Team Building Days on the Canal – A Better Away Day
A group of work colleagues enjoying a team building day out on Tilly in Apsley, Hemel Hempstead
If you've ever sat through a team building day that felt more awkward than bonding, you're not alone. Trust falls, forced icebreakers, and a hired conference room rarely bring a team closer together — they just get through it. A team building day on the canal works differently. There's no script, no pressure to perform, and no one watching the clock until it's over. Instead, your team spends the day steering a boat, working through locks together, and actually talking to each other without an agenda. Here's why it works, what the day looks like, and how to plan one from Apsley Marina.
Why a canal boat day works better than the usual away day
Most team building activities are built around forced participation — everyone has to join in, everyone has to perform, and everyone can feel it. A day on the water flips that entirely.
Nobody's watching. There's no facilitator running exercises or taking notes on who "engaged well." The team is simply spending a day together, which tends to produce far more natural conversation than any structured activity.
Everyone contributes differently, and that's fine. Some colleagues will want to steer, some will want to help through the locks, and others will happily sit back and enjoy the scenery. Unlike a lot of team building formats, there's no pressure for quieter team members to perform in front of the group.
Problem-solving happens naturally. Working a lock as a group — figuring out who does what, when to open which gate — is a genuine, low-stakes moment of teamwork. It just doesn't feel like an exercise, because it isn't one.
It's memorable for the right reasons. Ask anyone what they remember from their last generic conference-room team day, and most people struggle to answer. A day cruising the Grand Union Canal tends to actually get talked about afterwards.
What a team building day on Tilly looks like
A typical team building day hire runs for around seven hours, giving your group plenty of time to relax into the day rather than rushing through it. Before setting off, your team will receive:
A full safety briefing and boat handling demonstration
Guidance on steering, mooring and lock operation
Support through the first lock, so everyone sees exactly how it works
The option to add a professional skipper, so the whole team can relax together without anyone needing to steer
Once underway, the group can take turns steering, help work the locks together, or simply sit back and enjoy the canal at a walking pace. Most groups moor up somewhere along the route for lunch — either bringing their own food or stopping at one of the waterside pubs and cafés along the Grand Union Canal.
No experience needed, whatever the size of your team
Tilly comfortably holds up to 10 people, making it a genuinely practical option for a full team outing rather than just a handful of colleagues. No licence or previous boating experience is required from anyone in the group — full instruction is given before you leave the marina, and support is available throughout the day if needed.
This also makes it a low-pressure option for teams who've had mixed experiences with more physical or competitive team building activities in the past. There's nothing to "win," and nobody is put on the spot.
Ideal for teams across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire
Apsley Marina is easy to reach from across the region, with free parking on site and Apsley train station just a two-minute walk away — useful if your team is travelling in from London or further afield. We regularly welcome teams from businesses based across Hertfordshire, and it's just as practical a day trip for companies in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, with an easy drive to the marina and a full day's outing waiting at the other end.
Whether your team is based locally or coming from further out, a canal boat day gives everyone a genuine break from the office without the logistics of a bigger corporate event — no venue hire, no catering to organise, and no elaborate itinerary to manage. Just a boat, a canal, and a full day away from email.
How it compares to typical team building activities
Most corporate away days fall into one of a few categories: escape rooms, outdoor pursuits like archery or go-karting, or a hired venue with a facilitator running structured exercises. Each has its place, but they share a common drawback — they're built around competition or performance, which can leave quieter or less physically confident team members feeling like the day wasn't really for them.
A canal boat day sidesteps this almost entirely. There's no leaderboard, no elimination round, and no requirement to be outgoing or athletic to enjoy it. The pace of the day — slow, unhurried, genuinely relaxing — tends to suit a much wider range of personalities and working styles than a typical activity-based away day. For teams who've tried the usual formats and found them fall a little flat, a day on the water often lands very differently.
It also tends to work well precisely because it isn't obviously a "team building exercise." Nobody feels like they're being evaluated or observed, which paradoxically tends to produce more genuine team bonding than an activity explicitly designed to create it.
Planning a team building day
A few practical things to consider when booking:
Group size. Let us know how many are joining so we can confirm the day suits your numbers.
Skippered or self-drive. Self-drive suits teams who want to be hands-on together; a skippered day suits groups who'd rather every single person simply relaxes.
Timing. Day hire runs year-round, so this isn't limited to summer — a quieter autumn or winter outing can be just as enjoyable, and often easier to schedule around everyone's diaries.
Food and drink. Bring a picnic, or plan a stop at one of the canalside pubs along the route.
If cost is a factor in the decision, it's worth reading Is Canal Boat Day Hire Worth the Cost? for a straightforward breakdown of what's included and how it compares to a typical corporate away day.
Frequently asked questions
How many people can join a team building canal boat day? Tilly holds up to 10 people, making it suitable for a full team outing rather than just a small group.
Do we need any boating experience as a team? No. A full safety briefing and boat handling demonstration is given before you set off, and no licence or previous experience is required.
Can we add a skipper so nobody has to steer? Yes — a professional skipper can be added to your booking, so the whole team can relax together for the day.
Conclusion
A team building day on the canal offers something a conference room simply can't — genuine, unscripted time together, with just enough shared purpose (steering the boat, working a lock as a team) to bring people closer without anyone feeling like they're performing. Whether your business is based in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire or further afield, Canal Boat Day Hire at Apsley Marina makes for a relaxed, memorable alternative to the usual away day. Check availability for your team today.