Take a river cruise or come canal cruising with Tranquil Rose

Take a river cruise on the River Thames or come Canal Cruising on the Tranquil Rose
Route Descriptions 2008

1.  Stoke Bruerne to Tring via Berkhamsted (Canal cruising)
12th April to 19th April (7 nights). 44 miles, 48 locks
We leave the charming little village of Stoke Bruerne, with its famous canal museum, and head down a flight of seven broad locks. After crossing the River Tove, we set off down a long lock-free pound, which winds amongst low hills to Cosgrove. Notable features here are the ornamental Solomon's bridge, and the quaint horse tunnel under the canal. We then pass the former junction with the canal to Buckingham before descending a lone lock and passing over the River Great Ouse on the splendid 'Grand Trunk' iron aqueduct. We sail high above the winding course of the Ouse before entering Wolverton. Once the home of a massive railway works, this is now just the northern outskirts of the new city of Milton Keynes. We can see the better side of Milton Keynes from the canal, as we pass through the old villages of Great Linford and Simpson. Eventually we reach our next lock, a very shallow one at Fenny Stratford, after which we are winding our way through open pasture land before reaching the well-known Three Locks at Soulbury. We meander through some pleasant woodland past the old boaters' inn at the Globe before ascending Linslade lock to enter Leighton Buzzard. Once we leave here, we are slowly climbing the foothills of he Chilterns via odd locks, each once equipped to pump precious water back up to the reservoirs at Marsworth. We pass near the scene of the Great Train Robbery and glimpse the lion carved into the hillside at Whipsnade, before reaching the old canal village of Marsworth. The reservoirs here are well worth a visit, with much wildlife in evidence. We now climb by a winding flight of locks to the summit of the canal and then pass into the impressive deep wooded cutting at Tring - a masterpiece of engineering in its time. At Cowroast lock, we start to descend past Northchurch to the attractive town of Berkhamsted. There is a lovely old motte and bailey castle here. We then retrace our way to Tring, to end our journey conveniently for public transport.

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2. Tring to Little Venice (Canal cruising)
19th April to 26th April (7 nights). 40 miles, 37 locks
This cruise is on the Grand Union canal. Too often thought of as an arterial waterway from Birmingham to London, this section includes many peaceful rural stretches, as well as an exciting and dignified entry to the heart of London. We commence our cruise deep in the secluded Tring cutting. At this time of year, with the trees not yet in full leaf, the grand scale of this cutting will be very evident. At Cowroast, we leave the summit of the canal and start a long, gradual descent down the southern foothills of the Chilterns towards London. We first pass through Berkhamsted with its Norman castle, then into open countryside again to reach the swing bridge at Winkwell. We pass Apsley and Kings Langley, duck under the M25 motorway (thankfully without really noticing its rushing traffic at all), then reach Lady Capel's lock. This marks the start of one of the finest stretches of canal - through Cassiobury Park. Striking white painted ornamental bridges and a meandering course through parkland bring us to the locks, often frequented by kingfishers, before a long pretty wooded stretch to Iron Bridge lock: the only sign that we are passing Watford. At Batchworth, at the junction with the River Chess, there is a small canal museum, with restored working boats. The next stretch of canal is really pretty, with only occasional locks. At Harefield, we cross the Wide Water, an artificial lake forming part of the canal. Denham lock is one of the deepest in the country, as we pass through Uxbridge and Hayes and turn onto the Paddington arm at Bulls Bridge, a historic canal junction. We enter London by a winding gentle route that features many fine old buildings. We finally reach Little Venice, a small green area filled with brightly painted boats, and are surprisingly in central London.

