Drifting Wood Canal Breaks
Drifting Wood Canal Breaks
Drifting Wood Canal Breaks
5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Full view
About
Drifting Wood Canal Breaks ethos is simple, we want to make your canal adventure the best it can be and we go that extra mile to try to make that happen for you. Moored Grindley Brook Wharf on the stunning Llangollen canal you have the opportunity to experience the Ponycysyllte adqueduct in a long weekend, not forgetting the whole experience of the journey! Our boats offer all the comforts of home and everything you could possibly need is already onboard waiting for you, all you need are your clothes, PJs and a toothbrush and your ready for the off! We are on call 24/7 while you are out adventuring and are never more than a phone call away. If you have a special occasion just let us know in advance, we love the chance to add something special to help you celebrate! Our welcome pack also sees you through the first day, just let us know if you are veggie or vegan and we'll make sure it's perfect for you! We hope to welcome you aboard soon!
Grindley Brook, Shropshire, England
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Drifting Wood Canal Breaks
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5.0
71 reviews
Excellent
71
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Lauren Russell
Swindon, UK6 contributions
Mar 2023
We hired Acorn for my birthday week at the beginning of March, knowing that the weather would be extreme and changeable. Laura and Dana certainly know how to make the experience extra special and Acorn is more like your own boat than a sanitised hire boat, with everything you need and more. The Welcome Pack is unbelievable, including a delicious bottle of Malbec! We encountered all types of weather, but even with six inches of snow on top, Acorn was snug and warm. We made Llangollen and back comfortably in the 5 nights and it was so convenient that return is at midday on the last day and not 9am as with other hire companies; this made a real difference as we did not need to moor up close to Grindley Brook the night before. and on another practical note, at 47ft, Acorn is the perfect length for this stretch of the canal, where some of the turns are a bit tight. Definitely would recommend Drifting Wood to others.
Written 19 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello brave adventurers!
Thank you so much for taking the time to pop this lovely review up for Acorn :o) It really does help, especially telling people everything they need is on board, I do try to tell people but I think they aren't sure there won't be that one thing they need, and as you have said, it'll be there!
I plumped for the Malbec as surely red is more welcome on those chilly nights, so pleased you enjoyed it!
Take care and hopefully see you both again one day. Laura x
Written 23 March 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
justmrG
Kingston-upon-Hull, UK57 contributions
Oct 2024 • Family
Back to work today after a wonderful week travelling the wonderful Llangollen Canal aboard the Mighty Oak.. Your spirit is immediately lifted upon arrival with a meet n greet with Laura, her amazing Glass Half Full approach to life and to her work is infectious. No one could doubt her enthusiasm , which is also very evident in the Mighty Oak which is top to toe with everything you could possibly need. Built and maintained with a true passion that Laura has instilled into every last detail.
Would I recommend a Narrowboat holiday - ABSOLUTELY , Would I recommend Driftingwood 100% - The Mighty Oak 100% - Laura 100%
Thank you again Laura for a great break, and a pocket full of great memories.
Would I recommend a Narrowboat holiday - ABSOLUTELY , Would I recommend Driftingwood 100% - The Mighty Oak 100% - Laura 100%
Thank you again Laura for a great break, and a pocket full of great memories.
Written 17 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WOW ... I do believe this made me blush lol
I do my best, as you know. After all I want you to have the best experience you can possibly have with us and when I read something like your review I even allow myself a quick pat on the back :o)
I hope to see you all again one day.
Take care x
Written 7 November 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hellfire2001
Central UK12 contributions
Sept 2022
We hired Acorn for four days, three nights, and found the whole experience a delight from start to finish – and excellent value for money. When we booked, Laura's readiness to advise us and answer our questions really made us feel that we had made the right choice in booking Acorn for our short break and this was confirmed when we arrived and met Acorn for ourselves. She's a very well cared-for boat. The attention to detail that had gone into preparing her for our visit exceeded all expectations and she has everything you will need, and everything is top quality. Laura and Dana were lovely too, and made us very welcome. All the ins and outs of operating the boat were carefully explained to us by Dana and this gave us confidence when the time came to set off by ourselves. I was rather nervous about steering a narrowboat, but after a while I found Acorn an easy boat to steer – just take your time and think ahead. The Llangollen canal is beautiful and has some interesting places to visit and lovely, peaceful visitor moorings. In the evenings, Acorn is a very comfortable and cosy home from home. We loved our time on Acorn so much that within two hours of arriving home, we had already booked our next stay.
