2010 Cruising Schedule

8/14/2019 2010 Cruising Schedule

1/28

Snipe&Taurus2010CruisingSche

dule

Cruise

Start

From

End

To

Nts

Notes

Trainto

TrainFrom

1

Wed21Apr

Hungerford

Thu

29Apr

Bath

8

Specialsamepriceas7ntcruise

Hungerford

Bath

2

Thu

29Apr

Bath

Tue

4May

Devizes

5

Kennet&AvonCanal,CaenHill

Locks

Bath

Bath

3

Tue

4May

Devizes

Sun

9May

Newbury

5

Wiltshirevalesandenchantingvillages

Bath

Newbury

4

Sun

9May

Newbury

Fri1

4May

Henley

5

K&AandtheRiverThames

Newbury

Reading

5

Fri14May

Henley

Fri2

1May

Oxford

7

RiverThamesatitsbest

Reading

Oxford

6

Fri21May

Oxford

Fri2

8May

Warwick

7

ThenarrowandwindingOxford

canal

Oxford

LeamingtonSpa

7

Fri28May

Warwick

Tue

1Jun

Birmingham

4

BankHolidayweekendbreak

LeamingtonSpa

Birmingham

8

Tue

1Jun

Birmingham

Tue

8Jun

Worcester

7

ViathenewDroitwichCanal

Birmingham

Worcester

9

Tue

8Jun

Worcester

Sat12Jun

Worcester

4

ThenewWorcesterringviaDroitwich

Worcester

Worcester

10

Sat12Jun

Worcester

Sat19Jun

MarketDrayton

7

RiverSevern,Staffs&Worcs,Shr

oppie

Worcester

Shrewsbury

11

Sat19Jun

MarketDrayton

Sat26Jun

Oswestry

7

ShropshireUnioncanaltoWelsh

border

Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury

12

Sat26Jun

Oswestry

Sat3Jul

Llangollen

7

ViaPreesbranch.Spectacularaqueducts

Shrewsbury

Wrexham

13

Sat3Jul

Llangollen

Sat10Jul

Chester

7

Theaqueducts,WelshvalleysandChester

Wrexham

Chester

14

Sat10Jul

Chester

Sat17Jul

Northwich

7

ViaEllesmerePortBoatMuseum

&BoatLift

Chester

Hartford

15

Sat17Jul

Northwich

Sat24Jul

Liverpool

7

AndertonBoatLiftandLiverpoo

lCanalLink

Hartford

Liverpool

16

Sat24Jul

Liverpool

Sat31Jul

Middlewich

7

AlbertDock,Bridgewaterandsalttowns

Liverpool

Crewe

17

Sat31Jul

Middlewich

Sat7Aug

Brewood

7

ShropshireUnion'sspectacularscenery

Crewe

Wolverhampton

18

Sat7Aug

Brewood

Sat14Aug

Warwick

7

Adayattheblackcountrymuseum,lotsoflocksWolverhampton

LeamingtonSpa

19

Sat14Aug

Warwick

Sat21Aug

MktHarboro

7

Leicestershire,FoxtonlocksandBraunston

LeamingtonSpa

MktHarboro

20

Sat21Aug

MktHarboro

Sat28Aug

LBuzzard

7

Foxton,WatfordGapandtheGrandUnion

MktHarboro

LBuzzard

21

Sat28Aug

LBuzzard

Sat4Sep

LVenice(London)

7

GrandUniontothroughChiltern

stoLondon

LBuzzard

London

22

Sat4Sep

LittleVenice

Sat11Sep

Ware

7

RiversLee&Stort,hiddenoasisnearcapital

London

Ware

23

Sat11Sep

Ware

Sat18Sep

LondonDocklands

7

RiversLee&Stort,hiddenoasis,

theatretrip

Ware

London

24

Sat18Sep

LondonDocklandsSat25Sep

Windsor

7

RoyalRiverThamesfromLondon

London

Windsor

25

Sat25Sep

Windsor

Sat2Oct

Guildford

7

RiverWeyandHamptonCourt

Windsor

Guildford

26

Sat2Oct

Guildford

Sun

10Oct

Newbury

8

Special-samepriceas7ntcruise

Guildford

Newbury

Theprices

quotedarefullboardperperson,inc

lusiveofVATwhereapplicableatcu

rrentratesandrating.

Numberofnightsstay:

4

5

7

SingleCab

in:

400

500

650

SingleOccupancyofDoubleCabin

575

675

825

DoubleEn

-suiteCabin:

425

525

675

TwinEn-suiteCabin:

450

550

700


2/28

Travel Advice

The majority of our guests arrive and depart from the boats by train or coach travel - allour points of departure being particularly planned to fit in with major railway and coach

stations as they have frequent direct services from most areas of the country. With theconfirmation of your booking, we will send detailed instructions of how to find your cruisestart location.

As an additional service this year, at the beginning and end of your cruise a complimentarytaxi service will now be provided between the nearest main line railway station and the

boats. In this way we hope to help make your journey to the boats as carefree as possible.

On arrival, you must be at therelevant station for your cruise at

3.30pm, when you will be met byone of our representatives. Ofcourse, if you wish to arrive earlyto explore, then you are more thanwelcome to make your ownarrangements and drop your bagsoff early.

On the morning of your departure,

we will arrange transport to leavethe boats at 9.30am.

Car parking can be arranged at some of our arrival / departure locations if requested wellin advance - preferably at the time of booking (see Conditions of Booking).

We are happy to obtain quotes for 'door to door' transport from or to your home, hotel orairport. As well as being more convenient, this may be more economical than you think,particularly for groups of two or more guests.Please do not hesitate to contact us for advice on any aspect of your travel. We are a small

family run business and pride ourselves on the personal attention we give to eachindividual guest. The boats are our office, so you can phone us direct at any time, evenout of normal office hours, including weekends.

a complimentary taxiservice will now be

provided between thenearest main line railway

station and the boats.


