Cruise the River Thames and discover historic market towns, ancient pathways, waterside meadows and views of the Cotswold Hills, Chilterns and Berkshire Downs
The mighty River Thames, England’s longest river, has been used for transportation since prehistoric times.
The River Thames runs 215 miles from its source at Thames Head in Gloucestershire to the Thames Estuary where it flows into the sea. It links Lechlade in the Cotswolds with the tidal Thames at Teddington.
As well as the world famous city of Oxford and Royal Windsor, the navigation flows through some our best loved market towns, including Abingdon, Pangbourne, Henley and Marlow.
Canal boat holiday makers travelling slowly through the Thames Valley experience a variety of landscapes, including ancient woodland, waterside meadows and farmland. There are views of the Cotswold Hills, the Chilterns and the Berkshire Downs. The Thames Path National Trail follows the River Thames for 213 miles between Thames Head and the Thames Barrier. The Ridgeway Path crosses the Thames at Goring.
The Droitwich Canals
The Droitwich Canals take canal boaters through the Worcestershire countryside and historic town of Droitwich
The Droitwich Canals were originally built to ship salt from the Droitwich mines to the River Severn.
They are made up of two canals – the Droitwich Barge Canal and the Droitwich Junction Canal. Together they stretch 7.4 miles and link the Worcester & Birmingham Canal at Hanbury and the River Severn at Hawford. After failing into disrepair following the decline of trade along the canals in the early 1900’s, thanks to decades of restoration work by the Droitwich Canals Trust, they reopened in 2011.
The reopening of the Droitwich Canals restored the Droitwich Ring which can be done on a three or four night break. The ring travels 21 miles, passes through 33 locks and can be completed in around 16 hours.
The Stourbridge Canals
Cruise the Stourbridge Canals on a canal boat holiday in England to explore the industrial heritage of the Black Country and surrounding countryside
The Stourbridge Canals refer to two historic canals in the West Midlands region of England: the Stourbridge Canal and the Dudley Canal. They offer canal boaters the chance to experience the industrial heritage of the Black Country, while enjoying the natural beauty of the surrounding countryside.
The Stourbridge Canal runs for approximately 8 miles (13km) from the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal at Stourton Junction to the town of Stourbridge.
Constructed in the late 18th century, the canal was primarily used to transport coal, limestone, and other goods to and from the industrial areas of the Black Country.
The Dudley Canal forms part of the wider Birmingham Canal Navigations system and includes the Dudley Canal Line No. 1 and the Dudley Canal Line No. 2.
Dudley Canal Line No. 1 runs from the Birmingham Canal at Dudley Port Junction to the town of Dudley, while Dudley Canal Line No. 2 connects to the Stourbridge Canal at Delph Locks.
Originally built to transport coal and limestone to the region’s industrial centres, the Dudley Canals now attract visitors interested in exploring their historic features.
The Birmingham Canals
The Birmingham Canals take canal boat holiday-makers through the heart of the vibrant City of Birmingham
Famously, Birmingham has more canals than Venice, providing a network for leisure boating and the focal-point for a mix of residential developments, shops, restaurants, and cultural attractions.
Also known as the Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN), the Birmingham Canals form an extensive network of waterways in and around the city of Birmingham, England.
They are a fascinating blend of history, industry, and leisure, serving as both a reminder of Birmingham’s industrial heritage and a vibrant hub for recreation and tourism in the modern city.
The BCN is one of the most extensive canal networks in the United Kingdom, covering over 100 miles (160km) of navigable waterways. It comprises numerous interconnected canals, including the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, the Birmingham Canal Old Main Line, the Dudley Canal and the Worcester & Birmingham Canal.
In the past, the Birmingham Canals played a crucial role in the Industrial Revolution, facilitating the transportation of goods such as coal, iron, and other raw materials to and from Birmingham’s burgeoning industries.
In recent years, the Birmingham Canals have undergone significant regeneration, transforming former industrial areas into vibrant waterfront destinations, such as Brindleyplace, Gas Street Basin, and Birmingham’s Canal Quarter.
The Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal
Boating on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal offers a peaceful and scenic journey through the heart of England’s Midlands region
The historic canal winds its way through idyllic countryside, passing through lush green fields, wooded areas, and quaint villages. Renowned for its tranquillity, it offers boaters the chance to enjoy stunning views at every turn.
Originally opened in 1772, the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal played a vital role in the transport of goods during the Industrial Revolution. Today, it retains much of its historic charm, with restored locks, bridges, and other features that offer glimpses into the canal’s rich past.
Along the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, you’ll find a variety of attractions to explore. From historic villages with charming pubs and tearooms, to nature reserves and wildlife habitats, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Known locally as the ‘Staffs & Worcs’, it runs for 46 miles through the West Midlands countryside, skirting the edges of Birmingham. It links the River Severn at Stourport in the south with the Trent & Mersey at Great Haywood in the north.
There are 43 locks along its length and it passes through Kidderminster, Cookley, Kinver, Stourton, Womborne, Wolverhampton, Penkridge, Acton Trussell and Walton-on-the-Hill.
The Stratford Canal
Cruise through the Warwickshire countryside and Shakespeare country on a boating holiday on the Stratford Canal
The 25-mile long Stratford-upon-Avon Canal is narrow and mostly rural. It links Shakespeare’s Stratford and the River Avon in the south, with the Worcester & Birmingham Canal close to Birmingham in the north. The canal takes boaters through the remains of Forest of Arden along the way.
The southern section of the canal, runs from Bancroft Basin in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon up to Lapworth. It is characterised by barrel roofed lock cottages and a series of split bridges with gaps for the tow ropes of boat horses.
The northern section has 19 locks running up from Lapworth. And then a 10-mile lock-free level stretch to the canal’s guillotine-gated stop-lock at Kings Norton Junction.
Completed in 1816 at a cost of £297,000, the canal has 54 locks, a 322-metre long tunnel, three high embankments and a reservoir. It also has a large single span brick aqueduct and three cast iron trough aqueducts, all unusually with towpaths at the level of the bottom of the canal.
There are a series of canalside pubs to enjoy visiting on the Stratford Canal, including the Fluer dy Lys pub at Lowsonford and the Navigation Inn at Wootton Wawen.
The Worcester & Birmingham Canal
Cruise through the Worcestershire countryside and into the heart of Birmingham on a boating holiday on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal
This popular 29-mile long waterway starts in Worcester as an off-shoot of the River Severn. It takes boaters through the green hills of Worcestershire and the ancient Forest of Arden, before ending at Gas Street Basin in the heart of Birmingham.
The canal climbs 130 metres from the city of Worcester to Birmingham, using 58 locks, including 30 at Tardebigge, the longest flight of locks in England.
Construction of the canal began in 1792 from the Birmingham end, and the final section was completed in December 1815. A major user of the canal in its freight-carrying heyday was the canalside Cadbury chocolate factories at Bournville and Blackpole.
The Trent & Mersey Canal
Cruise through the Potteries and Cheshire countryside on a boating holiday on the Trent & Mersey Canal
The 90-mile long Trent & Mersey Canal, begins close to the River Mersey near Runcorn and finishes at its junction with the River Trent in Derbyshire.
It evolved as a result of the development of the pottery industry in North Staffordshire, where the local clay had enabled pottery to be manufactured since Elizabethan times.
In 1765 Josiah Wedgewood, the top producer of pottery, put forward the idea of building a canal to link the Potteries with the River Mersey. Engineered by the canal-building genius James Brindley, it was the country’s first long distance canal.
Opening in 1777, the effect of the canal was instant and phenomenal – transport costs were quartered and the whole area expanded. As well as pottery, industries prospering from it included the brewing industry at Burton on Trent, salt at Middlewich, Northwich and Sandbach, and coal mining in North Staffordshire.
Today the canal takes narrowboat holiday-makers through some of the best scenes that our waterways have to offer. From the Cheshire Plains to the charming Potteries. The canal boasts mighty feats of canal engineering, including the Anderton Boat Lift and the 2,647-metre long Harecastle Tunnel. As well as the flight of 31 locks between Middlewich and Kidsgrove known as ‘Heartbreak Hill’, which raise the canal up from the Cheshire Plains.
