Leaving our secluded mooring in the Saltisford Arm, we depart Warwick after breakfast and immediately begin our ascent of the twenty-one locks of Hatton. We travel swiftly up these wide locks, through lush greenery and, from the top, we have superb views back over Warwick and the county below. Beyond the flight, we pass through Shrewley tunnel, one of the damper tunnels on the canal network, and a few miles beyond that, we turn onto the Stratford Canal, at Kingswood Junction.

We make our way through the perfect bow hauling locks at Lapworth, where the top of one lock is only yards from the bottom of the next. The final twelve miles of the Stratford Canal are lock free, rural at first before entering the residential outskirts of Birmingham. Passing through the unique guillotine stop lock that marks the end of the Stratford canal we approach King’s Norton junction where we turn towards the centre of Birmingham.

Rail and canal share this route into the city, passing between the town of the Bournville and the original Cadbury chocolate factory. We enjoy fine views from the Edgbaston embankment of Birmingham University and the residential splendour of this suburb. The railway now makes it way to New Street station, whilst we make a sharp left to pass through Worcester Bar to our final mooring at Gas Street Basin.

We leave our mooring in central Birmingham, pass through Worcester Bar and join the railway on it’s journey out of the city. We have fine views of Birmingham University and the suburbs from the embankment at Edgbaston. The smell of melted chocolate heralds our arrival in Bournville, where we slowly pass the Cadbury Factory.

At Kings Norton junction we take a left turn under the Guillotine Lock, no longer in use, but which used to mark the exchange of water from one canal company to another. A long lock free cruising section winds its way through the suburbs of Birmingham, following the green corridor the canal provides for this urban area, before we emerge into lovely countryside.

The Lapworth flight begins slowly with intermittent locks before they begin to bunch closer, and eventually we descend the very short pounds which bring us to the lovely, characterful Kingswood Junction where we will have time to soak up the quaint local architecture.

We join the Grand Union Canal and journey through more attractive countryside to Shrewley tunnel, one of the damper tunnels on the canal network. A few more miles brings us to the top of the Hatton Flight, where we have our first view of Warwick in the distance. We speed through the twenty one wide locks and make our way to our quite mooring in the Saltisford Arm.

We leave Warwick and make our way towards Leamington Spa. This canal is wide and a good depth and we make good speed as we rise up through the Foss locks crossing under the Roman road. The flights at Bascote, Stockton and Calcutt bring us to Napton Junction, where we can see the windmill on Napton Hill. We take a left turn at the junction on to a lock free section of the Oxford Canal and head towards the busy hub at Braunston.

At the turn, we pass under a beautiful iron sided bridge and leave the Oxford Canal to make its way northward, whilst we head towards Braunston village. We tackle the locks and pass through the 2042 yard Braunston tunnel.

At Norton Junction we head north onto the Leicester section of the Grand Union. A short cruise brings us to Watford Gap, where canal, railway and roads all pass through a small pass in the hills. The Watford Flight lifts the boats onto the summit. We pass through Crick Tunnel and begin our winding way across the summit pound. We avoid civilisation, with excellent views of open fields and wooded hills.

Husband’s Bosworth tunnel marks the end of our relaxed cruising as we join the queue for Foxton Locks. Using a combination of two sets of five locks built as staircases we descend seventy-five feet in just a few hundred yards, with views over Leicestershire stretching out in front of us. Whilst here there is time to look around the museum and the site of the old inclined plane, that used to be an alternative to the time consuming bottleneck of the staircase locks.

Finally we cruise the last five miles into Market Harborough to make our final mooring at the old boat building yard.

We leave our mooring in the canal basin of Market Harborough and cruise a lock free five mile section through to the bottom of the staircase locks at Foxton. Using a combination of two sets of five locks built as staircases, we climb 75ft in just a few hundred yards, with views over Leicestershire stretching out behind us. Whilst here there is time to look around the museum and the site of the old inclined-plane boat lift that used to be an alternative to the time consuming bottleneck of the staircase locks. There are plans to restored this to working order, but there has been little progress thus far due to difficulties in funding.