Written 21 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a lovely review for us :o)
Very much looking forward to seeing you again next year!
Take care and stay safe
Laura x
Written 18 October 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ross Kettle
Pembroke11 contributions
Jun 2023
We spent a week aboard "Acorn" back in June, a great find for our first time cruising The Llangollen Canal. Our adventure was made all the more easier with the help and guidance from Laura and Dana, from booking online, to the welcome aboard with an amazing welcome hamper! The fresh bread still warm. The tour of Acorn and the time taken to give us some hands on training for us to take Acorn along the canal was first class, Many Thanks to Laura and Dana whose passion and knowledge was very welcome!!
Acorn was well equipped and clean throughout, with everything and more you may need for a week of cruising. Cosy and comfy from lounge to bedroom and surprisingly plenty of room to get about.
We cruised from Gridley Brook to Llangollen and on the return we ventured onto The Montgomery Canal, spectacular scenery was helped by some amazing weather. Although we did encounter a storm of Thunder, Lightening and some major down pour of rain one evening. We passed through Ellesmere on the way to Llangollen and there was some Canal Festival taking place, so extra busy on and off the canal.
We are glad we found Drifting Wood Canal Breaks and Acorn, for our trip and We would highly recommend them to others to try them out, you wont be disappointed!
Thanks again Ladies we had a great week.
Acorn was well equipped and clean throughout, with everything and more you may need for a week of cruising. Cosy and comfy from lounge to bedroom and surprisingly plenty of room to get about.
We cruised from Gridley Brook to Llangollen and on the return we ventured onto The Montgomery Canal, spectacular scenery was helped by some amazing weather. Although we did encounter a storm of Thunder, Lightening and some major down pour of rain one evening. We passed through Ellesmere on the way to Llangollen and there was some Canal Festival taking place, so extra busy on and off the canal.
We are glad we found Drifting Wood Canal Breaks and Acorn, for our trip and We would highly recommend them to others to try them out, you wont be disappointed!
Thanks again Ladies we had a great week.
Written 10 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Ross
Thank you so much for putting this up :o) We are so aware that reviews really do help others decide whether to book with us or not, so it is truly appreciated when guests take their own time to pop up a review!
Hopefully we will see you guys again one day! Take care x
Written 18 August 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kate L
Lampeter, UK29 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
Amazing holiday thank you so much! We haven't been on a canal holiday with the kids before and although we've spent a few days here and there on a friend's boat, it's not quite the same as taking the reins fully and going off on a family holiday for a few days. We booked 4 days and by day 3 were wishing we'd booked for longer. Laura and Dana were absolutely amazing, communication was great and we turned up confident we knew all we needed to. We had a tour of the boat to start with by Dana, then Laura showed us the technical bits before Dana took us out for a little bit to make sure we were confident in controlling the boat. Laura was on the other end of the phone if we needed anything which was really reassuring as well.
We headed up to Llangollen and moored in Llangollen basin on the 2nd evening heading back on day 3. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and even our 10 and 13 year olds enjoyed (despite our worries they'd get bored) there is so much to do being part of the crew, we took it in turns with the walkie talkies (supplied with the boat) walking up front keeping an eye out for other boats and warning the skipper. We counted our steps and chatted to other boaters along the way. We stopped at a few pubs on the way as well ☺️ Everyone had a turn driving the boat including the kids (on the less windy bits)
Drifting wood has the edge on other canal boat holidays, thinking of everything that is needed. A beautiful selection of food and drink was waiting for us on day 1, including a fruit bowl, cheese, ham, seeded bread, and even wine. We were provided with 2 maps and walkie talkies, there was plenty of storage (underbed and 2 wardrobes), loads of cooking utensils, tea, coffee, sugar, salt & pepper, cooking oil etc. You really do just need to bring yourselves, clothes and a sense of adventure!
