Short Break Route Suggestions (3 & 4 nights):
Relaxed route: Stoke Golding and Return – 34 miles, 0 locks, 13.5 hours total
A great route for novice boaters or for those wanting a peaceful, rural weekend escape. Start your journey heading north from the Coventry Basin along the Coventry Canal to Hawkesbury Junction. Continue cruising north from Hawkesbury Junction until you reach Marston Junction, where you will head east and join the peaceful Ashby Canal. The scenery becomes largely fields, trees and farms with no locks but interesting stone-arched bridges, far removed from the suburban landscapes on the Coventry Canal. The southern section of the Ashby Canal is very rural, so it's a good idea to have some food provisions to snack on. There are a few pubs at Hinkley before you make your way to Stoke Golding passing under pretty stone bridges and a little farm shop selling local produce. Moor up and take a short walk into the attractive village of Stoke Golding; where there are a few pubs, a farm shop and a Grade I listed Saxon church. Turn either at the boatyard, or continue further along the Ashby Canal if time permits, to use one of the several winding holes available.
Intermediate route: Rugby and Return – 36 miles, 2 locks, 16 hours total
Start your journey cruising north from Coventry Basin to Hawkesbury Junction and join onto the North Oxford Canal heading south. Pass through the tiny village of Antsy, where there is a canalside pub and the village of Brinklow, where there are several pubs around a 20 minute walk from the towpath. Cruise through the 250yd Newbold Tunnel at Newbold on Avon, a good place to stop for provisions with a few local stores and a fish & chip shop. Continue cruising over an aqueduct crossing the River Avon below and moor up between bridges 58 and 59 to walk (30mins) into the market town of Rugby. This historic town is home to the Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, the Webb Ellis Rugby Football Museum, along with many shops, pubs and restaurants to choose from. Continue to the winding hole a little further along the North Oxford Canal to turn your boat and begin the journey back to Coventry.
Active route: Polesworth and Return – 43 miles, 22 locks, 22 hours total
More suited to a midweek break rather than a weekend, although can be done with long cruising hours and an energetic crew. Begin your journey heading north up the Coventry Canal to Hawkesbury Junction, where you’ll head north to Marston Junction. At the junction, join onto the Coventry Canal heading north through the town of Nuneaton and onto Harsthill, where there are a couple of pubs and shops a short walk from the canalside. Continue on through the hilly, wooded landscape to the first lock in the flight of 11 at Atherstone. Navigate through the locks, stopping at the pub just after the flight for refreshment as there are no canalside pubs between Atherstone and Polesworth. Cruise on through pleasant rural countryside to the lovely village of Polesworth; there are visitor moorings available along the towpath by bridge 54. Take a stroll into the village to visit the remains of a 10th Century Abbey, visit one of the pubs or grab a takeaway from the fish & chip shop. Cruise on past Pooley Hall and Alvecote Priory, where there are the remains of a Benedictine Priory. Use the winding hole just past bridge 59 to turn your boat for the journey back to Coventry Basin.
Weekly Route Suggestions:
Relaxed route: Norton Junction and Return – 65 miles, 20 locks, 29 hours total
Start your journey from Coventry Basin heading north to Hawkesbury Junction to join the North Oxford Canal. Head south, passing through the small village of Antsy with its canalside pub and past the village of Brinklow. Cruise through the 250yd Newbold Tunnel at Newbold on Avon, a good place to stop for provisions with a few local stores and a fish & chip shop. Continue cruising over an aqueduct crossing the River Avon below and cruise past the market town of Rugby on the way to the Hillmorton Locks. Navigate through the three locks, broken up with a bistro in-between, and cruise on through wide, open countryside until you reach Braunston Turn. Moor up along the towpath for a short walk into the village centre; set upon a hill, the village has a butchers, fish & chip shop, tea room and gift shop, along with a few local stores. The village is also home to several pubs and the historic All Saint’s Church which dates back to 1849. Cruise on through the Braunston Locks and into the Braunston Tunnel (2042yds); continue through a beautiful wooded stretch of canal to Norton Junction, where there is a pub. Turn at the winding hole at the junction to begin your journey back to base.
