canal cruise in birmingham

Explore Birmingham’s Lengthy Canals On One Of These Lovely Boat Trips

Any Brummie can tell you our mighty claim to fame.

Everyone has heard it: Birmingham has more canals than the waterway haven of Venice . Of course this is only partly true. It doesn’t actually have more canals. Just more miles of canal. 35 miles of it in fact. It makes Birmingham the capital of the country’s canal system and one of the best spots to explore the beauty of English waterways . While you won’t find any Venetian gondolas here (Brummie ones either for that matter) we still have many options for cruising our gorgeous canals.

1. Pack up a picnic and cruise on an electric, self-drive boat

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Fancy being your own captain on the canal? The eco-friendly, electric boat company GoBoat is offering guests the opportunity to see the city from an entirely new perspective. Pack up a picnic, grab a bottle of prosecco and take to the open water, experiencing all that the area has to offer on board an electric, self-driving boat. GoBoat staff will give you a full tutorial on land, before you and your group of up to eight people can set sail and steer the boat along the Birmingham canals. Book your GoBoat experience here .

2. Rent a big ol’ boat

There are plenty of services that allow you to take to the waters on a long canal boat. Become your inner general that you’ve dreamed of every time you took a walk past a docked canal boat. It’s right there at your fingertips. Try out Sherbourne Wharf Ltd. to start trekking across all 35 miles of Brummie canals.

3. Get guided around the city on a canal tour

Just like the above, but without the faff of manning the boat, as well as an expert tour of Birmingham. Relax as you breeze through Brum with a cold drink on a spring morning. Check out Bosworth Cruises for such a service.

4. Take a canal boat holiday

If one day isn’t enough, then rent a canal to stay on all bloody week, captain. Stay out on the waters and get a taste of the life of a sailor while powering through the rough waters of Brummie canals. You can book your watery vacation with Black Prince narrowboat holidays.

5. Throw a boat party on the Birmingham canals

Stumped for a stag or hen do? Want an original idea? Look no further than a party at the canal, baby. You can go wild on the boats by night and explore the quiescent waters by day. Just triple-check the bride or groom to be doesn’t get seasickness, mind. Check out Central Boat Parties based at Gas Street Basin for your Brummie boat raving requirements.

6. Kayak to your heart’s content

There is an array of Birmingham canal trails to lose yourself in. Rent a canoe, kayak or paddle board and relax among nature. Roundhouse Birmingham guided kayak tours will lead you on a journey through the city on their sit on top kayaks which are stable and ideal for beginners and experienced kayakers alike. Choose from either their ‘Bustling Birmingham’ or ‘Green Escape’ kayak tours and discover the heart of the canal systems and the greenery nearby.

7. Enjoy a boozy cruise on the water

Run by local gin connoisseur, The Gintleman , you can book a ticket for one of these gin-tastic tours along the city’s prettiest waterways. Over the course of two hours you’ll be treated to an impressive selection of perfectly matched gins and tonics, complete with paired canapés and a cream tea featuring gin-infused jam. Something we can definitely get on board with!

There we have it, every awesome way to traverse the Birmingham canals . And not a gondola in sight. Eat your heart out Venice. We know who has the best canal system in Europe now. There might not be anyone singing romantic Italian love-songs over our shoulder. But from boozy cruises and boat parties to paddle boards and self-captained electric boats, travelling Birmingham’s waterways always feels fresh and exciting.

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Boat through the history of a worldwide treasure

Birmingham, west midlands.

Enjoy a trip through the heart of Birmingham via its watery wonders.

Did you know Birmingham has more canals than Venice? And what's more, it's studded with gorgeous scenery and hidden nooks and crannies you'd only see by hopping aboard one of the city's boat tours. Right in the centre of it all is Sherborne Wharf, situated on Birmingham's historic 'Main Line' route and a reminder of the city's Victorian might. The wharf has four boats to suit any water bound taste, from quieter jaunts around historic places to party boats. Either way, you'll poodle past sites from all of Birmingham's rich history, taking in landmarks such as the National Indoor Arena and Brindleyplace to the 19th century charm of Gas Street Basin.

