Click for Reviews 2023 Reviews 2022 Reviews 2021 Reviews 2020 Reviews 2019 Reviews 2018 Reviews 2017 Reviews 2016 Reviews 2015 Reviews 2014 Reviews 2013 Reviews 2012
Experience - Sowerby Bridge start
"People were lovely, scenery attractive." - James, Huntingdon
"Industrial scenery (old) was particularly special. Met lovely people everywhere." - Abi/Simon, Northumberland
"Lovely leafy countryside and wild flowers. Lots of bird life including goslings, ducklings & cygnets. Spotted a kingfisher along the Calder & Hebble and a Deer near the river on the Rochdale Canal. Meals onboard." - Jackson, Oxford
"Played on park, had ice cream, went to shops. Went to The Moorings for tea." - Sidney (aged 9), Northumberland
"Probably the most beautiful route we have experienced, with good access to refreshment facilities, i.e. real-ale pubs!" - Spence, Huntingdon
"Amazing scenery - very friendly people. V. helpful own-your-own canal boaters. Very interested & helpful spectators at locks." - Jackson, Cumbria
"Sylvia Plath's grave (and the walk up!!). Everyone we met was friendly (and helpful with the locks!)." - Slater, Lincoln
"Very scenic with interesting contrasts between urban and rural. Quiet and nice wide areas. The bendy tunnel was fun!" - Garganski, Worcester
"We met lots of friendly people on our trip. Other boaters were very willing to offer advice if needed. The highlight was watching the kingfishers." - Williams, Lincoln
"Saw 2 kingfishers. All boaters & towpath walkers friendly." - Widdowson, Cumbria
"The route was a great mix of scenery. Hebden Bridge is lovely. Walked up to Stoodley Pike from Lock 12. We shared locks with "Cumbria" and this was a great experience." - Davies, Lincoln
"Our scenery was nice, enjoyed feeding the ducks in the morning." - Cameron, Lincoln
"Lovely scenery. Everyone we met was very friendly & helpful if we asked for directions etc." - Tracey, Rutland
"We really enjoyed going towards Brighouse, we took the train to Hebden on the Wednesday, and also enjoyed a mooch around Elland and Brighouse." - Terry, Worcester
"Good local markets at Hebden Bridge & Todmorden. Friendly people along the canal, interested. Locals pleased to see boats at the summit." - Martin, Buckingham
"Beautiful scenery, lots of locks and walking." - Coddington, Lincoln
"Glorious scenery, met some lovely people." - Shacklady, Cumbria
"FAB, lovely autumn colours. We were lucky with the weather. We used a local butcher in Hebden. Delicious fillet steak." - Craig, Cumbria
"Great views to hill tops & through wooded areas. Met a few of the CRT people who were friendly & various locals & tourists. Visited Heptonstall & spent time at Hebden Bridge." - Jones, Cambridge
Experience - Barnoldswick start
"The scenery was beautiful particularly either side of Gargrave. People friendly. Met a few other boats but always co-operative." - Tomkins, Cambridge
"The people we met along the way were very friendly and the scenery was just beautiful all along the route we took." - Dewhurst, Norfolk
"Fabulous experience. Loved the Bingley 5 Rise!" - Gordon, Somerset
"The scenery is amazing all along this route. We saw the double bridge, stopped at the top of Bank Newton at the café which we would recommend. The Marquis of Granby in Keighley was a friendly and convenient pub, however, they no longer serve food. On the canal at Keighley there is a craft barge and a baked potato barge, these are only open at the weekend. We had fish and chips at Riddlesden Fisheries which is also a Chinese. We travelled down to the Bingley 5 and 3 rise which is manned. We also stopped at Skipton and went to the Royal Shepherd Inn at Skipton. Typical pub food but freshly cooked and hot, great selection of real ales too." - Shoobert, Norfolk
"Scenery stunning. All positive interactions with locals, other boaters etc. East Marton church open to visitors - in an idyllic setting. Overall, we had a wonderful holiday. The gorgeous scenery and such friendly local people and boaters, all combined to make it a week to remember." - Thompson, Cambridge
