Hatton Locks on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire are one of the longest flight of locks in England
The 21 locks on the Grand Union Canal at Hatton are surrounded by Warwickshire countryside.
The canal was built to carry locally mined coal to the power stations and factories of the Black Country. And it was a vital transport link connecting London with the Midlands.
Also known as the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ the locks raise (or lower) boats 45 metres over two miles.
Two narrowboats can travel side-by-side through the locks, sharing the work. It takes around five hours to navigate the locks.
The Canal & River Trust’s Hatton Locks Cafe at the top of the flight is a popular place to stop for refreshment. The Hatton Arms pub is also next to the locks.
You can reach bottom of the Hatton flight of locks on a short break from Wootton Wawen.
The Rochdale Canal
The Rochdale Canal takes boaters across the Pennines with spectacular views
Stretching for 32 miles with 91 locks along its length, the Rochdale Canal runs from Manchester to Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire.
It was the first of the three trans-Pennine canals to open.
The canal connects the Bridgewater Canal at Castlefield Junction in Manchester to the Calder & Hebble Navigation at Sowerby Bridge. There are steep climbs and lots of locks, but canal boat holiday-makers are rewarded with spectacular views of the Pennine hills.
Places of interest to visit along the way include Rochdale, Littleborough, Todmorden and Hebden Bridge.
The vanal forms part of the South Pennine Cruising Ring which can be done on three-week break from our Bunbury base.
The Ashby Canal
The lock-free Ashby Canal takes boaters through beautiful stretches of the Leicestershire and Warwickshire countryside
The Ashby Canal is currently navigable for 22 miles from its junction with the Coventry Canal to Snarestone. It winds through the countryside and is rich in wildlife, including kingfishers, dragonflies, herons, fish and aquatic plants.
There are no locks on the Ashby Canal, but there’s a 229 metre long tunnel at Snarestone.
The Ashby Canal runs alongside Bosworth Field, where Richard III lost his crown to Henry Tudor in 1485. The Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre & Country Park near Sutton Cheney tells the story of the battle.
You can cruise the Ashby Canal to Snarestone and back on a 10-day or two-week holiday from Wootton Wawen.
Harecastle Tunnel
Harecastle Tunnel on the Trent & Mersey Canal in Staffordshire is one of the longest tunnels on the canal network
Harecastle Tunnel is 1.65 miles (2,676 metres) long and it takes around 30 minutes to navigate through. Designed by Thomas Telford, it was completed in 1827.
It runs under Harecastle Hill near Goldenhill in Stoke-on-Trent.
You can reach Harecastle Tunnel on a week’s holiday from our Great Haywood base. You’ll travel through it if you travel round the Four Counties Ring.
The Burnley Embankment
The Burnley Embankment on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in Lancashire is one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways
Also known as the ‘Straight Mile’, the Burnley Embankment was built in 1801. It stretches for almost a mile, taking canal boats 18 metres above the town.
This massive canal structure was built using 270,000 cubic metres of earth. It carries the Leeds & Liverpool Canal across the Calder and Brun valleys.
The Burnley Embankment is one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways compiled by Robert Aickman, co-founder of the Inland Waterways Association.
Canal boat holiday-makers cruising the Burnley Embankment can enjoy fantastic views of the town and the beautiful countryside surrounding it.
You can reach the Burnley Embankment on a 10-day or two-week break from Silsden.
The Anderton Boat Lift
The Anderton Boat Lift in Cheshire, also known as the ‘Cathedral of the Canals’ and is one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways
Built in 1875, the Anderton Boat Lift transfers boats 50 feet (15 metres) between the River Weaver Navigation and the Trent & Mersey Canal.
This iconic Grade I listed structure was designed by canal engineer Edwin Clarke. Canal boats enter one of two huge water tanks with water tight doors, which counterbalance each other and move boats up or down.
Each water tank (also known as a caisson) weighs 252 tonnes.
The Canal & River Trust has a Visitor Centre at the Lift where you can find out more about this incredible example of Victorian engineering.
Boaters need to book their passage through the lift in advance.
You can reach the Anderton Boat Lift on a short break from our Bunbury base.
The South Pennine Ring
The South Pennine Ring canal boat holiday circuit criss-crosses the Pennines
The route travels 73 miles, passes through 197 locks and takes around two weeks.
You’ll travel sections of the Calder & Hebble Navigation, Ashton, Huddersfield Narrow, Huddersfield Broad and Rochdale canals.
There are breathtaking views to enjoy along the way, as well as titanic canal structures. These include the Standedge Tunnel, the longest, deepest and highest canal tunnel in Britain. And the deep lock at Tuel Lane, said to be the deepest on our waterways.
Are there are fascinating historic towns and cities to explore along the route, including Sowerby Bridge, Todmorden, Manchester, Ashton, Marsden, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield and Brighouse.
You can complete the South Pennine Ring on a three-week break from our base at Great Haywood.
Important Navigation Notes
The maximum boat dimensions for this route are:
Leeds & Liverpool Canal – Length 60ft Beam 14ft 3ins
The Bingley Five Rise Locks on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal near Bradford are one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways
The Bingley Five Rise Locks on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal are the steepest staircase locks in the country.
They consist of five sequential lock chambers that together lift or lower boats a total of 60 feet (18 metres) over a distance of approximately 320 feet (98 metres).
Designed by John Longbotham, the locks were a groundbreaking solution to the steep gradient at Bingley. They operate in a staircase formation, where the top gate of one lock is the bottom gate of the next.
The 250-year old Grade I listed locks were officially opened on March 21, 1774. They are one of Robert Aickman’s Seven Wonders of the Waterways.
Canal & River Trust lock keepers help boaters to navigate through the locks, which typcially takes around 30 minutes.
Our nearest canal boat hire base is just six miles away on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Silsden.
