Alvechurch Marina – Worcestershire - 0121 445 1133
The marina is at the heart of an extremely varied canalnetwork, with a fine selection of ring routes. Featuresinclude the impressive 30 lock Tardebigge Flight. On-sitepub “The Weighbridge” with bar food and real ale.(0121 445 5111 / www.the-weighbridge.co.uk)
Anderton Marina – Cheshire - 01606 79642
With the Cheshire Ring, the remote and beautiful Leeds& Liverpool Canal heading north and the Trent & Merseyheading south, plus of course the Anderton Boat Lift.On-site licensed restaurant “The Moorings”.(01606 79789 / www.mooringsrestaurant.co.uk)
Falkirk Base – Scotland – 07973 503916
Explore the lowlands of Scotland with easy cruising andvery few locks on the recently restored canals, includingexperiencing the incredible Falkirk Wheel, linking theUnion Canal and the Forth & Clyde Canal.
Gayton Marina – Northamptonshire – 01604 858685
Routes from Gayton are typified by rollingNorthamptonshire arable landscapes, the ruralcountryside punctuated by fair sized towns and villageseasily accessible from the canal side.
Hilperton Marina - Wiltshire – 01225 765243
Our most southerly marina, Hilperton is well located onthe recently restored Kennet & Avon Canal, oftenconsidered one of the very best for natural beauty and wildlife.
Wrenbury Mill - Welsh Borders – 01270 780544
For pretty scenery and stunning views, little compares tothe Llangollen Canal with features including theEllesmere ‘meres’ and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
Worcester Marina – Worcestershire – 01905 734160
Based at the southern end of Worcester in the 19thCentury ‘Port of Lowesmoor’, our Worcester base is anideal start for routes into Shakespeare country via theRivers Severn and Avon, or trips north into ruralWorcestershire where you will pass through the heart of the picturesque ‘Archers’ country.
Whitchurch Marina – Shropshire – 01948 662012
For tranquillity and beauty start from Whitchurch andmeander along the Llangollen and Shropshire UnionCanals, enjoying the wide open spaces and hillsides of Wales and the north-west.
Rugby Base – Warwickshire – 01788 562183
This is a rural area based on the North Oxford Canalwhich is ideal for a number of interesting andcontrasting routes. Why not make your way to Warwickand visit its beautiful castle or take a gentle cruisethrough pretty countryside?
Gailey Base – Staffordshire – 01902 790612
Perfectly placed to discover parts of West Midlands,Staffordshire, Cheshire and Shropshire. Travel along the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, where you can head north towards the Potteries and rolling countryside of the Peak District or go further afield into Shropshire towards the Cheshire Plains and its dramatic scenery.
Goytre Wharf – South Wales –
01873 880516
Explore the beautiful Monmouth and Brecon Canal which meanders through the Brecon Beacons National Park.
8
The following pages give you a flavour of the most popular routes available but, with a few restraints, you are free to travel whicheverdirection you please from your chosen start base and can holiday for a weekend, a week or longer.
Guide book references for each route (P5, N2, L15 etc) refer to the listing on the back cover of the brochure which can be purchased tohelp with planning your holiday. As a rough calculation when planning a route, add the number of locks to the distance in miles anddivide the total by 3 to give cruising time in hours.
Short BreaksFor a few relaxing days, or to see what a holiday afloat is all about, a short break on a narrowboat is perfect. A three or four nightbreak is long enough to unwind and get used to the slow pace of life.
We have short break boats available from all start bases, each with a number of splendid routes to choose from. Take a three-nightweekend break starting on Friday, or a four-night midweek break starting on Monday. Remember that these boats are alsoavailable for weekly hire and, by adding a short break to a week, you can also take a longer break of 10/11 nights.
Suggested routes and timings are approximate and will be affected by available cruising hours, weather conditions and amount oftraffic on the waterway. More detailed advice will be given when the boat is collected. When planning any river cruising within yourroute, do bear in mind that in some weather conditions river navigation may be restricted, so it is worth having an alternative plan.
