The British canals today are a great place for canal boat holidays, but canal life wasn't always about relaxing and sightseeing...

Most of Britain's canals date back to the 18th Century. Canal construction began on a massive scale after the Bridgewater Canal opened in 1759. This linked coal mines in Worsley directly to Manchester and Liverpool, and inspired private companies nationwide to embark on similar projects. Over the following 50 years, two thousand miles of canals were painstakingly dug up across England, Scotland and Wales.

The original purpose of canals was to transport goods. Raw materials were needed all over the country and transportation of heavy and bulky freight was much easier by canal than by road. The canals formed an essential part of Britain's economy and massively aided the industrial revolution. By 1815, most of Britain's canals were completed- though even today the canals are still being worked on- regenerated for today's very different canal traffic.

Engineers such as Thomas Telford lay claim to the magnificent tunnels, aqueducts and structures that were essential to the canal network and spanned the land that was originally seen as impossible to traverse. As you cruise across aqueducts, through tunnels and locks, spare a thought for those who built them- many died in these pioneering projects and construction was often a slow and laborious process using little more than picks and shovels.

Britain's canals today are a long way from the functional working canals of former centuries. The boats which will be your home during your canal boat holiday are a far cry from the simplistic barges of the past. Equipped with all the technology and facilities you'll need throughout your break, our five star boats allow you to experience the transportation mode of the past in full comfort.

Today, many of the boats which you'll pass on the canal will be other holidaymakers. Britain still has many communities who live on canal boats, and you'll soon spot the professionals: gliding through the locks without a second thought, keeping their self decorated boats in good nick and going about their daily lives.

Canal boat holidays give you a chance to experience the beauty of Britain's waterways. Immersed in history and rich in atmosphere, canal boat holidays are a tranquil way to travel some of Britain's most serene and stunning locations. For information on where you can begin your journey, go to marinas.