Intermediate route: Minworth and Return – 70 miles, 48 locks, 36 hours total
Begin your journey heading north up the Coventry Canal to Hawkesbury Junction, where you’ll head north to Marston Junction. At the junction, join onto the Coventry Canal heading north through the town of Nuneaton and onto Harsthill, where there are a couple of pubs and shops a short walk from the canalside. Continue on through the hilly, wooded landscape to the first lock in the flight of 11 at Atherstone. Once through the locks cruise through pleasant rural countryside through the village of Polesworth, passing the remains of a 10th Century Abbey and a couple of canalside pubs. Further on, at Alvecote Priory you’ll be able to glimpse the ruins of the Benedictine Priory as you make your way towards Tamworth. The thriving market town was originally a Saxon settlement and is home to Tamworth Castle, with its Norman motte. From Tamworth, continue through the two locks to Fazeley Junction where you’ll head south on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal. Cruise over a small aqueduct and cruise to Drayton Footbridge, the best place to moor for Drayton Manor theme park. Continue on through the Curdworth Locks and the Curdworth Tunnel (57yds) to the village of Minworth. Moorings are available before Dicken’s Bridge, which will be your turning point for the journey. Choose from one of the several pubs on offer before starting the return cruise to Coventry.
Active route: Snarestone, Braunston and Return - 108 miles, 8 locks, 45 hours total
A great route for boaters who prefer a small amount of locks, travelling the length of the rural Ashby Canal and then onto the beautiful canal village of Braunston. Start the first part of the journey heading north up the Coventry Canal to Hawkesbury Junction. Continue heading north until you reach Marston Junction where you will join the peaceful Ashby Canal, the scenery becomes largely fields, trees and farms with no locks but interesting stone-arched bridges, far removed from the suburban landscapes on the Coventry Canal. The southern section of the Ashby Canal is very rural, so it's a good idea to have some food provisions to snack on. There are a few pubs at Hinkley before you make your way to Stoke Golding passing under pretty stone bridges and a little farm shop with local produce. Follow the winding canal past Ambion Wood, just before the Shenton Aqueduct there are moorings for the Battlefied Centre and the Battle of Bosworth fields are situated nearby. You are only 8 miles from the farming village of Snarestone, where there is a pub and tunnel before you reach the end of the navigation and a winding hole to allow you to turn around and make return to Marston Junction. Cruise to Hawkesbury Junction and join the North Oxford Canal. Head south, passing through the small village of Antsy with its canalside pub and past the village of Brinklow. Cruise through the 250yd Newbold Tunnel and over an aqueduct crossing the River Avon below. Continue on past the market town of Rugby on the way to the Hillmorton Locks. Navigate through the three locks and cruise through wide, open countryside until you reach Braunston Turn. Moor up along the towpath for a short walk into the village centre where there are several pubs, a fish & chip shop, tea room and gift shop, along with a few local stores. Turn at the winding hole by the Gongoozler’s Rest cafe to begin your journey back to base.
Fortnight Route Suggestions:
Relaxed route: The Warwickshire Ring - 116 miles, 122 locks, 65 hours total
An interesting and varied route through some spectacular rural scenery in the West Midlands. Begin your journey heading north from the base to Hawkesbury Junction and then onto Marston Junction. Head north towards Atherstone, tackling the lock flight of 11, before cruising on past Tamworth, to Fazeley Junction. At the junction, head south on to the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, where there is another lock flight of 11, cruise through the small tunnel at Curdworth and through a further 3 locks at Minworth. Continue on from Minworth towards Salford Junction, where you’ll head south joining the Grand Union Canal. Cruising through the outskirts of Birmingham, the scenery is surprisingly pleasant. Head to Bordesley Junction, heading south past Solihull to Lapworth Junction, after which you’ll soon be approaching the Hatton Flight of 21. Once through the locks, cruise towards Warwick, stopping at either Saltisford Canal Centre or bridge 49 to visit the city if you wish. Cruise on through the beautiful, isolated countryside, past the canalside pubs, towards Stockton and through the locks, making your way towards Braunston Turn, where you join the North Oxford Canal. With only four locks to navigate before you reach Hawkesbury Junction, this will allow you to make up some time on your return journey to Coventry Basin.
