After the Christmas break, we got stuck into building our latest narrowboat, Hobby. It sleeps four people, and has the option of twin beds instead of a double in the bedroom.

Our houseboats and cottages were busy with couples enjoying winter breaks in the Brecon Beacons, and there were some glorious winter days.

We began hiring our electric day boats for the 2020 season, and offered sweet treats to every child during the Easter holidays.

We added a hot-tub to Incline Cottage. It's in a gorgeous setting overlooking the canal, surrounded by trees and greenery. No wonder it's delighting our guests!

We decided to run a monthly photo competition between July and November, to encourage customers to share their fantastic shots with us, with a view to using the best in our brochure and other marketing activities in 2020.

 For the fifth year running, Beacon Park Boats scored a perfect 100% in the grading visit by the British Marine Federation. Every boat in our fleet was awarded five stars for the sixth year in a row. It’s a superb accolade for our hardworking team.

While we were putting the finishing touches to Coot - our first hybrid-electric narrowboat complete with solar panels, we were busy planning the next addition to our fleet: Falcon - the first 8-berth holiday narrowboat on the Mon & Brec, which will be available for holidays from summer 2020.

We sponsored Crickhowell Literature Festival for the first time; it brought book lovers galore to our local town. There was also good news about awards won by local eateries: The Bear in Crickhowell and The Usk Inn in Talybont-on Usk are both listed in the AA Good Pub Guide 2020 and The Angel Hotel in Abergavenny was crowned Welsh Hotel of 2020 by the Good Hotel Guide.

Alasdair completed his latest challenge: to walk 5km unaided around Bute Park in Cardiff, raising money for the Stroke Association and the Royal British Legion. After passing the finish line, he sat down for a well earned rest, surrounded by his supporters!

We saw huge interest in our holidays after BBC1 Wales aired a documentary which features our business: "Gareth Edwards' Great Welsh Adventure".

The latest boat to join our fleet has been tested on the canal. Unusually, it's not one we're building but a pedal boat made by Dad's Boats in Norfolk. It'll be available for two people to hire for eco-friendly day trips on the canal, beginning in April 2020.

Keep up to date with future news by coming back to our blog during 2020.

Highlights of 2019

"Gareth Edwards' Great Welsh Adventure", a BBC1 Wales documentary series about Welsh Canals with rugby legend Gareth Edwards, was originally broadcast in autumn 2019. We were thrilled to be included in this series which was filmed during that summer. Gareth Edwards and his wife, Maureen, enjoyed a short break on our narrowboat Harrier, with a film crew capturing their adventure on the Mon & Brec canal. They were an absolute delight!

The four-part series covered the four Welsh canals (Llangollen, Montgomery, Monmouthshire & Brecon, and Swansea), and was originally broadcast in October and November 2019. At various times, the series has been available on Virgin Media 864, Sky 952, Freesat 976 and BBC iPlayer. For those of you who didn't see it, or would like a reminder, we've got a short video about it on our YouTube channel.

Rugby legend Gareth Edwards takes a narrowboat holiday | Gareth Edwards canal series

Rugby legend Gareth Edwards takes a narrowboat holiday

For some people, a holiday's not complete without a hot tub. Beacon Park Boats offers a narrowboat actually with a hot tub on the boat - pure luxury! Enjoy all the wonderful comforts of a hot tub in the most beautiful surrounds of nature the UK has to offer.

For the ultimate experience, choose a hot tub on narrowboat Owl. During the winter, when the air is crisp and there may be a snowy scene around you, Owl becomes a houseboat - permanently moored at Llangattock. It's a tranquil spot at the edge of our private wharf where you'll have complete privacy. Owl also boasts a 4-poster bed and wood burner.

There's plenty to do within walking distance: wander into the pretty town of Crickhowell, climb one of the surrounding peaks or saunter along the canal towpath for miles. With your car parked just a few metres from your houseboat, you also have the option to go out for the day and explore further afield if you wish - perhaps the market towns of Brecon or Abergavenny (below), Blaenavon World Heritage Site or Llanthony Priory - a super spot for star gazing.

From spring to autumn, you can cruise the canal on narrowboat Owl, choosing where to moor up and share some idyllic moments with your partner. There are so many beautiful locations on this waterway, you'll never run out of places to enjoy.

For a hot tub nestled in a wooded glade overlooking the canal and the Usk valley, choose Incline Cottage. The green backdrop gives a feeling of calm and is sure to help you and your loved one relax. Perhaps even more special is sitting out under the stairs with a glass of bubbly.

Expect more luxury inside the cottage - with an amazing roll-top bath in the bedroom and a sumptuous kingsize bed. There's not one, but two, log burners in this 5-star cottage for that extra cosy feeling.

Take a look at all our narrowboats and cottages.

Holidays with hot tubs | Hot tub boat

Holidays with hot tubs

Hobby was launched onto the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal in 2019. Although Hobby is the 23rd narrowboat we have designed and built, the launch day was still hugely anticipated. It's a proud moment for the entire team when our hard work comes to fruition and, what started as a drawing on a piece of paper, goes safely down the slipway into the water.

Those of you who've known our business for a while will realise that we've had a narrowboat called Hobby for several years. This brand new narrowboat replaces her namesake; the former Hobby is now in private ownership on the canal and has a new name.

The new Hobby offers generous space for two but will happily accommodate four people. There's a bedroom which can hold a 4ft double bed or two 2ft single beds, and the sofa converts to a double bed.