"Yorkshire is a beautiful county and the countryside is amazing. most people are very friendly and keen to give you local information, which we found so useful. Strangers were happy to help us with bridges for example, so kind." - March, Somerset
Food & drink
"We enjoyed some lovely meals out: Olive Branch, Navi Inn, but especially enjoyed The Stubbing Wharf." - Abi/Simon, Northumberland
"Lock Stop café - great!" - Chapman, Norfolk
"Vocation, Old Gate, Pork pies in Hebden Bridge. Fish & chips from The Golden Haddock in Sowerby Bridge." - Slater, Lincoln
"Great meals at That's Amori in Luddendenfoot, Hebble End at Hebden Bridge, Stubbing Wharf and the Dusty Miller at Mytholmroyd (fantastic Sunday roast !!).." - Barganski, Worcester
"We found the Leggers and Bingley lovely and really nice pubs." - Meghan, Northumberland
"The pubs we visited were the Black Bull, Navigation, The Pear Tree, Calder." - Cameron, Lincoln
"In Brighouse there is a fantastic Greek restaurant called 'Meze'." - Tracey, Rutland
"1st night, great meal at Elland, the Caddy Shack. Tuesday/Wednesday: lunch at Brighouse Café No. 1." - Freeman, Lincoln
"Fusion takeway in Crossflats - Chinese takeaway v. enjoyable." - Thompson, Cambridge
"We recommend the Summit Inn - we went there and enjoyed." - Martin, Buckingham
"Woolly Sheep in Skipton was excellent all round." - Pond, Somerset
"Lovely new bar in Todmorden." - Coddington, Lincoln
"Navigation pub (Mirfield) recommended." - Wright, Norfolk
The Boats
"Very good, immaculate outside, mechanically well-maintained, very clean inside." - Abi/Simon, Northumberland
"Excellent layout, very well equipped & clean and tidy. Good stowage space aboard. Cooker (gas) easy to use. Bed very comfortable & a good width. Pleasant furnishings. Well-built boat." - Jackson, Oxford
"Cambridge has an excellent engine, central heating and steering. A very easy boat for 2 people to operate and an ideal length for these waterways." - Tomkins, Cambridge
"We had the Norfolk boat and it was well equipped, very well laid out and in great condition as well as being a safe environment for all of us to enjoy." - Dewhurst, Norfolk
"Amazing facility, v. well equipped." - Jackson, Cumbria
"This is the best boat we've hired from a range of companies it is very well put together and well designed. We particularly appreciated the sturdy toilets, as we've had leaky ones before." - Barganski, Worcester
"Excellent. Plenty of storage. All necessary equipment on board. Very clean." - Widdowson, Cumbria
"Awesome set up - loved it!" - Davies, Lincoln
"We thought the boat was lovely home from home." - Cameron, Lincoln
"Rutland was like a home from home. Very clean & comfortable. It had everything we needed & more!" - Tracey, Rutland
"We found the Worcester to be a great boat for us and we didn't get on top of each other at all." - Terry, Worcester
"Very happy, Comfortable, clean, well laid out & appointed - great heating system. Cooked 3 meals & everything available & at hand. Good storage - easy to move around, good seating." - Freeman, Lincoln
"Suited us perfectly." - Gordon, Somerset
"The boat was fabulous plenty of dishes and equipment, clean and tidy the layout was good." - Shoobert, Norfolk
"Cambridge set us up for a great week. Workable layout, equipment, especially in the kitchen, is excellent." - Thompson, Cambridge
"The boat was working very well and was well equipped with everything." - Wadsten, Buckingham
"Excellent bed and bedding 10/10. Fabulous selection of crockery." - Morgan, Lincoln
"Good inventory, excellent fridge capacity, cooker, hob etc. and shower, toilets and seating outside @ tiller end." - Everall, Bedford
"Layout good, tidy and clean." - Pond, Somerset
"Excellent a credit to yourselves." - Norris, Cumbria
"Boat was lovely, really well designed." - Coddington, Lincoln
"Well laid out boat had everything we needed on board." - Shacklady, Cumbria
"Pristine. So clean. Lovely & warm. Lovely hot shower. Very happy with our Cumbria." - Craig, Cumbria
"Size of boat OK for 2. Had everything we needed equipment-wise." - Jones, Cambridge
Service
"Very helpful before trip - excellent. No assistance needed during holiday from Shires, but did need it from Canal & River Trust - it was exemplary." - Abi/Simon, Northumberland
