Afternoon Tea – A Brief History
The quintessentially English habit of Afternoon Tea dates back to the 1840’s and was designed to
stave off hunger between Lunch and the set Evening Meal. It was indulged in by the upper
echelons of society who would declare ‘open at home for tea receptions’ for up to 200 guests to
attend between 4pm and 7pm.
Our Afternoon Tea
Here at Lancashire Canal Cruises our 30’ narrow boat seats a more modest number of
passengers (12) but it does mean that we can concentrate on looking after you more closely !
Our Afternoon Tea cruise is very traditional and of course includes scones (how do YOU pronounce it ?!),
delicious finger sandwiches, local strawberries, cakes and of course a choice of teas and coffee.
A refreshing glass of chilled rose or a soft drink to accompany along with options to pre-order
champagne, Prosecco, wine, gin or craft beers.
Enjoy a debate with your companion regarding clotted cream or jam first on your scones. Devon
or Cornwall respectively. Relax and enjoy the countryside views as we sail east and keep an eye
out for the wildlife. We regularly see kingfishers and swans and mallards, moorhens and coots
recognise the boat and announce themselves noisily. Our 90 minute Afternoon Tea cruises are
extremely popular in the Summer but please bear in mind you can charter the boat for your very
own private hire Afternoon Tea Cruise which allows us to sail to the quant village of Parbold, home to an
art gallery with a genuine Victorian windmill and also have an ice cream at Yours is the Earth.
We pride ourselves on being able to tailor our cruises for your exact needs. We are excellent
listeners and have hosted surprise proposals (all accepted!), baby showers, birthdays,
anniversaries, heritage journeys, team building trips and the occasional ‘swan party’. Get in touch
to discuss how we can provide your very own bespoke experience.
We are Lancashire Canal Cruises. We’re waiting for you.
