Take a
River Cruise on the River Thames or come Canal Cruising on the spacious Tranquil Rose
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Route Descriptions 2012
1. Bradford
on Avon to Newbury (Canal cruising)
14th April to 21st April (7 nights) 47 miles, 72 locks
This cruise takes us on the prettiest parts of the Kennet & Avon canal. The
lovely small town of
Bradford on Avon is not to be missed, as it really exudes a charming atmosphere
of a past age.
The river runs through the middle of the town and on the bridge is a mysterious
little chapel.
Leaving Bradford, we journey through quiet countryside past Hilperton. At
Semington, the Wilts &
Berks canal will one day re-emerge to join this canal. There is a picturesque
short flight of locks at
Seend before we reach Foxhangers. Ahead of us we now see the incredible Caen
Hill flight of 29
locks which, with much hard work, take us all the way up to Devizes, with its
canal centre and
theatre. A long pretty and almost deserted section without locks follows, past
Honey Street, under
the ornate Ladies Bridge and past Pewsey. The next settlement we pass is Wootton
Rivers -a real
gem of a village. We then ascend to the summit of the canal, pass through the
short Bruce Tunnel,
before passing the historic Crofton steam pumping house. The steam engines here,
which are still
in working order, were installed to pump water up to the summit of the canal. We
now start the
gradual descent that takes us through Great Bedwyn, Little Bedwyn and then
sleepy Hungerford.
Hungerford is a great place for antique hunting. Past the picturesque village of
Kintbury, we cruise
to our destination in the market town of Newbury
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2.
Newbury to Bradford on Avon (Canal cruising)
21st April to 28th April (7 nights) 47 miles, 72 locks
 This
cruise takes us from the valley of the River Kennet to the lovely Avon valley.
Our gradual
climb starts past the picturesque village of Kintbury then sleepy Hungerford,
known for its many antique shops. We continue to ascend, passing Crofton pump
house as the locks take us to the summit of the canal. A short tunnel at
Savernake is followed by the old wharf at Burbage with its preserved crane. A
gentle flight of locks brings us to Wootton Rivers, a charming village that is
well
worth a visit. The canal now winds its way across open countryside past Pewsey
and Stowell Park with its pretty suspension bridge. The canal continues to
wander through unspoilt countryside past Honey Street to Devizes, with its canal
centre and theatre. On leaving Devizes, we tackle the incredible Caen Hill
flight of 29 locks. Back on the level again, we pass through Seend and Semington
before arriving at the lovely small town of Bradford on Avon. The impressive
tithe barn right by the canal here is not to be missed, and the town itself
really exudes a charming atmosphere of a past age.
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3.
Bradford on Avon to Hungerford (Canal cruising)
28th April to 5th May (7 nights) 47 miles, 61 locks
The lovely small town of Bradford on Avon is a delightful setting to start
this attractive cruise. Leaving Bradford we cross the River Avon twice on great
stone aqueducts at Avoncliff and Dundas, which still bear the masons' marks in
the golden Bath stone. We then return to Bradford and journey through quiet
countryside past Semington and Seend. The crew catch their breath before we
climb the incredible Caen Hill flight of 29 locks to Devizes, with its canal
centre and theatre. A long section without locks follows, winding through
rolling unspoilt countryside past All Cannings and Honey Street. The ornate
Ladies Bridge and Wide Water herald the passage through Stowell Park before we
reach Pewsey Wharf. Then we meander on to Wootton Rivers, a village which seems
pleasantly stuck in the past. We ascend to the summit of the canal; pass
through the short Bruce Tunnel, before cruising past Crofton pump house as we
start the gradual descent that takes us past Little Bedwyn to Hungerford.
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4. Hungerford
to Oxford (Canal and river cruising)
5th May to 12th May (7 nights) 68 miles, 46 locks
This fine cruise offers a combination of the peace and tranquillity of the
Kennet & Avon Canal with
the majestic River Thames. We start by the sleepy little town of Hungerford and
cruise slowly past Kintbury to the market town of Newbury. Now on the Kennet
Navigation, we meander past some lovely water meadows, passing through a quaint
old turf-sided lock and many swing bridges. At Aldermaston we descend the
elegant scallop-sided lock and pass under the imposing lift bridge. We continue
on the twisting course of the canalised river before County Lock heralds the
swift trip through Reading to join the River Thames. Passing upstream, the
railway keeping us close company for a short while until it turns away and
leaves us in peace as we pass Goring, Pangbourne and Wallingford. We are in
lovely open typically English countryside as we glance up to the hilltop at
Wittenham Clumps, before passing under the lovely old stone bridge at Clifden
Hampden. Soon we pause in the delightful little town of Abingdon before
continuing our journey past Sandford and savouring a slow entrance to the City
of Dreaming Spires. This is truly a cruise of pleasant contrasts, on two very
different waterways.
