Tag Archive for: Trent & Mersey Canal

Canal boat holidays in Cheshire

New canal boat holidays from Nantwich in Cheshire

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From the middle of March 2024, we will be offering canal boat holidays from Nantwich Marina on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire.

We’ll have three different sized narrowboats for hire, offering accommodation for between four and eight people.

There’s a great choice of short breaks, week-long holidays and two-week routes from Nantwich.

Here’s a guide to our Top 5 narrowboat holidays from Nantwich:

1. Cruise to ancient Middlewich where three rivers meet

This short break route is great for beginners.  You’ll cruise through the countryside passing the canalside Barbridge Inn at Barbridge Junction, where you transfer onto the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal. A good place to stop is the village of Church Minshull with its popular Badger Inn.  Once in Middlewich, you can moor up to explore this ancient town where the rivers Dan, Croco and Wheelock meet.  The town’s history dates back to Roman times and a medieval market later rose up around the salt industries established there.

The journey to Middlewich and back travels 27 miles, passes through 14 locks (seven each way) and takes around 13 hours.

2. Navigate to the ancient City of Chester to walk the Roman walls

Perfect for a four-night break, the journey to Chester takes you through beautiful unspoilt countryside and a series of villages.  Places to visit along the way include Beeston Castle, and the Ring O’ Bells pub at Christleton.  Once in Chester, you can shop at the famous Chester Rows galleries, walk the Roman City Walls and visit Chester Zoo.

The journey to Chester and back travels 36 miles, passes through 22 locks (11 each way) and takes around 17 hours.

3. Boat to Lymm to see a dinosaur footprint

This is a popular week-long route for beginners.  You’ll cruise first to Barbridge Junction, and onto the Middlewich Branch to Middlewich.  From there you’ll transfer onto the Trent & Mersey Canal and cruise on through the Cheshire countryside to Northwich. At Northwich there’s a choice of places to shop and eat, including the Kingfisher pub.  Another good place to stop is the Salt Barge pub at Marston.  Soon after you’ll reach the Anderton Boat Lift, also known as ‘The Cathedral of the Canals’. After passing through three tunnels, you’ll switch to the Bridgewater Canal.  Then you’ll pass through Stockton Heath with views of the Pennine Hills in the distance.  There’s a choice of places to shop, eat and drink at Lymm, including the Spread Eagle pub in the heart of the village.  And you can see the 240 million years old dinosaur footprint at the Lymm Heritage Centre.

The journey to Lymm and back travels 81 miles, passes through 18 locks and takes around 35 hours.

4. Travel across ‘The Stream in the Sky’ to Llangollen

This week long journey travels the entire length of the Llangollen Canal.  You’ll start off in Cheshire and then you’ll transfer onto the Llangollen Canal at Hurleston Junction.  The route will take you through the Shropshire Lake District and the historic market town of Ellesmere.  Soon after you’ll reach Chirk and then the beginning of the 11-mile UNESCO World Heritage section of the Llangollen Canal.  This will take you through stunning scenery and across the Chirk and Pontcysyllte aqueducts.  Also known as ‘The Stream in the Sky’, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct carries the Llangollen Canal 38 metre’s high above the Dee Valley.  In Llangollen, you can moor up in the basin and visit the town’s independent shops and restaurants, including the Three Eagles bar and grill.

The journey to Llangollen and back travels 92 miles, passes through 42 locks (21 each way) and takes around 48 hours.

5. Complete the Four Counties Ring

On a two-week break from Nantwich you can travel round the Four Counties Ring.  This canal boat holiday odyssey takes you through the counties of Staffordshire, Cheshire, Shropshire and the West Midlands.  You’ll pass through a series of historic towns and villages with canalside pubs.  These include the Gingerbread Man in Market Drayton and the Littleton Arms at Penkridge.  You’ll pass through Macclesfield and Marple Junction.  You’ll cross a series of aqueducts, including the Marple Aqueduct on the Peak Forest Canal with incredible Peak District views. You’ll travel through parts of Manchester and then on to the village of Lymm.  You’ll also pass through Preston Brook Tunnel and past the Anderton Boat Lift.