From the top of the locks we cruise to and through Husbands Bosworth tunnel (1166yards) and begin a winding course along the canal summit as it follows the gentle contours of this farming area. For several hours of cruising, there are open fields backed by wooded hills. Crick tunnel (1528yards) marks the end of this winding route and at the triple staircase of Watford we descend from the summit. Shortly after we arrive at Norton Junction and turning right, head towards the long tunnel at Braunston. This canal town is arguably the spiritual home of canal boating, having had many a historic cruise begin here. At Braunston Turn we continue on the Grand Union to Napton Junction and Calcutt locks beyond.

The scenic flight at Stockton beings us down past a number of restored working boats and out to Bascote staircase lock. Beyond, there are intermittent locks spread through lush countryside to bring us to the town of Royal Leamington Spa.

We cross the River Avon and then tackle our final locks at the Cape of Good Hope. A short cruise and a tricky left turn brings us to our secluded final mooring at Saltisford.

We leave Warwick and make our way towards Leamington Spa. This canal is wide and a good depth and we make good speed as we rise up through the Foss locks crossing under the Roman road. The flights at Bascote, Stockton and Calcutt bring us to Napton Junction, where we can see the windmill on Napton Hill. We take a left turn at the junction on to a lock free section of the Oxford Canal towards the busy hub at Braunston.

We’re following the contours still although, thanks to modernisation work in the 1820s, it’s not as windy windy as the South Oxford! Just before we reach Rugby, we see another of the innovations designed to speed boats on their way; the three sets of paired locks at Hillmorton. If the traffic is in our favour you’ll see our pair glide through these locks, separating at just the right moment to allow both boats to enter their own lock!

Once through the well lit Newbold Tunnel, with its unusual double tow path, we head into the countryside once more. Many of the abandoned arms on this stretch are graced with beautifully preserved Horseley Iron Works bridges. We also travel over a few small aqueducts designed by canal pioneer James Brindley.

More lock free cruising through the open countryside, although bridges under the M69 and M6 provide reminders of the busy world off the cut, brings us to Hawkesbury Junction with its pubs and old engine house. The stop lock here, which marks the end of the Oxford canal, drops us a whole seven inches!

We use an old boater’s trick to make the sharp turn on to the Coventry Canal and head towards Marston Junction where we join the Ashby Canal. We make our way through the shallow waters of this canal, following the contours of the land, until we reach our final mooring on the outskirts of Market Bosworth.

We leave our mooring in the outskirts of Market Bosworth and start our journey through the shallow waters of the Asby Canal. We follow the contours of the land down the lock-free waterway to Marston Junction to join the Coventry Canal. At Sutton’s Stop we use an old boater’s trick to make the sharp turn onto the Oxford Canal.

More lock free cruising through the open countryside, although bridges under the M69 and M6 provide reminders of the busy world off the cut. Just past Rugby, we see one of the innovations designed to speed boats on their way; the three sets of paired locks at Hillmorton. If the traffic is in our favour you’ll see our pair glide through these locks, separating at just the right moment to allow both boats to enter their own lock!

We carry on our journey on the North Oxford Canal, noticing the improved, straightened, sections where miles of winding canal were converted to speed up traffic. We skirt Braunston and Napton and join the Warwick section of the Grand Union Canal at Wigrams Turn.

Flights at Calcut, Stockton and Bascote allow us to show how a boating pair makes good use of the double locks on this canal. Finally, we pass below the old Roman Fosse Way and make our way back into town. We pass through the spa town of Leamington, before reaching our final destination in historic Warwick

We leave Warwick and make our way towards Leamington Spa. This canal is wide and a good depth and we make good speed as we rise up through the Foss locks crossing under the Roman road. The flights at Bascote, Stockton and Calcutt bring us to Napton Junction, where we can see the windmill on Napton Hill. We take a left turn at the junction on to a lock free section of the Oxford Canal towards the busy hub at Braunston.