We're already looking at dates to book for next year, if you were on the fence, just get it booked, you'll absolutely not be disappointed ☺️
We headed up to Llangollen and moored in Llangollen basin on the 2nd evening heading back on day 3. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and even our 10 and 13 year olds enjoyed (despite our worries they'd get bored) there is so much to do being part of the crew, we took it in turns with the walkie talkies (supplied with the boat) walking up front keeping an eye out for other boats and warning the skipper. We counted our steps and chatted to other boaters along the way. We stopped at a few pubs on the way as well ☺️ Everyone had a turn driving the boat including the kids (on the less windy bits)
Drifting wood has the edge on other canal boat holidays, thinking of everything that is needed. A beautiful selection of food and drink was waiting for us on day 1, including a fruit bowl, cheese, ham, seeded bread, and even wine. We were provided with 2 maps and walkie talkies, there was plenty of storage (underbed and 2 wardrobes), loads of cooking utensils, tea, coffee, sugar, salt & pepper, cooking oil etc. You really do just need to bring yourselves, clothes and a sense of adventure!
We're already looking at dates to book for next year, if you were on the fence, just get it booked, you'll absolutely not be disappointed ☺️
Written 20 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
And freshly home!
Thank you guys so much, you looked after TMO beautifully - I've sent you a pic I took as you were entering the locks at Grindley Brook, perfect!
And thank you for your fabulous words, we're almost blushing ;o)
So next time it's down canal for you!
Take care
x
Written 21 August 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
KEBenson03
Manchester, UK9 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
We would recommend this canal boat owner/small company to anyone! (We have hired from large boat companies previously - not owners) Communication with Laura was efficient and she got back to any queries and questions quickly. Laura and Dana gave us a lovely welcome and they shared good advice about the canal and gave excellent instructions about the workings of the boat (engine/heating etc.). Acorn (the smaller of the two boats) is beautifully decorated and very well equipped. The bed was cosy and very comfortable and the heating is effective for the cooler evenings. Maps of the canal are supplied, as was a wonderful welcome pack of all kinds of food, from wine to bread, butter and eggs, as well as delicious fruit. The boat was scrupulously clean. There is plenty of storage on board for bags etc. Dana and Laura gave us a tour of the larger boat on our return (it's equally tastefully decorated and well equipped) and we hope that we might use this bigger boat in the future for a holiday with friends. (It did take us a little while to locate the home mooring of the canal boat from the postcode, but in the summer months a sign is there to help you find the narrow road to the mooring!) Laura and Dana are splendid folks and they will ensure you have the best canal trip possible. The rest is up to you!
Written 9 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello :o) Apologies for the late response, life's been a little hectic! Anyway, thank you so much for your lovely review :o) As I always say, it's reviews that help other people make their minds up about booking so each and every review is gratefully received. As you guys know, we really do care and make every effort to make every one of our hires the best experience it can be ... Obviously it's a bonus if you love fruit ;o) Thank you again x
Written 22 February 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Brett N
Bury, UK18 contributions
Sept 2023 • Friends
Had a cracking 3 day break on the Mighty Oak. The boat is brand new so everything is pretty much perfect (Dana & Laura are working hard to sort the few tiny niggles remaining & love to hear your feedback). The handover / pick up was comprehensive - way better than some of the others we saw whilst we were out - and as a small business (only 2 boats) you get expert care and attention all the time. The boat is superbly spec'd & if you're tall (one of our party is 6'4") the great headroom is a blessing.
Written 19 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi guys! Niggles and all ;o) Thank you for putting this up for us, every single time someone takes their own time to put a review up we smile ... We smile as these really do help others decide if we are what we say we are, you have made it pretty clear, we are :o) And that's 6'4" at the side, I must actually measure the height as I'm pretty sure it's higher than I originally thought watching you guys walking through!
It would be fab to see you again now you have your canal legs and you could venture Chester way or beyond!
