Canal Holidays Guide to the Stourport Ring
Stourport Ring Canal Overview
| Distance | Time | Locks |
|---|---|---|
| 83 miles | about 55 hours cruising | 118 locks |
- Usually covered in a week.
- Out and back routes available for new and experienced canal boaters.
- Short breaks available.
Our Customer Comments | Holiday Options & Bases
This much enjoyed cruise includes canals and rivers, beautiful countryside, industrial heritage, and the much admired redeveloped canalside area in the centre of Birmingham.
Our Bases on this Ring are all convenient for the motorway system.
For a more leisurely week, try out-and-back cruises to Gloucester or Stratford upon Avon.
A new mini-Ring includes Worcester, a section of the River Severn, a restored and new section of canal in the Droitwich area, and return via the Worcester and Birminghan Canal. This takes 20 hours or so, and can be done in an energetic weekend or a more leisurely midweek. Call us for details and possible boats, or check out Canal Boats from Base 42.
Cruising the Stourport Ring
If you start from a Base in the Tardebigge area, your Ring trip either begins or ends with the Tardebigge flight. It is a leisurely lock-free cruise past Cadbury World and the University into central Birmingham. Moor right in the centre at the redeveloped Gas Street basin, with the Sea Life Centre and the Symphony Hall close by, plus many city centre attractions.
Carry on to the Black Country Museum at Tipton or take the Stourbridge Canal to visit the vast Merry Hill Shopping Centre and the Stuart Crystal glassworks.
Both routes joining the Staffs and Worcester Canal to Kidderminster, and pass through beautiful countryside to the inland port of Stourport.
At Stourport the route joins the River Severn to Worcester. This historic cathedral city has a Civil War museum and visits to the Royal Worcester porcelain factory and museum. The Worcester and Birmingham Canal then takes a rural route back to the starting point.
Places of Interest
- Cadbury World at Bournville
- Birmingham: superb city centre moorings, many attractions
- Black Country Museum near Dudley: 19th century life
- Kidderminster: Severn Valley Railway to Bridgnorth
- Stourport: fine canal town
- Worcester: historic cathedral city
- Stoke Prior: Avoncroft Museum of Buildings
Possible Holidays Options on the Stourport Ring
One Week
The Stourport Ring is a good one week holiday, although strenuous at times. Alternatively, an out-and-back holiday can be taken from any of the bases along the Stourport Ring or on sections of the Avon Ring. An alternative is the route along the River Severn past Tewkesbury to the newly restored old port of Gloucester and its National Waterways Museum, then on to the Slimbridge Wildlife and Wetlands Centre.
Short Breaks
Mid-week and weekend breaks are available from all Canal Holidays bases on the Stourport Ring.
Longer Holidays
In a two week trip the Stourport Ring can be combined with the Black Country Ring or Four Counties Ring. The eastern section of the Stourport Ring forms part of the 10-11 day Avon Ring.
Narrowboat Bases on the Stourport Ring
Click on a boat base below for more information and possible routes from that base.
Customer Comments
Read what some of our previous clients say about the Stourport Ring.