Waterscape.com is urging Brits to step into a healthy New Year after finding that most of us spend out Sunday afternoons sitting in front of the TV rather than enjoying a Sunday stroll.
Britain offers some of the most beautiful scenery in the world and with nearly half the population living within five miles of a river or canal, there is every reason to get out and enjoy the wealth of activities on offer. Yet research released by www.waterscape.com - the UK's complete online guide to our rivers, lakes and canals, has found the once popular tradition of the Sunday afternoon stroll is dying out. Results reveal that only two out of every ten people go out for a leisurely walk.
From taking a gentle stroll with the family alongside your nearest waterway, to more energetic hikes, cycling trips, or even going on a boat trip, www.waterscape.com offers lots of ideas for a healthy dose of fresh air. There are also suggestions for eating and drinking along the waterside for when you feel you’ve earned a rest!
For the ideal way to burn off a few calories after the festive season, www.waterscape.com has put together a special Top Ten of Urban walks and a Top Ten of Waterside Walks in the Country, all within an hour’sdrive of the city, to help make it easy for people to find great local walks along the UK's rivers and canals.
Amongst the Top 10 Urban Waterside Walks, you could try: a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at bustling London,
| walking alongside the Regent's Canal; a stroll into the vibrant city of Liverpool via the Leeds & Liverpool Canal; a waterside view of Manchester from the historic Bridgewater Canal; walking along the River Don in Sheffield City Centre; following the towpath of the Aire & Calder Navigation into Leeds; or a stroll into Edinburgh City Centre along the Union Canal.
The Top 10 Country Walks includes walks where you can: enjoy the best of the Norfolk Broads, walking along Angles Way and the River Waveney; explore picturesque Hambleden and Henley-on-Thames from the River Thames; wonder at the beauty of ancient St. Cyr's Church from the Stroudwater Navigation in the Cotswolds; the wonderful views around Devizes and the spectacular Caen Hill Lock Flight along the Kennet & Avon Canal; stroll along the Medway, taking in the historic town of Tonbridge; take a trip to pretty Stoke Bruerne with its Canal Museum and historic Blisworth Tunnel along the towpath of the Grand Union Canal or relax with a scenic walk to Gnosall along the Shropshire Union Canal. Waterscape.com offers booking facilities for hiring a canal boat or waterside holiday cottage, hotel breaks, recommendations on walking, cycling, jogging and angling beside the water, the best waterside bars, pubs and restaurants, waterway guides with information on visitor attractions, local history and wildlife, as well as news and events guides and listings. | Drifters
The charm of the British canal system is that it has changed little in two centuries apart from nature's mellowing. The locks, bridges, well-worn steps and tunnels are there for you, and holiday makers from all over the world to explore. Long cool stretches of glistening water, a gentle ripple as the bow of your sleek narrow boat slices the countryside mirrored in the canal.
Now, over 200 years after their inception, the canals are used for pleasure. Drifters holiday boats boast comfortable beds, cosy sitting rooms, showers, fridges, central heating, in fact everything you need to make your incredible voyage of discovery into every corner of back door Britain. This is, however, not an armchair holiday - you are the navigator and it is down to you to captain your boat down this silver ribbon of Britain's past. Every corner is a new adventure, an adventure at a maximum speed of four miles an hour - the fastest way of slowing down. Your 'Drifters' holiday boat is your companion, your home and your magic carpet, taking you on the most relaxing holiday you have ever enjoyed. Come and enjoy Britain from its unique waterside. |
