canal boat holidays Archives - LNBP Community Boating

‘Double bubble’ from 17th May

LNBP Press & Media — Wed, 05 May 2021 14:31:21 +0000

LNBP are pleased to announce an increase in their level of service in the coming weeks for self-steer family group bookings.

Having been able to accommodate self-steer hire bookings of two nights or more for single family household groups and their support bubbles from Monday 12th April, the limits will be increased to permit two family households and support bubble groups for bookings from Monday 17th May.

The stipulation as previous that one or more members of the party must hold a CCBM (Certificate in Community Boat Management) still applies.

Once again, our self-steer hire is a unique opportunity to enjoy what our boats have to offer with your family for weekend or midweek holiday break. And whilst the window of opportunity to book may be limited before we welcome our regular community group bookings [from mid-June], similar to last year the indications are that the chance to hire Lancelot and Guinevere will once again be very popular.

From Monday 21^st June 202, it is anticipated we will then return to our normal regular offering of permitting group bookings from community groups and organisations for weekend and midweek residential breaks.

To start planning your dates and where to go Now.

To find out more information including details of our special hire rates for household groups and support ‘bubbles’ and to make a booking, contact Nigel on 07783 002073 or email him at bookings@lnbp.co.uk

Alternatively check our current availability HERE and complete the online Booking Form below

* Please note these dates and arrangements are working in accordance with HM Government’s recent announcements and are therefore subject to change.

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Bookings now available for April, May and beyond

LNBP Press & Media — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 12:05:19 +0000

LNBP are now able to take bookings for their 2021 season.

Following HM Government’s recent announcements of their ‘roadmap’ out of the current lockdown restrictions and also further guidance received, we are pleased to be able to welcome hire bookings of our two boats starting next month.

To begin with, we are able to accommodate self-steer hire bookings of two nights or more from Monday 12th April, this for single family household groups and their support bubbles.

For bookings from Monday 17th May, it’s ‘double bubble’ with two family households and support bubble groups permitted to hire either Lancelot or Guinevere, or even both.

In both cases, one or more members of the party must hold a CCBM Certificate in Community Boat Management).

All being well, we will then return to our normal season of group bookings for community groups and organisations from Monday 21^st June 2021.

So start planning your dates and where to go Now.

To find out more information including details of our special hire rates for household groups and support ‘bubbles’ and to make a booking, contact Nigel on 07976 406875 or email him at bookings@lnbp.co.uk

Alternatively check our current availability HERE and complete the online Booking Form below

* Please note these dates and arrangements are working in accordance with HM Government’s recent announcements and are therefore subject to change.

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October on the Oxford Canal (or Grand Union) with LNBP's boats

LNBP Press & Media — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 12:35:54 +0000

The latter months of the boating season are a wonderful time to enjoying the changing colours of the season, so this October why not think about cruising the Oxford Canal from Braunston with our boats.

In 1768 the Oxford Canal was formed to link the Coventry Canal at Longford, via Banbury to Oxford, then to London via the Thames. Ease of construction was crucial to avoid unnecessary locks, embankments and so on, so by 1774 it followed the contours via Rugby and Hillmorton, to Braunston. Our mooring base at Braunston is yards from the historic junction of the Oxford and Grand Union Canals, known as the Braunston Turn. Here the Oxford takes a route off to the north, and from here is known [surprise, surprise] as the North Oxford Canal. It is the extension of its southern counterpart from Napton Junction to Oxford.

One noticeable feature of the North Oxford is that its route is simpler to navigate, thanks largely to being basically much straighter than the South Oxford section. This is because the original canal owners had the route drastically shortened by straightening the route between Braunston and Hawksbury to try and improve journey times. As a result, this section of canal is particularly popular with boaters not only because of its navigation but also as there is so much to see and enjoy on what is a lovely, quiet, scenic stretch of waterway. From Braunston, there is a wonderful lock-free section of canal through open countryside until reaching the short three-lock section of locks at Hillmorton. From here, you can progress to pass the outskirts of the historic Rugby before heading through the short tunnel at Newbold, onto Brinklow, past Ansty before reaching Hawkesbury Junction and its meeting with the Coventry Canal.

Read more about this route here

That is just one suggestion of several different routes you can take and enjoy with us; there is of course the option of heading south on the Oxford towards Napton and Banbury – Read more here

Unique opportunity for family groups

The coronavirus pandemic outbreak has meant LNBP have been able to offer a unique boat hire opportunity for family groups for the 2020 boating season. It means our boats – Lancelot and Guinevere – can be hired by family groups for weekend or midweek short breaks of two or more day/night trips until Sunday 1^st November 2020.

About Our Boats

Both boats are purpose-built, full-length, modern vessels that are designed, fully-equipped and maintained to the highest possible standards. Each boat is 12 berth in size across three separate cabins with central heating, instant hot water and double glazing, and contains two toilets and a shower. Sleeping accommodation is provided in four berth and six berth cabins, with the saloon area also providing accommodation, with an additional berth also available in the rear cabin.