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3. Little Venice to Henley on Thames (Canal and River cruising)
26th April to 3rd May (7 nights). 70 miles, 29 locks
Little Venice is a delightfully peaceful spot in the heart of London from which to start our cruise. We leave on the Paddington arm, heading west through Kensal Green and Alperton to Bulls Bridge, where we turn south for the Thames. Now the canal drops down a series of locks at Hanwell before reaching Brentford. Here we emerge onto the tidal River Thames and our journey takes on an entirely different character. The River is wide and curls gently in a huge arc past Richmond before we reach the large lock at Teddington, marking the end of the tidal stretch of the river. We pass under Kingston bridge and on our right is the park of Hampton Court palace. There will be time to explore the gardens, which will be at their best at this time of year. We pass Shepperton and Chertsey, with many grand houses at the water's edge. The river winds its way to Runnymede, site of the signing of the Magna Carta, but now a pleasant mooring. Soon we see signs of the Home Park, the royal deer park that stretches all the way to Windsor. We shall stop in Windsor in sight of the famous castle, but Eton on the opposite bank is just as interesting a place to wander. Boulter's lock (famous from Victorian paintings) heralds the stretch of river known as Cliveden Reach, one of the prettiest on the river. Cookham village is the home of the gallery commemorating the work of the artist Stanley Spencer, who lived here. At Marlow, the dramatic river weir is followed by the elegant white-painted suspension bridge over the river. Our route now winds amongst low wooded hills and a very pleasant peaceful stretch of river brings us to Hambledon lock. Passing a lovely little island with an ornate folly brings us to Henley-on-Thames. This is a charming little town, with many fine shops and the River and Rowing Museum.          

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4. Henley to Brentford (River cruising)
3rd May to 10th May (7 nights). 51 miles, 18 locks
This cruise on the River Thames gives you the opportunity of visiting the many places of interest and of gaining a close view of the many grand riverside dwellings on route. We commence our cruise by moving gently downstream towards Marlow with its majestic suspension bridge, then continue past Cookham (former home of artist Stanley Spencer). This is followed by the deeply wooded Cliveden Reach and the famous Boulter's Lock and Maidenhead. As we cruise through Windsor we gain fine views of the castle and the Royal Parks. We then continue on our leisurely way until we reach Henry VIII's historic palace and maze at Hampton Court. The stately atmosphere of the Thames is very evident on this cruise through some of its more opulent areas. We shall see some very fine dwellings and scenery before reaching Teddington Lock, where we join the tidal Thames taking us through Richmond and on to Brentford, where we join the Grand Union Canal.

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5. Brentford to Godalming (River cruising)
10th May to 17th May (7 nights). 36 miles, 20 locks
This cruise features the River Wey, a little-travelled gem of a waterway, which is in the ownership of the National Trust. We commence our journey by joining the River Thames and travelling upstream past Teddington and Richmond Hill, with a stop at the grand palace at Hampton Court as we cruise towards Weybridge. Here, the truly lovely River Wey heads upstream into even more rural surroundings. We pass the imposing Coxes Mill and the sleepy hamlet of Pyrford. The countryside here is very pleasing, and we are close to the RHS gardens at Wisley. As we follow the twists and turns of the river, we ascend several pretty locks and catch a glimpse of the deserted priory at Newark. We ascend Papercourt lock (perhaps one of the prettiest of all) before we reach Guildford, a town that makes the most of its river. More lovely meadowland continues to belie our closeness to suburbia until finally we reach the end of the navigation at Godalming.

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6. Godalming to Newbury (Canal and River cruising)
17th May to 24th May (7 nights). 81 miles, 55 locks
This cruise offers a wonderful variety of waterways, including the peaceful River Wey, the grand River Thames and the Kennet & Avon canal. The lovely River Wey is rarely visited, and is in the care of the National Trust. It is totally rural in nature, and features many quaint touches such as the use of tree trunks for lock beams. The river is wooded and winding, and takes us through wonderful unspoilt countryside and meadows. Highlights include Guildford with its cathedral on the hill top, the pretty Papercourt Lock, the deserted Newark Priory and Coxes Mill. At Weybridge, we join the River Thames and head upstream as far as Reading, passing Windsor, Maidenhead, Henley and Sonning. On reaching Reading, we leave the Thames and join the Kennet & Avon canal. Numerous water meadows and peaceful rural surroundings take us via Aldermaston to our mooring in Newbury.