"Shire Cruisers is a great company with a wonderful, helpful, friendly staff." - Tom & Livia, Oxford
"Particularly helpful in seeing us through the initial locks. Thanks to Josh." - Spence, Huntingdon
"We phoned you a couple of times, but you pointed us in the right direction, all problems were solved." - Flynn, Bedford
"We didn't need help during the cruise but when we needed to amend our booking and when one of the crew left something on the boat, the staff at Shire Cruisers were brilliant and really went the extra mile to help us. Thank you." - Dewhurst, Norfolk
"First class. A company to be very proud of." - Hughes, Lincoln
"Overall an amazing experience. Thank you!!" - Jackson, Cumbria
"CRT volunteers - fantastic & friendly." - Chapman, Norfolk
"Very helpful, we called once (about fallen tree) and got good advice - made it over." - Slater, Lincoln
"Really friendly with kids: patient and encouraging - Dave was brill!! - made everyone feel comfortable and happy." - Meghan, Northumberland
"Very helpful. We were a bit apprehensive about coming back up the locks, but a quick read through the Boat Manual told us everything we needed as a refresher." - Williams, Lincoln
"You were fab. Thank you." - Davies, Lincoln
"Your genuine interest in our situation and the overall excellent standard of service offered by yourself and every member of your team that we had the pleasure of meeting, has left us with an appetite for more adventures on the canals and waterways of the north." - Cooper, Rutland
"Staff were very helpful and friendly. Thank you for an amazing holiday ♥." - Cameron, Lincoln
"Website - very helpful. Then: rang and spoke to Susan and she was absolutely fantastic - lovely kind lady." - Tracey, Rutland
"Can we just say, we really enjoyed our trip on the canal, the boat performed perfectly, and more than met our expectations. The staff were excellent, patient and understanding and we really appreciated their input." - Freeman, Lincoln
"The lovely welcome, advice and help you give make such a difference, and also the guys taking us through the first locks and then welcoming us back at the end are all so friendly, it feels like coming home! We really look forward to returning for another holiday in the not too distant future." - Terry, Worcester
"Always at the end of the phone. Delivered a missing cafetière. Problem with rudder following hitting an underwater obstruction dealt with efficiently." - Gordon, Somerset
"I cannot recommend the staff and volunteers of the Canal and River Trust highly enough. They kept us informed and were extremely helpful. We cannot fault anything with Shire Cruisers. The service was excellent. We will definitely use you again." - Shoobert, Norfolk
"Susan & Paula extremely helpful when we changed from Oxford to Cambridge (for an easier trip). We enjoyed our holiday very much, thank you. The sense that the floor of our home was moving, when we got home, was very weird!" - Thompson, Cambridge
"Very good, we needed assistance and the response was excellent." - Gregson, Oxford
"Awesome! We score everyone we met 5/5. Very attentive, helpful & available." - Everall, Bedford
Information Pack
"Information supplied was very comprehensive and informative." - James, Huntingdon
"Good. We emailed about child bed guards - and we received very good, swift, clear response." - Abi/Simon, Northumberland
"Information Pack excellent." - Jackson, Oxford
"Good, everything well explained." - Spence, Huntingdon
"Very useful, gave us a good idea of what to expect. The folder information was very detailed and helpful." - Flynn, Bedford
"Very detailed and helpful." - Tomkins, Cambridge
"The Information Pack and video, lists and guidance meant we could learn, plan and prepare for the holiday at home. It was really comprehensive." - Dewhurst, Norfolk
"Very informative - both the pre-brief and the walkthrough. It was helpful and appropriate to be guided through Tuel Lane Lock before sending us on our way." - Barganski, Worcester
"Very informative. Gives you a chance to do homework before trip." - Williams, Lincoln