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Home / Our Routes / Featured Routes / Kings Orchard / The Birmingham Ring

The Birmingham Ring Featured Routes

The birmingham ring from kings orchard marina.

Duration: 7 Nights TOTAL LOCKS: 79 CRUISING TIME PER DAY: 7.5 HOURS (47 IN TOTAL)

Maps & Guides for this route:  N3, P6, L12 | Click here buy maps

A route with a mix of rural and urban, taking in parts of the Coventry Canal, Trent & Mersey Canal, Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, Birmingham Canal Navigations and Birmingham & Fazeley Canal. This Ring includes three tunnels, several aqueducts, and 79 locks - can be done in 7 nights or a more relaxing 14 nights.

Your route swings from lock-free relaxation to energetic lock flights, from rural to urban, and contrasts the winding and straight routes by two of the greatest canal engineers. This is a journey of junctions – Fradley, Great Haywood, Aldersley, Salford, Fazeley - from the sprawling green territory of Cannock Chase, before this Birmingham canal trip returns to the historic canal basin in Birmingham city centre.

Departing from Kings Orchard Marina

Cruising away from the marina, follow the Coventry Canal north through open countryside to Fradley Junction where the canal ends as it meets the Trent & Mersey Canal. This is a bustling hotspot with pub, teashops and an award-winning nature reserve. Head west along the Trent & Mersey Canal as it climbs past woodland.

The canal winds its way slowly through glorious countryside, with a lock-free nine miles after Wood End Lock. The River Trent comes close as the canal passes through Handsacre and Armitage (best known for Armitage Shanks bathrooms), but also with links to the pottery family made famous by Josiah Spode the Elder. Just outside Armitage, watch out for oncoming boats as the canal narrows to one boat width where there was once a tunnel.

Cannock Chase

The chimneys of Rugeley’s power station can be seen as you pass the town, then the canal crosses the River Trent over an aqueduct and the river stays close for the next few miles. The huge expanse of Cannock Chase can be seen to the south. This Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) covers 26 square miles and was once a Norman hunting ground. A herd of fallow deer are descended from generations of deer who grazed here.

Passing through Colwich Lock, one of this journey’s highlights, Shugborough Hall, peeps over the canal and calls you to visit. The estate, dating back to 1693 and now a National Trust property, was once the ancestral home of the Earls of Lichfield of which the 5th Earl, Patrick Lichfield the photographer, was perhaps the most well-known.

Entering the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal

Above Haywood Lock, you reach Great Haywood Junction where the Trent & Mersey Canal carries on northwards while you take a sharp turn under the historic bridge to follow the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal. The canal crosses the River Trent on a small aqueduct and after a short tree-lined stretch arrives at Tixall Wide. In the 18th century Clifford Thomas occupied Tixall Hall, and when canal builders first arrived to dig an ugly water-motorway of his era, he was ferociously unimpressed. To avoid spoiling his view from his window, he insisted that the canal builders widened the water to disguise it as a little sweet lake. The meadow alongside the water is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and home to a variety of nesting birds, so it's a good mooring spot to linger.

The quintessentially pretty lock cottage at Tixall Lock has views across fields towards the castellated entrance to Shugborough Railway Tunnel beyond. A four-mile stretch without locks follows the River Sow for much of the way, until just beyond bridge 106 where the canal crosses the river on the aqueduct built by James Brindley. Between bridges 98 and 99, you could take a bus along the A34, to visit the county town of Stafford.

Approaching Penkridge and Wolverhampton by canal

A series of locks gradually lift the canal to Penkridge, a small town with a locally renowned weekly market, and a history that spans coaching inns, racehorses, canals and railways. Further locks lead the canal southwards under the former Roman Road Watling Street, now the A5, to Gailey Wharf. The tower-shaped building next to Gailey Top Lock was once the old lock keeper's cottage, and today houses a small gift shop. Continuing southwards, duck under pipe bridges past a chemical works. The canal wiggles along past the entrance to the former Hatherton Branch until the route straightens out just beyond the M54 motorway.

The very narrow rock cutting called Pendeford Rockin' will keep anyone at the tiller alert - if you meet a boat, you’ll need to use one of the special passing places. Carry straight on at Autherley Junction, where the Shropshire Union Canal heads off to your right. At Aldersley Junction, turn off onto the Birmingham Main Line, part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN). You’re immediately thrust into the Wolverhampton Flight of 21 locks so your crew will need to be ready!