The Four Counties Ring from Nantwich travels 110 miles, passes through 94 locks and takes around 60 hours.

 

You can visit a Christmas market on a canal boat holiday

Best Christmas markets to visit on a canal boat holiday

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Winter cruising on the canals offers the chance to visit a Christmas market on a canal boat holiday.

Our canal boats for hire range from snug narrowboats for two, to larger boats for seven, and prices start at £635 for a short break (three or four nights), £875 for a week.

All Drifters’ boats have central heating and hot water, and some also have multi-fuel stoves. So, whatever the weather, it’s always nice and cosy on board.

Here’s a guide to the top four Christmas markets to visit on a barge holiday in 2023:

1. Boat to the Bath Christmas market

From Thursday 23 November to Sunday 10 December, Bath Christmas market will return to the historic City of Bath. You can explore dozens of chalets nestled amongst iconic monuments, with a wide range of crafts, gifts, food and drink. From our canal barge base at Bath, it takes around two hours to cruise to City Centre moorings, passing through six locks.

2. Navigate to the World of Wedgewood Christmas Artisan Markets

On the weekends of 25 and 26 November, 9 and 10 December and 16 and 17 December 2023, Josiah & Co will host Christmas artisan markets at the World of Wedgewood. From Drifters’ narrowboat hire base at Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal in Staffordshire, boaters can reach Middleport Pottery in Stoke on Trent in around eight hours, passing through 12 locks along the way.

3. Visit Stratford-upon-Avon’s Victorian Christmas Market

This award-winning event taking place 7-10 December 2023 features hundreds of stalls selling seasonal products, with traders decked out in Victorian costumes. From Drifters’ canal boat hire base on the Stratford Canal at Wootton Wawen, it’s a six-hour cruise to moorings in Bancroft Basin in the centre of Stratford upon Avon, passing through 17 locks along the way.

4. Experience the Warwick Castle Christmas Market

From Drifters’ base at Stockton on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire, canal boat holiday-makers can cruise to Warwick and back to experience ‘Christmas at the Castle’ (25 November 2023 to 7 January 2024), including an open-air ice rink and Christmas Market. The journey from Stockton to Warwick takes around seven hours, passing through 20 locks.

5. Cruise to the famous Frankfurt Christmas Market in Birmingham

From 2 November to 24 December 2023, Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market will fill New Street and Victoria Square, with stalls offering a variety of food and drink, traditional toys, ornaments and gifts. From Drifters’ narrowboat hire base at Tardebigge on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, it takes around five hours to reach moorings in Gas Street Basin in Birmingham city centre.

*NB some of our routes will be affected by winter maintenance work on the canal network.

Best canal boat holiday destinations for Christmas and New Year

Spend Christmas or New Year on a narrowboat

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With quiet canals, frosty towpaths, historic waterside pubs and festive waterside destinations to enjoy, a holiday on Britain’s peaceful canal network is a great way to get away this Christmas.

Drifters offers winter cruising* from a number of locations, with boats offering accommodation for between two to seven people.

All our boats have central heating, hot water, televisions and DVD players, and some also have multi-fuel stoves and Wifi.  So, whatever the weather, it’s always nice and cosy on board.

Prices over Christmas and New Year start at start at £940 for a short break (three or four nights) on a boat for four, £1,300 for a week.

1. Cruise through the Welsh mountains to the Eisteddfod town of Llangollen

From our canal boat rental base at Trevor on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, it takes around two hours to cruise to Llangollen.  There you can moor up in Llangollen Basin and enjoy visiting this beautiful town nestled in the Berwyn Mountains.  Things to see and do include: riding the Llangollen Steam Railway; and visiting the Horseshoe Falls.  There’s a great choice of independent shops and places to eat, including the popular Corn Mill with river and mountain views.

2. Boat through the Staffordshire countryside to Fradley Nature Reserve

Heading south from our narrowboat hire base at Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal, you can reach Fradley Junction in around five hours.  The journey passes through five locks and 12 peaceful miles of Staffordshire countryside, including the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  Places to visit along the way include: The Wolseley Centre run by the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust; and the village of Handsacre with its ‘The Old Peculiar’ pub.  At Fradley there are walking trails at the Fradley Pool Nature Reserve and hospitality at the historic Swan Inn.