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7. Newbury to London (Canal and River cruising)
24th May to 31st May (7 nights). 98 miles, 55 locks
This cruise offers a combination of the ever-popular Kennet & Avon canal with the River Thames. The delightful canal takes us through the lovely water meadows of the Kennet valley towards Reading. Here we join the River Thames, which offers a fine contrast to the canal. First we pass the sleepy village of Sonning, then the towns of Henley (the spiritual home of rowing on the Thames) and Marlow with its majestic suspension bridge. Our cruise continues down stream past Cookham (former home of artist Stanley Spencer), the famous Boulter's Lock, Maidenhead and Windsor until we reach Henry VIII's historic palace and maze at Hampton Court. We shall see some very fine dwellings and scenery before reaching Teddington Lock, where we join the tidal Thames taking us through Richmond and on to Brentford, where we join the Grand Union Canal. We then begin our voyage along the Paddington arm, taking us into London by what seems almost to be a secret route. At Paddington, we finally moor in a most tranquil basin known as Little Venice.

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8. London to Ware (Canal and River cruising)
31st May to 7th June (7 nights). 65 miles, 59 locks
This cruise first takes us on the Regent's canal, then onto the little known Rivers Lee and Stort. Guests are surprised at the ease with which we can so easily leave the bustling streets of London behind and find tranquillity so close by. From Little Venice we pass by Regent’s Park, then right through London Zoo. We catch a glimpse of the bustling activity at Camden Lock before turning east onto the Hertford Union Canal. This takes us onto the River Lee, where we cruise past the many pretty reservoirs to Waltham Abbey. We then find the entrance to the charming and rural River Stort. This river is really a wonderful rural delight, and truly an undiscovered gem so close to London. Here we cruise in splendid isolation amongst water meadows, past several old water mills and the memorable Pishiobury Park. We the rejoin the River Lee and travel upstream as far as the delightful town of Ware.

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9. Ware to Rickmansworth (Canal and River cruising)
7th June to 14th June (7 nights). 86 miles, 63 locks
This cruise first takes us on the little known Rivers Lee and Stort. This river is really a wonderful rural delight, and truly an undiscovered gem so close to London. Here we cruise in splendid isolation amongst water meadows, past several old water mills and the memorable Pishiobury Park. We then retrace our steps, join the River Lee and cruise past Broxbourne, Waltham Abbey and the many pretty reservoirs supplying London's water. After a fascinating detour to visit Limehouse Basin, we cross London, through London Zoo and Regent's Park to our mooring in Little Venice. We leave London via the Grand Union canal, passing Kensal Green and Norwood to reach the main line of the canal at Bull's Bridge junction. We head northward to Uxbridge, then up the peaceful valley of the River Colne past Harefield Wide Water to the tiny canal museum at Batchworth, our destination.

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10. Rickmansworth to Warwick (Canal cruising)
14th June to 23rd June (9 nights). 97 miles, 105 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 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. Passing along the deeply wooded Tring cutting: a masterpiece of engineering, but today a truly sylvan and peaceful place. We then start the long gradual descent of the Chiltern foothills, down the curling flight of locks at Marsworth, with its wonderful reservoirs, which are 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 to Stoke Bruerne, the home of the famous Canal Museum. This is followed by the memorable journey through Blisworth tunnel. Long Buckby locks follow, before we arrive at Braunston, the centre of the English canals. From here we descend to the valley floor and pass through Leamington Spa before arriving in Warwick, famous for its castle.