Please note:
Start Locations explained
Spoilt for choice
M62
M53
M6M56
M6
M6
M4
M4
M54
M42
M42
M6
M69
M45
M1
M5M50
M40
M40
M40
M1
M1
M25
A1(M
)
M11
M5
M5
M4
M4
M4
M3
M3
M25
M23
M26
M6
M62
M18 A1(M
)
M180
M1
M1
M61
M66
M65
M55
M57
M58
A1(M
)
M6
M6
A1(M
)
A66(M)
M2
A1A1
A1
A1
A1
M62
M53
M6M56
M6
M6
M4
M4
M54
M42
M42
M6
M69
M45
M1
M5M50
M40
M40
M40
M1
M1
M25
A1(M
)
M11
M5
M5
M4
M4
M4
M3
M3
M25
M23
M26
M6
M62
M18 A1(M
)
M180
M1
M1
M61
M66
M65
M55
M57
M58
A1(M
)
M6
M6
A1(M
)
A66(M)
M2
A1A1
A1
A1
A1
Neath &TennantCanal
MonmouthshireCanal
River W
ye
RiverAvon
R
R
River WeyBasingstoke
Canal
River Thames
RiverSevern
River
Avon
River Severn
River Severn
River Dee
BridgewaterCanal
ManchesterShipCanal
RochdaleCanal
River
Ancholme
Rive
rTr
ent
Riv
erD
erw
ent
WithamNavigable
Drains
OldRive
r Nene
Middle LevelNavigations
Rive
r Gre
atOu
se
Rive
r CamOld West River
New
Bedf
ord
Rive
r
Old
Bedf
ord
Rive
rEly Ous
eTe
nM
ileO
use
Sixt
een
Foot
Rive
rG
reat
Ous
e
CromfordCanal
Riv
erW
ellan
d
River N
ene
River Thames
River Glen
RiverTees
Riv
erFo
ss
SleafordNavigation
TennantCanal
LakeWindermere
BeverleyBeck
Neath &TennantCanal
MonmouthshireCanal
River W
ye
RiverAvon
R
R
River WeyBasingstoke
Canal
River Thames
RiverSevern
River
Avon
River Severn
River Severn
River Dee
BridgewaterCanal
ManchesterShipCanal
RochdaleCanal
River
Ancholme
Rive
rTr
ent
Riv
erD
erw
ent
WithamNavigable
Drains
OldRive
r Nene
Middle LevelNavigations
Rive
r Gre
atOu
se
Rive
r CamOld West River
New
Bedf
ord
Rive
r
Old
Bedf
ord
Rive
rEly Ous
eTe
nM
ileO
use
Sixt
een
Foot
Rive
rG
reat
Ous
e
CromfordCanal
Riv
erW
ellan
d
River N
ene
River Thames
River Glen
RiverTees
Riv
erFo
ss
SleafordNavigation
TennantCanal
LakeWindermere
BeverleyBeck
AshtonCanal
AylesburyArm
CaldonCanal
FossdykeNavigation
GranthamCanal
HertfordUnion
St HelensCanal
LimehouseCut
MarketHarboroughArm
New JunctionCanal
Nottingham &Beeston Canal
River Ouse
PaddingtonBasin
PocklingtonCanal
RiponCanal
SelbyCanal
SloughArm
Staffs &WorcsCanal
River StortNavigation
StourbridgeCanal
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Canal
Swan
sea C
anal Wendover
Arm
LancasterCanal
Leeds & Liv
erpo
olCa
nal
Shropsh ire Union Canal
Mon
tgom
ery
Cana
l
Mac
cles
field
Cana
l
Trent &M
erseyCanal
PeakForest Canal
Erewash
Canal
Regents Canal
Seve
rnN
avig
atio
n
Chesterfield Canal
Grand
Union Canal
Oxford Canal
AshbyCanal
Coventry Canal
Worcester &Birmingham Canal
Birming
ham
Fazeley Ca
nal
BirminghamCanal
Navigations
Staffs & WorcsCanal
Trent
&M
erse
y Canal
