UK Canal Boating

This route can be done over 10-14 nights to give you more time for sightseeing.

From the Marina turn south along the Coventry/Birmingham & Fazeley Canal.

At Huddlesford is the junction with the Wyrley & Essington Canal, now only used for private moorings. There is an award winning friendly canalside pub here, - The Plough serving real ale & good food.

At Whittington which you can approach from bridge 80 , there is a PO stores, garage, chemist, Chinese takeaway & off licence. The village centre is to the west of Whittington Bridge, the shops are best approached from Bridge 78. There are 3 pubs here, The Swan Inn on the Canalside, and the Bell Inn & Dog Inn in the main street.
From here you can catch a bus into Lichfield, which is well worth the detour.

The three spires of the 13th century Cathedral in Lichfield, the 'Ladies of the Vale' are a visible landmark for miles around. The modern shopping centre contrasts sharply with the graceful Georgian buildings of the city centre. There are excellent pubs & restaurants and night clubs, with a Farmers market on Sundays.
You can also catch a train into the centre of Birmingham from Litchfield.

Hopwas is a pretty & tidy village with a green, built on the side of a hill. It has a PO, and a convenience store. It is a nice stop for an overnight stay, as on the Canal is the Tame Otter Pub, where real ale & food are served all day, there are moorings available, also here is the Red Lion, food at lunch and in the evenings, steaks are a speciality.

At the Fazeley Junction turn right along the Birmingham and Fazeley canal, soon you will reach Drayton Manor Theme Park - The UK's best family theme park with kids rides, family fun, zoo, and thrill rides. The entrance to the Theme park & Zoo is a short walk from the canal to your right.

Featuring Stormforce 10 with a backward water drop, Maelstrom, Shockwave- Europes first stand up roller coaster, and the vertical drop -New for 2011 is Ben 10 Ultimate Mission the ride, Ben needs you to stop Vilgax from stealing the Omnitrix and the only way is to board the “Mecha Vehicle”, Good luck on your mission! . Adults & children will love the white knuckle rides, but the park has many family rides and a Thomas Land area for the younger children, and a Zoo to explore. The park is closed during November to March.

The Gothic style footbridge at Drayton Bassett is worth a photo, it has twin battlemented towers which look quite ridiculous on such a small construction, but it is wonderfully eccentric.

You will pass Cliff Pool Nature Reserve and Middleton Lakes Nature Reserve on the right and there is also a childrens farm at Broomey Croft near Kingsbury Swivel bridge.

At Bodymoor Heath is a lovely pub- the Dog & Doublet by Cheatles Farm bridge. To the left is Kingsbury Water Park, a 600 acre landscaped park containing 30 lakes from old gravel pits. There are walks, nature trails, fishing, horse riding, sailing and wind surfing and power boating.

At the village of Curdworth there is a pub to the south of Curdworth bridge, and another in the village.

The Minworth Locks are soon reached & there is a handy transport cafe near Hansons bridge. There are also pubs – the Hare & Hounds by Minworth Green bridge, and The Boat by Caters bridge. There are 11 locks between Drayton Manor and Minworth

It is worth mooring for the night at Minworth, as moorings in Birmimgham are scarce until you reach the Gas Street Basin/Brindley Place/Cambrian Wharf areas.

All shops are readily available alongside the canal around Salford, a good access point is where the A452 crosses the canal at Tyburn bridge.
Star City is just before Salford Junction to your left.
Star City is one of the UK's largest leisure destinations - a unique family entertainment destination with 12 restaurants and 11 leisure attractions including a 25 screen VUE cinema. Funfairs, fireworks displays and other exciting family orientated events regularly take place at StarCity, including high-profile attractions such as the Moscow State Circus and Cirque De Soleil. It is also home to England’s largest Indoor Adventure Golf Complex, a 22 lane ten pin bowling alley, a purpose built all-weather 5-a-side football center, a Laser Station and a Twin Peaks Family Climbing Centre.

Soon there are 2 canals away to your left, take the 2nd turning to Cambrian Wharf, taking you through the flight of 11 locks at Aston to Aston Junction. Turn right here through the Farmer's Bridge flight of 13 locks where you will need the BW anti vandal key. Moor up in Cambrian Wharf, or turn left at Deep Cuttings Junction and moor up in Gas Street Basin, or turn right at the junctions and moor up in one of the loops which turn off the main canal.

Gas Street Basin & Brindley place is in the heart of Birmingham's canal network, and has been redeveloped into a unique experience where traditional narrow boats moor up next to cosmopolitan cafes and bars. The surrounding area is a vibrant arts & entertainment area and there are many shopping options within a short walk. Moor up next to the Sea Life centre. On your doorstep will be every type of cuisine you can think of, from Caribbean to Nepalese, from Thai to Italian. Also clubs and bars, Theatres, Comedy and live entertainment and Cinemas.

Amongst some of the attractions are the National Sea Life Centre & the Jewellery Quarter Discovery centre, also many fine Art galleries and over 500 restaurants offering every choice of food! The jewellery quarter dates back over 250 years, and is still home to over 400 jewellery businesses. It is a designated conservation area with only 200 listed buildings, and has been described by English heritage as a unique historic environment in England.

For shopping a visit to the new Bullring is a must, which covers an area the size of 26 football pitches and a has a huge range of shops.
Close by is the national Indoor Arena, one of the busiest large scale indoor sporting & entertainment venues in Europe.

You can stay in the Gas street basin to explore the area's delights, or move on to visit the superb 26 acre outdoor Black Country Museum and the impressive ruins of Dudley castle & also visit Dudley Zoo (there are 3 locks en route), or catch a bus as they are well worth a visit.

Cruising from Cambrian Wharf turn right onto the Birmingham Main line canal. After about 3 hours cruising you will negotiate the 3 Factory locks, just after the last lock turn left down the Dudley Canal, and moor up near the 2nd turning on your left, near the Dudley Tunnel, for the Black Country Museum. Dudley Zoo & Castle are close by.

The 26 acre outdoor Museum has been built around a re-constructed canal village, with a pub, shops and an inland port. You can ride on a trolley bus or tram, try sweet making , metal working or glass cutting, experience an underground coal mine & meet the characters in the shops and houses. There is a Helter Skelter, Swing Boats and traditional fairground side stalls, a 1930's high street has been re-created- 'Between the Wars', there is a recreation of a village with pawnbroker's and cobblers shops, and cafes and fish & chip shops if you need refreshment.

You can chat to costumed characters from a bygone era and hear their stories, and discover a fascinating world where costumed characters demonstrate life in the industrial age. You need at least ½ a day to see the attractions, although a full day is really needed if you want to enjoy all there is to see & do. Throughout the year there is a changing programme of events. Open March to October 10-5, winter months closed Mon/Tues & closes at 4pm.
4 ½ hours cruising from Gas Street basin to here.

 

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.