HEART OF ENGLAND
Edward Elgar Riverboat Hotel's three to seven-day cruises along the River Severn and nearby canals are a well-kept secret among the loyal customers of English Holiday Cruises.

The large barge has 11 double cabins in the bottom deck with a restaurant and lounge bar on the main deck and open-air seating on top. Its popular Full River Cruise is a round trip from Gloucester to Stourport-on-Severn in Worcestershire and includes a day trip on England's most evocative heritage steam train line, the Severn Valley Railway.

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The Severn Valley has some of the loveliest countryside in England.

Stourport-on-Severn has its own fascinating canal hub history. The steam train journey is between Bewdley and Bridgnorth and there is the chance to visit pretty

Tewkesbury with its famous pepperpot church tower.

English Holiday Cruises (01452 410 411/www.englishholidaycruises.co.uk) offers a six-night Full River Cruise on board Edward Elgar from £580pp (two sharing), full board.

Departs Gloucester, May 8, August 14 and September 18, 2011.

MAJESTIC SCOTLAND
Scotland's sea lochs may not be rivers in the strictest sense but these beautiful waterways extend miles inland.

The Majestic Line has several three and six-night cruises on board its fabulously converted traditional wooden fishing vessels, the Glen Massan and Glen Tarsan, which both take 11 guests. One of its newest trips is the six-night Heritage and Wildlife of South Argyll cruise which explores the sheltered sea lochs of the spectacular Cowal Peninsula.

There you'll encounter sea birds, porpoises and basking sharks. Excursions include Rothesay Castle and Mount Stuart House Gardens on the Isle of Bute. Simply cruising through Loch Fyne, Loch Riddon and the Kyles of Bute is equally satisfying, with breakfasts including Loch Fyne kippers, smoked salmon and venison sausages.

The Majestic Line (0131 623 5012/www.themajesticline.co.uk) offers a six-night Heritage and Wildlife of South Argyll cruise from £1,695pp (two sharing), full board. BA (0844 493 0787/www.ba.com) offers return flights from London to Glasgow from £78. Departs Holy Loch, Saturdays from April 2 to September 24, 2011.

HISTORIC IRELAND
Ireland's River Shannon flows from the Cuilcagh Mountains via several inland loughs south to Limerick passing through unspoilt countryside and charming country towns.

A seven-day Lower River Shannon Cruise includes visits to the ruins of the 6th-century monastery of Clonmacnoise and the Iron Age Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre.

The barge takes just 10 passengers and has picture window cabins, a spacious lounge and dining area plus upper sun deck.

There's an excursion to historic Galway City and a trip to Leap Castle, reputedly Ireland's most haunted house.

eWaterways (0808 168 1458/ www.eWaterways.com) offers a six-night Lower River Shannon Cruise on Shannon Princess II from £2,290pp (two sharing), full board. Aer Lingus (0871 718 5000/www.aerlingus.com) offers return flights from Gatwick/Heathrow to Shannon from £68. Departs Shannon, Sundays from April 17 to September 25, 2011.

CLASSIC CALEDONIAN
Touring the Caledonian Canal is the classic Scottish inland waters cruise, taking in the mysterious Loch Ness and views of the hauntingly romantic Urquhart Castle.

Brightwater Holidays has a four-night cruise on the modern and ultra-comfortable MV Lord Of The Glens, which has 27 well-equipped state cabins, an upper-deck lounge bar with panoramic views of the scenery and locally sourced meals served in its Robert Louis Stevenson restaurant.

The itinerary starts at Inverness and meanders through the Great Glen, a combination of natural and man-made waterways, to the western end of the Caledonian Canal at Banavie.

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One of the highlights is Neptune's Staircase, eight inter-connected locks which lowers the boat down to sea level and the southern part of the canal before it cruises the sheltered sea around the Isle of Mull for a visit to Tobermory and finishes at Oban on Scotland's beautiful west coast.

Brightwater Holidays (01334 657 155/www.brightwaterholidays.com) offers a four-night Highlands and Islands cruise on MV Lord Of The Glens from £635 (two sharing), full board. Departs Inverness, April 18 and October 10 and in reverse from Oban to Inverness on April 22 and 30 and October 6 and 14, 2011.

STORYBOOK THAMES

Saga Holidays offers a Thames cruise on the African Queen starting just yards from Mapledurham House which is believed to be the model for Kenneth Grahame's Toad Hall in Wind In The Willows.

The large Dutch barge takes 12 passengers and meanders down to Sonning where you can pop into The Bull pub, as recommended in Jerome K Jerome's Three Men In A Boat.

Spend a night moored at colourful Henley-on-Thames and visit the truly fascinating River and Rowing Museum.

Then it's up to Goring via Mapledurham where the cruise also ends. African Queen's cabins are quaint but cosy and there's a comfortable lounge with bar and dining area on the main deck plus a small outside terrace. Bikes are also available for some tow-path pedalling.

Saga Holidays (0800 056 5880/www.saga.co.uk) offers a five-night Thames cruise on board the African Queen from £689pp (two sharing), full board. Departs Mapledurham, October 19, 2011.