When most Australians think of a family holiday in the UK, they picture Buckingham Palace, red buses, and maybe a whirlwind tour of castles and museums. But for us, we wanted something different—something slower, more grounded, and uniquely British. That’s how we ended up navigating the winding waterways of England on a canal boat, living life at 4 miles per hour.
We are Dan, Manda and Aria, AKA Overland Exposure, a full-time travelling family from Australia, exploring the world. Our journey is driven by a deep curiosity — to immerse ourselves in culture, connect with people, understand how the world works, and appreciate its beauty, history, and places. We believe travel is the best education, not just for kids, but for adults too and we aim to inspire and educate others to make the most of everyday in the wonderful world we live in. We share our adventures, information and inspiration on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and our website, so feel free to check them out and follow along.
We hired a narrowboat for 10 nights, unsure of exactly what to expect. What we found was a floating slice of British history. These boats once transported coal and goods through the heart of industrial Britain. Today, they’re perfect for families wanting to experience the UK in an entirely different way. Our days were filled with opening lock gates by hand, waving at friendly towpath walkers, saying G’day to fellow boaters and docking beside ancient pubs with low timber ceilings and stories older than Australia itself. Each bend in the canal revealed something new—a herd of cattle grazing lazily, a medieval stone bridge, or a moorhen leading her chicks through the reeds, and although you’re travelling through the busy UK, you feel in a world of your own.
The beauty of canal boat life is the slowness. With no rush to get from A to B, the journey is the destination. We started our mornings with hot chocolates on the rear deck and birds singing in the trees. Our daughter had a go at steering, learnt to read maps, and shouted “Lock ahead!” with more excitement than any theme park ride. We wrapped up each day tucked into a quiet corner of the countryside, with nothing but rolling fields and evening light around us.
It was a chance to reconnect as a family without screens or schedules. We cooked hearty meals in the kitchen and watched the countryside roll by like a moving painting.
This wasn’t the Britain of guidebooks—it was the real UK, experienced from water level. We moored in tiny villages and amongst the countryside, with views for days. We stumbled across farm shops selling homemade ice-cream and baked treats and had a classic canal-side pub lunch experience.
There’s something grounding about travelling through a landscape that’s been shaped by hundreds of years of quiet toil. The canal system itself is a marvel—hand-dug channels connecting towns and regions long before trains or motorways existed. As Aussies used to wide open roads, it was humbling to glide through this intricate, centuries-old network, feeling free and amongst nature.
If you’re an Australian family planning a UK trip, and you’re craving something beyond the typical tourist trail, a canal boat adventure ticks all the boxes:
It’s immersive – You don’t just visit the countryside; you live in it.
It’s hands-on – Kids can get involved, steering the boat, helping with locks, learning navigation.
It’s flexible – You choose your pace, your route, your rhythm.
It’s unforgettable – The combination of history, nature, and quality time makes it a family trip like no other.
So if you’re dreaming of a holiday where time goes slow but you see so much, and your biggest decision is which village pub to moor next to—consider trading traffic and crowds for the calm of the canals. For us, it was a journey into the heart of Britain, and one we’ll never forget.
If you’d like to see our full UK Canal Boat Adventure, please check out our YouTube Video Playlist or our Written Blog.
