Visit Coventry on a canal boat holiday
This year’s City of Culture – Coventry – is a key destination on the midlands canal network, so it’s a great place to visit on a canal boat holiday.
The city, which led the way in the cloth and textiles trade, has its own canal. The Coventry Canal runs 38 miles from Coventry Basin, up to the Trent & Mersey Canal at Fradley. The first five and a half miles of the Coventry Canal between Coventry Basin and Hawkesbury Junction was designated a conservation area in 2012.
Special City of Culture events include a three-day music festival in July and the BBC spoken word festival in September. The City’s many permanent attractions, include its famous Cathedral, St Mary’s Guildhall and Coventry Transport Museum.
To celebrate this year’s UK City of Culture, we’ve listed our Top 4 narrowboat holidays to Coventry:
1. Cruise the Coventry Canal from Kings Orchard in Staffordshire
From our new canal boat hire base at Kings Orchard it takes 16 hours to reach Coventry Basin. The journey travels 34 miles of the Coventry Canal and passes through 13 locks. The route takes you through the Staffordshire countryside. And it passes a series of canalside pubs, including The Greyhound Inn at Hawkesbury Junction.
2. Navigate the Oxford Canal from Braunston in Northamptonshire
From Drifters’ narrowboat hire base at Braunston, it takes 12 hours to reach Coventry Basin. You’ll cruise 28 miles of waterway and pass through just four locks. You’ll journey through the Northamptonshire countryside and past a series of canalside towns and villages, including Hillmorton and Rugby.
3. Travel to Coventry from Napton in Warwickshire
From our boat yard at Napton on the Oxford Canal, it takes 14 hours to reach Coventry Basin. The route navigates 33 miles of canals and passes through four locks. You’ll travel through the countryside and past a series of canalside pubs, including the Royal Oak at Hillmorton.
4. Cruise to Coventry from Stockton in Warwickshire
From Stockton on the Grand Union Canal it takes 15 hours to reach Coventry. You’ll travel along 36 miles of waterway, and pass through seven locks. The route transfers onto the Oxford Canal at Napton Junction, and takes you through the countryside to Coventry.
For more information about Coventry UK City of Culture events, go to https://coventry2021.co.uk/
To book a mooring space in Coventry Basin, go to https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/planning-your-boat-trip/booking-your-passage-online or call The Canal & River Trust on 0303 040 4040.
