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.

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.

From our peaceful mooring on the Saltisford Arm, we cruise a short distance to our first lock and the start of twenty-one locks which make up the Hatton Flight. From the top we have great views behind of the city of Warwick and its famous castle. Beyond Shrewley Tunnel we arrive at Kingswood Junction where we detour onto the Northern Stratford Canal and take the opportunity to soak up some of the atmosphere and architecture at this lovely junction.

The Lapworth Flight brings us up through locks that are bunched close together, before they begin to stretch further apart and the countryside opens out around us. A long lock free stretch winds through the suburbs of Birmingham, before taking us under the imposing Guillotine Lock, no longer in use, but which used to mark the exchange of water from one canal company to another. At the junction with the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, we turn left and immediately begin cruising a series of three tunnels. It takes us 40 minutes to cruise the 2726yrds back into daylight at Wasthills, but a little less for the others at Shortwood and Tardebigge.

Out of suburbia and into lovely open countryside we arrive at the top of the Tardebigge flight. This wonderful collection of locks is the longest flight in the country with twenty-nine locks and will take us half a day to gradually descend over two miles, with stunning and far reaching views ahead of us. These locks are a favourite for many canal enthusiasts and the regular rhythm of work at each lock is enjoyable and provides some good dinner table conversation.

A brief interlude at the Queens Head gives us an opportunity to quench our thirst, before continuing through yet more locks. We descend a total of 300ft in just five miles over forty-one locks. Coppices, woodland and farmland surround us before we reach the junction with the Droitwich Canal at Hanbury. We turn and make our way along this restored canal which, having only re-opened in 2011 is the newest restored canal on the network.

Seven narrow locks bring us into Droitwich town centre where we meet the Barge Canal and are finally welcomed into wide locks where both boats can be accommodated side by side. The last stretch on this canal through eight barge locks and seven miles, is very pretty. We eventually reach the River Severn for the final few miles of this cruise, which bring us past the cathedral and finally up the locks at Diglis and into the shelter of the basin here.

We leave our convenient mooring in Diglis Basin and a series of intermittent locks bring us through the city and towards its edge. We spend the first half of this cruise climbing to the higher ground that marks the Midlands. Beyond six locks at Offerton, we reach Dunhampstead Tunnel, the first of several on this cruise. We pass coppices, woods and farmland, passing the junction with the Droitwich Canal which reopened in 2011.

After climbing the seven locks at Astwood and the six at Stoke, we have a short break before the twenty-nine locks of Tardebigge. We find ourselves 300ft higher up in just five miles, with good views out over Worcestershire from the top. Tardebigge and Shortwood tunnels take us through open countryside before the 2726yd long tunnel at Wasthills.

At Kings Norton junction we take a right 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, complete our final tunnel and make our way down the Hatton flight. A final short cruise brings us to Saltisford and our final mooring.

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.

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 way up the popular Marsworth flight. Nearby are a number of reservoirs built to provide water for the Grand Union canal. After the final lock, a few miles of cruising takes us to our final mooring spot near Tring.

We leave our mooring at Tring, a few miles above the 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.

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.

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.

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.

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. We pass through back out into the countryside. A few more locks brings us to the historic village of Cropredy where we make our final mooring

We leave our mooring in the historic village of Cropredy and begin our journey down the Cherwell Valley. A few miles and a few locks brings us to the market town of Banbury, the home of Tooleys Boatyard.

Leaving Banbury, we head into the countryside once more. The river and the railway are never far away, sharing the valley as we head towards Oxford. We pass through the occassional village: King’s Sutton, Anyho, Heyford. Locks are intermittent as well – not herded into flights on this route.

At the Rock of Gibralter, we travel on the River Cherwell for a few miles, before rejoining the canal a few miles north of Thrupp. At Thrupp itself, we wind the boats and head back the way we came!

We depart the medieval market town of Banbury and travel up through locks through the pretty little village of Cropredy. The Claydon flight takes us up to the Oxford Summit. The summit level of the Oxford Canal provides clear views over the surrounding fields as it twists and turns following the contours of a timeless landscape, till finally submitting to its descent to the Grand Union at Marston Doles Lock.

We can see the white Windmill at Napton, on the hill ahead, clear against the blue sky on sunny days before we join The Grand Union. Built in the early 19th Century to provide a quicker route to London, it provides us with scenery aplenty as we pass through its wide locks and wooded sides.

Cruising through the suburbs of the Regency town of Royal Leamington Spa, we pass over the River Avon by aqueduct and skirt the edge of Warwick with its fantastic medieval castle. A final pair of locks brings us to our final mooring at Saltisford.