Stoke-on-Trent Base – Caldon & Leek

Caldon & Leek canal boat holidays

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The canal boat holiday hire along the Caldon & Leek canals runs along one of the UK’s most beautiful and quiet canals, and give boaters the chance to see a contrasting marriage of industry and countryside.

From the junction near the Black Prince Holidays narrowboat marina, you progress up the locks to the outskirts of Stoke via factories and parks. You can see the numerous potteries and bottle kilns around Hanley in an area of great history that is currently the subject of regeneration.

The countryside becomes more progressively picturesque as you enter the Churnet Valley. On the edge of the Staffordshire Peak District, the Valley is certainly a location to take your camera, and with a local partnership having been awarded a significant grant to further celebrate and enhance the area, it is sure to retain its beauty for the long-term.

If you are interested in taking an action-packed diversion, you can take in the largest theme park in the UK, Alton Towers, which is situated in the village of Alton, near the end of the Caldon Canal. Alton Towers features a busy theme park with everything from rollercoasters to cable car rides over the countryside. It provides a brilliant contrast of thrills and spills for all the family with a countryside landscapes set to the backdrop of a semi-ruined gothic country house. The park is also the home of a water park called Splash Landings.

If rides aren’t your thing, then continue on the route towards the Leek branch of the canal, which contains no locks from the junction. Although the branch ends a distance from Leek town centre, you could still take a trip to visit the town, where you can visit an antiques market on a Saturday and take a break in a range of restaurants and pubs.

If time permits, a trip down the Trent & Mersey Canal to Stone is well worthwhile. Stone features Aston Marina, a leisure development for boaters that contains a waterside bistro which serves excellent local produce.

To cruise the Caldon & Leek route choose the Stoke on Trent base using our online Availability Search, or by calling Black Prince on 01527 575 115.