holiday routes and information | The Piano Boat
Holidays can now be booked from August 2021
ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS
Cruise with us in the hidden beauty of West London's canals. Beginning in Harefield on the Grand Union Canal, join us for 3-6 nights as we explore the Colne Valley Regional Park and surrounding areas.
Holidays are inclusive of all meals and a selection of house drinks, as well as refreshments during the day.
We can accommodate two people in the guest quarters, which can be arranged either as a king-size double, or two comfortable single beds.
On the first day, arrival is at 2pm and, weather permitting, we can enjoy a drink on the stern deck before setting off for a couple of hours' cruising to our first night's mooring.
In the subsequent days, we'll usually cruise for around 6 hours, stopping for lunch and then mooring up for dinner at around 5.30pm.
Your holiday will also include up to two musical soirée evenings with acclaimed concert pianist Masayuki Tayama.
Departure on the final day is 10am.
There is no formal dress code on board; come prepared for British summer, and be comfortable! You may wish to walk along the towpath or help with the locks, so bring suitable footwear as well.
Pricing and Routes
3 nights
Harefield - Cassiobury Park - Harefield
£715 per person
Join us for a short break for a taster of canal life. Journeying north up the Grand Union Canal, our furthest point will be Cassiobury Park, a green oasis of woodland and countryside spanning 190 acres which the canal runs straight through.
We will often find ourselves surrounded by greenery as we pass through between lakes, reservoirs, nature reserves, and cruise by the famous Rickmansworth Aquadrome. The towpath provides a lovely setting to stretch your legs if you wish, or you can enjoy the tranquil pace of travel from the boat itself.
This journey involves 18 locks, which you are welcome to try your hand at if you wish!
4 nights
Harefield - Hunton Bridge - Harefield
£935 per person
With 3 full days of cruising on this 4-night break, there will be plenty of time to relax and unwind, stretch your legs or simply watch the changing scenery pass by. Although just a stone’s throw from London, you’ll feel apart from the bustle of it all as we make our way up towards Hunton Bridge, a small settlement in the west of Hertfordshire.
The canal winds its way through a number of nature reserves and parks, past lakes and reservoirs, and alongside the River Gade for a time, and we begin our journey in the midst of the beautiful Colne Valley Regional Park.
This journey involves 24 locks, which you are welcome to try your hand at if you wish!
5 nights
Harefield - Kings Langley - Harefield
£1155 per person
Separated from the River Colne only by a green wall of trees as we set off on this 5-night break, we’ll first journey north through the tranquil Colne Valley Regional Park, which stretches an impressive 43 square miles across the area.
Take a stroll along the towpath or through Cassiobury Park as we pass by, or simply put your feet up with a glass of something as we slowly make our way up to Kings Langley and back in the changing landscape from Greater London to Hertfordshire.
This journey involves 34 locks, which you are welcome to try your hand at if you wish!
6 nights
Harefield - Hemel Hempstead - Harefield
£1350 per person
Join us for relaxing and slow-paced break on the water, following the Grand Union Canal north through Hertfordshire. On our journey, we’ll pass lakes, reservoirs, parks, nature reserves and even a few golf courses.
We’ll follow the River Colne early on, and later the path of the River Gade, a globally rare ‘chalk stream’, able to support a wide variety of nature with its clear waters and stable conditions. Our furthest point will be where the Grand Union and River Gade meet, creating a junction in the waterway.
Every day brings a change of scenery and whilst cruising, you can choose between staying aboard, walking the towpath (the boat only travels at a slow walking pace!), or even helping with the locks if you’d like to.
This journey involves 44 locks, which you are welcome to try your hand at if you wish!
All cruises include:
Breakfast
Lunch
3-course dinner
Refreshments during the day
Up to two musical soirée evenings on board
A deposit of 25% is required to secure your holiday dates, and the balance due 4 weeks before the start date.
We will contact you after you have submitted the booking form to arrange this and finalise the details of your holiday.
Prices are based on two people sharing the double or twin cabin. No single-person discount is given and a single occupant will bear the full fee of the cabin.
Returning cruise guests will receive a 5% discount on holiday fees.
