Gayton...
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1
week, 35 hours, 72 locks
Pearson’s
P6, Nicholson’s N3, Lockmaster L13
A very popular week cruise with the opportunity to visit Warwick
Castle and the plentiful quaint tea
rooms and antique shops
(TIC 01926 492212 www.warwick-uk.co.uk).
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10 - 11 nights, 64 hours,120 locks
Pearson’s
P6, Nicholson’s N3, Lockmaster L13
Convenient from either the Alvechurch or Gayton marinas, this
route includes Warwick, Leamington, and the option to moor
in the heart of Birmingham with its many attractions accessible
from the canal.
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The
Grand Ring (License Required) |
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2
to 3 weeks, 114 hours, 175 locks
Geo Thames Ring Atlas G29 or Nicholson’s N1 & N7 covers
the entire route.
This ultimate route takes two weeks to
complete, but includes plenty to see and
do over a three week cruise. An extra
licence is required when joining the Thames.
l The river cruising on the Thames is superb, with all
locks manned during the daytime. Visit places such as
Hampton Court Palace, Windsor, Eton and Henley.
l Three weeks gives time to explore The Paddington
Arm which goes right up to Little Venice and London Zoo (0207
722 3333 / www.londonzoo.co.uk)
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Coventry
or Snarestone & return |
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1 week, 36 hours, 34 locks (Coventry)
1 week, 48 hours, 34 locks (Snarestone)
Pearson’s P7 (except Snarstone - P6), Nicholson’s
N1 & N3, Lockmaster L14 & L18
With only 17 locks each way between Gayton and
Coventry, this is one of the easiest one-week routes. Continuing
up the remote and rural Ashby Canal offers 23 miles of lock
free cruising after Marston.
l Moor at Shenton for Bosworth Battlefield
Visitor Centre (01455 290429 www.leics.gov.uk).
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The
East Midlands (Trent) Ring |
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| 2
weeks, 82 hours, 115 locks
Nicholson’s
N3 covers the whole route.
A two week cruise travelling as far north as Burton-upon-Trent,
this includes the pretty section of the River Soar, north of
Leicester.
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Braunston,
Napton or Cropredy & return |
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3 nights, 16 hours,
26 locks (Braunston)
4 nights, 19 hours, 26 locks (Napton)
Pearson’s
P7, Nicholson’s N1, Lockmaster L18
l Heading north from Gayton
through Weedon and Norton takes
the Grand Union to the busy
junction with the Oxford Canal.
Onwards to Napton is peaceful,
lock free and rural.
An
easy week, 37 hours
62 locks (Cropredy)
l Home of the annual August Folk
Festival,Cropredy is a quaint
canal-side village with two pubs,
a church and a village store.
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Oxford
& return |
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10 - 11 nights, 66 hours, 104 locks
Pearson’s
P7, Nicholson’s N1
The “City of Dreaming Spires” needs no introduction,
and is an extremely popular route for those who can stretch
their holiday to more than a week.
(Tourist Information 01865 726871).
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Market
Harborough & return |
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1 week, 36 hours, 48 locks
Pearson’s 48, Nicholson’s 1 & 3, Lockmaster
36 & 35
A tranquil rural route through rolling Northamptonshire countryside.
l Pass through Weedon, well known for its antique
shops and with a number of good pubs.
l The 4-lock staircase flight at the pretty village of
Watford and the two 5-lock staircases at Foxton
both have lock keepers to hand. There is also a
manually operated swing bridge at Foxton.
l Moor in the re-vitalised canal basin at Market
Harborough to explore the lovely town.
(TIC 01858 821270).
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Crick
or Welford & return |
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3 nights, 19 hours, 28 locks (Crick)
l Heading north towards Market Harborough offers
the perfect turning point of Crick, just after
navigating the mile long Crick Tunnel.
4 nights, 26 hours, 30 locks (Welford)
l A short detour up its own canal arm, Welford has plenty of
overnight mooring places, with a
reservoir and village to explore.
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Aylesbury
& return |
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1 week - 11 nights, 44 hours, 82 locks
Pearson’s P7, Nicholson’s N1, Lockmaster 18
A good route for the first timer, we would recommend heading
to nearby Bugbrooke for an excellent first night mooring, before
turning south. The cruise to Stoke Bruerne is lock free and
you pass through Blisworth tunnel, one of the longest in the
country, before reaching this historic canal centre with its
fine Waterways Museum. (01604 862229 / www.nwm.org.uk/stoke)
l Delightful countryside and the Great Ouse Aqueduct at Cosgrove
takes you to Milton Keynes, a new town with many family attractions
(TIC 01908 558300 / www.mkweb.co.uk).
l Experience breath-taking scenery and, on a clear day, a view
of the chalk lion of Whipsnade, as you climb the Chiltern Hills
to Marsworth junction.
l The descent to Aylesbury is through idyllic countryside, with
the attractive old town centre just a short walk from the canal
basin, where the local canal society are very welcoming (TIC
01296 330559).
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Great
Linford, Fenny Stratford or Leighton Buzzard & return |
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Pearson’s
P7, Nicholson’s N1, Lockmaster 18
3 - 4 nights, 15 hours, 16 locks (Great Linford)
4 nights, 19 hours, 18 locks (Fenny Stratford)
Heading south towards Aylesbury, this route has a
taste of everything even in just a weekend break. The two destinations
are separated by the ‘new town’ of Milton Keynes,
where the Grand Union Canal forms the centrepiece of the linear
park.
4 nights, 26 hours, 28 locks (Leighton Buzzard)
The cruise onwards is through the beautiful Ouzel Valley as the
Grand Union starts the rise up the Dunstable Downs before the
Chilterns. The characterful town of Leighton Buzzard has excellent
moorings.
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