Canal Holidays Guide to the Warwickshire Ring
Warwickshire Ring Canal Overview
| Distance | Time | Locks |
|---|---|---|
| 103 miles | about 60 hours cruising | 94/107 locks |
- Can be covered in an energetic week.
- Out-and-back routes offer a leisurely week.
- Short breaks available from all bases.
Our Customer Comments | Holiday Options & Bases
A popular route for the enthusiast, the Warwickshire Ring contrasts very scenic rural areas with some urban sections. It passes near famous landmarks such as Warwick Castle and Coventry Cathedral, with an option to visit the redeveloped Birmingham city centre canalside area.
An energetic week's cruise, the Ring has upwards of 94 locks depending on your route through Birmingham. Take two weeks and visit the many sights, or for a more leisurely week try out-and-back cruises from bases in the Rugby area towards Oxford or Stoke Bruerne. Short breaks are available from all bases.
Cruising the Ring
Starting in the Rugby area it is a short trip through farmland to the Grand Union Canal at Braunston. Cruise to scenic Napton past elegant Royal Leamington Spa to Warwick with England's finest medieval Castle and many historic buildings.
Royal Shakespeare TheatreThe spectacular Hatton flight of locks lead on to the route via Cadbury World at Bournville to 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.
Take the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal out of the city under 'Spaghetti Junction' past Drayton Manor Theme Park and Tamworth with its Snowdome onto the Coventry Canal. If you have time, you could detour into Coventry to see the Cathedral.
Places of Interest
- Canal village at Braunston
- Warwick Castle: historic buildings, and shops
- Cadbury World at Bournville
- Birmingham: superb city centre moorings, many attractions
- Kingsbury Water Park
- Drayton Manor: large family theme park and zoo
- Tamworth Castle and Snowdome indoor ski slope
- Coventry Cathedral
Possible Holidays Options on the Warwickshire Ring
One Week
There are a number of superb one week out-and-back routes in the Warwickshire Ring area.
Towards Oxford: at Napton take the beautiful meandering historic South Oxford Canal to Cropredy village and Banbury. (See Grand Ring Guide)
Towards Stoke Bruerne: at Braunston head down the Grand Union Canal to Stoke Bruerne and its Waterways Museum. A rural route with two tunnels including Blisworth Tunnel (3056 yards, the longest in England).(See Grand Ring Guide).
Towards Market Harborough: from Braunston turn at Norton Junction onto the Leicester Ring through tunnels, staircase locks, and open countryside. (See Leicester Ring Guide).
Ashby and North Oxford Canals: A very leisurely route with only four locks up the Ashby Canal to Snarestone. Famous for the death of King Richard III, the Bosworth Battlefield with Visitor Centre and Country Park is less than a mile from the canal.
Short Breaks
Mid-week and weekend breaks are available from all Canal Holidays bases on the Warwickshire Ring. These can be adapted from the one-week routes above.
Longer Holidays
A two week trip on the Warwickshire Ring gives ample time for seeing the many interesting sights. In three weeks it will be possible to cover the Thames Ring.
Narrowboat Bases on the Warwickshire 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.