I want to take a barge trip. I want a small group; I don’t want to manage the boat myself, and I want to be with English speakers. We have enjoyed a Viking river cruise (and loved it), but I am interested in something different. Thank in advance!
Posted by
8617 posts
I haven't do such a barge trip, but understand that they are available in England and perhaps France.
Posted by
Lake District, England
8913 posts
The question is, how different?
In the UK we have hotel boats on many of our canals, and some of our rivers. Being narrowboats or narrowboat pairs they take no more than 12 pax, often less and some can be exclusively hired.
On the Thames and some of the Yorkshire and East Anglia rivers there are widebeam barges.
On the hotel boats if you optionally want to help with the lock wheeling you can, or walk a bit of towpath. Otherwise just sit back and watch the world go by at 3mph or less.
This is or should be a complete list- https://www.hotelboating.co.uk/
I imagine my French colleagues (Kim, Elizabeth...) may know of similar in France?, maybe also in the Low Countries.
In Scotland there is the lovely Lord of the Glens (not cheap, but trust me worth every penny), who sails down Loch Ness, the Caledonian Canal and out into the Inner Hebrides- https://lordoftheglens.co.uk/itineraries/
Some of her specialist itineraries, like the Gardens cruise cross the line of wonderful into exquisite.