Top Leeds On the Water

Canal cruises tend to come with dry commentary, which can make an hour on the water drag. This one keeps things entertaining, narrated by comedian Dave Spikey, of "Phoenix Nights" and "8 Out of 10 Cats," whose recorded tour walks through Skipton's history and the story of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal with jokes alongside the facts. Food and drink are served on board, and the trip runs whatever the weather.

A meal out and a look at the Yorkshire countryside usually mean doing two separate things. This canal cruise from Skipton rolls them into one, serving a roast dinner aboard a traditional barge as the countryside and canalside drift past from the water. A bar on board sells soft and alcoholic drinks, and the route passes points of local history along the way, including the Polish Airmen Memorial marking a wartime bomber crash on the canal bank.