RUGBY AND RETURN FROM GAYTON

 

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

 

You can do this route from :
Gayton Marina.

Gayton Marina

Northamptonshire

 

Cruise to the town where the sport of Rugby began. It was during a game of football in 1823 when a boy from Rugby school took the ball in his arms and ran with it, this started the modern game of Rugby football and changed the game forever.

A rural cruise, only travelling past villages until you get to Rugby.

Rugby is a large town with many shops and of course is the home of the game of Rugby. It is 30 minutes walk to the town centre.

If you need to stock up on provisions, the selection of shops to supply food is brilliant in Rugby, offering deli’s, supermarkets, organic shops, local produce, bakers and butchers, and making it worth a look just for the shopping opportunities alone. The centre of Rugby is a very pleasant place offering nice parkland and places to eat and drink in abundance. There is a pedestrianised shopping centre and an open market with a town crier.


The Web Ellis Rugby football museum tells the story of the game of Rugby over the last 160 years.
As part of your tour of the birthplace of the game be sure to take a walk along the Pathway of Fame, a unique tour which celebrates the history of the game and some of its most notable players.

The town and borough has much more to offer than its unique connection with the famous game. It has links to great literary figures such as Rupert Brooke, Matthew Arnold and Lewis Carroll.

Route Info

Route Facts & Figures

Recommended Holiday
Duration : 4 nights.

Total Cruising Days : 4.00
(Partial or full days)

Total Cruising Time : 24.50 hours

Total Distance : 55.00 miles

Number of Locks : 32

Number of Tunnels : 2

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

Head back down the Northampton Arm of the Grand union to Gayton Junction.(Turn right out of the marina).
At Gayton Junction turn right down the Grand union Canal. Soon you will pass the village of Bugbrooke, and the Wharf Inn is by bridge 36, or there is a couple of village pubs if you walk into the village. Bugbrooke is 1.5 hours from Gayton.

You will probably want to move on & head for the village of Weedon which is just over 2 hours from Gayton & ideal for a 1st nights stop, there is a small aqueduct over a road as you approach the village. There are takeaways, stores & pubs in Weedon , you can moor up near the Church . The Heart of England pub by bridge 24 is a good family pub. Just before you get to Weedon is the Narrowboat Inn beside bridge 26, with canalside seating and mooring. There is a selection of antique shops here which are well worth exploring.

Day 2

A short while after leaving Weedon you will pass brockhall Park on your right, (access from bridge 18). The Hall here is Tudor in part, and in the Victorian courtyard farm buildings has been established The Heart of the Shires Shopping Village. The Shopping village has about 25 widely ranging shops, including a tearoom, so is well worth a visit.

The canal continues through open landscape until you begin the climb up to the Norton Junction through a series of 7 locks called the Buckby locks.

The New Inn is canalside at Buckby Top Lock, with canalside seating and moorings. It is 5 hours 20 minutes from Gayton marina to here, or 3 hours from Weedon to here. At Norton Junction you can then go down the Grand union west towards braunston.From Norton Junction to braunston the canal runs westward through hills and wooded country, then into a wooded cutting which leads to braunston Tunnel.

Off to the north on your right you will pass the small village of Welton on a hill. At bridge 6 ¾ mile from the Canal you can find a 400 yr old pub – The White Horse Inn.

Braunston Tunnel was opened in 1796 & is 2042 yards long.

Long rows of moored craft flank the canal, but there is usually plenty of places to moor, as it is worth strolling into braunston as there are a fine selection of old buildings here. The british Waterways office in the Stop House, was originally the Toll office between the Oxford and the Grand union canal. It is worth stocking up on supplies here. By lock 3 there is a haunted pub- the Admiral Nelson. In braunston itself there is the Wheatsheaf which also has a Chinese & Thai takeaway. The Millhouse Hotel has a canalside garden, and the Old plough in the High street dates from 1672. The village has stores & a takeaway.

At Braunston turn right up the Oxford canal, the canal runs through wide open country for quite a mile, only momentarily interrupted by the M45 just after Barby bridge.
Moor up just before bridge 73, the Old Royal oak pub is here.
It is 7.5 hours to here

Day 3

Continuing up the Oxford canal Rugby comes in to sight, you descend the Hilmorton Locks and the canal swings in a wide arc around the town. There are shops near bridge 59 to the south, and a picnic area below bridge 53 with a huge Tesco supermarket nearby.

Rugby is a large town with many shops and of course is the home of the game of Rugby. It is 30 minutes walk to the town centre.

If you need to stock up on provisions, the selection of shops to supply food is brilliant in Rugby, offering deli’s, supermarkets, organic shops, local produce, bakers and butchers, and making it worth a look just for the shopping opportunities alone. The centre of Rugby is a very pleasant place offering nice parkland and places to eat and drink in abundance. There is a pedestrianised shopping centre and an open market with a town crier.

The Web Ellis Rugby football museum tells the story of the game of Rugby over the last 160 years

As part of your tour of the birthplace of the game be sure to take a walk along the Pathway of Fame, a unique tour which celebrates the history of the game and some of its most notable players.

The town and borough has much more to offer than its unique connection with the famous game. It has links to great literary figures such as Rupert brooke, Matthew Arnold and Lewis Carroll.
Turn around just after the Rugby Arm branch goes off to your left & head for home, and moor up at Braunston which is 7.5 hours cruising

Day 4
Day 5
You have 7.5 hours left from there to get back to Gayton.

 

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)
Pied Billed Grebe Canal Boat
Class : Grebe
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

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

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

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Kentish Plover Canal Boat
Class : Plover
(Sleeps a maximum of 5 People).

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

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American Thrush Canal Boat
Class : Thrush
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Purple Sandpiper Canal Boat
Class : Sandpiper
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Obbia Lark Canal Boat
Class : Lark
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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

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

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Long Eared Owl Canal Boat
Class : Owl
(Sleeps a maximum of 10 People).

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Tundra Swan Canal Boat
Class : Swan
(Sleeps a maximum of 12 People).

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Knot So Fast Canal Boat
Class : CLCWREN
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

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Goldie Locks Canal Boat
Class : CLCWREN
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

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Lock And Quay Canal Boat
Class : CLCWREN
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

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Canaloni Canal Boat
Class : CLCLARK
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Tranquility Canal Boat
Class : CLCLARK
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Everetts Blue 2 Canal Boat
Class : CBC4
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

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Alexandrine Canal Boat
Class : CBC4
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

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Imperial Amazon Canal Boat
Class : CBC6
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Duchess Lorikeet Canal Boat
Class : CBC6
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Burmese Blossom 2 Canal Boat
Class : CBC6
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Everetts Blue 2 Canal Boat
Class : CBC4
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

READ MORE
Alexandrine Canal Boat
Class : CBC4
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

READ MORE
Imperial Amazon Canal Boat
Class : CBC6
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

READ MORE
Duchess Lorikeet Canal Boat
Class : CBC6
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Burmese Blossom 2 Canal Boat
Class : CBC6
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

READ MORE

Maps and Guides

Pub Guide

Sorry, we have no pub guide for this route currently.

 

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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.