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Where to take your canal holiday

The UK canal network is so vast that sometimes deciding where to take your canal holiday can be a pretty daunting task.

Your canal holiday operator will always help you plan your route and offer you as much advice and tuition as you need. But it’s also good to know what waterways to aim for in the first place, depending on your level of experience.

There are thousands of miles of waterways to explore, but here’s our pick of some of the easiest as well as the trickiest routes around.

Beginner
The ideal route for a beginner is usually one that has little or no locks, and provides hours of uninterrupted, peaceful cruising.

Out-and-back journeys are particularly good at providing simple, short breaks for boating ‘newbies’, as they go forward and back the same way and it’s virtually impossible to get lost.

The River Thames is a popular waterway for out-and-back journeys as its 44 locks are normally operated by lock keepers, so passengers won’t have to worry about lock winding whichever route they follow.

The non-tidal stretch from Teddington to West London is particularly good for beginners as its gentle waters pass through the pretty chocolate box towns of Marlow, Henley and Windsor. And because you won’t be tiring yourself out with lots of lock winding you’ll have plenty of energy left to visit all the quaint riverside pubs and famous attractions on offer.

The Lancaster Canal stretches for 41 miles through rolling countryside with not a single lock in sight, making it ideal for novices and popular with canoeists. Similarly, the Ashby Canal is pure bliss for first-time boaters, with its level lock-less waters and surrounding history.

The Llangollen Canal is another firm favourite with both beginners and experienced boaters, offering breath-taking scenery and dramatic architecture in the form of the Pontcysyllte and Chirk aqueducts. Certain sections, such as between Llangollen and Whitchurch, have only a few locks allowing you to go at a relaxing pace. However, be prepared to share your space with other holidaymakers, as this much-loved waterway can get quite busy during peak season.

The nearby Shropshire Union Canal, is also good for stress-free boating, being one of the straightest waterways in the canal network. There are frequently long stretches of pure isolated countryside, with not even the odd lock to disturb the tranquillity of your journey. In fact most of the locks on the Shropshire Union Canal are concentrated in three fairly long lock flights; 15 at Audlem, five at Tyrley, and five at Adderley.

Intermediate

If you’ve taken a narrowboat out before and you’re feeling more confident, you may want to attempt a longer break spanning several waterways. Cruising rings are good for this as their circular routes usually take at least a week to complete, but they remain relatively straight-forward by starting and finishing in the same spot.

The Birmingham Ring provides lots of adventures and places to explore, as it includes the major canals of the BCN. Different canals branch off everywhere in this tangled network and some lengthy lock flights keep things interesting. The quiet Wyrley & Essington Canal cuts a curly path through rural countryside, providing opportunities for wildlife spotting and relaxation. Then back in the city travellers are rewarded with plenty of waterside bars, restaurants and entertainment at Brindleyplace and busy Gas Street Basin.

Staying in the Midlands the Oxford Canal, especially the southern section, sits in stark contrast to bustling, cosmopolitan Birmingham. Keeping much of its olden day’s charm, this picturesque canal remains peaceful and relatively unchanged, although its route can still prove a challenge for those that attempt it.

The south Oxford Canal is particularly curvy with plenty of twists and turns, but this all adds to the experience of a canal holiday, and the charming surroundings more than make up for any tricky manoeuvring. For a real journey back in time be sure to pass by the Castle Mill boatyard at Jericho. This quirky piece of history is around 160 year’s old and acquired fame after featuring in television drama, ‘Inspector Morse’.

Heading towards the north, the Leeds & Liverpool Canal is another jewel in the inland waterways network, favoured by boaters and tourists for its rugged scenery and historical waterside towns. Although there are some challenging staircase lock flights, such as the notorious Bingley Five Rise, they are well spaced out so you can enjoy long periods of uninterrupted cruising. Staircase locks can seem daunting, even to a more experienced boater, but they should pose no threat to a crew of at least three energetic people.

Experienced

Once you’ve become a pro (and don’t worry, it will happen) the canal world is your oyster, so you may want to test your skills with a harder route. For a sheer test of willpower the Worcester & Birmingham Canal will not disappoint, being the most heavily-locked canal in England. There are 58 in total, but over half of them comprise one enormous flight at Tardebigge. The Tardebigge flight of 30 locks is not only a steep decline but requires several hours of manpower operating them. Not for the faint hearted, make sure you have a fit and healthy crew with you.

Experienced boaters can also have fun on stretches of the Birmingham Canal Main Line as it falls through Wolverhampton, taking on the Wolverhampton 21 – the longest lock flight on the BCN. Whilst it’s undoubtedly a tiring prospect, the calm and rural cruising that follows should help you to forget any strenuous lock winding.

The Kennet & Avon Canal, although busy, is a joy to navigate with its quintessentially English countryside and awe-inspiring architecture. It passes through West Berkshire, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the elegant town of Bath, a World Heritage Site.

You will need at least a fortnight to appreciate this mammoth canal in full, but as you’re a seasoned narrowboat traveller now this can only be an advantage! Devizes is where you can really put your crew to work with a 29 lock flight squeezed into a two mile stretch of water. 16 of these 29 locks belong to the Caen Hill Lock Flight – built by John Rennie to help boaters ascend an extremely steep hill. Like any lock flight this is bound to be tiring, but the sight of these locks stretching far into the distance is amazing, and reminds you what a spectacular feat of engineering this canal really is.

About the Author

Waterscape provide huge selections of canal holidays within the UK. Take a look at the canals and rivers map by Waterscape to find your local holiday destination.

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