Narrowboat | Quiet location | River view

Lark Rise III is a narrowboat offered as static accommodation moored within Lechlade Marina, with free parking on site. She has views of the river, a multi-fuel stove, and is pet friendly. Lechlade is on the borders of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire and is an excellent choice to explore all three counties. Shops, pubs, restaurants, and supermarkets are within walking distance. Walking, cycling, fishing and boating are all on the doorstep. Lark Rise III was built in 1989, and displays all the charm of an old narrowboat including handcrafted furnishings and items decorated with traditional canal art. Therefore, although she contains all the necessary facilities for self-catering, she is still an old ‘English country style’ boat. This small yet cosy space is an ideal for a couples’ getaway, or for a couple with an older child (over 12yrs). South East facing, ensures that the boat gets lots of light during the day, and with a multi-fuel stove supplying two radiators is a good choice for a quiet retreat all year round*. She is offered as static narrowboat accommodation (she can't be taken out) for up to 3 people with one double berth and one sofa bed. Living/Dining area The living area is in the bow of the boat (the entrance to the boat) It has a large sofa bed** (for a third person) and a multi-fuel stove to keep you warm and toasty in wintertime. The stove also serves two radiators, one in the galley and the other in the bedroom, so the boat stays warm throughout. We supply sufficient wood for the duration of your stay, and enough coal to keep the stove in for each night of your stay***. We give you full instructions on how to use the stove. The dining area is adjacent to the galley and contains a folding leaf table that can seat up to 3 people. The table is also useful for using a laptop, or to play some of our board games that are provided. We do also provide wifi**** (not 5G at present). The galley The galley is in the centre of the boat and is furnished with a gas oven and grill with a four ring gas hob. There is a small square sink with drainer. The galley contains work surfaces and cupboards. There is an undercounter fridge with a small freezer section at the top. The galley comes equipped with: • Frying pan • Saucepans • Glass tumblers, wine glasses, beer glasses • Cutlery • Cooking utensils • Electric kettle, hob kettle & a Cafetiere • Toaster • Mugs • Melamine dinner plates, side plates and bowls • Baking trays & roasting tin • Hand towel & tea towel The Shower room Next to the bedroom is a small shower room. This has recently been renovated and has a basic shower with shower curtain and also has a chemical cassette toilet on board (this is cleaned and sanitised by us at the end of your stay, or at intervals if you are staying more than a few days). The following items are provided for you: • Hand soap • hair and body wash • toilet rolls • bath towels, hand towel, and bath mat Boats have a finite capacity for water heating at any one time. Therefore, showers are designed for a quick wash, rather than a long hot shower, otherwise you may find the water starts to run cool . If you have long hair you may find you need to wash it separately to having a shower. The Bedroom The cabin style bedroom has a 4 foot double bed and is located in the stern of the boat. The room has windows either side, one looking over the marina and the other over the grass seating area outside. It has a short wardrobe with shelf and hanging space for 3 people people. There is also a hair dryer kept inside the wardrobe. Outdoor space In addition to the boat, we also have outdoor spaces both have views across the Thames and over the rest of the marina. The first is a small seating area on the bow of the boat, very useful in the summer months to sit and drink coffee. Off the boat there is a grass area. In the summer we provide a table and chairs for you to eat al fresco or to watch the sunset with your favourite tipple. We also have outdoor games, such as Pétanque, giant dominos and quoits. There is always plenty of wildlife around too, and we regularly see geese, swans, and kingfishers, just to name a few. Lark Rise III is ideal if you are looking for a quiet getaway by the river, a unique stay, or a pet friendly place. Maybe you are looking to buy your own boat and would like to try one out first, if so, we are more than happy to talk ‘boats’ with you during your stay. We would advise you to think carefully before buying a narrowboat experience for somebody else as a gift. We would strongly advise that you discuss it with them first before booking. * Potential for noise: Lechlade Music Festival is held every year over the last bank holiday in May. The festival is held in the fields opposite the boat however, it stops promptly at 23.00 each night. The music can be quite loud and can be heard on the marina. Please bear this in mind when booking. Lechlade, as the crow flies, is also very close to the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) held in Fairford in mid July. You may relish the thought of watching the air displays overhead, but again they can be noisy. We suggest that if you are considering booking with us around those times, and you would like a quiet stay, that you contact us to find out the exact dates for those events. ** The sofa bed will be equipped with a sleeping bag and pillow for a third person. ***We have roughly calculated the amount of wood and coal (coal not supplied