3/28

Cruise 1 Wednesday 21st Thursday 29th April 2010

Hungerford to Bath

This cruise on the Kennet and Avon canal begins in Hungerford, a town in themidst of an Area of Outstanding NaturalBeauty, with a charming atmosphere,renowned for its many antique shops.

Interest is provided at our next overnightstop by Crofton Pumping Station, built in1807 to provide water to the summit of

the canal. This Grade 1 listed buildinghouses one of the oldest working beamengines in the world.

Continuing through the Vale of Pewsey,with its shallow cuttings and lowembankments, we end the day with amooring at Honey Street, a village with agreat canalside pub that has a fascinatingand varied history and now hosts an

international crop circle centre!

The following day we approach Devizesand its canal wharf, with its award-winning canal museum. This fascinatingtown still retains the atmosphere of atraditional market town and is worthexploring.

Leaving in the direction of Bath, the canalfalls steeply into the Avon valley. Wedescend 237ft via the famous Caen Hill29-lock flight, regarded as one of thewonders of the British canals. Our day ends with a well-earned drink at the pub in SellsGreen and the opportunity for an evening stroll into the village of Seend.

Next stop is Bradford on Avon, one of the beauty spots of Wiltshire and a highlight of thiscruise. We continue our voyage through the wooded valley of the Avon, crossing it twiceon the Avoncliff and Dundas aqueducts.

We will arrive in Bath and moor in the centre of the city, making the boats an excellent basefor sightseeing. Some of our favourite places to visit include the spectacular Roman Baths,Bath Abbey, the Royal Crescent and Pulteney Bridge.

47 miles, 61 locks

Planned overnight stops

HungerfordCroftonHoney Street

DevizesSells Green (Seend)Bradford on AvonBath

Complimentary transfers to and from

the following mainline railway stations

Start: HungerfordEnd: Bath Spa

8 nights for the price of 7,

from 650 per person


4/28

Cruise 2 Thursday 29th April Tuesday 4th May 2010

Bath to Devizes

The fine Roman city of Bath amplyrepays a visit, so we recommend guestsarrive early if possible on this BankHoliday weekend to make the most oftime to explore all the wonderfulattractions including the fascinatingRoman Baths, and the Pump Rooms,where you can taste the restorative waterthat put Bath on the map for yourself!

Well be waiting for you with Dinnerprepared and a bed reserved at the endof the day.

We leave Bath on the Kennet and Avoncanal, through the beautiful SydneyGardens with their elegant short tunnels.As we pass Bathampton, the canal windsinto the open countryside overlooking

the magnificent Avon valley. Crossingtwo fine stone aqueducts at Dundas andAvoncliff, we allow extra time to stop, aseach is worthy of further inspection.Having thus crossed the valley twice wearrive at one of the gems of the area Bradford on Avon. This is a popular yetsleepy little town, with a splendid oldTithe Barn, some good watering holes

and many excellent shops, includingthe skippers favourite, a great littlecheese shop.

Cruising on, we emerge from the Avon valley and reach Semington locks and the newaqueduct. The canal then continues to meander through the Wiltshire countryside to reachthe pretty Seend locks, some tricky swing bridges and the lovely village of Sells Green.

At Foxhangers, we round a bend to find our first lock of the day... it is sure not to be ourlast! The hill gradually becomes steeper until we are presented with the impressive sight

of the Caen Hill locks, stretching upwards into the distance. Ascending the locks is anexperience not to be missed as we rise to our destination in the charming market townof Devizes.

23 miles, 37 locks


BathBradford on AvonSells Green (Seend)

Devizes

Complimentary transfers to/from the

following mainline railway stations

Start: Bath SpaEnd: Bath Spa (Return Taxi)

5 nights from 500 per person


5/28

Cruise 3 Tuesday 4th Sunday 9th May 2010

Devizes to Newbury

We leave Devizes on the 'long pound',which meanders charmingly throughthe Vale of Pewsey past tiny hamletswith interesting names such as BishopsCannings and Honey Street.

From Honey Street, we catch a glimpseof the white horse of Pewsey Vale,carved into the chalk hillside above us.

A quaint little suspension bridge spansthe canal through a lovely woodedcutting a corner of Stowell Park, just

before the pretty Pewsey Wharf.

A long straight section of canal takes usto a beautiful mooring at the unspoiltvillage of Wootton Rivers, with somefine inns, thatched cottages and a realaura of times past. A gentle climb up a

flight of locks allows us to reach thesummit of the canal and pass throughthe short Savernake tunnel.

Emerging next to the railway line anddescending once more, we pass the oldsteam pumping station at Crofton. Thepump house here supplied water to thesummit of the canal and contains the

oldest working beam engine in theworld well worth a visit.

Descending the valley of the River Dun,we pass the sleepy villages of Great Bedwyn and Little Bedwyn. At Hungerford Marsh, wenegotiate the swing bridge placed inconveniently over a lock, then pass the fine townchurch to enter Hungerford, well known for its antique shops and fine architecture in themain street. We shall make a short stop to get a flavour of the town before moving on to aquieter mooring in Kintbury.

On through more open countryside, with little signs of habitation and only solitary locks,we pass Marsh Benham and West Mills to arrive in the fine old market town of Newbury.

33 miles, 34 locks


DevizesWootton RiversGreat Bedwyn

KintburyNewbury



Start: Bath SpaEnd: Newbury



6/28

Cruise 4 Sunday 9th May Friday 14th May 2010

Newbury to

Henley-on-ThamesThis cruise takes in the Kennet and Avoncanal as far as Reading, followed by ascenic section of the River Thames.