Leaving Wolverhampton, the canal heads south towards Coseley and the short Coseley Tunnel (360yds/329m long), its winding route the original route chosen by the canal engineer James Brindley. At Factory Junction, a short detour right towards the Dudley Tunnel offers the opportunity to tie up next to the 26-acre Black Country Living Museum for a special encounter with the region’s past. The region’s historic buildings were saved from demolition and rebuilt brick by brick at the museum site creating an urban canalside village, where staff dress in costume, craftsmen demonstrate Black Country skills and heritage boats are moored.

Dudley Canal

If time allows, you could take a boat trip run by the Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust into the Dudley Tunnels and network of limestone caverns. The ‘Dudley Tunnel’ was begun in 1775. It took 9 million bricks to line the tunnel and, almost unbelievably, each brick was handmade by women and children. A labyrinth of caverns and branches connect with the main tunnel and are separated on three levels, by only ten precarious feet of rock and history. When you’ve finished exploring, your route then takes the Birmingham Level via Factory Locks for Telford’s straight route via Galton Bridge and Galton Tunnel  (122yds/112m long), into the heart of Birmingham.

Birmingham by canal

Boats cruise into Birmingham through the backdoor of the city, yet arrive at its thriving heart. The bronze bull of the Bullring, the markets, Antony Gormley's sculpture, designer shopping, multi-cultural panache and a spectacular controversial library - that's Birmingham. Yet first impressions don't give away the city's biggest secret. It is at the heart of Britain's canal network and spaghettis more miles of water than Venice (over 100 navigable miles of it!).The historic waterside hub is alive with bars and restaurants. Symphony Hall, ICC, Barclaycard Arena and Brindley Place spoil visitors with choice and tempt you to stay for as long as you can. Birmingham’s famous markets are only a short walk from the canal, and there are also art galleries, museums, theatres and dizzy opportunities for shopping too.

After taking time to explore, you now leave the city along the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal via a quick succession of locks - the 13 Farmer’s Bridge Locks followed quickly by the 11 Aston Locks, taking you down to Salford (or Spaghetti) Junction and a right turn past the city’s trailing outskirts. Back in the countryside and through the diminutive Curdworth Tunnel (57yds/52m long), the 11 Curdworth Locks take the canal down to Fazeley.

At Bodymoor Heath, Kingsbury Water Park lies to the right of the canal. The park was created from industrial gravel and sand extraction pits, and the resulting 600-acre park has around 30 pools and lakes. A Visitor Centre sets out the history of the park, and as many as 230 different species of bird have been spotted here so a must for any twitchers on board. And just before the junction, you may want to moor up for children aboard who want a quick detour to Drayton Manor Family Theme Park.

Returning to Kings Orchard Marina

Turn left at Fazeley Junction to head northwards through open countryside. Although the Coventry Canal heads northeast at the junction, the Birmingham & Fazeley carries on for a couple of miles to the northwest, as the Coventry Canal Company ran out of money at Fazeley – though they later managed to buy the section from Whittington through to Fradley Junction, now a stranded part of the Coventry!

There is no mooring allowed by the wooded hillside at Hopwas as this is the Whittington Firing Ranges (look out for the danger flags!) A stone by bridge 78 at Whittington marks where the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal changes to the Coventry Canal, and just beyond Huddlesford Junction (the Lichfield Canal), this Birmingham canal trip comes to an end as you arrive back at the marina.

Featured Boats

Featured boats from kings orchard marina, staffordshire, two to five berth boats.

Alvechurch Plover

Max: 5 People

Length: 58ft

Alvechurch Wren

Max: 4 People

Length: 49ft

Six to eight berth Boats

Alvechurch Lark

Max: 6 People

Length: 66ft (63ft from Falkirk)

Alvechurch Warbler

Max: 8 People

Length: 69ft

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Throwing It Back Brunch: 90s & 00s Party

Fun, flexible treasure hunt around birmingham with cryptic clues & hidden gems, r&b brunch at tabu, red brick heart & soul 10.30 - 12.15, r&b brunch with bottomless rum punch (birmingham), afro r&b brunch, 2.5-hours walking tour of birmingham into black heritage madiba, birmingham city centre walking tour, the bear grylls adventure.

