great fried breakfast, is located on the main road just past the “Cuttle” and about 10 minutes’ walk from the canal. Long Itchington could be described as a typical middle-England village. It has a central duck pond, near to which is a half-timbered Tudor house, where Queen Elizabeth stayed twice – in 1572 and 1575. South of the village is a quarry and a small model village, built for the quarry workers. Some quarrying still takes place today.
After Long Itchington the canal goes back into the countryside, with very little civilisation for several miles. Take care at the old railway bridge (number 26A) as it is on a blind bend. It is even more restricted when you are heading in the opposite direction. Normally two boats can pass in a railway bridge, but not at this one! About ½ mile from the railway bridge you will find a water point and waste disposal on your left hand side. A further ½ mile will bring you to the Bascote staircase locks. These are two locks separated by one middle gate. Before using them, remember to fill the top lock and empty the bottom one. There are now seven locks spaced through the next three miles, taking you down around 60 feet, passing under the Fosse Way until you reach Radford Bottom lock. There is a pub in Radford Semele, the “Old White Lion” about fifteen minutes’ walk from the canal. There is a winding hole on your left in about 300 yards. The canal now starts to enter the outskirts of Royal Leamington Spa. The “Fusilier” pub is before bridge 37. If you pass through the bridge and moor, you could also walk to the dog-friendly “New Inn”. There is a winding hole on your left after about ½ mile. There is plenty of mooring along this stretch of canal. You now pass through an industrial area before going into a cutting. Pass the Art Deco railway station and there is a “Morrisons” supermarket off to the right. A 24 hour launderette is attached to the “Morrisons”. There is plenty of mooring in this cutting, and although alongside a main road, the hedge acts as a natural sound barrier. This is a good spot to moor and visit Royal Leamington Spa.
There are several reasons to visit the Regency town of Leamington Spa. Although a shadow of its former Georgian splendour, there are still wide boulevards with large town houses either side. The town is known for its student accommodation, and so there is a vibrant social appeal. Famed as a spa town, you should visit the former Royal Pump Rooms. Here you will find an art gallery and museum as well as the visitor information centre. A walk around the town, taking in some of the 60 pubs and restaurants and the old parish church is a relaxing way to spend a day. The Jephson Gardens is a formal Victorian park, complete with a band stand, a glasshouse of tropical plants, a goldfish pond and a café. What better place to take a relaxing break? If you haven’t had enough of being on the water, you can hire rowing boats, canoes, and stand up boats on the river Leam as well as visiting the sensory garden. You can also follow the Elephant trail, where the world famous trainer Sam Lockhart used to walk his elephants.
Continuing West there is a pub named the “Moorings”. The clue is in its name, as you can moor outside. There is another winding hole on your right before you reach a “Lidl” supermarket. You can moor here – either to shop or to walk back to the “Moorings”. The canal now seems to be quite high, and indeed you will cross over the railway and the river Avon. Fairly soon you will come to a “Tesco” supermarket on your left, again with mooring space for three boats (for shopping only!). There is then another one of those blind bends within a bridge – navigate carefully and slowly here, sounding your horn. In around ten minutes you will reach our Warwick base. There is a water point and you can turn here. If you go past here and under the bridge you will find space to moor, and just a short walk to the town centre. You can continue West to the two Cape locks where the canal now starts to rise. The two locks take you up 15 feet to the “Cape of Good Hope” pub. There are two water points, one before the locks and one after, and both on the right. You can moor outside the pub on your left, or there is plenty of mooring on the right. These mooring can get busy. Continue about a mile and you will reach the Saltisford Arm on your left. If you book in advance, this is a great place to moor (for a small fee) and explore Warwick.
Warwick has a wealth of places to see and visit. There is the towering St. Mary’s church, visible from many miles around. The “finest mediaeval castle in England” should be the centre-piece of any visit to Warwick. You will need to plan a whole day here just to visit the castle. The Lord Leycester Hospital is part of a group of mediaeval timber buildings, and you can stop at the Brethren’s kitchen for lunch or afternoon tea. The High Street, starting at the West Gate and extending via Jury Street to the East Gate will take you past a wide variety of fine houses and historic buildings, including the Quaker Meeting House and numbers 1 to 3 in the High Street, all of which have carved wooden features. Most of the building were reconstructed after the Great Fire of 1694. Those buildings which are not timbered are generally made from the local sandstone. The old market place still has a Saturday market. A particular feature is the Market Hall, built in 1670, and housing the County Museum. The Shambles stood next to this and is now a pub. The Abbotsford stands here too, and is probably the most richly decorated building in Warwick. There is a wide range of pubs and restaurants within Warwick. These range from wine bars to traditional inns and from fine dining restaurants to fast food outlets. In other words, something for every taste. Rather than taking the boat, why not take a walk up the Hatton Lock flight? There are 21 locks, taking the canal out of the Avon Valley up nearly 150 feet. Stop off at the Hatton Lock café near the top before returning to Warwick. You could also visit Hatton Country World, where several independent craft/antique outlets line the “Victorian” streets, or take in one of the local walks and stop off at the “Hatton Arms” pub. If the walk back to Warwick seems too daunting then you can catch a train from Hatton station.
