UK Canal Boating

This route takes you along the delightful Grand Union Canal, with lots of interest along the way with towns and villages to stop off and explore.

Day 1
Leaving your mooring cruise east towards the end of the Slough Arm at Cowley Peachey Junction.
The Slough Arm was almost the last canal to be built in Britain, in 1882, and on the way to Cowley Peach Junction, you pass over 3 small aqueducts as you pass over the picturesque Cowley lake.
The main traffic on the Canal is the late 1800's was bricks made from the local clay.

Turn left at the junction onto the Grand Union Canal.
You will reach your first lock at Cowley Lock as you start the climb up the Colne Valley and the Chiltern Hills.

Cowley and Uxbridge to your right are the last of the outer suburban belt that surrounds London, and you will soon leave all that behind.

There is a large shopping centre in Uxbridge, access from Bridge 186.

The Battle of Britain was directed by the late Air Marshal Lord Dowding from the RAF HQ in Uxbridge.
The town has a selection of modern and futuristic buildings.

In the early 19th Century the Paddington Packet Boat used to run daily from Paddington to Cowley, pulled by 4 horses, it made the 15-mile lock-free journey in a remarkable time, taking passengers up and down the canal.

Moor for the night along this stretch, it is 2 hours to here, Cowley South Visitor moorings.

Day 2
Uxbridge Lock is in an attractive setting with a lock-keepers cottage at the side and a modern flour mill with lovely landscaped gardens right down to the water's edge.
There are visitor moorings in Uxbridge.
Also the canalside pub the Swan & Bottle has visitor moorings.

Between the A40 Road bridge and 183 Denham Bridge there is a gravel wharf on the off-side loading into large barges, so beware of them operating and allow them to manoeuvre in the deepest part of the channel.

Frans Tea Garden is just before Denham Deep lock no 87.

There are visitor moorings at Denham.

The canal continues northwards past the village of Denham through a landscape of lakes, woods and mills across Harefield Moor, a stretch of common land with much wildlife to enjoy.

East of Bridge 80 there are shops at South Harefield.

Black Jack's lock and Copper Mill Lock are very attractive with tiny timbered cottages, a small mill, and attractive canal-side buildings.
The big mill at Copper Mill was once a paper mill, but when the Canal was built it re-invented itself and made copper sheets for the bottom of boats.

There are canal side pubs at bridge 180 and 177.

After heavy rain, there is a strong current between bridge 177 and Copper Mill Lock.

The canal turns eastwards towards Rickmansworth, and old chalk quarries adjoin the Canal.
There are some interesting 16th-century farm buildings close by to Stockers Lock.

You can Moor close to bridge 173 it is 4 hours to here, at Blatchworth Locks in a marquee on the lawn between the locks is Annis Kitchen serving drinks and snacks in conjunction with the Canal Centre there.
Frogmoor Wharf has visitor mooring and a Tesco supermarket close by.

Day 3 day 4
Turn around and make the 6-hour journey back to your mooring

 

NB: This route has been provided as a guide only. Information may become inaccurate or out of date. You should always check with the marina that the route is possible within your time frame, current weather conditions and canal stoppages etc.