At the turn, we pass under a beautiful iron sided bridge and leave the Oxford Canal to make its way northward, whilst we head towards Braunston village. We tackle the locks and make our way to the 2042 yard Braunston tunnel.

At Norton junction we ignore the temptation of the Leicester Canal and head towards the Long Buckby flight, sharing the route with both the M1 motorway and the old Roman road, Watling Street, for a few miles, before turning south to the town of Weedon with its Napoleonic armoury.

We now enter a long lock free section of the canal, making its way through the beautiful Northamptonshire countryside, towards Gaydon junction and the half mile long Blisworth tunnel. Exiting the tunnel, it’s a short cruise to Stoke Bruerne, a village split in two by the canal, with its waterside pubs and canal museum. We cross the River Ouzel on the Iron Trunk aqueduct and pass through Old Wolverton with its derelict brick warehouses. We skirt Milton Keynes and Bletchley before heading into the countryside once more.

At Stoke Hammond lock we pass under an excellent example of a double arched bridge, a reminder of the time when this section of the Grand Union had paired locks to speed the flow of traffic. After the short Soulbury flight we follow the railway into Leighton Buzzard. Leaving the town, but not the railway line, we head towards Marsworth junction and the Chiltern Hills. The increasing number of locks here show that we are heading upwards once more. We make our final mooring below the popular Marsworth flight. Nearby are a number of reservoirs built to provide water for the Grand Union.

We leave our mooring at Marsworth Junction, just below Marsworth Flight, with it’s nearby canal resevoirs. We follow the railway into Leighton Buzzard and out again, before we tackle the short Soulbury flight.

Heading towards Bletchly, we see evidence of abandonded plans to have twin locks on this section of the Grand Union. We see one fine example at Stoke Hammond – a double arched bridge where the canal would have split if the second lock had ever been completed.

We skirt Bletchley and Milton Keynes and pass through Old Wolverton, with it’s fine brick warehouses, before crossing the River Ouzel on the Iron Trunk aqueduct. The locks at Stoke Bruerne take us to the center of the village, with it’s fine waterway’s museum.

Blisworth Tunnel, the third longest in Britain, marks the start of a long lock free section through the Nene Valley. Accommpanied by railway, motorway and roman road we make our way through Weedon Bec to our next lock at Long Buckby.

At Long Buckby we rise up seven locks into wooded countryside before cruising through another long tunnel at Braunston. This canal town is arguably the spiritual home of canal boating, having had many a historic cruise begin here. At Braunston Turn we continue on the Grand Union to Napton Junction and Calcutt locks beyond.

The scenic flight at Stockton beings us down past a number of restored working boats and out to Bascote staircase lock. Beyond, there are intermittent locks spread through lush countryside to bring us towards the spa town of Royal Leamington Spa and Warwick beyond.

Leaving our secluded mooring in the Saltisford Arm, we depart Warwick after breakfast and immediately begin our ascent of the twenty-one locks of Hatton. We travel swiftly up these wide locks, through lush greenery and, from the top, we have superb views back over Warwick and the county below. Beyond the flight, we pass through Shrewley tunnel, one of the damper tunnels on the canal network. We carry on up the Grand Union Canal, pass through Knowle Locks and cruise the summit of this section to Camp Hill.

A long day of lock wheeling takes us through the outskirts of Birmingham, through Salford and Bordesley junctions, to reach the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. We maje our way to Fazeley Junction through quiet and attractive open farmland. Here we have a chance to spot the varied wildlife which is attracted to the flooded gravel pits.

Here we join the Coventry Canal. The canal travels past old quarries here, some used as far back as Roman times, which have now been transformed into nature reserves. At Harts Hill we have magnificent views across the Anker valley. The flight of locks at Atherstone ease our passage with their original hooks, which allowed the use a block to get the butty moving out of the locks, and at least one working side pound.