Intermediate route: The Black Country Ring – 129 miles, 105 locks, 68.5 hours total
The Black Country Ring gives a good variety of scenery along the way with a mix of urban views and countryside. Start by north up the Coventry Canal to Fazeley Junction, and then south past Drayton Manor footbridge, where you can moor and walk Drayton Manor Theme Park. Returning to your boat, continue south to Birmingham and navigate the lock flight on 11 passing the pretty scenery of Kingsbury Water Park and passing through a small tunnel at Curdworth. Continue your descent to Birmingham, you leave behind the countryside and the views start to show signs of suburban life. Moor in the city centre at Gas Street Basin and take a break exploring the Bullring shopping centre and nice waterfront eateries. Returning to your boat continue on from here to Autherley Junction and tackle the Wolverhampton lock flight of 21. Travel up the picturesque Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, which twists around the heathland to Gailey and through the distinctive Brick Kiln lock to Penkridge, where you can moor at the lock to take a walk around the village. The canal meanders along with the River Penk passing an offshoot of the canal where you are approximately 1.5 miles from Stafford, and then to Tixall where the canal widens, with nice views of wooded valleys and plenty of wildlife. At the Great Haywood Junction head south past the bustling town of Rugeley and Cannock Chase, an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to Fazeley Junction and back along the Coventry Canal to the Coventry Basin.
Active route: The Leicester Ring – 166 miles, 101 locks, 83 hours total
Cruise to Hawkesbury Junction and join the North Oxford Canal. Head south cruising through the 250yd Newbold Tunnel and over an aqueduct crossing the River Avon below. Continue on past the market town of Rugby on the way to the Hillmorton Locks. Navigate through the three locks and cruise through wide, open countryside until you reach Braunston Turn. Continue through the pretty village of Braunston and through the Braunston Tunnel (2042yds) to Norton Junction where there’s a pub. Turn up the Leicester Arm of the Canal and through 6 locks at Watford followed by Crick Tunnel (1528 yards) passing the ‘Welford Arm’ to your right. Head towards North Kilworth, followed by Husbands Bosworth Tunnel (1166 yards) and the 10 scenic staircase locks at Foxton. Turn left at Foxton and through Saddington Tunnel (880 yards) heading towards the city of Leicester. Continue through the suburbs of Leicester and pass through a further 12 spread-out locks you reach the City Centre with its many pubs, shops, restaurants, parks, museums and historic sites – such as Leicester Cathedral where Richard III has been laid to rest. At Belgrave Lock the canal meets the River Soar which meanders through the outskirts of the city until Thurmaston Lock where it joins the canal once more. The Soar then begins again at Cossington, leading through pretty Mountsorrel Lock with its waterside pub, towards Barrow-Upon-Soar (deep lock) and then Loughborough. At Loughborough you reach a T-junction (under bridge 39B) and turn right, joining the Loughborough Navigation (stay to the right) leading past Kegworth onto the River Trent (pay attention to weirs). At the junction turn left and continue west past Sawley to Derwent Mouth where the Trent & Mersey Canal begins. After passing the attractive village of Arlewas, you arrive at Fradley Junction. Turn right here, on to the Coventry Canal to Fazeley Junction where you continue left to Tamworth, through 2 locks and eventually passing the ruins of Alvecote Priory. A long lock-free section follows until you reach the 11 locks at Atherstone, then it’s lock-free again all the way to Hawkesbury Junction and down to Coventry Basin.