Leaving Newbury, we will travel amongstthe water meadows of the River Kennet.Swing bridges and locks occur atinfrequent intervals; we meander past

Thatcham and at Woolhampton the lockand bridge present a unique challenge tonavigation.

At Aldermaston, we descend theunusual scalloped-sided lock andnegotiate the huge lifting road bridge,where we can enjoy holding up thetraffic with our sedate passage. At the

wharf here is a canal shop with aninteresting exhibition. We continuewinding our way through opencountryside until we arrive in Reading.Here we negotiate a twisting section ofriver right through the middle of ashopping centre, to emerge onto theRoyal River Thames.

Heading downstream on the river pastthe sleepy village of Sonning, we findthe river to be wide and sedate, with impressive houses much in evidence on the banks. Iftime permits we will continue downstream past Hambleden Mill and open countrysidepast Hurley to Marlow with its white suspension bridge over the river and a magnificentweir. At Henley-on-Thames there is much to see, including some interesting shops andthe River and Rowing Museum; we shall arrive at our destination for the afternoon of yourfinal day aboard, giving you ample time to explore.

45 miles, 31 locks


NewburyAldermastonBurghfield

HurleyHenley-on-Thames



Start: NewburyEnd: Reading



7/28


8/28

Cruise 6 Friday 21st Friday 28th May 2010

Oxford to Warwick

Leaving the tiny canal side village ofThrupp on the Oxford canal, we join alovely section of the River Cherwell. Thestretch of the Cherwell is idyllic, withmuch wildlife in evidence and stunningviews kingfishers are often to be seenhere at this time of year. We rejoin thecanal at Bakers lock and make our wayup the side of the Cherwell valley, which

we shall accompany all the way toBanbury.

There may be an opportunity to visitRousham Park before arriving at LowerHeyford a very pleasant village. Wecontinue through the beautifulOxfordshire countryside, findingourselves a mooring near the

picturesque Somerton lock one of thedeepest narrow locks on the system. Wemove on via isolated locks and lift

bridges to arrive in Banbury in time foryou to explore this old town of nursery-rhyme fame.

The next village on our route isCropredy, a really charming and largelyunspoilt place with a peacefulchurchyard. We rise up the final lock ofthe day to the summit of the old Oxfordcanal this winds its way back and forthto avoid the need for further locks or tunnels, to take us round Wormleighton hill, whichoffers some wonderful countryside views before descending a pleasant flight of locks withviews of the windmill atop Napton hill.

Before long we swing left to join the wider Grand Union canal. This is a wide canal, withmuch larger locks. After Calcutt locks, we reach Stockton and Long Itchington and descend

through some lovely rural areas to the valley of the River Avon at Leamington Spa. Twolocks take us up to Warwick, where we moor in the pleasant Saltisford arm. Warwick isfamous for its castle, but has many other interesting places to explore.

55 miles, 59 locks


ThruppSomertonBanbury

Fenny ComptonNaptonLong ItchingtonWarwick



Start: OxfordEnd: Leamington Spa



9/28

Cruise 7 Friday 28th May Tuesday 1st June 2010

Warwick to Birmingham

There are plenty of locks on this long-weekend cruise, which has a mixture ofrural and urban canals.

We commence this cruise in Warwick, anda recommended early arrival on Fridayenables you to visit some of the manyattractions of this fine medieval town,including the famous castle and maybe

some of the fascinating antique shops.Leaving Warwick on Saturday morning,we immediately start to climb the 21locks at Hatton, known as the 'Stairwayto Heaven' by boaters of old. Our aim isa well-earned lunch stop at the top. Afterpassing through the fascinatingShrewley tunnel, with its separate littletunnel for boat horses, we turn onto the

Stratford upon Avon canal and begin theclimb of 19 locks at Lapworth. A visit tothe nearby National Trust properties ofPackwood House or Baddesley Clintonmay be possible.

Following the Stratford upon Avon canalpast Hockley Heath, we wind our waythrough wooded countryside to the

drawbridge at Shirley, throughBrandwood tunnel and on to KingsNorton junction on the outskirts of Birmingham, with its unique guillotine lock. From here,we make a beeline for the centre of the city, passing the Cadbury factory at Bournville. Wehope to stop here to give the chocoholics amongst you time to visit Cadbury World!

Next stop is Gas Street basin, a vibrant and attractive canalside destination situated at thevery heart of Birmingham. Galleries, museums, a theatre and the symphony hall aremoments away from our mooring in the safest and cleanest environment in Birmingham.We shall arrive at lunchtime on your final day and moor close by, giving you time to explore.

26 miles, 51 locks


WarwickLapworthBournville

Birmingham



Start: Leamington SpaEnd: Birmingham New Street &Birmingham Moor Street



10/28

Cruise 8 Tuesday 1st Tuesday 8th June 2010

Birmingham to Worcester,

via the new Droitwich canalsWe hope to explore some new waters onthis cruise, with a trip along the Droitwichcanals after their much publicisedrestoration. This is an exciting cruise forthose who love negotiating locks itincludes Britain's longest flight, so there isplenty of activity if you wish to join in.

We slip quietly out of Birmingham on theWorcester and Birmingham canal, passingthrough some delightful tree-linedsections on its outskirts. We pass throughseveral tunnels to arrive at the top of theTardebigge lock flight 36 locks in oneday with the reward of a cold pintawaiting us at the bottom! We continue todescend towards Hanbury, where we

hope to turn on to the Droitwich junctioncanal and descend the seven locks toDroitwich town centre. We will look tostop here to allow you some time toexplore the spa town and to absorb thechanges around the restoration site.