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5. Oxford to Oxford (River cruising)
12th May to 19th May (7 nights) 62 miles, 20 locks
If you appreciate the calm and peace of an English spring day, this cruise
is not to be missed -as
this part of the country conjures up images of bees buzzing lazily over cottage
gardens, far from
any distractions of the humdrum world. We cruise gently through Oxford, and as
we leave the city, the river changes character -becoming totally rural. We are
now on the picturesque upper reaches of the Thames, which are quite unlike the
more familiar parts of the river. This is an idyll of spring flowers, water
meadows, sleepy waterside villages and inns. The river twists and turns to reach
Lechlade, passing the old manor at
Kelmscot (once the home of William Morris), which me may find time to visit.
Buscot lock is adjacent to the National Trust's Buscot Park. Later, there is a
fine statue of Old Father Thames reclining proudly by the side of St John's
Lock. We pass the quaint old town of Lechlade and turn the boat at Inglesham,
the limit of navigation of the River Thames, before heading back downstream.
This is a very relaxed cruise, and we will find time to pause at places along
the route, such as Newbridge, Bablock Hythe and Godstow with its ruined Abbey.
We lazily make our way back to Oxford, with its elegant spires and colleges.
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6. Oxford to
Windsor (River Cruising).
19th May to 26th May (7 nights) 80 miles, 27 locks
 This
cruise features the Royal River Thames and has been consistently popular with
all our guests in previous years. On leaving Oxford, the river winds its way
down stream and remains very rural as we pass Sandford. We will pause at
Abingdon, a delightful market town, before cruising on past Clifton Hampden,
Shillingford and Wallingford. The river valley widens and becomes even grander
as we approach Goring and one of the most attractive stretches of the river. At
Caversham we pass the entrance to Kennet & Avon canal before passing Sonning, a
delightful and peaceful riverside village. At Henley there is the River and
Rowing Museum to visit as well as some interesting little shops. Continuing
along the still very attractive river, we pass through Marlow with its fine
suspension bridge, and then arrive at Cookham, where time is available to visit
the Stanley Spencer Art Gallery if you wish. We then pass down the beautiful
Cliveden Reach before gliding
through Maidenhead and making our way towards Windsor and our mooring in sight
of the historic Castle
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7. Windsor to
Windsor (River cruising)
26th May to 29th May (3 nights)
This short cruise on the Royal River can be something of a mystery tour. As
we are making a
round trip, we can decide on our exact itinerary at the start of the cruise. We
expect to cruise
downstream past the huge Home Park, with many deer in evidence. Then we pass
Penton Hook to
reach Weybridge and Shepperton Lock. A short cruise onwards brings us to Hampton
Court, a
favourite of Henry VIII's, and well worth a visit to the Palace, the gardens or
just to the famous
maze. We will then retrace our steps upstream to Windsor, mooring in sight of
the world famous
Royal castle.
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8.
Windsor to Weybridge (River cruising)
29th May to 1st June (3 nights)
We
shall have time to cruise a short way upstream on the grander stretches of the
River Thames, past some fine waterside properties that give us a glimpse of how
the 'other half' live. The river takes us past Maidenhead and Cookham to Marlow
with its fine old suspension bridge spanning the river. There we will turn
Tranquil Rose and head back down stream past Windsor and the Home Park. Passing
Penton Hook, we shall reach Shepperton Lock and Weybridge.
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9. Godalming to
Rickmansworth (River and canal cruising)
9th June to 16th June (7 nights) 55 miles, 41 locks
This cruise features the River Wey, a little-travelled jewel of a waterway,
which is in the ownership
of the National Trust. Despite its apparent closeness to London, this really is
a delightful river that
you should not miss. We start out from the limit of navigation at Godalming, and
immediately encounter lovely meadowland that belies our closeness to suburbia.
