GREAT HAYWOOD AND RETURN FROM GAILEY

 

Route Info | Boats | Map overview of route | Cruising Notes | Maps & Guides | Links | Pub Guide

 

You can do this route from :
Gailey Wharf.

Gailey Wharf

Staffordshire

 

Cruise the lovely Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, past Stafford and visit the 900 year old Stafford Castle and through the beautiful Cannock Chase to Shugborough Hall, a stately home.

Journey through the historic estate of Shugborough and experience the nation's
best 'upstairs downstairs' experience. Set in 900 acres of stunning parkland and riverside gardens with elegant mansion House, working Victorian Servants' Quarters, Georgian farm, dairy & mill and restored walled garden, which are brought to life by costumed living history characters who share their lives and powerful stories from the past with visitors. Explore Lord Lichfield's private rooms and hear the stories of one of the nation's grandest families, with NEW Shugborough Revisited.

Route Info

Route Facts & Figures

Recommended Holiday
Duration : 3 nights.

Total Cruising Days : 4.00
(Partial or full days)

Total Cruising Time : 15.00 hours

Total Distance : 25.00 miles

Number of Locks : 24

Number of Tunnels : 0

Number of Aqueducts : 0

Read the Cruising Notes

Read our cruising notes to help you plan your canal boat holiday

Read our cruising notes.

 

 

 

 

 

Cruising Notes

Day 1
There is an attractive round Toll-keepers watch tower just above the lock, with a small canal shop on the ground floor. There follows a succession of single locks dropping your boat down towardsPenkridge. There is a small store at Penkridge Lock for basic supplies but if you chose to go into the centre there is a wide choice of shops and pubs. Above the lock is the best place to moor to visit this relatively old village.

It is a good place to moor (after Penkridge bridge 86) as it is 2.5 hours to here from Gailey.

Day 2
At Acton Trussell you start to leave the M6 well behind, despite having no nearby pubs or shops the nice houses and adjoining gardens are worth a look. In Baswich there is a footpath which leads into Stafford town centre where you will not be short of stores, pubs and facilities. From bridge 98 it is 1.5 miles into Stafford town centre (to your left) , there is a frequent bus service.
In Stafford there are many shops & pubs- also good to visit is the Ancient High house- Four hundred years of history are waiting to be discovered within the walls of England's largest timber framed town house. Step inside and embark on a journey from Elizabethan days through the turbulent Civil War era to the more refined Edwardian period.

Also visit Stafford castle: First built by William the Conqueror to subdue the rebellious population, the Castle has dominated the Stafford skyline for over 900 years. Uncover the secrets of the site through Norman times, the medieval period, the English Civil War, right up to the present day.

Stafford has a great mix of national and independent retailers along the bustling high street, in modern indoor shopping centres, and in picturesque cobbled streets.

Working away from Stafford you begin to rediscover the natural beauty so prevalent in the earlier part of the cruise, the water meadows with a view to the ever-closer Cannock Chase is quite stunning. Milford is the gateway to Cannock Chase and as a consequence can be quite busy in high season but nearby Tixhall is a fine crescendo to this stretch of waterway. Tixhall Lock has a wonderful whitewashed lock house and beyond that the famous Tixhall wide section of canal and Tixhall Gatehouse which is just a stones throw from the canal, as grand as most grand houses which is the only remnant of Tixhall Hall which burnt down long ago, well worth a short walk for a closer inspection. It is recommended that you leave enough time to enjoy Tixhall Wide, moor up, have a picnic or a walk and enjoy this impressive area as it certainly is a highlight of the cruise.

All too soon you arrive at Great Haywood Junction where the Staffs and Worcs canal meets theTrent and Mersey. Shugborough Hall is close by & you can moor up & walk to the Estate & house.

It is 5 hours cruising to here

Shugborough Estate
Journey through the historic estate of Shugborough and experience the nation's best 'upstairs downstairs' experience. Set in 900 acres of stunning parkland and riverside gardens with elegant mansion House, working Victorian Servants' Quarters, Georgian farm, dairy & mill and restored walled garden, which are brought to life by costumed living history characters who share their lives and powerful stories from the past with visitors. Explore Lord Lichfield's private rooms and hear the stories of one of the nation's grandest families, with NEW Shugborough Revisited.

Day 3
Day 4
Cruise the 7.5 hours back to Gailey

 

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.

Boats

The following boats operate on this route (subject to availability)
Bragi Canal Boat
Class : Nene
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

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Common Kestrel Canal Boat
Class : Kestrel
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

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House Wren Canal Boat
Class : Wren
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

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Oscar Canal Boat
Class : Nene
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

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Mottled Swift Canal Boat
Class : Swift
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

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Wood Duck Canal Boat
Class : Dove2
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Musk Duck Canal Boat
Class : Dove2
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Freckled Duck Canal Boat
Class : Dove2
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Common Gull Canal Boat
Class : Gull
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Pacific Gull Canal Boat
Class : Gull
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Upland Goose Canal Boat
Class : Goose
(Sleeps a maximum of 8 People).

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Wood Warbler Canal Boat
Class : Warbler
(Sleeps a maximum of 8 People).

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Savi's Warbler Canal Boat
Class : Warbler
(Sleeps a maximum of 8 People).

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Maps and Guides

Pub Guide

Pubs available on this canal route:-

  Pub Name Pub Address Distance from Gailey More Info
The Spread Eagle Wantling Street, Gailey ST19 5PN 0.57 Miles Full Details
The Boat Cannock Road, Penkridge ST19 5DT 2.29 Miles Full Details
The Swan Whiston Road, Penkridge ST19 5QH 2.82 Miles Full Details
The Littleton Arms The Littleton Arms St Michaels Square, Penkridge ST19 5AL 2.29 Miles Full Details
The Wildwood Wildwood Shopping Centre, Stafford ST17 4RA 6.62 Miles Full Details
The Picture House Bridge Street, Stafford ST16 2HL 7.75 Miles Full Details
The Radford Bank Inn Radford Bank, Stafford ST17 4PG 7.08 Miles Full Details
The Wolseley Arms Wolseley Bridge, Stafford ST17 0XS 8.80 Miles Full Details
Vine Hotel Salter Street, Stafford ST16 2JU 8.02 Miles Full Details
The Boat Inn The Boat Inn Wharf Road, Gnosall, Stafford ST20 0DA 8.46 Miles Full Details
Lock House Trent Lane, Great Heyward ST18 0SR 9.03 Miles Full Details
The Clifford Arms The Clifford Arms Main Road, Great Haywood ST18 0SR 9.03 Miles Full Details
The Plough Inn The Plough Inn 105 Liverpool Road, Kidsgrove, Stoke On Trent ST7 4EW 27.61 Miles Full Details

NB: Distances are as the crow flies and will vary for actual canal boating travel distance.

 

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The information above is provided in good faith to assist you with planning your canal boat holiday. Information accuracy cannot be guaranteed, however, if you do see something that needs updating, please don't hesitate to contact us.