Cruise No. 1: Warwick to Oxford. 21st April to 28th April. (7 nights).
64 miles, 64 locks, 1 aqueduct. Nearest railway station: Warwick

This cruise is always one of our favourites, on the lovely rural Oxford canal. After leaving Warwick, famous for its castle, we pass over the River Avon and through Royal Leamington Spa. Our passage is leisurely as we cross under ancient roads at Welsh Lane and Fosse Way locks. After a pleasant rural stretch with few locks, we ascend the flight at Stockton and then tackle Calcutt locks. Here we leave the Grand Union canal and join the much older Oxford canal. Passing Napton windmill on its hill, we ascend the pretty locks to the summit level of the canal. James Brindley cleverly followed the contours of the land rather than building locks, so the summit level of the canal wanders back and forth like a drunken reveller for miles as it passes Fenny Compton and eventually arrives at Claydon.
We descend a flight of locks at Claydon, where there is a traditional canal painter at the top lock, and a wonderful museum of bygones in the nearby village.
Cropredy village is a real treat with its sleepy churchyard, before we reach the well-known market town of Banbury. This is much changed of late, but still has a few gems worth discovering.
Out into open countryside again, we descend a few more quiet locks with Kings Sutton church spire visible as a backdrop.
At Aynho Weir lock we briefly cross the River Cherwell via an unusual diamond-shaped lock, then follow the peaceful river valley for several miles.
Somerton has the deepest narrow lock in the country, after which only isolated locks punctuate the rural idyll of the sleepy river valley.
At Bakers lock we join the River Cherwell for one of the finest stretches of waterway in the country: then at Shipton Weir lock, we re-join the canal. If time permits, the nearby abandoned village of Hampton Gay is worth a visit. On our approach to Oxford, we very appropriately take the little-used 'Dukes Cut' to gain access to the River Thames and after passing some lovely water meadows, we enter Oxford silently and majestically.

A firm favourite, on one of Britain's earliest canals: some parts of it seem to be still in the past.

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Cruise No. 2.  Oxford to Oxford. 28th April to 5th May. (7 nights).
60 miles, 22 locks. Nearest railway station: Oxford

This is a wonderfully peaceful cruise, which always proves very popular with guests.
The Upper reaches of the River Thames never fail to delight as we sedately cruise the tranquil waters. Leaving Oxford amongst pretty water meadows, we pass the ruined Abbey and the famous Trout Inn at Godstow. Then the river really starts to meander through glorious open countryside past Swinford and Bablock Hythe. At this time of year, this is really the epitome of rural English life from generations past, with spring flowers and blossom in cottage gardens, and afternoon tea in the sun. Newbridge is not at all new, and in fact everything here really does seem to belong to another age. We pass under the quaintly-named Tadpole bridge, then negotiate the rather narrow stone bridge at Radcot. At Kelmscot, we may have time to visit the manor house, once home to William Morris. At Buscot, the river winds about so much that it is almost impossible to see where it will go to next. However, we soon arrive at St Johns lock, with a statue of Old Father Thames reclining on the lock side, and see ahead of us the tall spire of Lechlade church. Above the charming Cotswold town of Lechlade we turn the boats, as this is the limit of navigation, maybe with a chance to see the entrance to the Thames & Severn canal at Inglesham, before retracing our route to Oxford.

An unbeatable cruise for relaxation and the sheer joy of living.
 

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Cruise No. 3. Oxford to Newbury. 5th May to 12th May. (7 nights).
58 miles, 35 locks. Nearest railway station: Oxford

We leave Oxford in grand style past the colleges, where we get uninterrupted views of many fine old buildings. We soon enter unspoilt countryside and after some very pleasant quiet cruising we will pause in the lovely little town of Abingdon. We then head downstream, passing the new entrance to the Wilts & Berks canal before descending some very pleasant locks (each of which will have lovely floral displays) and cruising through the villages of Shillingford, Wallingford and Moulsford. We next arrive in Goring, set in a deep wooded valley on one of the most spectacular reaches of the river. The river itself is much wider here, and there are some wonderful riverside mansions to be glimpsed on the banks and through the trees before we arrive in Caversham. We turn off the river onto the Kennet & Avon canal and pass briefly through Reading. This part of the canal is however really the River Kennet, so it is soon more winding and lush than the average canal. We journey past water meadows to the isolated locks and pass Theale and Sulhamstead. At Aldermaston, we can enjoy disrupting the traffic as we raise the huge lift bridge to pass under it. The lock here is of a very pleasing ornate design. Next we arrive at Woolhampton, where the skipper has to demonstrate some considerable navigational skills. Old Monkey Marsh lock has been preserved in its original turf-sided style, giving us a flavour of this canal's past. Passing Thatcham, we navigate the final few locks to arrive at the fine market town of Newbury.

A wonderful with wonderful contrasts between the Rivers Thames and Kennet.