We pass through the busy little town of Guildford, with it cathedral on the
hill. Out into the countryside again, we descend Papercourt lock (perhaps one of
the prettiest of all), then catch a glimpse of the deserted priory at Newark. As
we follow the twists and turns of the river, we descend several pretty locks.
The countryside here is very pleasing, and we are close to the RHS gardens at
Wisley. Leaving the sleepy hamlet of Pyrford, we pass the imposing Coxes Mill
before imposing houses with large gardens signal the approach to Weybridge.
Here, after negotiating the unusual locks, we join the
River Thames and turn to head downstream. We pause at the grand palace at
Hampton Court before passing Kingston and Richmond Hill. At Teddington, we join
the tidal stretch of the river and head downstream under some fabulous bridges,
then turn onto the Grand Union canal at Brentford. We then ascend a series of
locks past Norwood and Uxbridge, before we leave the built up areas behind and
shadow the course of the River Colne on our way to Batchworth.
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10. Rickmansworth to Stoke Bruerne (Canal cruising)
16th June to 23rd June (7 nights) 54 miles, 68 locks
The cruise contains all the aspects of the Grand Union canal, starting with
the ascent to Watford and the beautiful wooded Cassiobury Park, with its ornate
bridges and (hopefully) kingfishers. We then continue to Berkhamsted with its
wonderful Norman motte and bailey castle, and climb gently towards the summit of
the canal at the quaintly-named Cowroast Lock. We pass serenely along the deeply
wooded Tring cutting: this is a masterpiece of engineering, but today a truly
sylvan and peaceful place. After passing Bulbourne, we then start the long
gradual descent of the Chiltern foothills, down the curling flight of locks at
Marsworth, with its wonderful reservoirs -a haven for all sorts of wildlife. We
pass through much open countryside, the old town of Leighton Buzzard and the
better side of Milton Keynes. A long section without locks takes us to Cosgrove,
then we meander through open countryside until a flight of locks lifts us to our
destination in the village of
Stoke Bruerne, home of the famous Canal Museum.
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11. Stoke
Bruerne to Rickmansworth (Canal cruising)
23rd June to 30th June (7 nights) 54 miles, 68 locks
 For
those of you who enjoy a lot of boating this trip is a must, as it features the
Grand Union Canal throughout, and there are many fine sights on this scenic
waterway. It is far more rural than people often imagine. We leave Stoke Bruerne
and descend a short flight of locks before travelling through some wonderfully
peaceful stretches of canal past Soulbury and Leighton Buzzard. From here we
commence our gradual climb up the northern slopes of the Chiltern hills. We
reach
Marsworth with its huge reservoirs feeding the canals: a haven for wild birds of
all sorts. We climb a winding flight of locks to the canal summit at Bulbourne,
then enter the heavily wooded Tring cutting. At the curiously-named Cowroast
lock, the canal commences its long descent towards the capital. We pass through
Berkhamsted with its fine Norman castle, followed by the long gradual descent of
the Colne valley to the delightful Cassiobury Park and on to Rickmansworth.
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12.
Rickmansworth to Weybridge (Canal and river cruising)
30th June to 7th July (7 nights) 62 miles, 27 locks
Before leaving Rickmansworth, we may have time to visit the tiny canal
museum here. Then we set off, travelling down the valley of the River Colne. The
locks down this stretch have stories to tell for example, Black Jack's Lock and
Widewater. Denham Lock is the deepest on the Grand Union canal. At Bulls Bridge,
we turn left onto the Paddington arm of the canal, and enter London 'by the back
door' to arrive at our mooring in Little Venice. After a quick exploration of
'secret' London, we wind our way back along the Paddington arm of the Grand
Union canal -it's a great way to see the suburbs of West London, passing Kensal
Green Cemetery and over the North Circular Road. We head towards Brentford where
we join the River Thames, opposite Kew Gardens. Then we head upstream, passing
Isleworth Church, then under some magnificent bridges before spying Richmond on
its hill. At Teddington we leave the tidal stretch of the river and sail past
Kingston. Our next stop is at Henry VIII's magnificent palace at Hampton Court,
which is well worth a visit. Our final stop for this cruise is in Weybridge.