Help is at hand!

We can assist with everything regarding your trip, including route planning with so many great places to potentially visit depending on your length of trip.

Hiring of our boats are on a first come, first served basis, and subject to availability with the stipulation that at least one person in the family group has a Certificate in Community Boat Management (CCBM) and assumes responsibility of the boat. All users of the boats must however follow and comply with the current government guidelines.

How to book and find out more

To find out more information about the boats, hire rates and current availability, call LNBP’s Booking Officer Nigel Smith on 07967 406875 or email at bookings@lnbp.co.uk.

Alternatively head to our online Bookings page here to check availability and make a booking enquiry, or complete the form below.

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September Taster Day for group leaders and organisers

LNBP Press & Media — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 11:30:38 +0000

CALLING GROUP LEADERS AND ORGANISERS OF COMMUNITY GROUPS AND ORGANISATIONS!
Come and see what LNBP can offer your group in 2019 by joining us on our Taster Day in September

With the Saturday of our dedicated Taster Day Weekend now already booked, there is still chance to book on our second September Taster Day which will be held on Sunday 9^th September.

Our Taster Days are the ideal opportunity for leaders and organisers of community groups and organisations to get an insight what LNBP Community Boating can offer your group from a trip with us.

Meeting and then departing from the canalside at Bottom Lock, Braunston, enjoy either a half day (morning or afternoon) or full day trip with us to sample life on the canal.

There’s chance to view our boats and find out more about what they can offer to your group, talk to our team about your group or organisation’s potential requirements, find out more about the numerous activities that can be sampled and enjoyed as part of any length of trip and how we can fit in with your ideas and objectives.

As our Taster Trips are designed for group leaders, organisers and managers of community groups, organisations and social projects, we ask that places are restricted to a maximum of two persons per organisation; this is in order to give as much opportunity for personnel from as many different groups an opportunity to join us, see what we and our boats can offer, as well as ask any questions and check on current availability for 2019 (and even 2020)

So don’t delay. Starting your planning today and to enjoy a trip to ‘try before you buy’ for your community group trip with LNBP.

TO BOOK YOUR PLACE ON OUR SEPTEMBER TASTER DAY WITH US, CONTACT NIGEL ON 07967 406 875 OR VIA EMAIL HIM AT: BOOKINGS@LNBP.CO.UK.

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In Pictures: LNBP at Crick Boat Show

LNBP Press & Media — Wed, 30 May 2018 06:25:55 +0000

What another fabulous weekend we had at this year’s Crick Boat Show.

Here’s a snapshot of some images from another busy and successful Whitsun weekend at Crick Marina.

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Visit us at this weekend’s Crick Boat Show

LNBP Press & Media — Fri, 25 May 2018 10:00:05 +0000

After weeks and months of anticipation, excitement and preparation, the weekend of The Crick Boat Show is finally here.

Now established as one of the ‘must visit’ events over the Whitsun bank holiday weekend, The Crick Boat Show is Britain’s biggest inland waterways festival and takes place this weekend over the late May Spring Bank Holiday weekend at Crick Marina in Northamptonshire – Saturday 26th to Monday 28th May 2018.

Once again, as part of our ongoing commitment to the event we will be operating the trip boats up the Leicester Arm of the Grand Union Canal throughout the duration of the weekend for Show visitors to experience a short taste of life on the water. And due to popular demand we will now be operating four boats across all three days of the Show. Trip boats run every 10 minutes from 10.10am each day of the show and each trip lasts around 30 minutes. All trips are free but we do encourage and accept small donations to help us continue our work.

As always, we advise Show visitors to book your free trip in advance at our Trip Boats Marquee at Stand 050 by the Quayside soon after you arrive at the Show. Here you will find members of our team – and face painting team, where you can also find out more information about us, what we do and can offer in terms of weekend trips and residential experiences to community groups and organisations, schools and colleges.

As in previous years we will also again have Guinevere – one of our [two] community boats – in attendance at the Show. There will again be opportunity to come below deck at the quayside and see inside, and find out more about us with our team on hand to answer any questions and also take booking enquiries. After all ,we are bookings for 2019 are already filling up, and even for 2020.

The Crick Boat Show is a fabulous day out with so much to see and do, plus a great variety of entertainment on offer throughout the weekend. This includes full weekend of music entertainment with a wide selection of music performed live in the Wheatsheaf Marquee from noon ’til night and this year. This year, the UK’s top ABBA tribute band, ABBA Revival, will take to the stage on Sunday evening for what promises to be a hugely popular set.

We look forward to seeing you this weekend!

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE 2018 CRICK BOAT SHOW, CLICK HERE

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Successful Skipper's Workshop and Winterising

LNBP Press & Media — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 14:45:07 +0000

Last weekend saw LNBP stage its 17^th Skippers Workshop and Winterising Weekend.

