GoBoat London Review
Reviewed by Dee Ryz
This sunny Bank Holiday weekend, myself and 4 friends travelled to the Paddington Basin in central London to float our worries away along the Regent’s Canal. We arrived 15 minutes early as per the website instructions, complete with Marks and Spencer’s picnic in tow, to enjoy our time on the canal. The check-in procedures were easy – Andrew got all the formalities out the way, including the ever-so-important question of which ‘captain’ hat I was going to wear (I opted for the traditional white and blue option!) – and then it was time for a quick safety briefing by Max.
As I have never driven a boat before I was a little bit concerned about steering however Max made it really easy to understand and even stayed on the boat while I gave it a go (luckily!). The boats themselves are perfectly sized for a max of 8 people, with seating round the edges and a table in the middle – almost like a floating picnic table! It took a bit of getting used to however after the first (hairy) 10 minutes I was good to go and Max jumped off, and we were on our way.
After roughly 20 minutes, I eased into ‘Captain’ life, then we swapped about on the boat to each have a turn of driving. Eventually I settled back into driving while my friends cracked out the bubbly and picnic (food isn’t a problem, however GoBoat have a strict alcohol policy, understandably!).
The canal took us from the Paddington Basin up through picturesque Little Venice, Regent’s Park, past the zoo – you can see the aviary and hyena enclosures from the canal – and then onto Camden and back. The trip took us just under 2 hours to complete – I’d highly recommend the trip, especially as the weather was fantastic. As an added bonus, we got to see a side of London we hadn’t seen before and enjoy it from the comfort of our own little floating picnic table – bliss!
Overall, I’d give this 5 stars – it really was a wonderful way to spend a sunny day, cruising along the canal!
GoBoat London (canal boat hire for up to 8 people) is located at the Paddington Basin on Merchant Square in central London. Close to Paddington train station, Edgware Road underground and plenty bus stops, it’s easy to find and access. Also, if you aren’t opting for the inclusive picnic, there is a Tesco, Co-op and Marks and Spencer all within a 5 minute walk of GoBoat with a variety of food options available.
Rating: 5/5
Pricing starts from £59 (1 hour) to £229 (6 hours)
For more information or to make a booking visit goboat.co.uk.
GoBoat London, Merchant Square, Paddington, London, W2 1JZ | 07557 441366