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13. Weybridge
to Weybridge (River cruising)
7th July to 14th July (7 nights) 38 miles, 30 locks
From Weybridge, we join the truly lovely River Wey and head upstream into
very rural surroundings. We pass the imposing Coxes Mill, the sleepy hamlet of
Pyrford, then as we ascend one of the pretty locks, we catch a dramatic glimpse
of the deserted priory at Newark. We ascend Papercourt lock, with its idyllic
cottage and weir before reaching Guildford, a town that makes the most of its
river. The cathedral stands on a hill overlooking the town. More lovely
meadowland continues to belie our closeness to suburbia until finally we reach
the end of the navigation at Godalming. We then return downstream, travelling
the length of the River Wey. From Godalming, we journey back through the
twisting stretches of this delightful river. After Guildford, we are soon back
into farming land as we wind our way through occasional locks. The river
continues to twist and turn
even as we re-enter Weybridge.
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14.
Weybridge to Wallingford (River cruising)
14th July to 21st July (7 nights) 61 miles, 24 locks
 We
can never forget that we are on the 'Royal River' on this stretch of the Thames.
Starting off via Chertsey and Penton Hook, we encounter the first of these royal
connections at Runnymede, where King John was persuaded to grant us our civil
rights. Further upstream, the vast royal parks herald our arrival at Windsor,
famous for its fine castle. We plan to moor in sight of the castle as it
overlooks the river from its hill. On leaving our mooring in Windsor, we journey
upstream past Maidenhead. Then the famous Boulter's Lock heralds the lovely
wooded stretch of Cliveden Reach. We arrive at Cookham, where time is available
to visit the Stanley Spencer Art Gallery if you wish. Continuing along the very
attractive river, we pass through Marlow with its fine suspension bridge, then
we get the chance to marvel at some very fine waterside properties as we
approach Hambleden with its fine old mill. At Henley there is the River and
Rowing Museum to
visit, as well as some fine shops in the town. We pass Sonning, a delightful and
peaceful riverside village. After wending our way through Caversham, a
particularly attractive stretch of the river takes us past Mapledurham and
Goring and on to Wallingford.
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15. Wallingford to Hungerford (River and canal
cruising)
21st July to 28th July (7 nights) 44 miles, 37 locks
This cruise enables us to sample the contrast between some of the finest
stretches of the River
Thames and the Kennet Navigation. From Wallingford we head downstream past
Goring with some lovely views all around. There are also many glorious waterside
properties to admire. Through open farmland we approach
Mapledurham lock, before entering Caversham. Below Caversham lock, we turn
sharply to the right and continue this gentle cruise along some of the finer
parts of the Kennet & Avon canal. Once we leave the outskirts of Reading,
numerous water meadows and peaceful rural surroundings take us via Theale and
Aldermaston. The swing and lift bridges offer some extra entertainment on this
stretch. Old Monkey Marsh Lock is the last of the old turf-sided locks on this
canal. We soon get a chance to explore the pretty market town of Newbury. From
here we journey past more water meadows and wind our way to Hungerford.
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16. Hungerford
to Bradford on Avon (Canal cruising)
28th July to 4th August (7 nights) 47 miles, 61 locks
We start out between water meadows and wind our way gradually upwards
towards Crofton locks. The canal summit passes through the short Savernake
tunnel, then we drop down a flight of locks to Wootton Rivers. This is a really
charming unspoilt little village. Onward past Pewsey wharf we pass through the
wooded Stowell Park with its elegant suspension bridge, the lovely Wilcot Wide
Water and under the ornate Ladies Bridge. The vale of the White Horse is truly
remote Wiltshire countryside, and we pass such isolated hamlets as Honey Street
to eventually arrive at the sleepy market town of Devizes with its theatre and
canal centre. Next day, we prepare to drop down the amazing Caen Hill locks -29
of them cascading down the hillside. Once back on the level again, we pass Seend
and Semington before reaching Bradford. For an extra treat, we shall then
explore the Avon valley, crossing the River Avon twice on great stone aqueducts
at Avoncliff and Dundas,
which still bear the masons' marks in the golden Bath stone. We then return to
Bradford, which is
really a jewel of a small town, with a delightful old-world atmosphere. Here are
such treasures as
the mysterious little building on the river bridge
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17. Bradford
on Avon to Newbury (Canal cruising)
4th August to 11th August (7 nights) 47 miles, 72 locks
The lovely small town of Bradford on Avon is not to be missed, as it really
exudes a charming atmosphere of a past age, with its huge old tithe barn.