3. Skate on the open-air ice rink at Warwick Castle

From our base at Stockton on the Grand Union Canal, you can cruise to Warwick and back to explore the medieval Warwick Castle.  Over Christmas, visitors the castle will find a 20-foot high Christmas tree in the Great Hall, ‘Stories with Santa’ in the Library, a Christmas market and an open-air ice rink.  Canalside pubs along the way include: the Blue Lias pub at the bottom of the Stockton Flight; and the Cuttle Inn at Long Itchington.

4. Travel through the Shropshire Lake District to Ellesmere

From our canal boat hire base at Whixall on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal, it takes around four hours to reach the historic town of Ellesmere in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District.  Along the way, the route passes Lyneal Moss and Colemere Country Park.  Once at Ellesmere, there’s a choice of independent shops and restaurants, as well as formal gardens, woods and castle grounds to explore.

5. Float to through the Warwickshire countryside to Stratford-upon-Avon

From our base on the Stratford Canal at Wootton Wawen, it’s a six-hour cruise to Stratford-upon-Avon.  The journey takes you through the Warwickshire countryside, with 17 locks to go through. Once in Stratford, you can moor up in Bancroft Basin, just a short walk from the town’s theatres, restaurants, markets and museums.

*NB some of our routes will be affected by winter maintenance work on the canal network.

Best Autumn canal boat holidays in England and Wales

Top 5 leafy canals to cruise this Autumn

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Britain’s 3,000-mile network of inland waterways meanders through some of our best-loved countryside, including woodlands and forest remains.

To celebrate the beautiful Autumn colours in our trees and hedgerows, we’ve listed our top five leafy canals to cruise along:

1. The Calder & Hebble in West Yorkshire

The 21-mile long leafy Calder & Hebble Navigation links Wakefield with Sowerby Bridge.  On a short break from our base at Sowerby Bridge, you can cruise along the part-canal, part-river Calder & Hebble to Shipley. The route will take you through wooded valleys and the towns of Elland and Brighouse along the way.  The journey there and back travels 22 miles, passes through 32 locks and takes around 16 hours.

2. The Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal in South Wales

This 35-mile long peaceful waterway follows the line of the wooded Usk Valley through the Brecon Beacons National Park.  On a short break from our base at Goytre, you can cruise to Talybont-on-Usk and back, passing the villages and hamlets of Llaellen, Llanfoist, Govilon, Llangattock and Llangynidr along the way.  The journey there and back travels 39 miles, passes through 10 locks and takes around 18 hours.

3. The Macclesfield Canal in Cheshire

This 26-mile long tree-lined canal runs from Marple in Cheshire to Hall Green, on the Trent & Mersey Canal.  On a week’s break from our base at Stoke on Trent, you can connect to the Macclesfield Canal and cruise to Macclesfield and back.  You’ll pass through the 1.5 mile long Harecastle Tunnel on the Trent & Mersey Canal before transferring onto the Macclesfield Canal.  Then you’ll meander through the countryside to enjoy a series of wooded sections, as well as views of the distant hills.  The journey to Macclesfield and back travels 42 miles, passes through 26 locks and takes around 21 hours.

4. The Stratford Canal in Warwickshire

This 25.5-mile long narrow canal connects Stratford-upon-Avon with the Worcester & Birmingham Canal at Kings Norton Junction.  The middle section is surrounded by trees where it passes through the remains of the Forest of Arden.  On a short break from our base at Wootton Wawen, you can cruise through quiet countryside to Hatton and back.  You’ll pass through the village of Lowsonford with its popular Fleur de Lys canalside pub, and Lapworth where you transfer onto the Grand Union Canal. The journey to Hatton and back cruises 21 miles, passes through 34 locks and takes around 14 hours.

5. The Kennet & Avon Canal in Wiltshire

The 87-mile long Kennet & Avon Canal links the Bristol Avon near Bath, with the River Thames at Reading. On a week’s break from our base at Devizes, at the foot of the famous Caen Hill flight of locks, you can cruise to Hungerford and back passing through the Vale of Pewsey, part of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  There are a series of wooded sections to enjoy, including an area of the Savernake Forest.  The journey to Hungerford and back travels 54 miles, passes through 106 locks and takes around 40 hours.