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11. Warwick to Berkhamsted (Canal cruising)
3rd July to 12th July (9 nights). 83 miles, 76 locks
Leaving Warwick, we descend toward the valley of the Avon, skirting Royal Leamington Spa. A series of isolated locks lead us through the very peaceful countryside towards the flight of locks at Stockton. After Calcutt locks, we join the Oxford canal for a short rural stretch before a pair of black and white wrought iron bridges herald the approach to the canal village of Braunston. Here we ascend the sweeping flight of locks to the lengthy tunnel. We descend Long Buckby locks sedately beside the railway and the M1 motorway. Meandering on through the countryside, we pass through the leafy and peaceful Brockhall Park, then past Weedon and Bugbrooke. Entering a deepening cutting, we reach Blisworth tunnel. When we emerge into daylight again, we are at Stoke Bruerne, the home of the famous Canal Museum. More locks here are followed by a lengthy stretch without any locks as we pass Cosgrove and then Milton Keynes (which includes surprising villages such as Great Linford and Simpson). After the pleasant quiet stretches of canal around Leighton Buzzard, we climb to Marsworth, with its reservoirs, which are havens for wildlife. Then we cruise through the deep, wooded Tring cutting and start our descent to Berkhamsted with its motte and bailey castle.

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12. Berkhamsted to Windsor (Canal and River cruising)
12th July to 19th July (7 nights). 61 miles, 59 locks
A relaxing cruise which incorporates many interesting stretches of both the Grand Union canal and the Royal River Thames. Heading south from Berkhamsted on the Grand Union canal, we pass through Kings Langley and the wonderful Cassiobury Park with its ornate bridges and glimpses of kingfishers. We cruise down the peaceful Colne valley, passing Harefield, Norwood and Uxbridge before reaching Brentford, where we join the River Thames. We journey upstream on this Royal River, passing Teddington, Richmond Hill and Henry VIII's royal palace of Hampton Court and then on to historic Runnymede before boating past the Crown Estate and into Windsor with its famous castle overlooking our mooring.

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13. Windsor to Oxford (River cruising)
19th July to 26th July (7 nights). 69 miles, 24 locks
This gentle cruise features the Royal River Thames and has been consistently popular with all our guests in previous years. On leaving our mooring in Windsor, within sight of the famous castle, 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, and at Henley there is the River and Rowing Museum to visit. We pass Sonning, a delightful and peaceful riverside village, then a particularly attractive stretch of the river takes us past Goring and on to Wallingford. We pause at the lovely little town of Abingdon, before completing our journey up stream to arrive in Oxford, the city of Dreaming Spires.

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14. Oxford to Oxford via Lechlade (River cruising)
26th July to 2nd Aug (7 nights). 60 miles, 20 locks
This cruise gives you a real chance to appreciate the calm and peace of an English summer's day. This part of the River Thames conjures up images of bees buzzing lazily over cottage gardens, far from any distractions of the humdrum world. Up stream from Oxford, we are on the picturesque upper reaches of the Thames, which are quite unlike the more familiar parts of the river. This is an idyll of summer buttercups, water meadows and sleepy waterside villages and inns. The river twists and turns, passing Bablock Hythe and Radcot to reach Lechlade, passing the old manor at Kelmscot and a fine statue of Old Father Thames reclining proudly by the side of St John's Lock. We pass Lechlade and turn the boat at Inglesham, the limit of navigation of the River Thames. Then we head back downstream to Oxford, with its elegant spires and colleges.

