Choosing the ideal route for your canal boat holiday.

Which canal to choose? Do you want to avoid locks, find a peaceful canal or a take a busy, scenic, historic or circular canal route?

So much choice! So how do you choose which canals to cruise on your canal holiday?

All canal holidays have some things in common; the fresh air, seeing the countryside from a new angle, enjoying friendships old and new, and probably above all, the relaxing pace and sense of freedom. Most have fine scenery, at least along part of their route, interesting things to see and do, and many historic and engineering features.

So, like all good things, there is a dilemma about how to decide which is the best route for you. We've looked at a number of features and given our opinion, but they are only opinions and we'd be keen to hear your opinions too!

If you are new to canal holidays we have a full section of Canal Holiday Frequently Asked Questions which include useful advice about the best kind of routes to choose and how to plan your canal holiday cruise.

Relaxing canal holiday

First canal holiday

If this is your first time on the canals we suggest you avoid canals with a lot of locks and choose an 'out and back route' rather than a 'ring' route. We've more advice in our Canal Holiday FAQs section about choosing a route and planning your cruise.

Avoiding locks

The Lancaster Canal (42 miles without locks), the Ashby Canal (no locks), the Mon and Brec Canal (you don't need to do the locks) and the Bridgewater / Northern Trent & Mersey (almost none!).

Peace and quiet

The Mon & Brec Canal and Lancaster Canal are both isolated from the rest of the system and can be very peaceful. In fact even the most popular canals can be quiet outside peak holidays.

Places to see

Great scenery

The Llangollen Canal, Caldon Canal, Shropshire Union Canal, Oxford Canal, Kennet & Avon Canal, Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Mon & Brec Canal, Staffs & Worcs Canal and lots more. It really does depend how you like your scenery!

Fascinating villages

The Oxford Canal especially the South Oxford, Shropshire Union Canal, Stratford on Avon Canal, Kennet & Avon, River Avon.

Historic towns & cities

Chester on the Shropshire Union Canal,
Warwick on the Grand Union Canal,
Worcester on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal,
Bath on the Kennet and Avon Canal,
Gloucester on the River Severn.

Canal heritage features

Canal features

Staffs & Worcs Canal (Stourport canal town), Worcester & Birmingham Canal (lots of locks and tunnels), Coventry Canal (Hawkesbury Junction), Trent & Mersey Canal (Anderton Lift, tunnels, Shardlow), Grand Union Canal (Braunston, Stoke Bruerne), Birmingham Canal Navigations (junctions, loops, tunnels and locks).

Industrial Heritage

Birmingham Canal Navigations (Black Country Living Museum), Trent & Mersey Canal , Mon & Brec Canal (tramways and wharfs), Shropshire Union Canal (National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port), River Severn (Gloucester Waterways Museum at Gloucester), Grand Union Canal (Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum).

Circular canal routes

Shorter canal rings

'Ring Routes' are recommended for more experienced hirers! Timings can vary considerably.
Four Counties Ring - Trent & Mersey Canal, Staffs & Worcs Canal, Shropshire Union Canal - 1 week.
Warwickshire Ring - Coventry Canal, Grand Union Canal, Birmingham & Fazeley Canal - 1 week for enthusiast.
Black Country Ring - various BCN plus Stourbridge Canal etc - 1 week for enthusiasts.
Severn Ring - Staffs & Worcs Canal, River Severn, Worcester & Birmingham Canal, BCN - 1 week, lots of locks!
Cheshire Ring - Trent & Mersey Canal, Bridgewater Canal, (Rochdale Canal), Ashton Canal, Peak Forest Canal, Macclesfield Canal - 1 week with care.

Longer canal rings

South Pennine Ring - Rochdale Canal, Huddersfield Narrow Canal, (Ashton) - 2 weeks.
Leicester Ring - Coventry Canal, Trent & Mersey, Grand Union - 2 weeks.

Avon Ring - Rivers Severn & Avon, Worcester & Birmingham Canal, Stratford Canal - 2 weeks.
Grand Ring - Grand Union Canal, River Thames, Oxford Canal - 3 weeks.
Pennine Ring - Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Rochdale Canal or Huddersfield Narrow Canal, (Ashton Canal) - 3 weeks.

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