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Cruise No. 4. Newbury to Bath. 12th May to 19th May. (7 nights).
57 miles, 79 locks, 1 tunnel, 3 aqueducts. Nearest railway station: Newbury

This cruise is always a favourite with our guests, and is on the scenic Kennet & Avon canal. From the market town of Newbury, we head past water meadows to Hungerford, the home of some fascinating antique shops. We then pass the Bedwyns before arriving at Crofton. As we climb the locks toward the summit of the canal, we pass the steam pumping engines that supplied the canal with water in times past. From the top lock, we head off across the summit, passing through the short Savernake tunnel. We emerge by the old wharf crane at Burbage before descending the lovely peaceful flight of locks to the really delightful village of Wootton Rivers. From here a long lock-free pound takes us past Pewsey wharf, then through the wooded Stowell Park with its elegant suspension bridge, the 'wide water' and the elegant Ladies' Bridge. We meander through unspoilt countryside, past such delightful places as Honey Street to arrive in Devizes with its theatre by the canal. From Devizes we descend the unforgettable series of locks known as the Caen Hill flight. We pass Seend Cleeve and Semington before arriving at Bradford on Avon. This is a small but very lovely town and its delights are to be savoured, including the huge tithe barn. From here we descend along the side of the Avon valley, crossing it on not one but two magnificent stone aqueducts, at Avoncliff and then Dundas. We glide through Bathampton, and soon the city of Bath itself comes into sight, its sweeping crescents of honey coloured stone glowing in the afternoon sun. We enter Bath through Sydney Gardens, with marvellous views of the glowing stone houses of this fine city.

There are just too many special moments on this cruise to list them all. A must for every canal fan.

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Cruise No. 5. Bath to Bath. 19th May to 26th May. (7 nights).
36 miles, 26 locks.  Nearest railway station: Bath Spa

This cruise offers a grand opportunity to view the magnificent Avon valley - not only from the Kennet & Avon canal, but also from the River Avon itself. This is a fine and little-known stretch of river, taking us all the way to Bristol. Firstly, we descend the winding flight of locks at Bath, with fine views over the city, to join the river. After a quick detour for a close look at Pulteney Weir, we head downstream. We soon leave Bath and arrive at Weston Lock. The valley is now peaceful and wooded as we head towards Saltford. The locks are isolated and the scenery very grand as we meander down the wide tree-lined valley. After Hanham, we begin to see signs of habitation and soon we are into Bristol with roads and railways passing overhead. We wind our way into the exciting dock area, with historic sights on all sides. In the floating harbour, we can pass next to the SS Great Britain and journey down to the Cumberland Basin. Here we are in sight of the Clifton suspension bridge and the imposing Avon gorge.
On returning up the river to Bath, we join the Kennet & Avon canal and cruise possibly its finest section: up the Avon valley to Bradford. We pass Claverton with its water-powered canal pump and the American Museum, then are treated to two fine stone aqueducts at Dundas and Avoncliff. Both are worth seeing from river level in addition to cruising over them. Bradford on Avon is a fine old-fashioned little town, with a chapel on the river bridge, and a glorious old tithe barn. We finally turn the boats at Bradford and make our way back to Bath.

The best bits of the Kennet & Avon and the River Avon, and also the best way to see the sights of Bristol.

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Cruise No. 6. Bath to Newbury. 26th May to 2nd June. (7 nights).
57 miles, 79 locks, 1 tunnel, 3 aqueducts. Nearest railway station: Bath Spa

This cruise is the reverse of cruise 4, but is just as exciting and can be highly recommended.

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Cruise No. 7. Newbury to Oxford. 2nd June to 9th June. (7 nights).
58 miles, 34 locks. Nearest railway station: Newbury

This cruise takes up on two very different rivers, the Kennet and then the Thames. From Newbury, we pass by water meadows to Thatcham and Woolhampton. At Aldermaston, we can enjoy disrupting the road traffic as our crew raise the huge lifting bridge to pass through. Past more peaceful water meadows, we finally arrive in Reading. Here we turn onto the Thames and at once arrive at Caversham, which is very grand. The huge locks on the Thames are operated by helpful lock-keepers, so we can sit back and enjoy the wonderful views offered by our Royal River. Just sharing the locks with some of the very varied boats (and their owners) which use the Thames can be an enjoyable and educational experience. We head upstream through Goring and Wallingford to Shillingford. We pass Roman Dorchester and will certainly pause in the lovely little town of Abingdon. This is well worth a visit, if only for the gardens by the river. The Thames has changed its character since we joined it, and is now not as wide, but seems more lively. Passing Sandford, we arrive in Oxford with glimpses of the colleges and the 'dreaming spires' for which the city is famous.

A section of the Kennet & Avon canal combined with the stately River Thames.

