Darwins Fox

We had a great time on Darwin’s Fox, lovely boat , clean , high standard of furnishings and accessories, friendly helpful staff and very well organised. Had good weather and enjoyed the countryside , doing the locks and bridges, found good pubs along the route and most people friendly.

Thank you all for a fab weekend away. The barge we were in was amazing, All the amenities we could want. The larger bed made all the difference to me. The extra luxury was great including 2 fridge’s and sound bar for the TV. Thank you all, very relaxing.

Excellent mid-week short break with Foxhangers. Out narrowboat was beautifully designed and in immaculate condition. We had no prior experience with canal boats but the induction process equipped us to successfully navigate the canal, locks and swing bridges. Very happy.

Thank you Foxhangers, we had a fabulous week on Darwins Fox, a beautiful state of the art boat with everything we could need. The handover and hand back were very smooth and you were always very quick to respond to the odd questions we had

What can I say? The person taking the booking 48 hrs before collecting the barge was polite, efficient and informative and sent all the information needed within a couple of hours. The lady on reception was kind and helpful. The gentleman ( KEVIN THOMAS), who gave us the boat briefing was superb. Very patient with my novice sailing partner. The boat was in pristine condition, with a welcome gift of wine and chocolates which was most appreciated and unexpected. All in all a tremendous experience all round. Well done to everyone. 5 star rating.

A very slick and well-organised holiday company. The Darwin Fox we stayed on was well kitted out and very comfortable, was amazed how good the showers were, there is everything you need on board. We thoroughly enjoyed our break on the K&A canal. The people who live on the barges were always friendly and helpful. Caen Hill is a great way to get the full hands on experience, it's hard work, just take your time and enjoy it! Some fantastic pubs on the way.

Beautiful boat , very well kitted out .we all had a lovely week break and can highly recommend the platinum range .Will be back again soon .

Dear Foxhangers, We’ve just returned from a fantastic, relaxing mid-week break with Foxhangers on the Darwin Fox. We were two couples and had everything we needed on board! It was very well-equipped, clean and extremely comfortable (especially the underfloor heating in the bathroom). The weather was fantastic and on the day it rained; we spent the time in Bath. We loved it all from the tutorial at the beginning, the locks, the swing bridges, the pubs and beautiful scenery. The office staff were extremely friendly and helpful too. We will certainly be re-booking with Foxhangers. Thank you so much for making this well-needed break so enjoyable.

Hi there, Just to say what a fantastic break we had on Darwins Fox. The weather wasn’t the best but that didn’t dampen our spirits! The narrowboat was really comfortable and we had lots of room. The onboard facilities were excellent and the bow thrusters were a godsend when mooring up! Thank you for a lovely holiday and hope to see you again in the future.

This was our fifth trip with Foxhangers and always impressed with organisation, friendly efficient staff and well-equipped craft. Makes for a relaxing and enjoyable experience.

Our 4 day trip west towards Bath aboard Darwins Fox was absolutely fabulous. From the moment we arrived at the boatyard, everything was wonderful, in particular, Rob’s meticulous and reassuring explanation of everything on the boat was the perfect start. The highest level of comfort can be expected, the layout is great, and the boat is equipped to allow for a truly luxurious canal experience. 5 stars on every level. Thanks to everyone on your team, who were all absolutely terrific

Foxhangers really impressed us. The staff all seem to be professional and empathetic. Hand over was excellent and Darwin’s Fox was immaculate and as comfy as a narrowboat could be! I absolutely recommend.

A very enjoyable holiday ! The barge was very well fitted out with everything you could possibly need. We really appreciated the wine and chocolates left in the fridge for us and the barge was impeccably clean. Tuition before we escaped was excellent and friendly and on our return we were met by the same gentleman whose greeting was just as warm ! A really lovely week was made a lot easier by having the very comprehensive file and info on board. We would all highly recommend Foxhangers to anyone . Regards

After months of lockdown getting away on the Darwin Fox was indeed a ‘welcome break’. Clean and well equipped boat. Friendly, helpful staff. Bath, Avondale and Bradford on Avon great places to stop and explore.

Just to say that we had a great week on Darwin’s Fox. The boat is very well appointed and everything worked. Your staff were obliging and helpful as ever, and we shall be back!

