Canal holidays are all about getting back to nature, but technology has a place too!

While canal holidays have always been about getting back to nature and a relaxed pace of life where families can spend quality time together, there’s no reason why technology can’t play its part. And you won’t have to try and separate the tweens from their beloved smartphones either!

Whichever marina or route you choose, here are some apps that might just make the whole family see the countryside differently AND help the world’s scientists too!

Pl@ntNet – Identify plants simply by photographing them with your smartphone and help a great citizen science project: all the plants you photograph are collected and analysed by scientists around the world to better understand the evolution of plant biodiversity and to better preserve it.

Star Walk 2 Free – Identify Stars in the Night Sky –  is a great astronomy guide to explore the sky day and night, identify stars, constellations, planets, satellites, asteroids, comets, ISS, Hubble Space Telescope and other celestial bodies in real time, in the sky above you. All you need to do is to point your device to the sky.

Collins Bird Guide App (not free) – basically the bible for identifying British birds, either by photo or sound. A bit memory heavy but doesn’t need a data connection to run …

Something a bit different – National Trust 50 things to do before you’re 11¾’
Get your kids closer to nature with ‘50 things to do before you’re 11¾’. There’s plenty of outdoor activities to do all year round, from watching the sunset to creating some wild art. Plan your next adventure!

All the apps are available on both Android and Apple – just visit the relevant store to download.