We cruise past Hawkesbury Junction to make our way down the Coventry arm. Our final mooring spot is the old basin, where we can see some of the original warehouses and office spaces from when the the canal was built.

We leave our mooring in Coventry Basin, passing under the low bridge, designed to prevent outsiders from entering the basin. We make our way out of Coventry, passing many works of art on the tow path, until we reach Sutton’s Stop, where we use an old boater’s trick to make the sharp turn onto the Oxford Canal.

More lock free cruising through the open countryside, although bridges under the M69 and M6 provide reminders of the busy world off the cut. Just past Rugby, we see one of the innovations designed to speed boats on their way; the three sets of paired locks at Hillmorton. If the traffic is in our favour you’ll see our pair glide through these locks, separating at just the right moment to allow both boats to enter their own lock!

We carry on our journey on the North Oxford Canal, noticing the improved, straightened, sections where miles of winding canal were converted to speed up traffic. We skirt Braunston and Napton and join the Warwick section of the Grand Union Canal at Wigrams Turn.

Flights at Calcut, Stockton and Bascote allow us to show how a boating pair makes good use of the double locks on this canal. Finally, we pass below the old Roman Fosse Way and make our way back into town. We pass through the spa town of Leamington, before reaching our final destination in historic Warwick.

After our first night in Bancroft Basin in the heart of historic Stratford, overlooked by the Royal Shakespeare Company Theatre, we start our journey out of the Avon valley. The morning is taken up with the town locks and by lunchtime we have left the town behind. In the afternoon we tackle the Wilmcote flight of eleven locks, ending the day in Wilmcote, the location of Mary Arden’s Farm.

The Stratford Canal is full of character, with its cast iron aqueducts, barrel roofed cottages, split bridges and pretty scenery. The locks are frequent, offering plenty of walking opportunities. Finally the flight at Lapworth brings us to the redesigned Kingswood Junction, where we leave the narrow Stratford Canal and join the Grand Union.

We journey through more attractive countryside to Shrewley tunnel, one of the damper tunnels on the canal network. A few more miles brings us to the top of the Hatton Flight, where we have our first view of Warwick in the distance. We speed through the twenty one wide locks and make our way to our quite mooring in the Saltisford Arm.

Our first obstacle on leaving Warwick is the flight of twenty-one locks at Hatton, but we are rewarded with views over the castle and city of Warwick from the top, after a swift ascent through its wide locks.

Arriving at Kingswood Junction, we join the Stratford Canal and immediately find the perfect bow hauling locks at Lapworth, where the top of one lock is only yards from the bottom of the next. The final twelve miles of the Stratford Canal are lock free, rural at first before entering the residential outskirts of Birmingham. Passing through the unique guillotine stop lock that marks the end of the Stratford canal we approach King’s Norton junction where we turn towards the centre of Birmingham.

Rail and canal share this route into the city, passing through the centre of the Bournville chocolate factory. We enjoy fine views from the Edgbaston embankment of Birmingham University and the residential splendour of this suburb. The railway now makes it way to New Street station, whilst we make a sharp left to pass through Worcester Bar and Gas Street Basin.

Leaving the apartments, fashionable shops, cafes and bars of Birmingham centre behind, we head west on the New Main Line. Telford’s nineteenth century improvements, with their impressive cuttings, embankments and aquaducts, speeds us through the city to Dudley Port Juction. A sharp left here takes us under the Old Main Line towards Netherton Tunnel.

Netherton was the last tunnel to be built (in 1855) on the canal network, to alleviate the traffic conjestion at Dudley Tunnel to the east. It’s brick lined, perfectly straight, double tow pathed and was even lit! We have to make the journey in darkness unfortunatly, but forty minutes of cruising brings us to Bumble Hole nature reserve on Dudley Canal No. 2.

The two Dudley Canals follow the contours, with just two locks on their whole length. We make our winding way to Leys junction where we join the much straighter Stourbridge Canal. The fifteen Stourbridge locks take us through the towns famous Glass Quarter.