during the Summer) that you will need for the duration of your stay. However, extra coal and wood may be purchased from us, see the house rules for details. **** Wifi is subject to fair usage. You have access to all of the boat except the boatman's cabin in the stern. The boatman's cabin can be used for emergency exit only. We live on another boat in the same marina, so we are a hop step away, and are always available if you need us either on the marina or locally by mobile phone. We are more than happy to answer questions and provide suggestions as to how you can make the most of your stay. Lechlade is a lovely Cotswold stone market town that has a great community feel to it. We have plenty of things to see and do for everyone within Lechlade and the surrounding area. If you love the water, then there are plenty of activities in and around the area from boats, to river walks. Why not walk down to St John's lock and watch the boats coming up or downstream. Gloucestershire and the surrounding counties are steeped in history, and we are close to some wonderful churches, historic houses and monuments. The Roman town of Cirencester, the city of Oxford, and Cheltenham Spa are within 30 miles of the marina. In addition, there are many other old Cotswold towns and villages to visit. If you are an avid Christmas market goer, then there are several that you can visit. Crafty Boaters have both Christmas markets and a Summer market at venues in the centre of Lechlade. The Christmas markets at Cirencester, Cheltenham, Gloucester Quays, Oxford, and Blenheim Palace are all within a 1 hour driving distance from Lechlade. Bath Christmas market is slightly further afield at 1hr 30 minutes, it is quite a large market and well worth the visit as a day trip. In December many places in the Cotswolds have an evening of celebrations with a Christmas lights turn on, including Lechlade. Earlier in the year we are ideally placed for Lechlade Music Festival, the RIAT Fairford Air Tattoo and slightly further afield, Cheltenham Festival and the New Years Day races also at Cheltenham. Later in the year it is not far to the Music and Fireworks held at the Defence Academy Shrivenham, we are close to Fairford and Faringdon fireworks displays. You will need a car to get around outside Lechlade if you plan to visit other towns and cities. For this you would need a key fob to get back into the marina with your car. If you would like to have a key fob we can supply one for a deposit of £30 which is returnable on receipt of the key when you leave. However, all of our local shops, pubs and restaurants can be reached on foot. More about the boat Our boat is an English narrowboat, as the name suggests the boat is quite small in size the width is 6ft 10 inches (approximately 2.08 metres). The height is 6ft (approximately 1.82 metres). Whilst there are no waves in the marina, the boat will move gently as people step on an off. Access to the boat You should be aware that to access the boat you need to climb some steep steps over a bridge and walk along the river bank a short distance. Therefore, if it is wet we advise you to wear sturdy flat shoes, boots or trainers. to go to and from the boat. Because the river bank and be muddy we would kindly ask that guests remove their shoes on entering the boat. There is a solar light by the door of the boat, but at night the access along the bank is not lit. We advise that you bring a torch with you. We do have some you can borrow if you arrive without one. Availability of hot water Please remember that you are staying on a boat, amenities like the shower are fed from a fixed capacity tank. Therefore, the availability of hot water at any one time is limited. Think quick shower off, and wash hair separately rather than long hot shower. Keys to the marina gates The marina has gated access. If you should need to go out in your car whilst with us we can give you a key to let yourself back in to the marina. In order to have the key we will require a deposit of £30 IN CASH on arrival, which we will refund on the safe return of the key to us at the end of your stay. Pets We will accept well behaved pets by arrangement. However, there is a one off cleaning charge of £10 payable in cash on arrival. This is to facilitate anyone with pet allergies that may follow you. Potential for noise Lechlade Music Festival is held every year over the last bank holiday in May. The festival is held in the fields opposite the boat. The music can be quite loud and can be heard on the marina, however, it stops promptly at 23.00 each night. Please bear this in mind when booking. Lechlade, as the crow flies, is also very close to the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) held in Fairford in mid July. You may relish the thought of watching the air displays overhead, but again they can be noisy. We suggest that if you are considering booking with us around those times, and you would like a quiet stay, that you contact us to find out the exact dates for those events. Number of guests Finally, the accommodation is ideal for two guests, but there is a sofa bed available for a third person. Please note that only guests who are staying on the boat are allowed on the marina. You must not bring anyone else onto the marina, over to the boat or use the boat in any way, as this invalidates our insurance and contract with the marina owners. This must also be adhered to for their own safety, as unlike guests, they will not have had the mandatory walk through the boat.