A gentle narrowboat cruise on the Basingstoke Canal with John Pinkerton Canal Cruises
Invited on a narrowboat
Following an invitation, we headed up to Odiham Wharf in north Hampshire which was a 30-minute drive from Winchester. The team from The Basingstoke Canal Society invited us up after enjoying our page, to help them highlight this beautiful area and their tours.
They run a trip boat from Odiham every Wednesday and Sunday in summer and they often get people saying that they never knew about the canal or how beautiful it is.
The boat is also available for private charter and has a 50-passenger capacity. The fees go to Basingstoke Canal Society to keep it going, repairs on the boat, etc. and the staff onboard are all volunteers too, friendly and knowledgable.
Brilliant time out with elderly relatives
This is a brilliant trip for particularly elderly relatives to enjoy as the car park is very close to where you get on the boat and only 4/5 steps down into the seating area, once onboard it’s a nice calm cruise along and tables to enjoy some games or a drink like we did. Plenty to spot on route from wildlife to history like the bridges, World War 2 history, and more.
All the information you need
The boat leaves from Odiham wharf. There is a free public car park adjacent to the wharf. The cruise goes one of two ways, each takes between 2.5 to 3 hours. For our trip, we went down to the Barley Mow and back.
There is a pub, The Waterwitch next to the wharf if you fancy lunch or a pint before you go although they also have a fully licenced bar (and loo) onboard. They leave at different times in the afternoons and also do special-themed tours too.
The postcode for departure is RG29 1AL.
You can also hire rowing boats, canoes and pleasure cruisers from Odiham. The village itself is worth a look as are the other villages in the area. There is more to Hampshire than the coast!
If you’d rather enjoy the Basingstoke Canal on your paddleboard, read our post about it!
To see more about the canal and to book on a trip go to https://basingstoke-canal.org.uk/boat-trips/
