Short breaks from Great Haywood in Staffordshire
Weekend/3-night breaks from Great Haywood 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 takes you through beautiful countryside in Cheshire and Staffordshire and through the heritage-rich industrial sites of Stoke-on-Trent’s potteries district.
Fradley and back (10 locks, 12 hours)
Head south along the Trent & Mersey Canal and pass through Haywood Lock. The National Trust’s Shugborough Hall and The Clifford Arms pub are close by. Cruise past Little Haywood, with Red Lion and Lamb & Flag pubs. Cruise on past the Wolseley Bridge, with canalside Wolseley Arms pub and access to the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s Wolseley Centre. Continue on, now passing through Cannock Chase, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Cross Brindley Bank Aqueduct and continue towards the historic town of Rugeley. You can walk into the town centre and there’s the canalside Colliers pub. You’ll go through the villages of Armitage and King’s Bromley, before reaching Fradley Junction. Here the Trent & Mersey Canal meets the Coventry Canal. There’s a Canalside Café and The Swan Inn to visit, and you can enjoy spotting wildlife along the woodland trail and boardwalk at Fradley Pool Nature Reserve.
Stone and back (20 miles, 8 locks, 10 hours)
Cruise north up the Trent & Mersey Canal through the Staffordshire countryside and wooded Trent Valley. You’ll pass through Hoo Mill Lock and Weston Lock. You can stop at Bridge 80 to visit Weston, where there’s a choice of pubs – the Saracen’s Head and The Woolpack. Next continue north through the quiet meadows of the Trent Valley. At Aston Bridge you reach the outskirts of the historic market town of Stone, with a choice of shops, pubs and restaurants.
4-night breaks from Great Haywood
Gailey Wharf and back (26 miles, 22 locks, 15 hours)
At Great Haywood Junction, head west along the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal. You’ll pass over a small aqueducts before reaching Tixall Wide, a beautiful stretch of water where the canal widens. Cruise on through the Staffordshire countryside, passing the canalside Radford pub at bridge 98. Next you’ll reach the market town of Penkridge, where there are several shops and pubs, including The Boat and The Cross Keys. You can turn at Gailey Wharf.
Alrewas and back (31 miles, 22 locks, 17 hours)
Cruise on south along the Trent & Mersey Canal from Fradley Junction (see route info above) and continue on through five locks until you reach the pretty canalside village of Alrewas. There’s a choice of pubs and restaurants in Alrewas, including The George & Dragon and The Crown. Alrewas is also home to the National Memorial Arboretum woodland park.