Thank you so much Foxhangers for such a lovely holiday onboard Darwin’s Fox. The boat was beautiful, and we had everything we needed. The sheets and beds were very comfy, bathrooms were spacious, the kitchen had everything we needed and the whole boat was extremely clean. We even found a small table that we could use for a bbq by the canal on a sunny evening! The handover was very detailed and well thought through and the COVID-19 policy made us feel safe during these strange items! Thank you once again for such a relaxing holiday, we loved it!

This was a brilliant holiday experience from start to finish. An excellent handover at the beginning, with a super helpful and knowledgeable guy... William? Who took us through all aspects of the boat. The boat (Darwin’s Fox) is amazing. Really high spec and beautifully decked out in oak. Everything clean and crisp. All the amenities you could want. Three TVs and two ensuite bathrooms plus a spacious kitchen and dining area. All presented to the highest standard and everything working perfectly. In summary a superb holiday and a very nice company to deal with. Would recommend without any reservation.

Thank you “Foxhangers” for your splendid boat, Darwin’s Fox. We had a fabulous holiday. From the fluffy towels and crisp white bedding to the thoughtful design and layout AND especially the bow thrusters, it could not have been better. The ease of handover was exceptional and cheery helpful staff made it perfect. Will certainly recommended you and hope to see you in the future. Regards from ”The Ladies that Launch” Krysia, Kim and Sarah.

This was, by far, the most relaxing holiday I’ve ever had. Aided by my daughter, and her boyfriend, we had no targets and no agenda. Darwin’s Fox was an absolute dream of a narrow boat, every facility you could wish for was on board, from the showers to the fridges, to the TVs and DVD players and the well equipped kitchen. At first the 65.5ft narrowboat looked incredibly daunting to control, but after an hour, and a few mistakes, it became remarkably easy to control, especially as this one was fitted with bow thrusters. The arrival brief was comprehensive, thanks Dave and Billy, it took you through the internals of the boat, the engine operation, steering, lock and swing bridge operation and Health and Safety, all at a relaxed pace. The volunteers on some of the locks were very knowledgeable and helpful, and with such a slow pace, everybody along the towpath were keen to say hello or have a chat. Our final destination was Bath, which was only about 14 miles, nonetheless, we stopped at some lovely places on the way, and enjoyed the restaurants and pubs. One of the crew, aided the rescue of a cyclist who had fallen in the canal, (engine to neutral immediately!!!!!) and my daughter rescued a bedraggled moorhen chick ‘Marvin’ who had been sucked through a lock and was struggling to stay afloat. A call to the RSPB sorted him out. Overall, a great holiday, with a slow pace, which will make you keep asking yourself, ‘What time is it? What day is it?’ and you’ll just tell yourself, ‘There is absolutely. NO RUSH. Thank you Foxhangers.

Darwin’s Fox is the best narrow boat that we have hired. It is very well designed and comfortable. It is particularly suitable for two couples because of the fore and aft cabins with en-suites. The bow thrusters are a great help with manoeuvring. The Kennet and Avon Canal from the Foxhangers Base to Bath makes an enjoyable and leisurely week’s cruise. There are lots of good canal-side pubs for eating out.

Our week on Darwin’s Fox was an amazing experience. We were very pleased with the quality of the fixtures & fittings and the layout of the two en-suite bedrooms at each end of the boat worked brilliantly for two couples. The boat is very elegant and well equipped both inside and out with a modern kitchen area encompassing two fridges, a microwave, full size cooker and coffee machine. The addition of bow thrusters enabled the boat to be very manoeuvrable in executing a three-point turn at the winding hole; we received much interest in the newest and most luxurious addition to the fleet. We had a slight problem during the holiday, which was resolved quickly and efficiently by Ray, thank you. We would definitely recommend Foxhangers to family & friends. The Kennet and Avon is a very scenic area and we soon adjusted to life at 4 miles an hour enjoying the slow pace of life that narrow boat cruising offers and allowing us to recharge our batteries.