Keen cooks will love the well-equipped kitchen. 

There's a spacious shower room and an additional loo.

The canopied front deck is the place to sit and watch the world go by. Feel the breeze or turn it into a conservatory by drawing the foldaway side curtains.

On chillier evenings, snuggle up in front of the wood-burning stove in the lounge.

For those interested in even more detail, Hobby is 52'5" (16.0m) long, 6'10" (2.1m) wide and has a maximum headroom of 6'5" (1.96m).

We are absolutely delighted with Hobby, and she's proving very popular with customers. Take a look at holiday availability on Hobby.

Take a look at our new narrowboat Hobby

We're delighted to see that some very special pubs in our area are ranked among the best in the UK, according to the latest edition of the AA's Pub Guide 2020. Well done to the teams who provide great beer and good food in these lovely settings.

Two are within walking distance of the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal and shouldn't be missed during your boating holiday.

Moor up in Talybont-on-Usk and it's just a 2-minute stroll to The Usk Inn which was established in the 1840s when the canal was a hive of industrial activity.

They've been welcoming visitors at The Bear since 1432. Loved by locals and tourists alike, it's at the heart of Crickhowell which is a 20-30 minute stroll from the canal.

 If you're staying in our cottages, you can venture to the following more rural pubs during your holiday or perhaps on your way home.

Take a look at our other suggestions.   

Local pubs in the AA Pub Guide 2020

We are proud to announce that, in 2019, the newest member of our fleet will be our first hybrid diesel-electric narrowboat, Coot With accommodation for four guests in a double/twin bedroom and double sofabed, Coot has the same layout as our other new narrowboatHobby. But that’s where the similarity ends.

Over the past ten years we have kept a close eye on developments in automotive technology, with the aim of building an electric boat that can cruise the canal without customers fretting about reaching the next charging point. While suitable technology, similar to that used in Tesla cars, has recently been developed for boats, we think it comes at a cost that would make holiday hire unaffordable. However, we are impressed with latest hybrid technologies and decided that our newest narrowboat should be a hybrid diesel-electric with solar panels on the roof.

Unlike some electric narrowboats which can be recharged only at designated points on a canal, Coot recharges her batteries continuously while you are cruising. Set off in the morning cruising on (virtually silent) electric power then, after a lunch stop, switch the power source. The batteries recharge as you continue cruising so you’ve plenty of power for the next morning and you can moor up for the night wherever you fancy. 

a canopied front deck, a wood burning stove, an additional loo, a spacious shower room and a large kitchen. With a bedroom that can be made up with a double bed or two single beds, and a sofa in the lounge which converts to a double bed, Coot provides flexible accommodation for groups of friends and families of all ages. And she has 'green' appeal.

Keep an eye on our blog for progress on this exciting project!

Hybrid electric boat launches in 2019

We are delighted that our local town, Crickhowell, has been shortlisted for the Great British High Street Awards. Please show your support by posting on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using #MYHIGHSTREET and #GBHSCrickhowell to register a vote.

The high street is looking smarter than ever - ready for the judges who will be in town on Thursday 25th October.

Here are some of the reasons why Crickhowell is on the shortlist:

Crickhowell brings the community together with its Totally Locally campaign, where over 100 shops and businesses run initiatives to boost local spending and connect with the community.

Crickhowell is proud of the fiercely independent nature of the shops on its high street and recently residents, visitors and retailers came together to buy and renovate a local pub to maintain this ethos.

Crickhowell also has the first Zero Waste shop in Wales, which acts as a focal point for coordinating the community’s sustainability efforts.

Businesses in Crickhowell work together to promote each other on social media to benefit the high street as a whole.

If you haven't already visited this gorgeous town, it's a must for your next holiday. Find out more. 

Crickhowell shortlisted for award

From 24 March 2018 you can hire an electric boat from our wharf at Llangattock, and explore this particularly beautiful section of the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal for a half day or a full day. 

Our electric boats seat up to six adults, two children and two dogs. Advance booking is recommended, to ensure that you get your preferred day and time. Just call 01873 858227 to check availability and make a booking.

It's the perfect, relaxed day out for all ages. You are welcomed to our wharf by a member of staff and shown to your boat. No experience is needed, as the boats are very easy to steer and you will be able to watch an instructional video before setting off for guidance. And if the weather turns a little chilly, simply pull up the rainproof cover and you're sitting inside.

From our wharf, head north and you can reach Llangynidr with its pubs. Or cruise south towards Gilwern and Govilon with stunning views across the Usk valley towards the Sugar Loaf mountain above Abergavenny. There is plenty of wildlife to spot, from herons waiting to catch their fish supper to red kites soaring overhead, while along the way you'll pass sheep, horses and cows in neighbouring fields.

Why not stop at a canalside pub for refreshment or take a picnic with you? You can moor up almost anywhere along the Mon and Brec canal so you might like to bring a picnic rug. We recommend calling into Crickhowell before you arrive at our wharf so you can buy some items for your picnic from the lovely independent shops in the town.

News

Highlights of 2019

Rugby legend Gareth Edwards takes a narrowboat holiday

Holidays with hot tubs

Take a look at our new narrowboat Hobby

Local pubs in the AA Pub Guide 2020

Hybrid electric boat launches in 2019

Crickhowell shortlisted for award

Electric day boats join the narrowboat fleet at Llangattock

5 little-known facts about Llangattock

Mallard is on her way

Guest blog: Kate's Country School

Wren is ahead of the curve