Staffordshire Newsletter, 12 April 2023

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‘Chance to try canal boating for free’ at Great Haywood

Take to the water this August Bank Holiday

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There are over 3,000 miles of beautiful inland waterways to explore by canal boat in Britain, and hundreds of waterside destinations to choose from.

We still have plenty of narrowboats available to hire in August, many at a discounted rate.

To celebrate the forthcoming August bank holiday, we’ve here’s our guide to our Top 8 weekend breaks afloat:

1. Cruise the Kennet & Avon to Georgian Bath

On a short break from our canal boat hire base at Devizes, you can cruise the Kennet & Avon Canal to the World Heritage City of Bath.  The route passes a series of canalside pubs and the historic market town of Bradford on Avon.  You’ll also cross over the beautiful Bath stone Avoncliff and Dundas aqueducts.  There are over-night moorings at Sydney Wharf, a 15-minute walk from Bath City centre. The journey to Bath and back travels 39 miles, passes through 20 locks (10 each way) and takes around 19 cruising hours.

2. Take the Coventry and Trent & Mersey canals to Tixall Wide

On a weekend break from Kings Orchard on the Coventry Canal, you can cruise to the beautiful waters of Tixall Wide and back.  Along the way you’ll pass through the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).  The journey to Tixall takes you through 16 miles of peaceful Staffordshire countryside and five locks.  And takes around cruising eight hours.

3. Float along the Llangollen Canal to Llangollen

From our base at Chirk on the Llangollen Canal, you can float through the Dee Valley AONB to the Eisteddfod town of Llangollen in North Wales.  Along the way you’ll pass over the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Chirk Aqueduct.  The journey to Llangollen takes around four hours, travelling seven miles, with no locks.

4. Experience a Thames boating holiday to Oxford

From our Oxford base on the River Thames at Eynsham, it takes just over three hours to reach Oxford City centre.  The route takes you through four locks and the village of Wolvercote, home of the popular riverside Trout Inn.  Once in Oxford, you can moor up to explore the city sites, including the Oxford Colleges and Natural History Museum.  

5. Cruise the Grand Union and Oxford canals to Hillmorton

From our base on the Grand Union Canal at Stockton, it takes around seven hours to reach the historic canal village of Hillmorton.  The route takes you through a series of villages with historic pubs.  These include the Kings Head at Napton and the Admiral Nelson at Braunston.  There are six locks to pass through, including the three at Hillmorton where volunteer lock keepers help you through.  There’s a choice of pubs at Hillmorton, including the Stag & Pheasant.

6. Navigate the Shropshire Union to historic Chester

From our base on the Shropshire Union Canal at Bunbury, it’s a seven-hour, nine-lock journey to the ancient city of Chester.  The route passes through miles of beautiful Cheshire countryside and a series of villages with country pubs, including The Ring O’Bells at Christleton and The Shady Oak at Bates Mill Bridge.  In Chester, you can take time to explore the city’s attractions, including its Roman city walls and Chester Rows shops.

7. Drift along the Calder & Hebble to Hebden Bridge

On a weekend break from Sowerby Bridge, you can travel along the leafy Calder & Hebble Navigation to the old mill town of Hebden Bridge.  Climbing through the Calder Valley, the route to Hebden Bridge covers seven miles.  There are 10 locks to pass through and the journey takes around five-and-a-half hours.  Once at Hebden, you can moor up to enjoy a good choice of places to eat, and walks up to Heptonstall or Hardcastle Crags.

8. Glide along the Forth & Clyde to Glasgow

From our base at Falkirk, it’s a peaceful nine-hour cruise along the Forth & Clyde Canal to the City of Glasgow.  The route, which travels 22 miles and passes through five locks, begins at the site of the Falkirk Wheel boat lift.  You’ll pass through Auchinstarry, the River Kelvin Valley with magnificent views of the Campsie Fells above.  And the historic town of Kirkintillock.  Once at Glasgow, there are moorings at Applecross Street Basin, close to Glasgow’s cultural sites.  These include the Hunterian Museum. 