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Cruise No. 8. Oxford to Oxford via Lechlade. 9th June to 16th June. (7 nights).
60 miles, 22 locks. Nearest railway station: Oxford

This is a wonderful peaceful cruise, which always proves very popular with guests.
The Upper reaches of the River Thames never fail to delight us as we sedately cruise their tranquil waters. Leaving Oxford amongst pretty water meadows, we pass the ruined Abbey and the famous Trout Inn at Godstow. Then the river really starts to meander through glorious open countryside past Swinford and Bablock Hythe. At this time of year, this is really the epitome of rural English life from generations past, with displays of summer flowers at all the locks, blossom in cottage gardens and afternoon tea in the sun. Newbridge is not new, and in fact everything here really does seem to belong to another age. We pass under Tadpole bridge, then carefully negotiate the narrow stone bridge at Radcot. At Kelmscot, we may have time to moor up and take a stroll to visit the manor house, once home to William Morris. At Buscot, the river winds about so much that it is almost impossible to see where it will go to next. However, we soon arrive at St Johns lock, with a statue of Old Father Thames reclining on the lock side, and see ahead of us the tall spire of Lechlade church. Above the charming Cotswold town of Lechlade we turn the boats, as this is the milt of navigation, maybe with a chance to see the entrance to the Thames & Severn canal at Inglesham, before retracing our route to Oxford.

An unbeatable cruise for relaxation and the sheer joy of living.

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Cruise No. 9. Oxford to Warwick. 16th June to 23rd June. (7 nights).
64 miles, 64 locks, 1 aqueduct. Nearest railway station: Oxford

This cruise is always one of our favourites, and includes the lovely rural Oxford canal.
We leave Oxford by way of the River Thames, and then after passing some lovely water meadows, we very appropriately take the little-used 'Dukes Cut' to gain access to the Oxford canal. We are completely clear of the suburbs of Oxford by the time we reach Thrupp, and pass by Shipton on Cherwell church overlooking the canal. If time permits, the nearby abandoned village of Hampton Gay is worth a visit. The next lock is Shipton Weir, which is unusually diamond shaped, and heralds our joining the course of the River Cherwell for one of the finest stretches of waterway in the county. At Bakers lock we leave the Cherwell, but we will follow its valley for many miles yet. Isolated locks punctuate the rural idyll until we reach Somerton, which has the deepest narrow lock in the country. At Aynho Weir lock we briefly cross our old friend the River Cherwell again. Kings Sutton church spire is visible now as we ascend a few more quiet locks, pass under the M40 motorway and eventually arrive in Banbury. Banbury is much changed of late, but still has a few gems worth discovering. Cropredy village is a real treat with its sleepy churchyard. We ascend a winding flight of locks at Claydon, with a traditional canal painter at the top lock, and a wonderful museum of bygones in the nearby village. The summit level of the Oxford canal follows the contour of the land, wandering back and forth for miles as it passes Fenny Compton and eventually arrives at Marston Doles. Here we start to descend and catch a glimpse of Napton windmill, situated at the foot of the locks. Shortly after leaving Napton we turn onto the Grand Union canal. We tackle Calcutt locks, then the flight at Stockton, before our descent becomes much more leisurely as we cross under ancient roads at Welsh Lane and Fosse Way locks. We pass through Royal Leamington Spa and ascend the Cape of Good Hope locks to arrive in Warwick, famous for its castle.

A firm favourite, on one of Britain's earliest canals: it seems to be in some way still in the past.

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Cruise No. 10. Warwick to Market Harborough. 23rd June to 30th June. (7 nights).
51 miles, 46 locks, 3 tunnels, 1 aqueduct. Nearest railway station: Warwick

This cruise makes use of the Grand Union canal throughout, but in fact its character changes dramatically from start to finish. We leave Warwick and descend towards the valley of the River Avon at Leamington Spa. Then we begin to climb slowly and will continue to do so for many miles through Radford, Fosse and Bascote locks. We arrive at Stockton locks, with various reminders of the former days of clay quarrying here. We climb Calcutt locks to join the joint Grand Union and Oxford canal and follow this to Braunston. Braunston is regarded as the heart of the canal system, and the village on its hill is not to be missed. We climb the locks to the long tunnel, complete with a kink in the middle. When we emerge from the tunnel a short embankment brings us to Norton Junction where we turn onto the Leicester line of the canal. Here we climb the fascinating staircase of locks at Watford to the summit level. The summit of the Leicester section offers some of the remotest cruising we encounter. We enter a tunnel at Crick, then skirt the village of Yelvertoft - one of the few signs of habitation we shall see for some time. Winding our way across unspoilt countryside, through Husband's Bosworth tunnel, there follows more charming wooded countryside before we arrive at the top of the famous Foxton locks. There is much to be seen here, including the remains of the great inclined plane that once carried boats down the hillside to the level of the canal below. We descend by the locks, but these are rather special ones: two sets of multiple staircases and like no others in the world. At the foot of the locks, we turn right and make our way along the quiet rural arm to Market Harborough.