Take care x
Written 25 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ben O
11 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
Brilliant!
The personalised support and tuition from Laura and Dana gave us novice boaters confidence. From the start their warmth put us at ease and they stressed that if we needed anything during our week we should contact them directly.
The boat is lovely - full of little touches that you probably won't find in boats of big hire firms, where every boat appears to be a carbon copy of the rest. It is a nice size too, being not too big but equally feeling large enough.
Before the trip we were worried that Grindley Brook might be a bit too far from the excitement re aqueducts but it actually turned out to be a huge benefit. It gave us time to get used to the controls before the narrower sections. It took us 3 days to cruise up to Llangollen- we chose to move early/late to avoid too much traffic. This was really successful as we had both aqueducts to ourselves and also meant we could enjoy some of the wider sites including Wrixhall Moss, Colemere, Chirk Castle as well as a beautiful walk up Dinas Bran.
Just Brilliant!
The personalised support and tuition from Laura and Dana gave us novice boaters confidence. From the start their warmth put us at ease and they stressed that if we needed anything during our week we should contact them directly.
The boat is lovely - full of little touches that you probably won't find in boats of big hire firms, where every boat appears to be a carbon copy of the rest. It is a nice size too, being not too big but equally feeling large enough.
Before the trip we were worried that Grindley Brook might be a bit too far from the excitement re aqueducts but it actually turned out to be a huge benefit. It gave us time to get used to the controls before the narrower sections. It took us 3 days to cruise up to Llangollen- we chose to move early/late to avoid too much traffic. This was really successful as we had both aqueducts to ourselves and also meant we could enjoy some of the wider sites including Wrixhall Moss, Colemere, Chirk Castle as well as a beautiful walk up Dinas Bran.
Just Brilliant!
Written 7 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bless your hearts, thank you so much for taking the time to put this up for us! I must admit I love to hear what people thought about Acorn and their adventures on her, especially when they are such a lovely review - What can I say, thank you Ben and lovely family ... I hope one day we'll see you all again! Take care, Laura x
Written 26 August 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
David Mairs
21 contributions
Jun 2023
Laura and Dana were very easy to deal with and went the extra mile with personal touches. Welcome pack gave us a great start and we had clear instructions before setting off on our journey. The boat was very clean, comfortable and well equipped. It had plenty of room for 4 people. As novices we found our feet quickly and really enjoyed the challenges of navigation lift bridges, locks, tunnels and narrow parts of the canal. we travelled up to Pontcysyllte Aqueduct which was the highlight of our journey. We had the boat for 4 nights and made the return trip within the timescale. The weather was amazing and the reflections of light on the canal along with wildlife and scenery gave plenty of opportunities, Folks on the canal were very friendly. For those who have never experienced a csanal b oat we can highly recommend Drifting Wood Canal breaks. A memorable trip. Thanks again to our hosts Laura and Dana.
Written 23 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello guys
Thank you so much for taking the time to put this review up. It does mean so much to us as many want to read what people who have experienced time with us is really like! As you know, it's very easy to say anything ourselves, but words from our guests means the world.
Thank you x
Written 28 July 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
309lindz
London, UK11 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
I would absolutely recommend hiring canal boat from Drifting Wood - boat was fabulous, Laura was efficient and communicative, Dana gave great boat handling training, we loved the welcome basket of products and had a great time on the Llangollen canal taking in the tunnels and viaducts and narrows. A great trip! Thank you.
Written 7 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi! Thank you for taking the time to pop this up for us :o) It really does help as it's all well and good us saying 'we care' but it's not until people who have had an adventure out on one of our boats pass on their personal experiences with us that it backs this up. So a massive thank you x
Written 22 February 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi looking to book a day with the family my dad would love to do this but only looking for a day is this possible
Written 2 July 2019
Hi Heather. Many thanks for taking the time to message me, but I'm afraid Acorn isn't set up for day trips, I am sorry. Some of the big companies have specific day boats, so it might be worth contacting ABC at Whitchurch as they do have a boat specifically for day trips ... I hope this helps you x
Written 2 July 2019
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