Leaving Bradford, we journey through quiet countryside past Semington and Seend.
Next we climb the incredible Caen Hill flight of 29 locks to Devizes, with its
canal centre and theatre. The crew will certainly be earning their keep during
this climb. A long section without locks follows, past All Cannings and the Vale
of Pewsey. We pause at Pewsey Wharf, then cruise on to reach Wootton Rivers,
which is a real gem of a village. We ascend to the summit of the canal, pass
through the short Bruce Tunnel, before passing the Crofton pump house. This
still contains two huge working steam engines that were used in times past to
pump water up to the canal summit. We then start the gradual descent that takes
us past Great Bedwyn and sleepy Hungerford. We cruise past the picturesque
village of Kintbury to our destination in the market town of Newbury
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18.
Newbury to Bath (Canal cruising)
18th August to 25th August (7 nights) 57 miles, 79 locks
This cruise takes us from the valley of the River Kennet to the lovely Avon
valley. Our gradual climb starts past the picturesque village of Kintbury then
sleepy Hungerford, known for its many antique shops. We continue to ascend,
passing Crofton pump house as the locks take us to the summit of the canal. A
short tunnel at Savernake is followed by the old wharf at Burbage before a
gentle flight of locks brings us to the quaint little village of Wootton Rivers,
which is not to be missed. The canal now winds its way across open countryside
to Devizes, with its canal centre and theatre. On leaving Devizes, we tackle the
incredible Caen Hill flight of 29 locks. Back on the level again, we pass
through Seend and Semington before arriving at the lovely small town of Bradford
on Avon. This really exudes a charming atmosphere of a past age. We are now in
the lovely valley
of the River Avon, which we cross twice on great stone aqueducts, still bearing
the masons' marks in the golden Bath stone. We pass Claverton with its water
wheel pump and the American museum before Bathampton gives us our first glimpse
of Bath, with panoramic views across this fine Roman city.
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19.
Bath to Bath (River cruising)
25th August to 1st September (7 nights) 54 miles, 24 locks
This cruise includes a visit to the floating harbour in Bristol, before
sampling some of the finer parts of the Kennet & Avon canal. We leave Bath by
descending an interesting flight of locks to join and cruise gently downstream
on the River Avon. The river meanders through the wooded valley past Saltford
and Keynsham before we arrive in Bristol, where there will be plenty of time to
enjoy the many delights of this famous city, including Brunel's iron steamship
-the Great Britain. We then head back upstream to Bath, where we rejoin the
Kennet & Avon canal and continue to cruise the Avon valley at a higher level. We
leave Bath through the charming Sydney Gardens and catch glimpses of the
magnificent crescents of grand houses, all constructed from glowing golden local
stone. The scenery is marvellous as the canal clings to the side of the valley,
crossing it on magnificent stone aqueducts at Dundas and then at Avoncliff.
These are worthy of a closer look, as they still show many original masons'
marks in the stone. We soon approach our mooring in Bradford on Avon, with its
huge old tithe barn and wonderful local shops, where we turn the boat to head
back through the Avon valley to Bath.
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20. Bath to
Hungerford (Canal cruising)
1st September to 8th September (7 nights) 48 miles, 67 locks
 Leaving
Roman Bath with fine views across the city, we pass Bathampton, then we may have
time to explore Claverton with its water wheel pump and the American museum. We
cross the River Avon on great stone aqueducts at Dundas and Avoncliff: both have
been recently refurbished in golden Bath stone. The lovely small town of
Bradford on Avon is not to be missed, as it really exudes the atmosphere of a
past age, with its huge tithe barn as well as charming shops. We
journey on through isolated locks and rolling countryside past Semington and
Seend, then climb the incredible Caen Hill flight of 29 locks to Devizes. Here
we pause to explore the canal centre and maybe the theatre. Next we wind our way
through unspoilt countryside to Wootton Rivers, which is a real gem of a
village. We ascend to the summit of the canal, through a short tunnel, then pass
Crofton steam pump house where we start the gradual descent past the Bedwyns
that takes
us to sleepy Hungerford.