Why canal boat holidays are pet-friendly

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As well as dogs, we’ve accommodated many other kinds of pets aboard our canal boats, including rabbits, iguanas, cats, hamsters, caged birds, goldfish and tortoises.

Top 5 reasons why canal boat holidays are great for pets

  1. Narrowboats are like floating holiday cottages, with space for pets too;
  2. Canal boat holidays are especially great for dogs, with plenty of towpath walks and dog-friendly canalside pubs;
  3. Many of our canal boat hire operators allow your first pet to travel free;
  4. No extra vaccinations or pet passports are needed; and
  5. Narrowboats with open cruiser-sterns at the back offer extra room ‘on deck’ for pets to enjoy the ever-changing view.

Our top 3 dog-friendly canal boat holiday destinations in 2023:

1. Navigate to Wrenbury & the South Cheshire Way

From Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire it takes around six hours, passing through 11 locks, to reach Wrenbury Mill.  The journey takes you through the Cheshire countryside along 10 miles of canals.  The historic village of Wrenbury, on the South Cheshire Way, offers lots of countryside walks.  And there’s a choice of dog-friendly pubs to visit, including the canalside Dusty Miller.

2. Cruise to Cannock Chase for miles of walking trails

On a short break Great Haywood in Staffordshire, you can cruise along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Cannock Chase Forest.  Once a Royal Forest, Cannock Chase is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over 6,800 hectares of landscapes and miles of walking trails to explore.  There are a number of visitor centres for Cannock Chase, including the Forestry England one close to the canal at Rugeley.  From Great Haywood, it takes around two-and-a-half hours to cruise to Rugeley.

3. Boat along the Kennet & Avon Canal to Savernake Forest

There are over 4,500 acres of woodlands to explore at Savernake Forest – doggy heaven.  From Devizes, it takes around 11 hours, passing through 30 locks, to reach the village of Wootton Rivers.  This is a great starting point for a variety of walks around the Forest and a great destination for a week-long holiday on the canals.

 

Top 8 canal boat holidays for wellbeing this summer

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It’s well known that spending time in green space connecting with nature is good for our mental health and wellbeing. Recent research by the Canal & River Trust confirms the combination of green and blue space with wildlife experienced by visitors to the inland waterways gives an extra wellbeing boost*.

Britain’s 3,000-mile network of inland waterways flow through some of our most beautiful and unspoilt countryside, including National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).

Here’s a guide to Drifters’ Top 8 wellbeing destinations for narrowboat holidays in Summer 2023:

1. Navigate the Peak Forest Canal to Whaley Bridge

On a week’s holiday from our narrowboat hire base at Stoke on Trent, you can travel along the Trent & Mersey and Macclesfield canals to connect to the Peak Forest Canal and Whaley Bridge.  The Peak Forest Canal is said to be one of Britain’s most scenic waterways, running through beautiful countryside on the edge of the Peak District National Park.  The journey to Whaley Bridge travels 39 miles, passes through the Harecastle Tunnel and 13 locks, and takes around 20 cruising hours.

2. Explore the Staffordshire countryside & Cannock Chase

On a short break from Kings Orchard on the Coventry Canal in Staffordshire, you can cruise to the beautiful waters at Tixall Wide and back, passing through the Cannock Chase AONB along the way.  The journey there and back travels 32 miles, passes through 10 locks (five each way) and takes around 16 hours.

3. Drift through the prehistoric Vale of Pewsey to Hungerford

On a week away from our base on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Devizes, you can cruise to the historic town of Hungerford, passing through the Vale of Pewsey, in the North Wessex Downs AONB.  The journey there and back takes around 40 hours, travelling 54 miles through 106 locks.