Whilst some hardy souls travelled up and stayed on board the boats on Friday night, the majority of those that could attend convened at Braunston’s Scout Hut on Saturday morning for a morning meeting and briefing.
(sadly Chairman Peter had to return home due to illness)

Lunch (kindly made by Di…thank you) was followed by the Skipper’s Workshop in the afternoon, before many retired to do some final checks to the boats whilst daylight prevailed. When that had gone, it would be remiss to have a couple of hard earned drinks over an evening meal!

Those that remained for Sunday put the final touches to the boats so they are safe, sound and secure for their winter hibernation.

And LNBP were not the only ones busy on the canal at Braunston.

As the pictures shown on our Facebook link here show, Canal and Rivers Trust were hard at work in the lead-up to the weekend and would be afterwards.
https://www.facebook.com/LNBPCommunityBoating/posts/1469028343174498

A huge thank you to everyone who made the effort to attend and offered their input with the Workshop and also putting Lancelot and Guinevere to bed for the winter.

And as always, a big thank you to Braunston Scouts for the use of their Scout Hut.

CAN YOU SPARE A FEW HOURS TO HELP LNBP Community Boating?

We continue to be reliant on the efforts of volunteers who give their time to ensure the smooth running of the organisation and the canal boat experiences we provide.
We are always keen to welcome new volunteers to our organisation, so if you are 16 years old and over, why not consider getting involved?

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Book now for 2018….and 2019

LNBP Press & Media — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 13:39:23 +0000

The boating season may have just finished for us here at LNBP but we are certainly being kept busy with the number of bookings we are receiving.

With more new bookings coming in and allocated, our online availability calendar has been updated once again.

Check out our current availability for 2018 via the link HERE

It is great to see we have received bookings by more groups from a wide variety of locations; either based locally and from further afield – as far as Kent, Surrey, Hampshire and Devon.

These are groups and organisations who are either set to return to us for another trip (we have many groups which continue to come year-after-year) or will be coming to us for the first time, which is fantastic news.

What has been particularly interesting in recent weeks and over the last few months is how group organisers continue to be even more pro-active in their planning than ever before. We are finding in many cases they are booking not only for the early season months and bank holiday weekends in the spring and also the summer, but also for the autumn and the back end of the season.

And somewhat unprecedented, we have even received and confirmed bookings for 2019 already, almost two years in advance!
Now that is planning ahead!

But as the saying goes, book early to avoid disappointment, and that is clearly what more and more people are doing.

Did you know LNBP Community Boating at Braunston also offer groups and community organisations a series of discounts, especially for bookings made before 1st January.
Find out more here

To check on our current availability, rates and book your community group or organisation in for 2018, head to the Booking Page on this website here

And, as always, please feel free to call us to make a booking and to chat and discuss any queries you may have by calling Nigel – our Bookings Officer – on 07967 406 875 or via email at bookings@lnbp.co.uk.

We look forward to welcoming you and your group aboard to explore the beauty of the canals of central England.

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Taster Trips & Community Days

LNBP Press & Media — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 14:38:30 +0000

LNBP at Braunston Community Boating have finalised details of their Taster Trips and Community Days programme for Summer 2017.

Our short programme of half day or evening taster trips are designed to provide a small insight and whet the appetite for schools, community groups and organisations to think about booking longer short breaks holidays with us, either for during the week and midweek or at weekends.

Half day trips provide a great opportunity to see the immediate area and beautiful surrounding countryside on the Grand Union and Oxford Canals in and around the Northamptonshire and Warwickshire county borders.

The shorter evening trips are also ideal for more local community groups and organisations who have less far to travel but still want to find out more about what we can offer, view our boats and their facilities, and enjoy a short cruise.

Our Taster Trips and Community Days dates for 2017 are:

Tuesday 6^th June
Wednesday 7^th June
Thursday 8^th June
Tuesday 27^th June
Wednesday 28^th June
Thursday 29^th June

If either of these dates are of interest and you would like to book a Taster Trip for your community group or organisation, please contact us by calling on 07967 406 875, or email us at bookings@lnbp.co.uk, or send us an enquiry via our website here.

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New availability – May Bank Holiday Weekend

LNBP Press & Media — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 16:45:32 +0000

**** New availability **** May Bank Holiday Weekend ****

Due to a revised booking, we now have both of our boats available for the end of April and the May Day Bank Holiday Weekend.

So if you are looking to get away with your group or community organisation for a short break at the last minute, we can help!

The dates now available are Friday 28th April through to Friday 5th May 2017, and now offer opportunity for a community group or organisation to hire one or both of our boats for:

• a weekend break, from Friday 28th to Sunday 30th April,

• a midweek break, from Monday 1st May to Friday 5th May, or

• a week-long break or part – Friday 28th to Friday 5th May

Whether it is for the weekend, a few days away with a midweek trip or even a week-long break, there are many different routes and so many different and interesting places to visit along the way. As well as just sitting back and enjoying the beautiful surroundings and scenery of the Grand Union or Oxford Canals.

For further details and to make a booking, contact us by calling on 07967 406 875, or email us at bookings@lnbp.co.uk or send us an online enquiry here

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