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21.
Hungerford to Windsor (Canal and river cruising)
8th September to 15th September (7 nights) 57 miles, 43 locks
This fine cruise offers a combination of the peace and tranquillity of the
Kennet & Avon canal with
the ever-popular River Thames. We start by meandering through some lovely water
meadows,
passing through a quaint old turf sided lock and many swing bridges. At
Aldermaston we hold up
the road traffic as we pass under the huge lift bridge. County Lock heralds the
swift trip through
Reading to join the River Thames. We then journey gently down stream on the
great river, passing
Sonning to reach Henley -the Mecca of the rowing world. The river is wide and
imposing here, as
we pass Cookham and Marlow. There are many wonderful wooded stretches and fine
houses for
us to admire. Finally we reach our mooring within sight of the magnificent
castle at Windsor. This is
truly a cruise of pleasant contrasts, on two very different waterways.
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22. Windsor to
Little Venice (River and canal cruising)
15th September to 22nd September (7 nights) 75 miles, 32 locks
 This cruise gives a wonderful contrast between the beautiful open views along
the Thames and the surprising approaches to London. We travel first upstream
from Windsor to pass through Boulter's Lock, which is instantly recognisable
from Victorian prints. This is followed by the lovely Cliveden Reach, with lofty
tree-line banks. At Cookham, you may wish to visit the Stanley Spencer art
gallery. We travel on to the handsome Georgian town of Marlow, where we turn
Tranquil Rose to head back downstream. We journey back past Windsor this time,
passing the great Royal Home Park. We pass Runnymede and the site of the signing
of the Magna Carta, before passing Shepperton to arrive at Hampton Court, where
the Royal Palace and gardens are worth a visit.
Downstream from here we pass through Teddington Lock onto the tidal river, and
start to approach the genteel outskirts of London at Richmond. As we pass the
Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, we look for the poorly-marked entrance to the
Grand Union canal at Brentford. Here we lock up into the canal basin and make
our way via Hanwell locks to Bulls Bridge Junction. Then we turn onto the
Paddington arm of the canal and wind our way past Norwood and Kensal Green to
arrive at our destination, the tranquil basin at Paddington, known as Little
Venice.
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23.
Little Venice to Leighton Buzzard (Canal cruising)
22nd September to 29th September (7 nights) 57 miles, 62 locks
This is a very interesting and scenic cruise along the picturesque and rural
Grand Union Canal. We leave London by the 'back door' and cruise past Kensal
Green to Bulls Bridge, where we turn onto the main line to reach Uxbridge. We
then climb gently up the valley of the River Colne to Batchworth, with its
little canal museum. We pause in the wonderful Cassiobury Park, with its ornate
bridges and if you are lucky there are kingfishers to be seen. We journey,
sometimes accompanied by the railway, past Kings Langley and Boxmoor to reach
Berkhamsted with its Norman motte and bailey castle. We then climb a final
series of locks taking us to the summit of the canal at Cowroast and enter the
deep mysterious Tring cutting. This was a major feat of
engineering, and will be ablaze with autumn colour as we cruise through. The
canal then winds its way down a meandering flight of locks to Marsworth, with
many glimpses of the reservoirs that feed the canal ahead of us as we descend
the northern foothills of the Chilterns. Through rolling countryside and
isolated locks, we reach Leighton Buzzard.
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24. Leighton
Buzzard to Warwick (Canal cruising)
29th September to 6th October (7 nights) 68 miles, 51 locks
This cruise is on the Grand Union canal throughout. The route north from
Leighton Buzzard is entirely rural, with some delightful locks and tree lined
stretches before we discover some of the hidden highlights of Milton Keynes,
including the old villages of Simpson and Great Linford. Cosgrove is a
delightful place, with a secret horse tunnel under the canal and the ornate
Solomon's bridge. We ascend another flight of locks to reach the canal village
and Museum of Stoke Bruerne, where we prepare to pass through the famous
Blisworth Tunnel. We are in very rural countryside now as we cruise through
Brockhall Park and ascend Whilton and Long Buckby
locks to a further summit level which leads through a tunnel to the village of
Braunston, which has been described as the heart of the English waterways.