GoBoat Birmingham: A Self-Drive Boating Experience

Tickets 🎫 1-hour cruise ticket  🎫 2-hour cruise ticket

Tickets are valid for a group of up to 8 people

Highlights ⛵ Set sail along the canal in your own private self-driven cruise 🗺️ A route map to help guide you through the canals 🧺 The perfect experience to share with friends and a picnic 🏙️ See Birmingham from a whole new perspective with great views

General Info 📅 Date: Mondays - Fridays (tickets are redeemable until 31 December 2023) 🕒 Opening hours: - November and December: 10am – 4pm 📍 Location: GoBoat Birmingham, The Water’s Edge, Brindleyplace 👤 Age requirement: all ages welcome. Drivers must be 18+ with valid ID 👥 Group size: up to 8 people are permitted per boat 🎁 Fever benefit: exclusive Fever price - 15% off the standard GoBoat price ❓ Please note: limited alcohol is permitted onboard, the driver must not consume alcohol. This experience is non-refundable ⚠️ For your safety: buoyancy aids are available and mandatory for children. Newborn baby life jackets are available too 📱 Please see your Fever ticket and confirmation email for all essential post-purchase information

Description All aboard! GoBoat is the fun, self-driven boating experience that’s perfect for the whole family. You're the captain and you choose the route! From a location at Brindley Place, GoBoat gives you access to a stunning section of Birmingham's vibrant canal network. With a boat that can accommodate up to eight people including children and furry friends, this is a boating experience where absolutely no experience is necessary! The GoBoat team will teach you everything you need to know before you sail away off into the sunset. Bring a picnic along to make it a real occasion!

How to get there?

The Water’s Edge Brindleyplace

14T Brindleyplace Birmingham B1 2HL, B1 2HL

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1st December 2021

Cruise guide: Birmingham Canal Navigations Main Line

The Main Line, the backbone of the formerly heavily industrial BCN network which covers Birmingham and the Black Country, has seen many changes – from the 19th century straightening and modernisation of the route, to today’s waterside regeneration schemes.

Read our guide to Canal Boat’s pick of ten best pubs on the BCN Main Line here

Perhaps it was the long sequence of locks heading inexorably upwards from Aldersley Junction into Wolverhampton as the main line of the Birmingham Canal Navigations begins its journey to Birmingham. Or maybe it was the fact that lead singer Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham hailed from the fringes of the Black Country. But for whatever reason, I had 1970s rock band Led Zeppelin’s classic Stairway to Heaven going through my head as I walked up the towpath of the 21-lock Wolverhampton flight.

I’m not sure that Heaven is entirely appropriate just yet, but it’s a flight that’s changed a great deal over the years, especially at the top end. It always used to be a two-mile transformation from the apparently rural surroundings of Aldersley Junction, where it leaves the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal (a waterway which somehow managed to retain its rural feel, despite skirting the edge of the built up area for several miles), past Dunstall Park and the racecourse, then via the housing estates of Wolverhampton’s suburbs, under assorted railway bridges, and finally to the industrial heartlands on the approach to the town centre.  These days the lower locks still preserve their rural appearance, the racecourse and the residential areas are still there, but much of the industry which surrounded the upper locks has been replaced by warehousing, a science park and a conference centre, and what’s left is disappearing behind trees and vegetation which now flank much of the canal.

New waterside developments in Wolverhampton

Unlike (say) Hatton or Devizes locks, there aren’t any great impressive (or daunting, depending on your view) vistas of never-ending series of locks climbing into the distance; they’re more like the 30 at Tardebigge in the way that they wind this way and that, usually with two or three locks in sight at any one time. And being narrow locks, they aren’t too much hard work – especially as they have the paired bottom gates common on narrow canals elsewhere in the country, rather than the heavy single bottom gates which are a feature of many of the locks on the Birmingham Canal Navigations network. BCN aficionados will recognise that this identifies them as dating from the earlier years of canal construction in the Black Country: we are on the original Birmingham Canal, engineered by James Brindley and opened in 1772 from Aldersley Junction to Birmingham, which went on to form the backbone of what was at its greatest extent a 160-mile network covering Birmingham and the Black Country and reaching out to Cannock, Lichfield and Fazeley.