Next we descend the slightly wider locksof the Droitwich Barge canal which

transports us on the journey through thebeautiful Salwarpe valley to the junctionwith the River Severn by Hawford Mill.

A gentle morning cruise downstream on the River Severn brings us to Worcester. Once safelytied up in the city centre, we will allow you time to look around the delights of this fine city,including the Cathedral, the Royal Porcelain Centre and the Commandery Civil War Museum.

Please note: The Droitwich canal restoration is scheduled for completion in early 2010. If thepresent economic climate impacts work on the canal, we cannot guarantee access in its

entirety. We are in constant contact with the Droitwich Canal Society and will keep all guestsinformed of progress.

35 miles, 52 locks


BirminghamHopwoodStoke Prior

HanburyDroitwichBevereWorcester


following mainline railway stations:

Start: Birmingham New St & Moor StEnd: Worcester Foregate St & Shrub Hill



11/28

Cruise 9 Tuesday 8th Saturday 12th June 2010

Mid-Worcestershire Ring

With the Droitwich canals aiming to befully restored by June 2010, the new link

between the Worcester and Birminghamcanal and the Severn navigation will forma new 'mini ring' of 23 miles.

This cruise will begin and end in thecathedral city of Worcester. Arriving earlyon your first day will give you additional

time to enjoy the many attractions onoffer, although we shall also give you anafternoon in the city on your final day.

The cruise commences on the grand RiverSevern, with its impressive large locks andimposing scenery. Leaving the river atHawford junction, we turn on to theDroitwich Barge canal and its unusual 9ftwide locks. Following the valley of the

River Salwarpe we head up through 8locks to the spa town of Droitwich. Weshall pause here to allow you to spendsome time in the town or to take a closerlook at the restoration of the areasurrounding the canal.

On leaving Droitwich, we climb furtheruntil we reach Hanbury, and the junction

with the Worcester and Birmingham canal. A trip through the short Dunhampstead tunnelbrings us to the village of Tibberton. Here we begin the descent back into the Severn valleyon the outskirts of Worcester.

Working down the locks into Diglis basin, back on the river edge, we shall see the recentredevelopment here and use the secluded moorings as our base to explore the nearby RoyalPorcelain Centre and Commandery Civil War Museum.

Please note: The Droitwich canal restoration is scheduled for completion in early 2010. If thepresent economic climate impacts work on the canal, we cannot guarantee access in its

entirety. We are in constant contact with the Droitwich Canal Society and will keep all guestsinformed of progress.

23 miles, 25 locks


WorcesterHanburyTibberton

Worcester



Start & End: Worcester Foregate Street& Worcester Shrub Hill



12/28

Cruise 10 Saturday 12th Saturday 19th June 2010

Worcester to

Market DraytonWorcester is a great place to begin acruise why not arrive early and spendSaturday seeing some of the sights of thisfine city? After a gentle morning cruisingwe leave the River Severn at Stourport-on-Severn, a town which owes itsexistence to the river and canal junction.

The Staffordshire and Worcestershirecanal is one of the prettiest, as it isaccompanied by a ridge of red sandstonefor much of its length. This results inlovely glowing rock as a backdrop, as atCaldwell lock. Kinver is a delightful littlevillage perched beside the canal; theremay be an opportunity to explore if wehave made good time. Passing through

many isolated locks we wind our way tothe curious set of locks at Bratch, in theirpicturesque setting.

Next we join the Shropshire Union canalat Autherley junction. This is a moremodern canal, and tends to follow astraight course through the landscape,resulting in deep and pretty cuttings.

Passing under the ornate Avenue Bridgewe arrive at Brewood, a pretty villagewith some fascinating buildings, worthexploring.

Crossing Watling Street on an ornate aqueduct we head for the solitary lock at WheatonAston. Our overnight stop at High Offley offers us the chance to visit the unique pub here,the Anchor Inn. Another wonderful wooded cutting, at Woodseaves, heralds the start ofthe picturesque Tyrely locks.

We finish the cruise in the attractive market town of Market Drayton, the home ofgingerbread. Will you join the decadent Draytonians in dunking their local delicacy in aglass of port that evening?!

63 miles, 43 locks


WorcesterWolverleyStourton

WightwickBrewoodHigh OffleyMarket Drayton


following mainline railway stations:

Start: Worcester Foregate Street &Worcester Shrub Hill

End: Shrewsbury7 nights from 650 per person


13/28

Cruise 11 Saturday 19th Saturday 26th June 2010

Market Drayton to

Maesbury Marsh(Oswestry)

This cruise gives us the chance toinvestigate further progress on one of ourfavourite canals, the Montgomery canal,after cruising the more scenic parts of theShropshire Union canal and the peacefulstretches of the Llangollen canal.

Leaving the attractive little town ofMarket Drayton we immediately enterthe Shropshire countryside and are soonmet with our first flight of locks atAdderley, where we can still see the

beautifully kept gardens in the formerlock keepers cottage. Our afternoonentertainment is the only lengthy flight

of locks at Audlem, which take us to thedelightful canal shop in the Old Mill inAudlem village.

After a visit to Nantwich we turn to jointhe Llangollen canal by ascending thelocks at Hurleston. This is a fascinatingexperience as the locks are very narrowand the crew have to employ someinteresting techniques to persuade the

butty, Taurus, through.

Once up Hurleston, the canal winds through a very shallow valley to Swanley locks. Wesoon enter the hilly, wooded landscape that contains the meres wonderful wood-fringedlakes that provide a beautiful spot to moor. There will be time to visit the pretty little townof Ellesmere, before winding our way onwards to Frankton, where the lock keeper willunlock the Montgomery canal for us. We descend the locks at Frankton, then cruise to thelimit of navigation at Maesbury Marsh. There will be time for a walk to discover some ofthe areas where restoration work is under way further along this beautiful canal, before

returning to our mooring point by the Queens Head inn. Alternatively, we can providetransport for the 5-minute journey to Oswestry which is also worthy of further exploration.