SharpnessDocks
Gloucester &Sharpness Canal
Kennet & Avon Canal
Gra
ndU
nion
Ca
nal
Grand UnionCanal
Trent
Nav
igat
ion
UreNavigation
Aire & Calder
Navigation
Oxford
Canal
Llangol
lenCan
al
River Soar
AshtonCanal
AylesburyArm
CaldonCanal
FossdykeNavigation
GranthamCanal
HertfordUnion
St HelensCanal
LimehouseCut
MarketHarboroughArm
New JunctionCanal
Nottingham &Beeston Canal
River Ouse
PaddingtonBasin
PocklingtonCanal
RiponCanal
SelbyCanal
SloughArm
Staffs &WorcsCanal
River StortNavigation
StourbridgeCanal
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Canal
Swan
sea C
anal Wendover
Arm
LancasterCanal
Leeds & Liv
erpo
olCa
nal
Shropsh ire Union Canal
Mon
tgom
ery
Cana
l
Mac
cles
field
Cana
l
Trent &M
erseyCanal
PeakForest Canal
Erewash
Canal
Regents Canal
Seve
rnN
avig
atio
n
Chesterfield Canal
Grand
Union Canal
Oxford Canal
AshbyCanal
Coventry Canal
Worcester &Birmingham Canal
Birming
ham
Fazeley Ca
nal
BirminghamCanal
Navigations
Staffs & WorcsCanal
Trent
&M
erse
y Canal
SharpnessDocks
Gloucester &Sharpness Canal
Kennet & Avon Canal
Gra
ndU
nion
Ca
nal
Grand UnionCanal
Trent
Nav
igat
ion
UreNavigation
Aire & Calder
Navigation
Oxford
Canal
Llangol
lenCan
al
River Soar
WeaverNavigation
Lee
Nav
igat
ion
WithamN
avigation
MiddlewichBranch
Monmouthshire & BreconCanal
Yorksh
ireNavi
gatio
n
Sheffie
ld& Sou
th
WeaverNavigation
Lee
Nav
igat
ion
WithamN
avigation
MiddlewichBranch
Monmouthshire & BreconCanal
Yorksh
ireNavi
gatio
n
Sheffie
ld& Sou
th
Wallasey
Birkenhead
Rotherham
Chesterfield Worksop Lincoln
Boston
Rhyl
Wrexham
Macclesfield
Crewe
Mansfield
Grantham
Peterborough
Corby
Kettering
Coalville
Nuneaton
Kidderminster
Stafford
TelfordShrewsbury
Llanelli
NeathPontypool
Barry
Hereford
Redditch
Cheltenham
Banbury
Wellingborough
Bedford
Dunstable
Letchworth
Hitchin
Cambridg
Stroud
Swindon
Reading
Maidenhead
AylesburyHarlow
Chelm
DorkingReigate
Crawley
GuildfordAldershotFarnham
Bridgwater
Hinckley
Chester
Newcastle-under-Lyme
PortTalbot
Newbury
Basingstoke
HighWycombe
Stevenage
Royal TunW
Merthyr Tydfil
Burtonupon Trent
MiltonKeynes
BishStort
St.Albans
Fleetwood
Keighley
Burnley
Blackburn
ChorleySouthport
Crosby
Barnsley Doncaster
Scunthorpe Grimsby
Cleethorpes
Lytham St. Anne’s
Gateshead
Consett
South Shields
Durham Peterlee
BishopAuckland
Darlington
Hartlepool
Carlisle
Workington
Whitehaven
Barrow-in-Furness Morecambe
Scarborough
Bridlington
MIDDLESBROUGH
Harrogate York
Stockton-on-Tees
Weston-Super-Mare
Warwick
Hertford
Lancaster
Bradford
Castleford
Marple