A great contrast in surroundings and some very pleasant cruising away from it all.

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Cruise No. 11. Market Harborough to Coventry. 30th June to 7th July. (7 nights).
97 miles, 41 locks, 4 tunnels, 1 aqueduct. Nearest railway station: Market Harborough

This cruise features some wonderful unspoilt countryside, together with unusual locks and tunnels.
The short, rural Market Harborough arm is not much travelled, but it forms an interesting start to our cruise before we tackle the famous set of ten staircase locks at Foxton: this is an experience in itself. Now high above the Leicestershire plain, the canal twists and turns through largely unpopulated countryside and the short tunnel at Husbands Bosworth, before we take a quick detour down the charming Welford arm with this single lock. Back out into open countryside, the canal twists and turns and we are never sure in which direction we are heading. Passing Yelvertoft and Crack's Hill we enter another short (and maybe haunted) tunnel at Crick. Passing under the M1 motorway, we descend the staircase locks at Watford - no problem to us having done Foxton earlier. Shortly we join the main line of the Grand Union canal at Norton Junction head down the locks and through the wooded Brockhall Park to Weedon and Gayton Junction. After passing Blisworth village the long cutting deepens until we reach Blisworth Tunnel. Emerging from this tunnel, we immediately reach Stoke Bruerne, home of the famous Canal Museum.
After a suitable chance to explore Stoke Bruerne ,we turn the boats and head back north again. Eventually reaching Norton Junction, we head now for Braunston tunnel. This tunnel even has a kink in the middle. Emerging into the light again, we descend the locks to Braunston village. This was the heart of the waterways community, and there are many interesting glimpses into the past here. This is also where Duke was built.
Next we head off onto the Oxford canal. This winds its way through open countryside to Hillmorton locks, then past Rugby. This canal was straightened in the 1820s, and there are many curious disused branches where the old route used to run. Newbold tunnel is short but with an interesting light show, as we head through the lovely All Oaks Wood past Stretton to Hawkesbury Junction, where we join the Coventry canal for the short run into the renovated canal basin of this fine cathedral city.

Some of the finest unspoilt countryside with plenty of tunnels.

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Cruise No .12. Coventry to Warwick. 7th July to 14th July. (7 nights).
91 miles, 29 locks, 3 tunnels, 1 aqueduct. Nearest railway station: Coventry.

This cruise features the seldom-frequented, peaceful Ashby Canal.
We leave Coventry basin and head past Sutton's Stop to Marston Junction where we turn onto the Ashby canal. This is a very pleasant and extremely rural canal, winding its way through open countryside without any locks. We are amongst the open countryside of green fields, farms and trees, with clear shallow water. We cruise slowly past the sleepy village of Stoke Golding to the site of Richard III's last battle at Bosworth Field. Passing Market Bosworth, we may see a steam train at Shackerstone before reaching Snarestone tunnel and the present terminus of the canal. We retrace our route to Hawkesbury Junction, where we join the Oxford canal under the ornate cast iron bridge. Once through the shallow stop lock here, we embark on a canal which was straightened in the 19th century, and we catch glimpses of the old meandering loops as we pass them. The shady All Oaks Wood provides a pleasant cooling interlude, before Newbold tunnel with its light show, then there is always some excitement as we ascend the paired locks at Hillmorton.
At Braunston, we turn under the final cast iron bridge and head towards Birmingham. At Napton junction we turn right and join the Grand Union canal. Calcutt locks are followed by a lengthy flight of locks at Stockton, leading to Bishop's Itchington. There is a rare staircase lock at Bascote before we pass under the Fosse Way. This is all in open countryside until we reach Royal Leamington Spa. After passing over the River Avon, we ascend the Cape of Good Hope Locks to arrive at Warwick, justly famous for its castle.

A very peaceful week in rural surroundings.

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Cruise No. 13. Warwick to Droitwich. 14th July to 21st July. (7 nights).
36 miles, 91 locks, 5 tunnels. Nearest railway station: Warwick.

The Droitwich canals have only recently been re-opened, and this is our first foray on these waters.
We leave the Saltisford Arm in Warwick and immediately start to climb the long flight of locks at Hatton. The short tunnel at Shrewley is notable for having a separate little tunnel beside it for the horses. At Kingswood Junction, we join the Stratford canal and ascend the narrow locks at Lapworth. We quietly approach the outskirts of Birmingham, then turn at Kings Norton onto the Worcester & Birmingham canal. Several short tunnels are interspersed with woodland and open countryside before we reach Tardebigge top lock. The deep lock here is overlooked by the elegant church spire atop the hill. It's now locks and more locks as we descend the lengthy Tardebigge flight past the reservoirs. The village of Stoke Prior was once a leading source of salt for the industrial Midlands, usurping Droitwich in this respect. After the pretty Astwood locks, we reach Hanbury Junction, and join the Droitwich canal. This canal was only re-opened in 2011, after being abandoned for eighty years. We travel down some restored locks, then down a brand new staircase and under the M5 motorway in a convenient culvert. Finally we join the River Salwarpe to enter Droitwich town. This was once a major centre of the salt industry, but there are few signs of this now as we cruise to our mooring through the pleasant Vines Park.