49 miles, 46 locks


Market DraytonAudlemNantwich

WrenburyGrindley BrookEllesmereMaesbury Marsh (Oswestry)



Start & End: Shrewsbury



14/28

Cruise 12 Saturday 26th Saturday 3rd July 2010

Maesbury Marsh

(Oswestry) to LlangollenThis is a very relaxed cruise, exploringthe Montgomery canal at MaesburyMarsh, where we will take a look at someof the parts of this lovely canal that haveyet to be restored to working order. Wethen make our way up the locks atFrankton to leave the Montgomery for

the popular Llangollen canal. There is anopportunity to visit Whittington Castlebefore we make the trip to the little townof Ellesmere.

From here we continue past the woodedmeres wonderful ice age lakes full ofwildlife, to the Prees branch of the canal,which ends with a nature reserve. Weretrace our steps, twisting our way

through the Shropshire countryside toChirk. Here we cross the River Ceirioginto Wales over a fine stone aqueduct.Chirk Castle is very close by and wellworth a visit.

We soon catch our first glimpse of thewonderful cast-iron aqueduct ofPontcysyllte, which carries the canal over

the deep tree-lined valley of the RiverDee. There is something almost unbelievable about apparently flying through the air hereand looking down on the people far below. At Trevor, we turn sharply left to cruise thefeeder canal that leads to Llangollen.

This is a very spectacular stretch of the canal, clinging to the side of the Dee valley, withtowering hills on both sides of us. At Sun Trevor, we catch sight of Castell Dinas Bran, whichsits high above Llangollen and guards the entrance to the town. Journeying on through anarrow tree-lined section we enter Llangollen itself. Here there is much to see and do

including a canal museum, horse-drawn boat trips up to the Horseshoe Falls, a famoussteam railway and Plas Newydd House.

42 miles, 7 locks


Maesbury Marsh (Oswestry)EllesmereBlake Mere

ChirkTrevorLlangollen



Start: ShrewsburyEnd: Wrexham


15/28

Cruise 13 Saturday 3rd Saturday 10th July 2010

Llangollen to Chester

This cruise offers a trip on one of themost popular canals in the country, thespectacular and yet peaceful Llangollen,and follows it with a journey into oneof the prettiest historic cities in thecountry, Chester.

From Llangollen we will cruise above theDee valley, with fine views out over the

river. At Trevor we turn a sharp right andimmediately cross the magnificentPontcysyllte aqueduct, which has to beseen to be believed. At Chirk, we passnear to the castle, then through a shorttunnel and across another great aqueductwith a railway viaduct runningalongside. We now leave Walestemporarily and head via New Marton

locks and open pasture for Ellesmere;this is a fine little town with the very

beautiful meres nearby.

Crossing Whixall Moss, with muchwildlife bound to be in evidence, wehead for Whitchurch. The locks atGrindley Brook will be exciting, andthere is a nice shop halfway down theflight. Moving on, we reach Wrenbury, aquiet village, which has several goodpubs and is close to CholmondeleyCastle and Gardens. We then descendHurleston locks and leave the Llangollen canal behind to cruise the Shropshire Union.

There are many fine views as the canal takes a course through open pasture land until wereach Bunbury staircase locks and follow with the descent of a unique iron lock to Tiverton,where we can sample the delights of the famed canal emporium. The outline of Beestoncastle is seen on the skyline, and visiting it makes a fine walk. On reaching Christleton, we

start the long descent into Chester, passing right by the city walls. There is a great deal tosee in Chester, so we give you plenty of time to explore the walls, the castle, the Romanamphitheatre or of course the shops.

61 miles, 32 locks


LlangollenChirkWhixhall

WrenburyBunburyChristletonChester



Start: WrexhamEnd: Chester



16/28


17/28

Cruise 15 Saturday 17th Saturday 24th July 2010

Northwich to Liverpool

including the LiverpoolCanal Link

A chance to see the development of thefantastic new waterfront in Liverpool citycentre and cruise right past the ThreeGraces into Albert Dock.

Our cruise begins on the River Weaver,

with a pleasant meander to Anderton,where the imposing Boat Lift takes ussafely up to the Trent and Mersey canalabove. Travelling north, we pass throughthree short tunnels in quick succession toreach Preston Brook, and the Bridgewatercanal. With views over the ManchesterShip Canal, we cruise to Lymm and Sale,

but turn north before we reach

Manchester itself. Here, we cross the shipcanal on the fine old swing aqueductat Barton.

Next stop is Worsley, the birthplace of thecanals, where ore from the mines stainsthe water to look like tomato soup. Wetravel on to Leigh and Wigan, which hasseveral interesting museums anddisplays about its past, including the(in)famous Pier. Now in more opencountryside, of which there is asurprising amount on this cruise, we visitthe beautiful town of Parbold, with its sail-less windmill dominating the canalside.

Onward to Liverpool, and our arrival in Merseyside is greeted by a British WaterwaysRanger, who helps us through the busy road swing bridges on our approach to the elegantEldonian Village an oasis in the city centre. On the final day, we make our way down thenewly restored Stanley lock flight and into the warehouse and dock complexes of Liverpool's

Mersey Docks. An enthralling trip crowned by the chance to cruise within yards of the LiverBuilding and into the famous Albert Dock for a mooring in the heart of the city.

82 miles, 16 locks


NorthwichLymmDover Lock

ParboldMellingEldonian VillageSalthouse Dock



Start: HartfordEnd: Liverpool stations



18/28

Cruise 16 Saturday 24th Saturday 31st July 2010

Liverpool to Middlewich

including the Liverpool LinkAn opportunity to experience thefantastic new waterfront in Liverpool citycentre and cruise right past the ThreeGraces from your weekend mooring bythe famous Albert Dock.

