Napton Base – Warwickshire Ring

Warwickshire Ring canal boat holiday

Choose a week or longer to take a fascinating and energetic trip through the historic towns of Royal Leamington Spa, Warwick and Birmingham, bringing you back via the more relaxing Birmingham and Fazeley and Coventry canals. The Warwickshire Ring involves one hundred miles and ninety-five locks, so you need to be prepared for a strenuous one week holiday, or you can choose to enjoy it over a more relaxed longer break.

You can access the Warwickshire Ring from our Napton canal boat hire base. We recommend cruising the Ring in a clockwise direction so that you get most of the locks behind you during the first half of the week.

Your canal boat holiday from Napton starts on the wide locks of the Grand Union Canal and you will travel south to

Braunston before heading west at Napton Junction onto the Grand Union Canal.

Just past Napton Reservoir you’ll hit your first flight of eight locks, the Stockton Locks and then the set of four Bascote Locks. Then it’s the run-up north along the wide locks of the Grand Union Canal to the Hatton Flight
Good places to stop off and visit include Royal Leamington Spa. Often described as ‘the best bits of London, all in a ten-minute walk’, this beautiful Victorian town has visitor moorings both sides of bridge 40 (and winding holes at both ends of the town if you miss them) and from here you can enjoy an easy walk into the center of town. Cure your gout and rheumatism at the Royal Pump Rooms, stroll around the Jephson Gardens and marvel at the Georgian and Edwardian architecture of the central shopping area.

Just west of Leamington, Warwick is another historic town worth a visit and if you are travelling with children then you must make time for Warwick Castle, a fun attraction that brings history to life in a very dynamic way.

Onward to the Hatton Flight, or the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ as it’s known due to it containing twenty-one locks. This area is renowned for its varied wildlife, with great views at the top of the flight when you need a rest!

You can divert at Kingswood along the South Stratford Canal to Stratford Upon Avon where you can moor opposite the Theatre. The town is one of the UK’s most prominent cultural areas and was the birthplace of the playwright William Shakespeare – it is now home to the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Once you reach Birmingham you can explore England’s second-largest city and discover a variety of attractions, from shops and bars to art galleries and exhibitions. You can also take in the University, Botanical Gardens or Cadbury World, depending on your area of interest. The Botanical Gardens exhibits fifteen acres of nature and over 7000 plants, whilst Cadbury World is perfect for those with a sweet tooth. You can even play in chocolate rain.

Leaving the city via narrow canals to Fazeley, you return southwards past Coventry. Diversions into Coventry, Stratford Upon Avon, or onto the peaceful Ashby Canal should be considered, but don’t forget to allow extra time for this.

In Coventry, you can go and see the remains of the 14th century cathedral, which was destroyed during World War II. The Herbert Art Gallery, Midland Air Museum and Coventry Transport Museum are also notable points of interest.
If you fancy a more peaceful journey, head instead down the Ashby Canal for a calm cruise with lovely views.

Book our Warwickshire Ring canal boat holiday by using our online Availability Search, or by calling Black Prince on 01527 575 115.