(Incidentally real BCN aficionados will note that unlike the other 20 locks, the second lock up from Aldersley does actually have a big single bottom gate rather than a pair, and surmise – correctly – that this lock was added during the middle years of Black Country canal building, when this form of construction had become the norm. The reason for adding an extra lock was to cut water consumption by reducing the depth of the very deep original bottom lock.)

Climbing the final few locks of the ‘stairway’, alongside the main line railway, leads not to Heaven but to a pleasant area with an old lock cottage and a small park surrounding the canal close to central Wolverhampton, with moorings to visit the city centre. The part of Wolverhampton close to the canal was a bit of a building site when we were there, with the main railway station being rebuilt and the tramway being extended through the city’s streets to serve it, but normally the shops, pubs and other attractions are within easy walking distance.

I mentioned earlier that we were on the original 1772 Birmingham Canal, and while that’s been true so far, on our way to Birmingham we will encounter many later deviations from that route. All-in-all, less than half of today’s journey along the New Main Line follows Brindley’s original line. The first short diversion is in the form of a long and tunnel-like bridge taking us under the approaches to Wolverhampton’s railway station, which replaced the canal’s original route when the station was built; we’ll see some much longer deviations as we continue.

The remains of the first few yards of the original route survived as a basin, which is still in water, with a warehouse (more recently used as a night club) bearing the name of famous canal carriers Fellows Morton & Clayton. It introduces us to a couple more BCN features: the many short arms and basins which gave the canals direct access to so many industrial premises, and the distinctive cast iron bridges (many of them marked as coming from the Horseley Iron Works) which carried the towpath over the entrances to these basins. Many have long since been filled in, and it’s only the hump in the towpath as it crosses the site of the old bridge which indicates where they were. Leaving the city centre behind, the canal passes through an area which is currently still heavily industrial, but with parts earmarked for redevelopment. The Wyrley & Essington Canal begins its long and meandering journey across the northern Black Country at Horseley Fields Junction (the Horseley Ironworks that made the bridges was nearby), followed by more industry and old basins.

These include the former Chillington Railway Basin, another distinctive BCN feature. In the industrial West Midlands the arrival of the railways didn’t necessarily lead to the battle for trade between canal and rail which is recounted in many canal history books. Instead the railways concentrated on the longer distance traffic, accepted that the BCN’s dense network of arms, branches and basins gave it greater penetration into the heart of the industrial areas, and built a system of interchange basins for cargoes to be transhipped between rail and canal for the start or end of their journey. This kept the canals busy with local traffic until comparatively late on and this particular basin, in use by boats until the 1960s and for several decades longer for rail and road vehicles, is the last one surviving with its features – the travelling crane and canopy roofs over the silted up basin – still intact. It’s not exactly a thing of beauty, it’s not in good condition, and it’s not clear what its future might be, but it’s listed by Historic England which should afford it some degree of protection.

An increasingly leafy length of canal near Monmore

The canal twists and turns as it continues south east past Monmore Green and Ettingshall, the surroundings alternating between industrial, residential, and increasingly these days some pleasantly tree-lined reclaimed areas, while the winding course indicates that we’re still mainly on Brindley’s original line. That all changes, however, at Deepfields Junction where the Wednesbury Oak Loop branches off to the left under another cast iron towpath bridge. The name ‘loop’ is the clue: this was a meandering four-mile length of the original canal, following the contours as it wound its way through Bradley, which was replaced by a direct one-mile short-cut designed by Thomas Telford in the 1830s, the saving in time being worth the cost of cutting through the high ground by digging Coseley Tunnel. The first couple of miles as far as Bradley survive as a dead end, largely because they connect to a pumping station supplying the BCN with water from old mine workings, and to the Canal & River Trust’s lock gate workshops. One day, the Bradley Canal Restoration Society hopes to turn this back into a useful through route by opening the old Bradley Locks Branch, which used to connect it to the Walsall Canal near Moxley.