Our cruise begins with a unique journeythrough the Mersey Dock complex past

Liverpool's famous Three Graces. Anovernight mooring in Eldonian Villageprovides an oasis of calm amongst a

bustling city before our passage pastAintree racecourse and into opencountryside.

It surprised many of our guests last yearthat the majority of this cruise journeys

through wonderful parkland andcountryside the post-industriallandscape of the north-west has maturedover the last 30 years into very scenicsurroundings. The local subsidence hasalso caused the canal to be raised up asthe land around it sinks, giving somespectacular views for miles around.

The huge mills of Wigan and Leigh havebeen converted into interesting museumsthat we may have time to visit, and atWorsley, the birthplace of the canals, westop to inspect the half-timbered Packet House. Next we cross the Manchester Ship canal bymeans of the great swing aqueduct at Barton, the whole trough of which swings to allowsea-going vessels to pass on the canal below.

We neatly bypass Manchester itself and travel down the Bridgewater canal through Lymm,before turning onto the Trent and Mersey canal. A short tunnel takes us to the stop lock at

Dutton, and the canal stretches along the side of the Weaver valley to reach Anderton, witha chance to see the magnificent Boat Lift here. Travelling across the lakes or 'flashes' created

by the salt industry; we cruise into Middlewich, our final mooring.

90 miles, 16 locks


Salthouse DockEldonian VillageParbold

Dover LockLymmAndertonMiddlewich



Start: Liverpool stationsEnd: Crewe



19/28

Cruise 17 Saturday 31st July Saturday 7th August 2010

Middlewich to Brewood

Our journey begins in the former salttown of Middlewich. We cruise first onthe Trent and Mersey canal, ascendingthree pretty locks in the middle of thetown to reach Wardle junction, and theturn onto the Middlewich branch of theShropshire Union canal, via the shortestcanal in the country (at 70 yards long), theWardle canal.

This is a very peaceful stretch of canal,interrupted by occasional locks as wecross rural farmland to arrive atBarbridge junction, and our turn onto theShropshire Union mainline.

There will be a chance to visit Nantwich,with its fine old black and white

buildings and lovely church, before we

reachAudlem with its flight of 15 locks toclimb. We have a rest at the top, with anevening stroll back down the hill to thevillage, with a pub with a narrow boat-shaped bar and its delightful craft shop

based in the Old Mill.

Next, Adderley locks lead us from theCheshire plain to the Shropshire plain.

We pause at the little town of MarketDrayton, the home of gingerbread.

Leaving Market Drayton, we encounterthe delightful wooded Tyrley locks, which are hewn from the sandstone. We then threadthrough peaceful countryside, through the deep wooded cuttings and over soaringembankments that typify this canal. We pass the sleepy village of Gnosall with its shorttunnel before crossing the Roman Watling Street on a high aqueduct. Brewood is a wonderfuldestination a pretty village with some fascinating stores to browse and some lovelyarchitecture.

47 miles, 35 locks


MiddlewichMinshullNantwich

AudlemMarket DraytonGnosallBrewood



Start: CreweEnd: Wolverhampton



20/28

Cruise 18 Saturday 7th Saturday 14th August 2010

Brewood to Warwick

Departing pleasant Brewood, we exit adeep wooded cutting and forge our wayacross the Staffordshire countryside on ahigh embankment. All too soon, we reachthe outskirts of Wolverhampton and theclimb of the 21 locks that herald ourascent onto the Birmingham plateau.

We get a real taste of the history of the

region with a morning visit to the BlackCountry Living Museum. From ourmooring at the museum, a trip may bepossible into the 3154 yard Dudley tunnelon an electrically propelled narrow boat.From here we cruise through theimpressive Netherton tunnel to WindmillEnd, a beautiful oasis of a mooring in aBlack Country park.

Returning through Netherton tunnel tothe Birmingham mainline, we traveldirect to the heart of the rejuvenated city.Passing Cadbury's at Bournville we turnat Kings Norton onto the Stratford uponAvon canal, signalled by the uniqueguillotine stop lock.

We wind our way through the city

suburbs, under Shirley drawbridge, andcontinue towards the village of HockleyHeath and Lapworth locks, leavingBirmingham far behind us. Nineteen locksat Lapworth signal the end of narrow canals and the turn at Kingswood junction introducesus to the much wider Grand Union canal, which runs between Birmingham and London.

Our final day sees us tackle the 'stairway to heaven' the descent of the twenty-one locks ofthe Hatton flight. A busy morning is rewarded with an excellent mooring in the heart ofWarwick, home of the famous 14th-century castle.

51 miles, 66 locks


BrewoodBlack Country MuseumNetherton

BirminghamHockley HeathHattonWarwick



Start: WolverhamptonEnd: Leamington Spa



21/28

Cruise 19 Saturday 14th Saturday 21st August 2010

Warwick to Market

HarboroughA wonderfully peaceful and rural cruise,featuring the Leicester section of theGrand Union canal one of the mostrural canals in the country.

Departing Warwick, famous for its castle,our first attraction is the historic spa townof Leamington. Our journey from here

takes us through level countrysideinterspersed with occasional locks as weascend from the valley of the River Avon.We pass under the Fosse Way and climbgradually to the quaint village of LongItchington, and a sizeable lock flight atStockton.

Braunston is a village that owes its

existence to the canals, and is worthexploring. We climb the locks atBraunston and then make our waythrough the lengthy tunnel. When weemerge into open country, we turn offtowards Leicester. Here we encounter afour-lock staircase at Watford, hidden

behind the infamous Watford Gapservices on the M1. We sneak through,

hidden from sight and oblivious to thehustle and bustle of the rat race.