"Very helpful, told us everything we needed to know." - Tracey, Rutland
"Informative, everything clearly explained, good video & what was on boat." - Freeman, Lincoln
"Great information. We were well prepared before we set off." - Gordon, Somerset
"We found the information pack extremely useful and would recommend everyone to read it and watch the videos." - Shoobert, Norfolk
"Very good, answered all our questions. Boat Manual on board excellent. Equipped with everything we needed to know. Lock/tunnel times etc. invaluable." - Thompson, Cambridge
"Very helpful & useful en route." - Coddington, Lincoln
Handover
"Excellent handover by Josh." - James, Huntingdon
"SUPERB. Lady in Shire Cruisers was great. David who came on boat with us was excellent. Best, most comprehensive handover ever." - Abi/Simon, Northumberland
"Thorough briefing from Susan. Thank you. Josh was very pleasant and most helpful. Thank you. Much appreciated." - Jackson, Oxford
"Excellent. Josh was fantastic. We did a canal holiday last summer (with a different company) and I never knew how to work the locks and found it really stressful. Because of Josh's clear explanation and helpful tips (taps and plug!) I knew exactly what I was doing this year which made it all so much more enjoyable. Thank you Josh!" - Graham & Jane, Oxford
"The handover was great, really friendly staff, all willing to help and answer questions. Josh and Dave were top notch." - Flynn, Bedford
"Very thorough and good to pick up some hints and tips." - Tomkins, Cambridge
"We were all quite experienced but found the reception and individual handover process to be excellent, friendly and thorough. It gave us a great start to the holiday to be received so well on arrival." - Dewhurst, Norfolk
"Comprehensive. Hadn't seen some of the locks before so were grateful for information. Detailed handover. Dave was calm, patient & very helpful." - Meghan, Northumberland
"A very comprehensive handover. Gave us the confidence needed for our adventure - first time boaters." - Williams, Lincoln
"Sam & Geoff were great very friendly & informative. Geoff stayed with us & explained locks - a bit overwhelming as so much info, however it paid off as we managed well next day." - Kennedy, Somerset
"Perfect & Josh was great." - Davies, Lincoln
"It was very detailed and helpful was great having a member of the team accompany you down stream." - Cameron, Lincoln
"Everything was explained in detail, especially the boat & locks. I was quite anxious before we set off but all the guys put me at ease. The most useful piece of advice was 'point the red on the tiller where you don't want to go!'." - Tracey, Rutland
"Very good. David obviously had a lot of pride in the boat & enjoys his work. Very well explained - patient!" - Freeman, Lincoln
"Perfect balance of advice & guidance for an experienced crew. Clearly capable of giving more if we had needed." - Gordon, Somerset
"Geoff was excellent he took us through 3 locks and all his information about the boat and the waterway was very useful and informative." - Shoobert, Norfolk
"Briefing from Sam v. good. Thorough & unhurried. We set out confident, with all the info needed." - Thompson, Cambridge
"The introduction was helpful (special thanks to Josh)." - Wadsten, Buckingham
"Dave was brilliant and got us confident about venturing out." - Andy, Rutland
"Polite, happy and enthusiastic handover. Answered questions when asked, very knowledgeable." - Morgan, Lincoln
"Going through Locks 1, 2, 3/4 with Brian - excellent refresher of skills!" - Leeming, Rutland
"Very thorough, we are relatively experienced boaters but infrequency of holidays means it's really helpful to go through the whole briefing & being reminded how things work." - Everall, Bedford
"Friendly and thorough - appreciated we had prior knowledge." - Martin, Buckingham
"Very informative, the most detailed we have encountered in 6 trips - particularly useful with the 'pole' controls on locks!" - Pond, Somerset
"Very well organised and gave lots of detail. Everyone highly knowledgeable." - Coddington, Lincoln
"Excellent. Patient professional staff. Good fun & informative." - Craig, Cumbria