4. Glide around the Breacon Beacons

The beautiful Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal runs through the Brecon Beacons National Park.  Stretching 35 miles from Brecon to Cwmbran, this peaceful waterway offers canal boat holiday-makers incredible mountain views.  On a week’s break from our base at Goytre Wharf, near Abergavenny, you can cruise to Brecon and back.  The journey takes you through Georgian Crickhowell, with its fascinating 13th century castle. And Talybont-on-Usk, with wonderful walks to the waterfalls at Blaen y Glyn.  Brecon is home to a cathedral, theatre, cinema, castle ruins and stunning Georgian architecture. And you can enjoy some of the best views of the Brecon Beacons from Pen y Fan, the highest point in Southern Britain at 886 metres.

5. Cruise to the Aylesbury Vale

On a week’s break from Gayton Marina you can travel south to the Aylesbury Arm and into the Vale of Aylesbury, part of the Chilterns AONB.  The journey to Aylesbury passes through a series of canalside towns and villages, including Stoke Bruerne with its Canal Museum. And Marsworth next to Tring Reservoirs, a nature reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).  The route travels 44 miles, passes through 41 locks and takes around 22 hours.

6. Float through the Dee Valley in North Wales

On a short break from Chirk on the Llangollen Canal, you can float through the Dee Valley AONB to the pretty Eisteddfod town of Llangollen. You’ll pass over the UNESCO World Heritage Status Pontcysyllte Aqueduct along the way.  And you’ll cruise across the Chirk Aqueduct and through Whitehouses Tunnel. The journey to Llangollen and back takes around eight hours, travelling 14 miles, with no locks.

7. Take a Thames boating holiday to the edge of the Cotswolds

On a four-night mid-week break from Oxford, you can travel west along the River Thames to the pretty market town of Lechlade, in an AONG on the edge of the Cotswolds.  The route passes through 22 miles of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire countryside. You’ll pass close-by to Kelmscott Manor, once the Cotswold retreat of William Morris.  It takes around 17 hours to cruise there and back, passing through seven locks each way.

8. Travel through the Yorkshire Dales to Skipton

On a short break from Barnoldswick, you can head north-east along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal to historic Skipton. The journey travels 13 miles through the Yorkshire Dales, passing through 15 locks in around 10 hours.  This breath-taking route winds along the contours of the side of Airedale, with extensive views of the Yorkshire Dales.  You see sheep, farmhouses, barns, stone walls and the occasional village or town.  Once in Skipton, you can moor up to visit shops and restaurants. And explore the 900-year old Skipton Castle, one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England.

*The Canal & River Trust’s research was carried out by King’s College London, Nomad Projects and J&L Gibbons using Urban Mind, a smartphone based app to collect thousands of real time audits about participants’ location and mental wellbeing. Proof that time by water helps boost your mood | Canal & River Trust (canalrivertrust.org.uk)

 

Celebrate the King’s Coronation with some bank holiday boating

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The King’s Coronation bank holiday weekend (6-8 May) offers the perfect excuse to plan a boating break on Britain’s beautiful inland waterways.

Our 250-year old network of navigable canals and rivers is steeped in history, with locks, bridges, tunnels, marinas, junctions and pubs named after various Kings across the centuries.

To celebrate the forthcoming Coronation of King Charles III, we’ve listed our Top 6 bank holiday boating breaks with a Royal connection:

1. Cruise from King’s Orchard Marina to Great Haywood

On a weekend’s break from our’ base at Kings Orchard in Staffordshire, canal boat holiday-makers can cruise to the pretty canal village of Great Haywood and back. The journey begins on the Coventry Canal, transferring onto the Trent & Mersey Canal at Fradley Junction, close to Fradley Pool Nature Reserve.  From there, you’ll travel on through the Staffordshire countryside through the village of Rugeley. Then past Cannock Chase Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty and the National Trust’s impressive Shugborough Estate, before reaching Great Haywood.  The journey to Great Haywood travels 15 miles, passes through four locks and takes around seven cruising hours.

2. Navigate to the King’s Lock Inn at Middlewich

On a weekend break from our base at Anderton Marina, you can navigate to the King’s Lock Inn at Middlewich.  The journey travels nine miles along the Trent & Mersey Canal, passes through four locks and takes around five hours.  Next to Middlewich Junction, the Kings Lock pub serves craft ales, offers fresh food and hosts regular live music events.