This is a really isolated section of canal,passing through two tunnels to find its way across the watershed. The town of Welfordmarks the halfway point it has a small arm all of its own that we should have time toexplore.

At the end of the summit are the famous Foxton locks which are a tourist attraction in theirown right but you can see them as 'insiders'. At the foot of the locks, we turn down the short

arm that leads to the town of Market Harborough.

52 miles, 48 locks


WarwickLong ItchingtonBraunston

CrickWelfordFoxtonMarket Harborough



Start: Leamington SpaEnd: Market Harborough



22/28

Cruise 20 Saturday 21st Saturday 28th August 2010

Market Harborough

to Leighton BuzzardThe meandering Leicester summitcontrasts with the wider mainline of theGrand Union canal on this cruise.

From Market Harborough we make ashort journey to the foot of Foxton locks,where we head up the famous staircase.On we travel across the isolated and

totally rural summit of the canal: we maydivert to Welford if time permits. Twoshort tunnels bring us to Watford locksand we descend into the famous WatfordGap. We emerge at Norton junction anddescend the locks at Long Buckby andWhilton. Here the canal, motorway andrailway as well as the Roman WatlingStreet all funnel together, but as soon as

we are through the locks we entertranquillity once again as we cruise onthrough the leafy Brockhall Park.

We wind our way onward throughWeedon, Nether Hayford and Bugbrooke

before reaching Gayton junction. Here thecanal branches off to the Fens viaNorthampton, but we continue to the

little village of Blisworth which heraldsthe cutting and tunnel of the same name.When we emerge from the lengthy 200-year-old tunnel, we are in a woodedcutting that leads to the lovely village of Stoke Bruerne, famous for its canal museum.We shall pause here to give you time to enjoy the museum and its surroundings.

More locks here are followed by a lengthy stretch without any locks as we pass Cosgrove andthen Milton Keynes (which is best seen from the canal). After the lonely lock at Fenny

Stratford and the famous Three Locks at Soulbury, we cruise through a tree-lined section toarrive at Leighton Buzzard.

70 miles, 38 locks


Market HarboroughFoxtonWelford

Long BuckbyStoke BruerneFenny StratfordLeighton Buzzard



Start: Market HarboroughEnd: Leighton Buzzard



23/28

Cruise 21 Sat 28th August Sat 4th September 2010

Leighton Buzzard to

London (Little Venice)The peaceful countryside makes thiscruise a must for those of you who enjoythe waterways and the history thatsurrounds them.

We start off cruising through opencountry, rising by isolated locks to arriveat Marsworth, where we continue our

ascent of the Chiltern foothills, up thecurling flight of locks, accompanied bywonderful reservoirs a haven for water

birds and all sorts of wildlife, to passalong the deeply wooded Tring cutting, amasterpiece of engineering, but today atruly peaceful place. This marks thesummit of the canal, and at the quaintlynamed Cowroast lock we begin our

gentle descent towards London.

We visit the historic town of Berkhamsted,with its ruined castle, where Williamof Normandy became William theConqueror in 1066.

Cruising through Grove Park, the canalpasses under a rather ornate stone bridge,ordered by the Earl of Essex ascompensation for the canal cuttingthrough his estate. We descend morelocks past Watford and enter the beautifulColne valley. At Rickmansworth, there is a tiny canal museum and locks lead off to theseldom-visited River Gade.

At Cowley junction, we join the Paddington arm of the canal and head due east through thesurprisingly pleasant outskirts to our mooring in the delightful basin known as Little Venice.

54 miles, 63 locks


Leighton BuzzardMarsworthBerkhamsted

Kings LangleyRickmansworthBull BridgeLittle Venice



Start: Leighton BuzzardEnd: Paddington



24/28

Cruise 22 Saturday 4th Saturday 11th September 2010

London (Little Venice)

to Ware (Hertford)This cruise first takes us on the Regent'scanal, then onto the little-known RiversLee and Stort. Guests are surprised at theease with which we can leave the

bustling streets of London behind andfind tranquillity so close by. From LittleVenice we pass by Regents Park, then

right through London Zoo. We catch aglimpse of the bustling activity atCamden Lock before descending a seriesof locks and visiting the fascinatingLimehouse basin, overlooked by theDocklands Light Railway.

We then make our way via theLimehouse cut onto the River Lee, wherewe cruise past the many pretty reservoirs

to Waltham Abbey. A bridge resplendentwith flowers signals our arrival atCarthagena lock; above here the Lee

begins to take on a smaller, shallowerand more pastoral demeanour.

We then find the entrance to thecharming River Stort. This river is reallya delight, and truly an undiscovered gem

so close to London. It is narrow, windingand totally rural along its whole length.Water mills can still be seen at some ofthe locks and the quiet water meadowsmake this an enchanting deviation.

We then rejoin the River Lee and travel upstream as far as the delightful town of Ware,known previously as the granary of London. The river bisects this fine old town and weshall find ourselves the perfect spot from which to explore.

33 miles, 28 locks


Little VeniceLondon DocklandsWaltham Abbey

BroxbourneTednamburySawbridgeworthWare



Start: Limehouse DLR (London)End: Ware



25/28


Ware (Hertford) to

London Docklands(Limehouse basin)

This cruise first takes us on the little-known Rivers Lee and Stort. These riversare really a wonderful rural delight, andtruly undiscovered gems in hiddencountryside so close to London.