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15. Oxford to Newbury (Canal and River cruising)
2nd Aug to 9th Aug (7 nights). 58 miles, 35 locks
This cruise offers a combination of the ever-popular River Thames with the Kennet & Avon canal.
We leave the dreaming spires of Oxford behind and head downstream to pause at the lovely little town of Abingdon. A particularly attractive stretch of the river takes us past Wallingford and on to Goring. At Reading, we leave the Thames and join the Kennet & Avon canal and cruise through the lovely water meadows of the Kennet valley. Garston lock is a reminder of the strange turf-sided locks that were once common on this canal. At Aldermaston, we pass serenely under the lift bridge while impatient motorists wait and fume. Then cruising peacefully on past Thatcham, we arrive at the fine market town of Newbury

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16. Newbury to Bath (Canal cruising)
9th Aug to 16 Aug (7 nights). 57 miles, 79 locks
This cruise takes us on the prettiest parts of the Kennet & Avon canal. Our gradual climb starts in 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 Wootton Rivers, which is a real gem of a village. 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 is not to be missed, as it 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 their 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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17. Bath to Bradford-on-Avon via Bristol (Canal and River cruising)
16 Aug to 23rd Aug (7 nights). 45 miles, 23 locks
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. Finally we approach our mooring in Bradford on Avon, with its huge old tithe barn and wonderful local shops.

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18. Bradford-on-Avon to Newbury (Canal cruising)
23rd Aug to 30th Aug (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. We journey on past Semington and Seend through isolated locks and rolling countryside, then climb the incredible Caen Hill flight of 29 locks to Devizes, with its canal centre and theatre. Next we wind our way along a sinuous level section of canal through such evocative places as All Cannings and Honey Street. We glide under the ornate Ladies bridge and then through the wooded Stowell Park before passing Pewsey wharf. We next arrive at Wootton Rivers, which is a real gem of a village. We ascend to the summit of the canal, then pass Crofton steam pump house to start the gradual descent that takes us through sleepy Hungerford and the picturesque village of Kintbury to our destination, the market town of Newbury.

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19. Newbury to Oxford via Lechlade (Canal and River cruising)
4th Sept to 13th Sept (9 nights). 118 miles, 55 locks
This longer cruise is a real treat, giving us plenty of time to enjoy the contrasting delights of the Kennet & Avon canal and the River Thames, including its wonderful upper reaches. We leave Newbury and cruise peacefully past Thatcham and Aldermaston. Garston lock is a reminder of the strange turf-sided locks that were once common on this canal. We cruise past the lovely water meadows of the Kennet valley before joining the River Thames at Reading. We travel upstream on the Thames from Reading, past Goring, Wallingford and the lovely town of Abingdon. We then cruise gently through Oxford, where the river changes character. Upstream from Oxford, we are on the picturesque upper reaches of the Thames, which are quite unlike the more familiar parts of the river. This is an idyll of summer buttercups, water meadows and sleepy waterside villages and inns. The river twists and turns to reach Lechlade, passing the old manor at Kelmscot and a fine statue of Old Father Thames reclining proudly by the side of St John's Lock. We pass Lechlade and turn the boat at Inglesham, the limit of navigation of the River Thames. Then we head back downstream to Oxford, with its elegant spires and colleges

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20. Oxford to Oxford via Lechlade (River cruising)
13th Sept to 20th Sept (7 nights). 60 miles, 20 locks
This lovely cruise is on the upper reaches of the River Thames, a route that is always popular with guests. If you appreciate the calm and peace of an English summer's day, this cruise is not to be missed. 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, where the river changes character. Up stream from Oxford, we are on the picturesque upper reaches of the Thames, which are quite unlike the more familiar parts of the river. This is an idyll of summer buttercups, water meadows and sleepy waterside villages and inns. The river twists and turns to reach Lechlade, passing the William Morris' Kelmscot and a fine statue of Old Father Thames reclining proudly by the side of St John's Lock. We pass Lechlade and turn the boat at Inglesham, the limit of navigation of the River Thames. Then we head back downstream to Oxford, with its elegant spires and colleges.

