Although most holidays on the waterways are ‘out and back’, circular cruises are available. These canal holiday circuits need a little more planning, as you need to keep to a schedule to avoid having to rush at the end of the holiday to get back to base on time.
We’ve described the various popular ‘rings’ here and estimated timings. Allow extra time to stop off along the way to explore canalside destinations. For some of the routes, we’ve shown you a choice of lengths of cruise.
Click on the cruising rings that interest you.
CRUISING RINGS
FOUR COUNTIES RING (See detailed map)
110 miles, 90 locks, 7 days at 9 hours cruising per day
Waterways:Shropshire Union Canal, Trent & Mersey Canal, Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal
Highlights:
Harecastle Tunnel, Wedgwood Visitor Centre, Market Drayton, Tixall Wide, The Potteries, Audlem Mill, Audlem Locks, Tyrley Locks.
BLACK COUNTRY RING (See detailed map)
Also known as the Birmingham Ring or the Staffordshire Ring
75 miles, 79 locks, 7 days at 8 hours cruising per day
Waterways:
Birmingham Canal Navigations, Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, Trent & Mersey Canal, Coventry Canal, Birmingham & Fazeley Canal
Highlights:
Tixall Wide, Black Country Living Museum, Dudley Tunnel, Drayton Manor Theme Park, Gas Street Basin, Birmingham Science Museum, Birmingham Symphony Hall, National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham, Brindleyplace.
LEICESTER RING (See detailed map)
Also known as the East Midlands Ring
154 miles, 100 locks, 14 days at 6 hours cruising per day
Waterways:
Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section), River Soar, Trent & Mersey Canal, Coventry Canal, Oxford Canal. Grand Union Canal
Highlights:
Foxton Locks, Foxton Inclined Plane & Museum, Shardlow village, Burton Brewing Museum, Drayton Manor Theme Park, Coventry Cathedral,
STOURPORT RING (See detailed map)
79 miles, 110 locks, 7 days at 8 hours cruising per day
Waterways:
Birmingham Canal Navigations, Worcester & Birmingham Canal, River Severn, Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal
Highlights:
Tardebigge Locks, Worcester Cathedral, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham, Brindleyplace, National Indoor Arena, Cadbury World, Kinver village, Bratch Locks.
WARWICKSHIRE RING (See detailed map)
Also known as the Midlands Ring
100 miles, 93 locks, 7 days at 9 hours cruising per day
Waterways:
Coventry Canal, Oxford Canal, Grand Union Canal, Birmingham Canal Navigations, Birmingham & Fazeley Canal
Highlights:
Drayton Manor Theme Park, Gas Street Basin, Cadbury World, Coventry Cathedral, Coventry Museum of Transport, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum, Birmingham Symphony Hall, National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham, Brindleyplace, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.
AVON RING (See detailed map)
108 miles, 130 locks, 7 days at 9 hours cruising per day or 14days at 6 hours cruising per day.
Waterways:
Worcester & Birmingham Canal, River Avon, Stratford on Avon Canal, Birmingham Canal Navigations.
Highlights:
Stratford on Avon, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Tewkesbury Abbey, Mary Arden’s Farm, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum, Birmingham Symphony Hall, National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham, Brindleyplace, Evesham, Pershore, Stourport, Worcester City, Worcester Cathedral.