From Ware, we cruise downstream onthe River Lee through Amwell QuarryNature Reserve and past the picturesqueStanstead Abbotts to join the River Stort.Here we cruise in splendid isolationamongst water meadows, past severalold water mills and the memorablePishiobury Park. The Stort has adifferent character to the River Lee, with

a narrow winding path and low bridgesto frame the views. We pass Harlow andSawbridgeworth before retracing ourroute and rejoining the River Lee.

Cruising past Broxbourne and WalthamAbbey and the many pretty reservoirssupplying London's water, we take thetime to explore this beautiful secretvalley teeming with wildlife but still soclose to civilisation.

We then make our way via the Limehouse cut into Limehouse basin and the hustle andbustle of London's revitalised Docklands the perfect base for an afternoon exploring thecapital city.

As a bonus, we shall make time on the final evening to take in one of the spectacular showsin London's famous West End.

46 miles, 22 locks


WareSawbridgeworthTednambury

BroxbourneWaltham AbbeyLimehouse



Start: WareEnd: Limehouse DLR (London)



26/28


London Docklands

(Limehouse) to WindsorA first night's mooring in Limehouse

basin offers an ideal base for exploringthe city on your first afternoon with us.Our route out of London is via theRegent's canal, through Islington andCamden, before we find ourselves anevening mooring in Little Venice, an

oasis amongst the hustle and bustle ofthe capital. Tree-lined avenues runparallel to the canal, overlooked by fineRegency houses, in one of the fineststretches of urban canal in the country.

On leaving our mooring at Little Venicethe next morning, we wind our wayalong the Paddington arm of the GrandUnion canal. This canal, whilst urban, is

surprisingly secluded, passing the backsof houses in Kensington and NottingHill before sneaking past the trainsidings at Old Oak Common anddodging the spotlights on the towers ofthe famous Wormwood Scrubs prison toescape to the outskirts of the city.

At Bulls Bridge, we turn left onto the

main line of the canal and descendHanwell locks to Brentford. Osterley andSyon parks are nearby and there may betime for a visit whilst we await the tide at Brentford basin.

We join the River Thames at Brentford in full view of Kew Gardens and head upstream,passing Richmond, Teddington and Kingston upon Thames before a stop at Henry VIII'smagnificent palace at Hampton Court. We will give you time to explore the palace, gardensor even the famous maze here.

There are yet more royal connections at Runnymede and, of course, Windsor with its finecastle. We shall finish the week with a mooring in the middle of the action opposite thecolleges of Eton.

48 miles, 22 locks


LimehouseLittle VeniceBrentford

Hampton CourtSunburyWindsor



Start: Limehouse DLR (London)End: Windsor



27/28

Cruise 25 Sat 25th September Sat 2nd October 2010

Windsor to Guildford

Leaving behind the royal castle on itshill, we skirt the great Home Park full ofdeer, before setting off downstreamtowards Runnymede and the MagnaCarta memorial.

We journey on past Shepperton toHampton Court, the palace of HenryVIII, famous for its maze and lovely

gardens and now also flocks ofparakeets in the trees. We shall moor atthe end of the palace gardens and allowsome time to explore. Then we return toWeybridge and take the 'secret' entranceto the River Wey.

This river navigation is in the care of theNational Trust and is a really charmingwaterway, belying its closeness to

London and suburbia. Having ascendedthe double Thames lock, we pass theelegant Coxes Mill and cruise to Pyrford,with its friendly pub. Here, amongst theleafy river scenery, we are close to theRHS gardens at Wisley.

The locks are lovely on this river, withpleasant scenery at every turn. We pass

close to the ruined priory at Newark,then enjoy Papercourt lock, which isprobably the prettiest on the river. TheWey winds its way through beautifulopen countryside to Guildford, with itsnew cathedral on the hill overlookingthe town.

We shall leave the butty at our Guildford mooring, and take a morning excursion out intothe open countryside again, past isolated locks to arrive in Godalming. Enjoying theisolation before returning to bustling Guildford for the weekend.

49 miles, 30 locks


WindsorRunnymedeHampton Court

SunburyPyrfordGuildfordGuildford (via Godalming)



Start: WindsorEnd: Guildford



28/28

Cruise 26 Saturday 2nd Sunday 10th October 2010

Guildford to Newbury

This final cruise of the year takes in threestrikingly different navigations, allfascinating in their own way. Firstly, theRiver Wey is rural and winding, andunusually in the care of the NationalTrust. From Guildford, we head out intoopen country. There is no hint that weare in the stockbroker belt as we windour way through meadows with the

occasional isolated lock.

Passing the imposing Coxes Mill, we soonenter the outskirts of Weybridge, wherewe leave the Wey via the unusual doublelock. We then join the River Thames,which at this point is wide and grand,especially after our spell on the River Wey.We make our way upstream via

Runnymede (of Magna Carta fame) pastthe great Home Park to Windsor, wherewe will moor in sight of the royal castle.

Boulter's lock at Maidenhead is famedfrom Victorian prints of boating daysgone by, and is followed by Clivedenreach, an exceptionally pretty woodedvalley. We pass Cookham and Marlow toarrive in Henley-on-Thames, home ofBritish rowing. Heading towardsReading, we turn off the majestic RiverThames onto the contrasting Kennetnavigation. This section of the Kennetand Avon canal is tight and winding,sharing the course of the River Kennet for long periods, even passing through the centreof a shopping plaza in the middle of Reading.

However, we quickly leave Reading behind and head back out to the open countryside. We

pass under the handsome Burghfield bridge and cruise amongst attractive water meadows,and are soon in orchard country. At Thatcham, we rise through the unique turf-sided lock

h h

77 miles, 50 locks


GuildfordWeybridgeWindsor

CookhamHenley-on-ThamesBurghfieldWoolhamptonNewbury



Start: Guildford

End: Newbury8 nights for the price of 7,

from 650 per person

Documents

2010 Cruising Schedule