
Narrow Escape is a delightful 50ft narrowboat with a traditional stern. Offered as a 4/5 berth, this boat is perfect for couples, families or groups of friends.
Please note -Summer season bookings (mid-March to end of October) are for self-drive boating holidays. Winter bookings (November to mid-March) are for static hire within the marina only. Please see our Prices page for more details.
Front Deck:
The outside area on the bow of the boat provides 2 bench seats where you can sit and enjoy the view. Underneath the seating is storage for logs, coal and other utility supplies.
Saloon:
Entering through the double doors, you step down in to the bright and spacious lounge, with a comfy reclining sofa and traditional coal burning stove. As well as a Samsung smart TV and DVD player, there is also a selection of books, games and DVDs available. The sofa converts into a full-size double bed at night, using a quick and easy click-clack system.
Galley:
The lounge is open plan to the kitchen which comes with a gas oven, grill and 4 hobs, as well as a good sized fridge with freezer compartment and plenty of storage. We provide all crockery, cutlery and cooking equipment.
Bathroom:
The bathroom is located in the centre of the boat and benefits from a full height shower, an electric flush cassette toilet and a table top sink. There is also more storage in both the under-sink cupboard and on shelving next to the shower.
Rear Cabin:
Moving through to the rear cabin, there is a cosy dining area with table and 2 bench seats. Further storage is provided in the full height cupboard and under the bench seats. At night this area can be converted into a second double bed, and a child's bed can also be setup above (please note, this is a no mattress camp bed suitable for children up to the age of 13 only - extra bedding and blankets are provided for your child's comfort).All bedding is provided, but customers are asked to bring their own towels.
Engine Room:
The engine rooms houses all of the boating equipment and is also a useful storage space for boots and coats.
Rear Deck:
The traditional stern deck has a comfortable padded seat for the skipper, and standing room for a further 2 crew members.
Electrics:
- The boat provides 12v power only while cruising, so any personal appliances should have either a USB or car charger cable.There are 2 charging points located in the engine room at the rear of the boat.
Parking
Pets welcome






Parking & facilities
Parking, Parking option included
Policies
Accept credit card, Children welcome, Pets allowed, Smoking not allowed, Wheelchair inaccessible
Bathroom & laundry
Bed linen, Essentials, Shower, Washbasin
Heating & cooling
Fireplace
Entertainment
DVD player, TV satellite
Kitchen & dining
Cooking utensils, Grill, Kitchen stove, Oven, Refrigerator
Home Safety
Carbon monoxide detector, Fire extinguisher, First aid kit, Smoke detector
Credit cards accepted
Children welcome
Pets welcome
Smoking not allowed
Wheelchair inaccessible
Check-in: 02:00 PM
Check-out: 10:00 AM
Staring at Cow Roast Marina, located at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, you can explore the english countryside with lots of nature reserves and walking routes. There are also several historic towns to enjoy,with some great attractions, restaurants and boutique shops. Click here to find out more about the local area.
How to find us:We are easilyfrom both the M25 and the M1. Just follow signs for the A41 and exit at the Northchurch junction, then head towards Berkhamsted and you'll see the marina signposted.You can also easily reach us by public transport. Take a look at our FAQs for more information.
Our rates may vary day-by-day. Please select a period to see the exact price for your stay.
30% of the total amount is due at time of reservation.
The remaining amount is to be paid 42 day(s) before arrival.
All paid prepayments are non-refundable.
No security deposit is due.
Key Booking Terms & Conditions:
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We had a wonderful time on the boat. It was very comfortable and warm with the log burner on. Our son loved steering the boat too. Lots of lovely memories. Thank you
We loved our stay on the narrowboat. We were staying on the coldest weekend of the year so far and we were cosy and warm all night. Communication with our hosts was great and everything was clear and easy to use. Great location next to the lovely towns of Trin and Berkhamsted. We would definitely recommend this accommodation!
We had a long weekend on Narrow Escapes. There were four of us and a dog, and we had plenty of room. We were well briefed on helming and using the locks, and were guided through the first couple. Definitely a fun weekend with plenty of places to stop off and have a drink or a meal, or just stay on board and relax!
A lovely boat , with a nice kitchen , shower and comfortable bed and very clean , simple to use , and a pleasure to stay on . Gareth’s lesson was very good and he explained it all in layman’s terms , putting us at ease prior to setting off. Lovely canals and riverside pubs for dinners , great wildlife to see and many nice other canal boaters to give advice.
A great experience and I am a first time canal user. Narrow Escape had everything we needed and was a nice home for our three nights four days adventure. Before settling off Gareth provided excellent tuition and advice and we had no trouble along the way. Enjoyable relaxing and very peaceful break right on your doorstep and I recommend this holiday to all
We were welcomed back as though we are part of the family, they knew us not just by sight but also by name, and as before the boat was clean and tidy, can' wait for our next adventure later this year.
We hired Narrow Escape for a week in March and what a wonderful experience it was. If you want to experience a slower pace of life, enjoy nature and need to re-charge your batteries, then I would most definitely recommend a trip with Chiltern Canal Boats. Gareth was patient and very informative when showing us what we needed to know about, whether that was operating the locks or navigating the boat itself. It was the first time we had ever been on a narrow boat holiday and will definitely be doing it again. If the only thing putting you off is the fear of not being able to do it, I would recommend you park those fears and give it a go. Gareth also was available by phone should you need anything, very supportive.
We rented the 5 berth boat (Narrow Escape) for 3 nights and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The boat is very well appointed and Corrine and Gareth are delightful operators of this family run business. It was our first time skippering a narrow boat and operating locks, but thanks to Gareth’s expert, friendly and thorough hands-on training we tackled our watery adventure in confidence.
3 of us from Australia spent 4 nights on the Narrow Escape in June 2025. It was a wonderful experience. We had no boating experience and got Gareth on board as a skipper which was the best thing we could have done. He helped us so much with the locks and being "mature" people we would never have coped otherwise. It is something we always wanted to do and met all our expectations. We really recommend it. We do suggest you bring a lot of provisions with you on board as you do not necessarily stop each night near places to stock up. All in all a wonderful experience.
We really appreciated having Gareth doing all the work with locks etc while we just relaxed. He was so friendly and helpful with some great suggestions. His locally knowledge helped have a fabulous holiday.