Lots of locks and tunnels, as well as some brand new locks.

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Cruise No. 14. Droitwich to Stone. 21st July to 28th July. (7 nights).
79 miles, 61 locks, 2 tunnels, 1 aqueduct. Nearest railway station: Droitwich

The Droitwich Barge canal was one of the earliest canals in the country, engineered by James Brindley. It was once used to transport salt from Droitwich to the rest of the country, and was only re-opened last year.
We travel down the broad locks of the barge canal, past Salwarpe village to join the River Severn. We will then detour down the river to Worcester, passing close to the magnificent cathedral. After a suitable time to inspect this wonderful city, we turn and make our way back up the River Severn through a deep wooded valley to Stourport. Here we join the canal system and travel on the lovely and remote Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal. The first habitation we reach is Kidderminster, with its very fine church overlooking the canal. This canal follows a sandstone ridge, giving us fine views including the overhanging Austcliff and the rock-cut Cookley tunnel. At Kinver, there are a series of restored cottages cut out of the sandstone. We pass several remote villages with such names as Greensforge and Swindon. At Bratch, the locks are of a unique form of construction, which leaves many boaters puzzled (but not us). After passing Aldersley Junction we are still in open countryside despite passing close to Wolverhampton. We journey past Coven, Gailey and Penkridge to reach Tixall Wide, which is - as its name suggests - a wide lagoon with much wildlife in evidence. At Great Haywood, we turn onto the Trent & Mersey canal to reach our destination in Stone.

Lovely rural waterways, despite the nearness to Birmingham.

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Cruise No. 15. Stone to Stoke on Trent. 28th July to 4th August. (7 nights).
49 miles, 46 locks, 1 tunnel, 1 aqueduct. Nearest railway station: Stoke on Trent

From Stone we ascend the pretty Meaford locks to Barlaston, home of the Wedgwood china centre. As we enter Stoke on Trent, we swing onto the lovely Caldon canal. This is a wonderful canal, which just keeps getting better as we cruise onwards. We soon leave the built up areas and a short flight of locks at Stockton Brook puts us on the summit of the canal. We wind our way past Endon to Hazelhurst Junction where the canal divides in two. Leaving the main line for later we take the Leek arm of the canal. This is surely one of the most glorious stretches of rural canal, which twists and turns through lovely cool woods, with heady views over open countryside. Even the little tunnel at the end of the arm is picturesque. Returning down the arm, we pass over an aqueduct and turn back on ourselves at the junction. We then descend the lovely little flight of locks at Hazelhurst (watching for signs of the two previous routes of the canal here) to Denford, passing under the fine aqueduct we have just crossed over on the arm. At Cheddleton, we can glimpse James Brindley's flint mill, powered by water and still in working order. Just when you think this can't get any better, we descend onto the River Churnet - another simply wonderful stretch of waterway set amongst pretty woods and meadows. Passing the isolated Consall Forge, we may catch a glimpse of a steam train passing overhead. We then retrace our route to Stoke - back to the real world, but refreshed by our trip into such a magical alternative.

Truly wonderful scenery on the Caldon canal, interspersed with industrial heritage.

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Cruise No. 16. Stoke on Trent to Chester. 4th August to 11th August. (7 nights).
65 miles, 58 locks, 1 tunnel, 1 aqueduct. Nearest railway station: Stoke on Trent

Leaving Stoke on Trent, we head through what was once the heart of the Potteries to the unforgettable tunnel at Kidsgrove. This is the famous Harecastle tunnel, which is too long to see through from end to end. We pass under the aqueduct carrying the Macclesfield canal and start the long descent of Heartbreak Hill. Plenty of locks in quick succession as we journey past Church Lawton, Rode Heath and Wheelock. The locks are narrow but paired, which in theory allows us to make swift progress by taking both boats down side by side: this is only possible in parts of the flight, however. Finally after all the lock work we arrive at the salt town of Middlewich. If time permits, we may make a short detour here to Northwich and back. At Middlewich, we turn onto the shortest canal - the Wardle canal, which becomes part of the Shropshire Union after the first lock! We wander through lush deserted countryside to Barbridge, where we join the Shropshire Union proper. At Bunbury we use the staircase locks - always a source of some excitement, then cruise on to reach Beeston Stone Lock. We catch sight of the fine Beeston castle on its crag overlooking the canal, then continue to Christleton and approach the wonderful Roman city of Chester, where we pass around the magnificent city walls to arrive at our destination.