Fifteen locks takes us through the Glass Quarter and brings us to Leys Junction. Here we navigate the older, winding, Dudley Canals which follow the contours of the land with only two locks along their entire length.

Netherton tunnel, the last to be built in the golden age of the canal system, brings us on to the Birmingham Canal Network mainline. We turn east here and make our way into the center of Birminham. Gas Street Basin and the Worcester Bar marks the start of the Worcester and Birmingham Canal and our journey through the suburbs of Edgbaston and Bournville.

At Kings Norton junction we take a left turn under the Guillotine Lock, no longer in use, but which used to mark the exchange of water from one canal company to another. A long lock free cruising section winds its way through the suburbs of Birmingham, following the green corridor the canal provides for this urban area, before we emerge into lovely countryside.

The Lapworth flight begins slowly with intermittent locks before they begin to bunch closer, and eventually we descend the very short pounds which bring us to the lovely characterful Kingswood Junction where we will have time to soak up the quaint local architecture.

We journey through more attractive countryside to Shrewley tunnel, one of the damper tunnels on the canal network. A few more miles brings us to the top of the Hatton Flight, where we have our first view of Warwick in the distance. We speed through the twenty one wide locks and make our way to our quite mooring in the Saltisford Arm.

We leave Warwick and make our way towards Leamington Spa. This canal is wide and a good depth and we make good speed as we rise up through the Foss locks crossing under the Roman road. The flights at Bascote, Stockton and Calcutt bring us to Napton Junction, where we can see the windmill on Napton Hill. We take a left turn at the junction on to a lock free section of the Oxford Canal towards the busy hub at Braunston.

At the turn, we pass under a beautiful iron sided bridge and leave the Oxford Canal to make its way northward, whilst we head towards Braunston village. We tackle the locks and make our way to the 2042 yard Braunston tunnel.

At Norton junction we ignore the temptation of the Leicester Canal and head towards the Long Buckby flight, sharing the route with both the M1 motorway and the old Roman road, Watling Street, for a few miles, before turning south to the town of Weedon with its Napoleonic armoury.

We now enter a long lock free section of the canal, making its way through the beautiful Northamptonshire countryside, towards Gaydon junction and the half mile long Blisworth tunnel. Exiting the tunnel, it’s a short cruise to Stoke Bruerne, a village split in two by the canal, with its waterside pubs and canal museum. Here we make our final mooring and have a chance to visit the excellent waterways museum.

We leave our mooring at Stoke Bruerne, with it’s fine waterway’s museum. Blisworth Tunnel, the third longest in Britain, marks the start of a long lock free section through the Nene Valley. Accommpanied by railway, motorway and roman road we make our way through Weedon Bec to our next lock at Long Buckby.

At Long Buckby we rise up seven locks into wooded countryside before cruising through another long tunnel at Braunston. This canal town is arguably the spiritual home of canal boating, having had many a historic cruise begin here. At Braunston Turn we continue on the Grand Union to Napton Junction and Calcutt locks beyond.

The scenic flight at Stockton beings us down past a number of restored working boats and out to Bascote staircase lock. Beyond, there are intermittent locks spread through lush countryside to bring us towards the spa town of Royal Leamington Spa and Warwick beyond.

Our first obstacle on leaving Warwick is the flight of twenty-one locks at Hatton, but we are rewarded with views over the castle and city of Warwick from the top, after a swift ascent through its wide locks.

Arriving at Kingswood Junction, we join the Stratford Canal and immediately find the perfect bow hauling locks at Lapworth, where the top of one lock is only yards from the bottom of the next. The final twelve miles of the Stratford Canal are lock free, rural at first before entering the residential outskirts of Birmingham. Passing through the unique guillotine stop lock that marks the end of the Stratford canal we approach King’s Norton junction where we turn towards the centre of Birmingham.