Leaving Braunston under the elegant cast iron bridges, we descend through open
countryside and via several sets of locks towards Leamington Spa, where we cross
the River Avon. Then the canal starts to climb again towards our destination in
Warwick, famous for its castle. This cruise has more ups and downs than any
other that we do!
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25. Warwick to Stoke Bruerne (Canal cruising)
6th October to 13th October (7 nights) 37 miles, 36 locks
Leaving Warwick behind us, we cross the River Avon and skirt Royal
Leamington Spa. A pleasant rural stretch of canal follows, including a passage
under the Roman Fosse Way. We ascend flights of locks at Stockton and Calcutt,
which are quite modern, having been constructed in the 1930s. We then join the
Oxford canal for a short stretch as far as Braunston. Braunston village on its
hill, overlooking the canals surrounding it, is well worth a visit. The flight
of locks from Braunston leads us to the famous tunnel, which has a slight kink
in the middle. The summit is at first tree-lined, then opens out to rolling
countryside before we reach Long Buckby and descend to the peace of Brockhall
Park. We pass Weedon with its Napoleonic barracks, before reaching Blisworth
village. A long cutting leads to the famous Blisworth Tunnel (which recently
celebrated its bi-centenary). On emerging from the tunnel, we are in Stoke
Bruerne, famous for its Canal Museum. We continue
down the flight of locks into open countryside with barely a house in sight
until we reach the pretty village of Cosgrove. Here after a look around we turn
the boat and head back to Stoke Bruerne.
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26. Stoke Bruerne to Rickmansworth (Canal
cruising)
13th October to 20th October (7 nights) 54 miles, 68 locks
For those of you who enjoy a lot of boating this trip is a must, as it
features the Grand Union Canal throughout, and there are many fine sights on
this scenic waterway, which are far more rural than people often imagine. We
leave Stoke Bruerne and descend a short flight of locks before travelling
through some wonderfully peaceful stretches of canal past Soulbury and Leighton
Buzzard. From here we commence our gradual climb up the northern slopes of the
Chiltern hills. We reach Marsworth with its huge reservoirs feeding the canals:
a haven for wild birds of all sorts. We climb a winding flight of locks to the
canal summit at Bulbourne, then enter the heavily wooded Tring cutting, which
should be a wonderful sight in the autumn colours. At the curiously named
Cowroast lock, we commence our long descent towards the capital. We pass through
Berkhamsted with its fine Norman castle, followed by the long gradual descent of
the Colne valley to the delightful Cassiobury Park and on to Rickmansworth.
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27. Rickmansworth to Weybridge (Canal and river
cruising)
20th October to 23rd October (3 nights) 36 miles, 27 locks
Before leaving Rickmansworth, we may have time to visit the tiny canal
museum here. Then we set off, travelling down the valley of the River Colne. The
locks down this stretch have stories to tell for example, Black Jack's Lock and
Widewater. Denham Lock is the deepest on the Grand Union canal. We then head
towards Brentford where we join the River Thames, opposite Kew Gardens. Then we
head upstream, passing Isleworth Church, then under some magnificent bridges
before spying Richmond on its hill. At Teddington we leave the tidal stretch of
the river and sail past Kingston. Our next stop is at Henry VIII's magnificent
palace at Hampton Court, which is well worth a visit. Our final stop for this
cruise is in Weybridge.
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28. Weybridge to Reading (River cruising)
23rd October to 26th October (3 nights) 44 miles, 18 locks
We can never forget that we are on the 'Royal River ' on this stretch of the
Thames. We encounter the first of these royal connections at Runnymede. Later,
the vast royal parks herald our arrival at Windsor. famous for its fine castle.
On leaving our mooring in Windsor, we journey upstream past Maidenhead. Then the
famous Boulter's Lock heralds the lovely wooded stretch of Cliveden Reach. We
arrive at Cookham, where time is available to visit the Stanley Spencer Art
Gallery if you wish. Continuing along the very attractive river, we pass through
Marlow with its fine suspension bridge, then we pas some very fine waterside
properties as we approach Hambleden with its fine mill. At Henley there is the
River and Rowing Museum to visit, as well as some fine shops in the town. We
pass Sonning, a delightful and peaceful riverside village, before arriving in
Reading.
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If you’re
having difficulty deciding which river cruise would suit you best, please call us and
we’ll be happy to assist you in making your choice. |
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