Wonderful scenery, followed by plenty of locks and a Roman city.

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Cruise No. 17. Chester to Llangollen. 11th August to 18th August. (7 nights).
62 miles, 35 miles, 3 tunnels, 2 aqueducts. Nearest railway station: Chester

We leave Chester beneath the towering city walls and emerge into open countryside, with Beeston castle overlooking the canal from its lofty perch. Next we ascend Bunbury locks, where the staircase usually makes for some interesting lock working. We pass the entrance to the Middlewich arm at Barbridge, then soon turn right onto the Llangollen canal and ascend the locks at Hurleston. Now we are totally 'away from it all' as we pass through Swanley and Baddiley locks. We start to see the splendid lift bridges, which are a special feature of this canal, as we enter Wrenbury. The settlements now become even more distant as we ascend Marbury and Willeymoor locks. We arrive at Grindley Brook, where the flight of locks can take us some time to negotiate - especially the staircase ones, but we can expect some assistance from the friendly lock keeper. We now pass on across the wonderful Whixall Moss. Here the canal was built up from the surrounding marsh land - which is today a really fine area for seeing wildlife of all sorts. We next pass into Shropshire's 'Lake District', with marvellous views of the lovely meres to be savoured as we pass close by. Through Ellesmere tunnel, we approach the canal arm that leads to the fine little town of Ellesmere. We pass onwards through New Marton locks and St Martins before reaching Chirk, with its wonderful stone built aqueduct, adjacent towering railway viaduct and impressive tunnel. As we cross the aqueduct, we enter into Wales. Soon after passing under the lift bridge at Froncysyllte, we catch a first glimpse of one of the true wonders of the waterways - the Pontcysyllte aqueduct. Soon we are on the aqueduct itself, seemingly flying across the valley of the River Dee in mid air. This really is an exhilarating moment as the boats seem suspended above the valley - no waterway enthusiast should miss this treat. We turn left at Trevor and make our way up the very narrow feeder canal, clinging to the side of the Dee valley all the way to the picturesque little town of Llangollen.

Always a favourite, with the unforgettable aqueducts.

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Cruise No. 18. Llangollen to Chester. 18th August to 25th August. (7 nights).
46 miles, 21 locks, 3 tunnels, 2 aqueducts. Nearest railway station: Wrexham

This cruise gives a fine opportunity to sample the delights of Llangollen itself before we make our way slowly down the valley of the River Dee, with fine views on either side. As we look back from Sun Trevor, we can see the ruined Castel Dinas Bran perched on the hillside high above Llangollen. We make a sharp right turn at Trevor and immediately sail off across the fantastic Pontcysyllte aqueduct which carries us 100 feet above the River Dee with awe inspiring views in both directions. The people below really do look like ants. Next we encounter Chirk tunnel, then the rather more sturdy, but still impressive, aqueduct at Chirk with its close neighbour the railway viaduct. We travel on through peaceful countryside, through a short tunnel to emerge by Blake Mere, in a sylvan setting and a truly magical place. We cruise across Whixall Moss, a real treat for bird watchers, before passing Whitchurch and arriving at the locks at Grindley Brook. There is always entertainment to be had here at the locks under the watchful eye of the lock keeper. We pass isolated locks such as Willeymoor and Marbury before reaching Wrenbury, a fascinating village. Under various raised lift bridges, and past totally rural scenes, we arrive at Hurleston locks, which we descend to join the Shropshire Union canal. We turn left and make our way past Barbridge junction to Bunbury. Here we use the staircase locks - always a source of some excitement, then cruise on to reach Beeston Stone Lock. The name of this lock warns us of the approach of the other lock at Beeston: known as the Iron Lock. This is another of Telford's fascinating inventions, put in place to overcome the problem of shifting sands on which the canal was built. We next catch sight of the fine Beeston castle on its crag overlooking the canal. We continue to Christleton and approach the wonderful Roman city of Chester, where we pass around the magnificent city walls to arrive at our destination.

A gentle relaxing rural cruise, with some of the finest sights on the canals.

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Cruise No. 19. Chester to Manchester. 25th August to 1st September. (7 nights).
64 miles, 23 locks, 3 tunnels, 1 aqueduct. Nearest railway station: Chester

We leave Chester beneath the towering city walls and emerge into open countryside, with Beeston castle overlooking the canal from its lofty perch. Next we ascend Bunbury locks, where the staircase usually makes for some interesting lock working.
At Barbridge, we turn onto the very rural Middlewich Arm and travel through open arable land to the salt town of Middlewich. Here we join the Trent & Mersey canal and travel past the 'flashes', small lakes beside the canal which contain the sunken relics of many old working boats. At Anderton, we shall stop to take a look at the amazing Boat Lift, which lowers boats down to the River Weaver below.
Two short, narrow tunnels at Barton and Saltersford always provide some amusement. We can look down onto the Weaver valley far below us now as the canal winds its way to Dutton with its stop lock. This is one of the spiritual homes of hotel boats. After passing through Preston Brook tunnel, we join the Bridgewater canal. This very early canal is free of locks as we pass the attractive village of Moore. Soon we have views of the Ship Canal below us as we pass through Lymm and into open countryside before Sale introduces us to the outskirts of Manchester. We pass the Manchester United football ground before arriving at our mooring in Castlefield, in the heart of Manchester.

