We look forward to welcoming you!

Thank you for your holiday booking to depart from our Bradford on Avon hire base, we look forward to welcoming you.

Below is some useful information to help you plan your holiday, including handy videos to watch, directions on how to find us, places to stay if you are arriving early, grocery shopping etc. There may also be things you need to pre-book, such as lock or tunnel access.

Please do not hesitate to call our team if there is anything you would like help with, on 0044 (0) 1527 575115.

Preparation & Planning

BOATERS HANDBOOK VIDEO

The best way to be prepared for your forthcoming trip is to read or watch watch the video on the Boaters Handbook, a guide to basic boat handling and safety by the Canal & River Trust. When you receive your handover tuition at the hire base you will be asked if you have watched/read this guide and be asked to sign handover documentation to confirm this.

It’s also good to get familiar with the operation of own narrowboats and you can do this by watching our Induction video on the link below.

PLAN YOUR ROUTE

It’s good to have an idea of your planned route before you go, although please bear in mind that it’s good to be flexible due to the changing nature of the canals and rivers. See all the Route Options for Bradford Upon Avon here. If you have any particular questions about the route, places to moor up and stay etc, you can contact the base directly on the contact phone / email shown above before your trip and the team will be able to help you.

How to Find Us

Public Transport

National Rail Enquiries:
www.nationalrail.co.uk Tel: 08457 484950
www.thetrainline.com Tel: 0871 244 1545
Nearest Airport:
Bristol Tel. 0871 334 4444
Nearest Railway Station: Bradford on Avon
Taxi/Minicabs: Bradford on Avon Taxis Tel. 01225 862277 www.bradfordonavontaxis.com

Approximate prices: (Subject to change)
Bristol Airport to Bradford Wharf: £45
Heathrow Airport to Bradford Wharf: £100
Gatwick Airport to Bradford Wharf: £130

Flying Into London

From Heathrow airport take the Heathrow Express to London Paddington Train Station. Take the train to Bath about 90 mins. If you have lots of luggage we suggest you get a taxi direct from Bath to the Wharf.
Visit www.tfl.gov.uk to plan your route on the London Underground.

Flying Into Bristol

We recommend a taxi direct from the airport to the Wharf.

By Train

We are about 0.25 mile walk from Bradford on Avon station (taxis are available). Trains from Bath take about 15 mins. There are direct trains from Bristol and London Paddington to Bath. A taxi journey from Bath to the Wharf is about 20 mins.

How to find us by car

Bradford on Avon is near to Bath. The nearest motorway is M4 Junction 18. After leaving the motorway, take the A46 toward Bath, then the A4 toward Chippenham. After approx. 2 miles, turn right onto the A363 into Bradford on Avon town centre. At the town centre, take the B3109 toward Frome and follow for about half a mile until you cross the canal bridge on a sharp double bend. The boatyard is directly after this on the left.
www.theaa.com/route-planner

WHEN TO ARRIVE AT THE HIRE BASE

Boats are available from 2.30pm and must be returned and vacated by 9.30am.

GROCERIES

There is a Sainsburys supermarket 2 minutes drive/5 minutes walk from Bradford Wharf. Alternatively you can pre-order a supermarket delivery to the base on the date of your departure.

Please note that the freezer compartment on board is no bigger than a shoe box so best to keep freezer items to a minimum. The base will not have anywhere to keep your shopping refrigerated so bear this in mind when doing your shop and choosing a delivery slot. You do not need to order food for the whole of the holiday, there will be ample opportunity to buy food along the way and perhaps sample local produce and specialities.

INCLUDED IN THE PRICE OF YOUR HOLIDAY

Everything you need for your boating holiday is included, such as lifejackets (if required), windlasses, mooring ropes, life ring etc. Bedlinen, towels and a dish washing-up pack is also included.

You can find a full list of what’s included in the boat inventory here.

For a list of recommended items to bring with you, please click here.

Please note that fuel is not included in the price of your holiday. This will be charged for on your return to the hire base. The average per day cost, depending on how far you travel, is approximately £18 – £20.