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21. Oxford to Brentford (River cruising)
20th Sept to 27th Sept (7 nights). 98 miles, 34 locks
A delightful cruise down stream on the River Thames - a journey packed with historic interest. We leave the dreaming spires of Oxford past the colleges, pause at the delightful little town of Abingdon then cruise past Wallingford and Goring. We pass the sleepy village of Sonning before arriving in Henley on Thames, famous for its rowing associations. Time is available to explore the delightful town and you might like to visit the recently opened River and Rowing Museum. The pretty village of Cookham, former home of the artist Stanley Spencer is followed by Maidenhead with its impressive railway bridge. We approach Windsor with its fine royal castle and extensive Royal Parks, then cruise on past much fine verdant scenery before reaching Runnymede of Magna Carta fame. We pass Henry VIII's grand Hampton Court palace and continue downstream past Richmond and Teddington, to finally leave the river at Brentford, our destination.

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22. Brentford to Tring (Canal cruising)
27th Sept to 4th Oct (7 nights). 44 miles, 69 locks
This cruise is a chance to explore the lower stretches of the Grand Union canal as it climbs to the Chiltern hills from the capital. We leave Brentford and commence our long, gradual climb through Norwood locks, including the strange Triple bridge where canal, railway and road meet. We pass the entrances to the Paddington and Slough arms before reaching 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, 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 to reach our destination. The peaceful countryside makes this a must for those of you who enjoy the waterways and the history around them.

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23. Tring to Warwick (Canal cruising)
4th Oct to 11th Oct (7 nights). 79 miles, 69 locks
This is a very interesting and scenic cruise along the picturesque and rural Grand Union Canal. We commence by moving into 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. The route north from here is entirely rural, with some delightful locks and tree lined stretches before we discover some of the hidden highlights of Milton Keynes. Cosgrove is a delightful village, with 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 another tunnel to the village of Braunston, the heart of the English waterways. Now we descend via several sets of locks towards Leamington Spa and our destination in Warwick, famous for its castle. This cruise has more ups and downs than any other we do!

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24. Long Buckby to Stoke Bruerne (Canal cruising)
11th Oct to 18th Oct (7 nights). 67 miles, 35 locks
From Long Buckby we descend a flight of locks accompanied by a main line railway and a motorway, to the peace of the wooded Brockhall Park. We pass Weedon, where we can look down on the village church from a high embankment, 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. After a break here to look round this charming village, we descend a flight of locks onto a long lock-free stretch of canal that passes through open countryside to the little village of Cosgrove. A single lock takes us onto another long section without locks, over a fine cast iron aqueduct that carries the canal over the River Great Ouse. We then pass through Milton Keynes, seeing its better side from the canal, to a single very shallow lock at Fenny Stratford. The canal now winds through open countryside to Soulbury, where the three locks are much photographed. A winding wooded length then takes us past the old Globe Inn to Linslade lock. At Linslade, we turn Tranquil Rose and cruise back to Stoke Bruerne.

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25. Stoke Bruerne to London (Canal cruising)
18th Oct to 25th Oct (7 nights). 85 miles, 77 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. At Cowley, 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.

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26. London to Newbury (Canal and River cruising)
25th Oct to 3rd Nov (9 nights). 98 miles, 55 locks
On leaving our mooring at Little Venice, we wind our way along the Paddington arm of the Grand Union canal. On joining the River Thames at Brentford, we head upstream, passing Richmond, Teddington and Henry VIII's magnificent palace at Hampton Court. There are yet more royal connections at Runnymede and, of course, Windsor with its fine castle. Henley upon Thames is the Mecca of the rowing world, and is home to the fine River and Rowing Museum. Continuing our voyage along the Royal River, we head towards Reading, where we turn left to find the secret entrance to the Kennet & Avon Navigation. This is a most pleasant waterway, taking us through some beautiful water meadows and unusual turf-sided locks before reaching the historic market town of Newbury.

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If you’re having difficulty deciding which cruise would suit you best, please call us and we’ll be happy to assist you in making your choice.


Thames & Chilterns Holiday Cruises, Pine Cottage, Canalside, Abbey Road, Llangollen, LL20 8SW
 Tel: 07966 248079