A great mixture of rural and urban waterways.

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Cruise No. 20. Manchester to Stone. 1st September to 8th September. (7 nights).
70 miles, 48 locks, 3 tunnels, 3 aqueducts. Nearest railway station: Manchester.

A fascinating mix of urban and rural waterways on this cruise, which features the Macclesfield canal.
The canals through Manchester have undergone a transformation in recent years, and are quite fascinating, as we ascend the Rochdale Nine locks, pass Piccadilly and then Ancoats to reach Portland Basin, where the Peak Forest canal commences. We journey through two short tunnels to then soar over the fine stone Marple aqueduct with it huge accompanying railway viaduct. We next ascend the sinuous and very pretty Marple flight of locks to arrive in Marple itself. If time permits, we may visit Bugsworth basin before setting off down the Macclesfield canal. Note the 'snake ' bridge at Marple Junction - these fine stone 'turnover' bridges are a feature of this canal, which the skipper will explain. There are some fine views as we wind our way towards Bollington and Macclesfield itself. Paradise Mill is well worth a visit here to see what is left of the once-thriving silk industry. Again in open countryside, we descend the winding locks at Bosley, overlooked by the brooding hill known as The Cloud. Little Moreton Hall, a fine timber-framed building, is a short walk from the canal. High on the hill opposite is Mow Cop, a famous stone folly. We now pass over the Trent & Mersey canal before joining it and preparing to journey through the never-to-be-forgotten Harecastle Tunnel. Next we enter what were once industrial areas, passing the Potteries and Stoke on Trent. We may stop to see the Wedgwood pottery at Barlaston. Then the pretty Meaford locks bring us to our destination in the little town of Stone.

A superb mixture of landscapes on this historic route.

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Cruise No. 21. Stone to Stourport. 8th September to 15th September. (7 nights).
57 miles, 46 locks, 1 tunnel, 2 aqueducts. Nearest railway station: Stoke on Trent

This cruise takes in the whole length of the lovely Staffs & Worcester canal.
Leaving the little canal town of Stone, we travel through open countryside to Great Haywood with the nearby Shugborough Hall. Here we join the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal, cross the river Sow on a very early aqueduct, and arrive at the marvellous Tixall Wide. Here we can watch grebe at close quarters, fishing in the deep waters of the lake. We pass on through Gailey, under Watling Street and past Hatherton junction where one day the Lichfield and Hatherton canal may re-join the system. At Aldersley Junction, we continue on the same canal, but now it begins to take on a different character as we accompany a beautiful red sandstone ridge for the rest of our journey. At Bratch, we sample the very unusual locks, which usually baffle newcomers to the canals. We descend Botterham staircase locks, then a series of delightful isolated locks and pubs such as Greensforge. A tiny tunnel at Cookley takes us under Kinver village. At Austcliff, the glowing sandstone cliff seems to loom right on top of us, and many of the locks are cut into the rock. We pass Kidderminster with its fine church overlooking the canal, and after more rural cruising, we arrive at the canal town of Stourport, where we can see the work to restore the old canal basin that was once filled in and derelict.

Some great surprises and scenery on this cruise.

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Cruise No. 22. Stourport to Tewkesbury. 15th September to 22nd September. (7 nights).
89 miles, 11 locks. Nearest railway station: Kidderminster.

A chance to explore the Sharpness Ship Canal and the Droitwich Barge Canal.
We set off from Stourport down the locks to join the River Severn as it wends its way south in a deep wooded valley. At Hawford, we turn onto the recently restored Droitwich canal. This is one of the oldest canals in the country, and we ascend the broad locks past Salwarpe village to Droitwich itself, once the centre of the salt trade (the reason for the canal's existence). After this brief excursion, we return to the River Severn and cruise to Worcester. This is a fine city with much to explore. We then glide past Upton to Tewkesbury and on to Gloucester. We enter the docks here, with fine old buildings on all sides. We shall have time to spend in this great city before cruising on the imposing Gloucester and Sharpness Ship canal. The highlights of this waterway, which was built to avoid the fierce tides and the Bore on the River Severn, include Peter Scott's Slimbridge wildfowl sanctuary. Further on, those with an interest in industrial history can inspect the Purton Hulks - a fine collection of old wooden vessels in the bed of the river. Sharpness itself is fascinating, with it once bustling docks. We return on the Ship Canal to Gloucester, then head upstream to Tewkesbury. This is a lovely town well worth exploring, with a very grand Abbey and many half-timbered buildings as well as fascinating shops.

