Afternoon Tea Cruise

24 October 2022

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.

Myself and my nanna had the best time on the canal boat, the food was absolutely delicious and we couldn’t have asked for a better day the weather was perfect. The gentleman doing the tour (didn’t catch his name sorry) was so knowledgeable and was very funny. He was really accommodating for my nanna as well as she isn’t the most steady on her feet, he helped her on and off the boat and helped her up and down the stairs which I can’t thank him enough for. Would highly recommend doing this tour and it’s in such a beautiful area. Will definitely be doing it again!

Li L

Experienced a wonderful autumn cruise along the canal here with Skipper Mark who shared all his amazing experiences and knowledge of the area and canal along the way. Highly recommend this if you’re in the area.

Steven H

Our family of four hired a 6-berth boat and cruised from Burscough to Wigan and back. The boat was great, the route was lovely, and the service from Lancashire Canal Cruises was superb—special thanks to Marc, who was incredibly helpful. Five stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ben M

Amazing experience!
As first-time canal boaters, we were a bit nervous, but Richard made the whole process easy and enjoyable. He spent a couple of hours with us on the water, guiding us through everything until we felt completely comfortable handling the boat, mooring, and using all the onboard features. We spent two nights aboard and had an absolutely brilliant time—cruising between pubs for meals, spotting a kingfisher, and taking in the beautiful Lancashire countryside. The boat was spotless and had everything we needed.
10/10 – highly recommend! Thanks again to Lancashire Canal Cruises!

Matthew S

What a fantastic afternoon with the fabulous Marc as our skipper. This trip is worth every penny so if you've not done it or are considering booking on one of the experiences then do it! you will have a great time. Marc is brilliant sharing all the history and stories of canal life and the surrounding areas. Thank you Marc for making our trip truly special! 🤗

Pamela W

Really Enjoyed today's canal ride. Was made to feel at ease when I was nervous on the water. Amazing views & a lovely Afternoon tea. Got to steer the boat and wear the captains hat 😁. And the guy even made time to rescue someone's Memorial bench after it had been blown into the water 💙

Debbie H

We chartered a private hire cruise for 3hrs for my Mums 80th birthday and it was just perfect. Our Skipper Tori was fantastic, she really played along with the kids and kept them involved. The weather was rubbish but we didn't let it ruin the experience, all having a go at steering the boat and helping with the swing bridge.
We took our own food, drink and decorations and nothing was any bother. Would definitely recommend this trip.

Amy K

Everything was perfect from booking to the trip. Great communication.
Lovely afternoon tea.
The gentleman was friendly & had a great knowledge of the canal & surroundings.
Perfect start to my friends 40th Birthday celebrations.

Annmaria S

Just got back from an amazing cruise with afternoon tea with this company. The food was lovely and fresh!
The skipper, Mark was lovely and professional! He was so naturally friendly and explained everything about the history of barges and the area. He was so knowledgeable. The cruise itself was beautiful and relaxing.

Leah J

What a wonderful experience! Mark was such a great host, very kind and helpful. We miss our trip because of car crash on the road, he not only accommodate us on the next trip but he make us fresh afternoon tea and he place us in the best part of the boat! I can’t explain what a wonderful people and what a experience we had ! Truly amazing! Definitely try for yourself !!! Thank you Mark! See you soon!

Plamena D