Rail and canal share this route into the city, passing through the centre of the Bournville chocolate factory. We enjoy fine views from the Edgbaston embankment of Birmingham University and the residential splendour of this suburb. The railway now makes it way to New Street station, whilst we make a sharp left to pass through Worcester Bar and Gas Street Basin.

Leaving the apartments, fashionable shops, cafes and bars of Birmingham centre behind, we head west on the Old Main Line. We wind our way out of Birmingham, with occassional encounters with Telford’s later waterway, rail lines and motorways. A final left hand turn toward Dudley Tunnel leads us to our secure mooring by the Black Country Museum.

We head west and make our way into the center of Birminham. Gas Street Basin and the Worcester Bar marks the start of the Worcester and Birmingham Canal and our journey through the suburbs of Edgbaston and Bournville.

At Kings Norton junction we take a left turn under the Guillotine Lock, no longer in use, but which used to mark the exchange of water from one canal company to another. A long lock free cruising section winds its way through the suburbs of Birmingham, following the green corridor the canal provides for this urban area, before we emerge into lovely countryside.

The Lapworth flight begins slowly with intermittent locks before they begin to bunch closer, and eventually we descend the very short pounds which bring us to the lovely characterful Kingswood Junction where we will have time to soak up the quaint local architecture.

We journey through more attractive countryside to Shrewley tunnel, one of the damper tunnels on the canal network. A few more miles brings us to the top of the Hatton Flight, where we have our first view of Warwick in the distance. We speed through the twenty one wide locks and make our way to our quite mooring in the Saltisford Arm.

Taking the old route down to the Thames.

We leave Warwick and make our way towards Leamington Spa. This canal is wide and a good depth and we make good speed as we rise up through the Foss locks crossing under the Roman road. The flights at Stockton and Calcutt bring us to Napton junction where we can see the windmill of Napton Hill for the first time.

We ascend the flight of nine locks at Napton and once on the summit the canal slowly meanders its way across the rolling patchwork countryside with the best views to be had from the towpath. Eventually the canal submits to the landscape and drops down the five locks at Claydon to the pretty village of Cropredy. Passing under a rather unsafe looking ladder bridge at Wormleighton before we reach the medieval market town of Banbury.

Beyond Banbury the canal follows The Cherwell Valley sharing it with the railway line which is generally close by but unnoticeable till a train passes. Somerton deep lock is one of the deepest on the cut and set amongst the rolling open farmland that continues as we make our way further south. Sharing a length of several miles with The River Cherwell we are treated to some river scenery before dropping off its course and heading into the traditional boatman’s stop of Thrupp.

The River continues to accompany the canal as we travel down the valley, never far away and we cruise through water meadows and woodland until the Spires of Oxford can be seen just ahead. Our final journey into Oxford takes us through some of the wealthiest suburbs and right to the current terminus of the canal at Hythe Bridge.

We leave the terminus of the Oxford canal at Hythe Bridge Street. As we travel up the Cherwell Valley, we leave the spires of Oxford behind and move through some of the wealthiest suburbs in the country before we reach the woodlands and water meadows of the outskirts of Oxford.

Upon reaching Duke’s cut on the outskirts of Oxford we drop down onto the Thames and leave the dreaming spires in the distance, travelling upstream through ‘wind in the willows’ country. The river winds its way through farmland and reed lined banks, avoiding built up areas. The low bridge of Osney island in Oxford ensures only low, small boats can navigate this part of the river and it is extremely quiet and peaceful. If you are keen eyed you may even be lucky enough to spot the otters which have recently been re-introduced to this area.

After our night on the river, we head back to Duke’s Cut to join the canal once more. We skirt Kidlington, England’s largest village, before passing through the traditional boatman’s stop of Thrupp. Moving back into the open countryside, we travel along the river for several miles before rejoining the canal at the Rock of Gibraltar. Heading north through rolling farmland and small villages, we share the valley with the river and the railway, as we negotiate the occasional lock.

The build up of houses announces the approach of Banbury. A final lock, by Tooley’s historic boatyard, brings us to our final mooring.