A cruise that offers some fascinating glimpses of history.

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Cruise No. 23. Tewkesbury to Stratford on Avon. 22nd September to 29th September. (7 nights).
70 miles, 19 locks. Nearest railway station: Gloucester.

This cruise takes us on the River Severn and Shakespeare's Avon, with an excursion to Gloucester.
We set off down the mighty River Severn from Tewkesbury, then the river splits and narrows as it approaches Gloucester. We enter the docks here, with fine old buildings on all sides. We shall have time to spend in this great city, and may cruise some way on the imposing Gloucester and Sharpness Ship canal. Returning up the Severn, we turn in at Tewkesbury onto the River Avon. We shall have time to explore this wonderful old town with its renowned Abbey. The Avon is a very pretty, winding river, and we start by circling Bredon Hill, passing through Strensham lock and under the marvellous old sandstone bridge at Eckington. The river becomes even more winding as we approach Pershore - another very pleasant small town. Occasional locks, all rebuilt by volunteers in the 1960s, punctuate our stately passage through open countryside to Fladbury and Evesham. We head upstream from Evesham and follow the meandering course of the river to the pretty village of Bidford. Soon we see All Saints Church and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre (which is newly rebuilt): this means that we have to turn off the river onto the Stratford canal. We ascend the single lock into the Bancroft basin, where we moor in the heart of Shakespeare's tourist town, close to the Theatre.

The lovely river Avon provides one of our most relaxing cruises.

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Cruise No. 24. Stratford on Avon to Birmingham. 29th September to 6th October. (7 nights).
50 miles, 45 locks, 2 tunnels, 2 aqueducts. Nearest railway station: Stratford on Avon.

This is a cruise of contrasts - from the splendour of Stratford upon Avon through some glorious Warwickshire countryside to the very heart of Birmingham.
We leave Shakespeare's town, bustling with tourists, and set off up the Stratford Canal. A short flight of locks takes us out of Stratford and into the open countryside. More locks take us through a tree-lined passage to Wilmcote. We have not left the Bard behind entirely, for here is the cottage of Mary Arden, his mother. We cruise over the railway at Edstone on a fine aqueduct, where you can walk beside the boats with your head at water level. This is a very quiet canal, but we pass several charming small hamlets, such as Wootton Wawen and Preston Bagot. We then arrive at Lowsonford, with its distinctive barrel-roofed lock keeper's cottage. This is also the home of Fleur de Lys pies. At Lapworth, we join the northern section of the Stratford canal and journey up two flights of locks. The canal then meanders under several lift bridges to Hockley Heath and Shirley to pass the hidden outskirts of Birmingham. At Kings Norton, we turn sharply onto the Worcester & Birmingham canal and head for Birmingham. First stop for chocolate lovers is Bournville. After threading through Edgbaston tunnel, we shall moor in the centre of Birmingham. Our cruise will then continue on some of the many canals of Birmingham, dependant on your preferences.

From the Bard to the Black Country, with plenty of countryside between.

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Cruise No. 25. Birmingham to Coventry. 6th October to 13th October. (7 nights).
61 miles, 47 locks, 1 tunnel. Nearest railway station: Birmingham.

To end our season this year, we're doing something different, and heading for the cathedral city of Coventry.
We will start this cruise by exploring some of the waterways of Birmingham. We will travel from the heart of the city past many signs of the industrial past to Dudley. Cruising via the Old Main Line, we shall visit the Black Country Living Museum as a high point of the trip. This is a must, with historic shops, a mine and trolley buses to name just a few of the delights (not forgetting the traditional fish and chips). We will then return to Birmingham by way of the Wolverhampton level. For a different way out of Birmingham, we shall depart down the Farmers Bridge flight of locks, then via Aston to Salford Junction (better known to many as Spaghetti junction on the maze of roads and motorways overhead). We now join the Birmingham and Fazeley canal, which is new cruising for us. We soon leave the signs of Birmingham behind as we descend Minworth locks and pass thought Curdworth Tunnel before tackling more locks. At Fazeley we join the Coventry canal. There are striking views across the valley to the hills beyond as we skirt Tamworth and pass Alvecote and Polesworth. The canal is lined with oak trees, which will make a fine sight at this time of year, as we pass Grendon Park and come to the foot of the Atherstone locks. The canal maintenance yard at Hartshill is followed by the strange sight of the landscaped quarries and spoil heaps that remind us of the area's industrial past. The countryside begins to become more built up as we reach Hawkesbury Junction and wind our way into the rejuvenated Coventry basin to end our cruise.

The Black Country Museum and some unusual waterways to finish the year.

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