“Myself, my wife and 24 year old daughter have recently spent one of the most enjoyable and satisfying weeks of our lives. Travelling from Foxhangers near Devizes, along the Kennet and Avon canal to Bath. What a fun, relaxing, exciting and absorbing experience the whole thing was, from working the locks and bridges to just soaking up the tranquillity of pootling along at just 4 miles an hour. History, feats of engineering, stunning architecture, glorious countryside and wildlife and nice friendly people that we came across; on boats, canal volunteers and in the various pubs that we visited along the way. It was like being in a bubble of how you would like things to always be. At the centre of it all was our boat, Darwin’s Fox. Beautifully kitted out, separate bedroom and bathroom for our daughter and as the details on the website show, pretty much every comfort you could wish for. Finally, the Foxhangers team. Those we had contact with could not be more friendly and helpful. Mike, who showed us “the ropes”, thorough, helpful, made sure we were completely happy before we set off. Nicky, in the office, helped us with a minor issue with a hairdryer but could not have been more helpful and keen to ensure all was well. Nick, an engineer who I happened to speak with initially, was in the bowels of an engine bay when I first called, but whilst I was on the phone his only concern was that my situation was handled thoroughly. We are most keen to return and I am sure we shall do so. We most definitely will be returning with Foxhangers when we do. I cannot speak highly enough of our experience with Foxhangers and the absolutely wonderful time we had and I am delighted to be able to pen this testimonial for a company which so deserves it.”

We hired Darwin's Fox in early April for a leisurely week cruising to the west. There were four of us, all of a certain age and the narrow boat seemed tailor made for us. It was very easy to handle and very comfortable to travel in. The layout is ideal for two couples with the privacy granted through cabins at either end, complemented by a well appointed central saloon which provided a communal area complete with “bells and whistles”. Everything one could possibly imagine is provided. The two bathrooms are first rate with plenty of space to splash around in and a very effective under-floor heating system. Having had a number of previous narrow boat holidays, there is no doubt that the Darwin's Fox experience topped all others. The quality of the fittings are exceptional and make it almost impossible to ever consider taking a lesser narrow boat out ever again. There is no doubt that Darwin's Fox really provides value for the extra cost and is ideal for those who want to luxuriate in their canal experience.

Great holiday aboard the aptly named Darwins Fox. Two couples from Australia in late September spent a week on the Avon/Kennet canal. We used Foxhangers near Devizes for our narrow boat. We had the best 7 days of our lives and could have narrowboated for ever. Our boat slept 7 and was fitted out in the most amazing way, even under floor heating in the bathrooms which were toasty warm! We would use Foxhangers again and reccommend it. The canal side pubs did dinner and we breakfasted and lunched on the boat. The locks, swing bridges and aqueducts provided lot of interest and fun. We had the dubious excitement of rescuing two boats stuck in a lock (we did it). We will be on the canals again!

We had a fantastic holiday with Foxhangers on their new boat Darwin's Fox. Every comfort you could think of on a narrowboat, even providing underfloor heating in the shower rooms and heated towel rails! The layout had been well thought out providing spacious shower rooms and a great deal of privacy as the bedrooms were at either end of the boat. There was tons of storage space in bedrooms, shower rooms and kitchen, even providing 2 fridges - allowing for one to be used as a drinks cabinet! Look forward to our next holiday with you Foxhangers!

We were fortunate enough to enjoy the absolutely beautiful boat Darwins Fox on our holiday. We have hired for 20 odd years on various canals in the UK and France and this is by far the best boat we have hired. The quality and comfort levels on this boat are simply fantastic. Where to start, the bow thruster was very responsive and it made pulling out from lock jetties so straightforward even when the wind was blowing in the opposite direction. Why have we never had this on other hire boats? My wife was very impressed by the kitchen, the quality of the materials and surfaces were exceptional and the storage and space second to none. We enjoyed the king size double bed and private ensuite bathroom and had a great sleep each night, although the peacefulness of the canal banks in rural Wiltshire may have helped! The hot showers are like anything you'd get in a luxury hotel. To be able to have a fresh coffee with hot milk in the morning is cerainly an evolution from other hire boats. The outside table which the four of us comfortably sat around in the evening was a nice touch. But all in all the the design of having two ensuite bedrooms at each end of the boat was something we'd never seen before with other hire boats. It gave perfect privacy between us and our friends and it meant my wife's snooring was only endured by me! Well done Foxhangers - you have built a very special boat.

Had a wonderful relaxing week on the Foxtrot and loved it, despite the rain. The boat was beautifully kitted out, handled well and staff were extremely friendly, polite and professional. Can't recommend them highly enough. Looking forward to Darwin's Fox!