3. Pass through King’s Norton Junction & Tunnel to Lapworth

On a weekend’s break from Tardebigge on the Worcestershire & Birmingham Canal, you can reach King’s Norton Junction and Tunnel.  The journey takes around four hours and travels nine miles, through a series of tunnels and the remains of the Forest of Arden.  At King’s Norton Junction you’ll transfer onto the North Stratford Canal and then pass through Brandwood Tunnel, also known as King’s Norton Tunnel. There are moorings further along the Stratford Canal, perfect for exploring the village of Lapworth and local attractions.

4. Navigate to Bosworth Field where King Richard III lost his crown

On a week’s holiday from Braunston, you can cruise to moorings at Sutton Cheney, close to the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre.  Here, the Battle of Bosworth Field, where King Richard III lost his crown to Henry Tudor in 1485, is explained with exhibitions and guided walks.  The journey to Sutton Cheney travels 37 miles, passes through four locks and takes around 16 cruising hours.

5. Travel to King John’s Bridge on the River Avon

On a week’s holiday from Wootton Wawen you can reach King John’s Bridge on the River Avon near Tewkesbury. The journey, which travels 49 miles, passing through 34 locks, takes you along the Stratford Canal to Shakespeare’s Stratford. At Stratford-upon-Avon, you’ll transfer onto the River Avon and cruise on to King John’s Bridge via the historic market town of Evesham.

6. Cruise to the King’s Head pub at Napton

From our canal boat hire base at Stockton, it takes just one-and-a-half hours to cruise to Napton Junction. From there it’s a short walk from the popular King’s Head pub. This country pub in the picturesque village of Napton-on-the-Hill, serves food all cooked fresh and from scratch, using locally sourced ingredients.  On a weekend’s break from Stockton, you can continue on to the pretty canalside village of Hillmorton. The journey from Stockton travels 15 miles, passes through six locks and takes just over six hours.

 

Enjoy a Valentine’s escape aboard a cosy boat for two

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Cosy double berths, romantic destinations and historic canalside pubs with roaring log fires make canals the perfect romantic escapte.

We offer winter cruising* and cosy boats for two from a number of our bases, giving you the chance to getaway aboard your very own ‘love boat’.

Today’s canal boats are fully equipped with all the essential mod cons, including central heating and hot water, and some have multi-fuel stoves on board too.  So whatever the weather, it’s always nice and warm on board.

Here’s our guide to the Top 4 romantic destinations afloat this Valentine’s Day:

1. Moor up in the home of the Bard to watch a Shakespeare play

It’s a picturesque six-hour cruise to Stratford-upon-Avon from our narrowboat hire base on the Stratford Canal at Wootton Wawen.  The route crosses over the Edstone Aqueduct, with lovely views of the surrounding Warwickshire countryside.  And there are 17 locks to go through. Once in Stratford, you can moor up in Bancroft Basin to enjoy a performance of ‘The Tempest’ at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.  Or visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace, where there’s a special exhibition commemorating the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio.

2. Cruise to Llangollen and enjoy romantic mountain views

On a short break from our base on the Llangollen Canal at Trevor, you can cruise to the historic town of Llangollen, nestled in the Berwyn Mountains.  There’s a choice of restaurants to enjoy a candlelit dinner for two, including the Corn Mill, housed in a 14th century watermill on the banks of the River Dee. The journey to Llangollen takes just two hours.

3. Visit Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter for Valentine’s gift

From our canal boat hire base at Tardebigge on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove, it takes around five hours to cruise into the centre of Birmingham.  Once there, you can moor up in Gas Street Basin to enjoy visiting city centre attractions, including the City’s famous Jewellery Quarter to browse for that special Valentine’s gift.

4. Cruise gently through the Staffordshire countryside to Fradley Pool Nature Reserve

From our base at Great Haywood on the Trent & Mersey Canal, you can reach Fradley Junction in around five hours.  The journey passes through 12 peaceful miles of countryside and five locks.  Canalside pubs to enjoy along the way including the Wolseley Arms at Wolseley Bridge, which is offering a special three-course Valentine’s set menu.  At Fradley Junction, you can enjoy romantic walks around the Frradley Pool Nature Reserve.