Tardebigge Locks

The historic village of Tardebigge is on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal near Bromsgrove. It’s surrounded by a panorama of beautiful Worcestershire countryside and has a rich history dating back centuries. Its name is believed to have Anglo-Saxon origins, possibly meaning “lookout place on a hill”.  Tardebigge church offers fantastic views of the canal from its place on the hillside.

At Tardebigge Top Lock a plaque commemorates the meeting here between Tom Rolt and Robert Aickman, who founded the Inland Waterways Association in 1946 with the aim of keeping Britain’s canals navigable.

Tardebigge is famous for its flight of 30 locks, the longest in Britain.  The locks are spread over two and a quarter miles and enable boats to ascend or descend 67 metres.  It takes around four hours to travel through the Tardebigge flight, and no over-night mooring is allowed so boaters need to plan ahead.  In the spring and summer, Canal & River Trust volunteer lock keepers are on hand to help boaters pass through the locks.

You can reach Tardebigge Locks on a week’s holiday from Wootton Wawen.