Northwich
Newark
HemelHempstead
Beverley
Shipley
Heswall
Stratford-upon-Avon
Maesteg
Rhondda
Aberdare
PontypriddCaerphilly
MountainAsh
Gloucester
AbingdonAmersham
Rickmansworth
StainesEgham
WeybridgeChertsey
Woking Epsom
Marlow
BletchleyLeightonBuzzard
Dagenham
Chigwell
Romfor
Gray
Wokingham
Andover
Wallasey
Birkenhead
Rotherham
Chesterfield Worksop Lincoln
Boston
Rhyl
Wrexham
Macclesfield
Crewe
Mansfield
Grantham
Peterborough
Corby
Kettering
Coalville
Nuneaton
Kidderminster
Stafford
TelfordShrewsbury
Llanelli
NeathPontypool
Barry
Hereford
Redditch
Cheltenham
Banbury
Wellingborough
Bedford
Dunstable
Letchworth
Hitchin
Cambridg
Stroud
Swindon
Reading
Maidenhead
AylesburyHarlow
Chelm
DorkingReigate
Crawley
GuildfordAldershotFarnham
Bridgwater
Hinckley
Chester
Newcastle-under-Lyme
PortTalbot
Newbury
Basingstoke
HighWycombe
Stevenage
Royal TunW
Merthyr Tydfil
Burtonupon Trent
MiltonKeynes
BishStort
St.Albans
Fleetwood
Keighley
Burnley
Blackburn
ChorleySouthport
Crosby
Halifax
Wakefield
Barnsley Doncaster
Scunthorpe Grimsby
Cleethorpes
Lytham St. Anne’s
Gateshead
Consett
South Shields
Durham Peterlee
BishopAuckland
Darlington
Hartlepool
Carlisle
Workington
Whitehaven
Barrow-in-Furness Morecambe
Scarborough
Bridlington
MIDDLESBROUGH
Harrogate York
Stockton-on-Tees
Weston-Super-Mare
Warwick
Hertford
Lancaster
Bradford
Castleford
Marple
Northwich
Newark
HemelHempstead
Beverley
Shipley
Heswall
Stratford-upon-Avon
Maesteg
Rhondda
Aberdare
PontypriddCaerphilly
MountainAsh
Gloucester
AbingdonAmersham
Rickmansworth
StainesEgham
WeybridgeChertsey
Woking Epsom
Marlow
BletchleyLeightonBuzzard
Dagenham
Chigwell
Romfor
Gray
Wokingham
Andover
STOKE-ON-TRENT
DERBY
WOLVERHAMPTON
BRISTOL
LEICESTER
NORTHAMPTON
LUTON
SWANSEA
CARDIFF
NEWPORT
OXFORD
BATH
BLACKPOOL
PRESTON
KINGSTON UPONHULL
SUNDERLAND
NEWCASTLE UPONTYNE
NOTTINGHAM
LEEDS
WATFORD
STOKE-ON-TRENT
DERBY
WOLVERHAMPTON
BRISTOL
LEICESTER
NORTHAMPTON
LUTON
SWANSEA
CARDIFF
NEWPORT
OXFORD
BATH
BLACKPOOL
PRESTON
HUDDERSFIELD
KINGSTON UPONHULL
SUNDERLAND
NEWCASTLE UPONTYNE
NOTTINGHAM
LEEDS
WATFORD
LIVERPOOL SHEFFIELD
COVENTRY
LIVERPOOL SHEFFIELD
COVENTRY
BIRMINGHAM
LONDON
MANCHESTER
BIRMINGHAM
LONDON
MANCHESTER
GAILEY
RUGBY
WORCESTER
WHITCHURCH
ALVECHURCH
ANDERTON
GATYON
HILPERTON
WRENBURY
GOYTRE
9
EDINBURGH
GLASGOW
LinlithgowGrangemouthFalkirk
Falkirk WheelMaryhillBowling
Greenock
Paisley
Perth
Stirling
Oban
Crinan
Ardishaig
Arran
R Tay Navigation
Forth Naviagtion
Clyde Naviagtion
Forth & Clyde
CinanCanal
UnionMonkland
FALKIRK
Scotland