The eastern approach to Coseley Tunnel

Meanwhile back on today’s Main Line, Coseley Tunnel was ‘state of the art’ when opened, being wide enough for two boats to pass in, and equipped with not one but two towpaths. In fact the whole of this one-mile length has a clear ‘modern’ feel to it, its the straight course and the deep cuttings at either end of the tunnel adding to the contrast with the earlier sections. A right bend indicates where the original route rejoins (there’s no sign of an actual channel coming in), but after half a mile we reach Factory Junction where old and new routes split again.

This time, though, there’s a choice. Both the old route, meandering around Tipton Green and Oldbury, and the 1830s route running straight and wide alongside the railway through Dudley Port and Sandwell are still navigable. It’s tempting to say “take the new Main Line if you’re interested in trains, the old main line otherwise”, but they both have plenty of interest, they both have connections to other canals which might affect your choice, and in fact there are two links between them so you can always change your mind later. And of course, that got me thinking of Stairway to Heaven again… as Messrs Plant & Co would put it “Yes there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, there’s still time to change the road you’re on…”

Taking the New Main Line first, it leaves Factory Junction and immediately drops down the three Factory Locks, formerly amid industrial surroundings but now looking positively leafy. Look out for a couple of features: a split bridge (one with a gap to pass the towrope through in horse-boating days) crosses the bottom lock, but unusually the gap is at one side rather than in the middle. And the flight of locks is laid out so that the towpath side of the canal forms a continuous straight line all the way through the three locks and the intervening short pounds (a feature it shares with the six locks on the Titford Canal).

A quiet fishing spot at Albion Junction on the New Main Line

The locks lower the canal to the ‘Birmingham Level’ – an expression used in BCN terminology to refer to the extensive mileage of canals on the 453ft contour, which extend from here all the way to Birmingham and beyond, out to Tardebigge on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, and Lapworth on the Stratford, as well as through Netherton Tunnel to Blowers Green. The New Main Line continues dead straight, with towpaths on both sides, past the former Watery Lane Junction (where it was once crossed by the curiously named Tipton Green and Toll End Communication, which formed another cross-connection between the Old and New Main Lines) and on to Dudley Port Junction. Here the Netherton Tunnel Branch turns off sharp right, heading for the Dudley and Stourbridge canals. All of these junctions are marked by iron towpath bridges, and often there is a ‘toll island’ nearby: these islands in the canal, with a narrow channel on each side, were originally the site of small toll-houses where working boats were checked for tonnage tolls to be charged.

(Incidentally we couldn’t help noticing that some kind person had neatly painted the word ‘Hell’ on the towpath bridge at Dudley Port Junction, accompanied by an arrow pointing towards Netherton Tunnel. Keeping with the rock music theme, we’ve heard of the Road To Hell and the Highway To Hell, but not the Towpath To Hell!)

On the Old Main Line near the Dudley Tunnel junction

Meanwhile back at Factory Junction the Old Main Line, sticking to the 473ft contour (known as the ‘Wolverhampton Level’ and also covering an extensive mileage of water, extending all the way up the Wyrley & Essington to Anglesey Basin among other places) winds southwards to Tipton Junction where the Dudley Canal heads off through Dudley Tunnel. Very narrow, low and unventilated, this early bore is now restricted to the Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust’s tripboats (see inset) plus sufficiently low profile craft which can be hauled through by electric tug. But for most visiting boaters the canal’s main function is for access to moorings for the Black Country Museum, an outdoor museum recreating an industrial town from buildings dismantled and rebuilt on the site, with trams, a coal mine, a canal wharf and a pub.

Tividale on the Old Main Line

The Old Main Line now heads south eastwards, crossing the Netherton Tunnel Branch on the Tividale Aqueduct, where once a water turbine (driven by a pipe carrying water between the two canals) generated electricity to power the lights which used to illuminate Netherton Tunnel. Next comes Bradeshall Junction, where the Gower Branch provides a link to the New Main Line – featuring the only pair of staircase locks on the BCN. (Lovers of BCN trivia will note that they have single gates throughout, making them the only example in the country of two locks with a total of only three gates between them!)

Returning to the New Main Line, it continues to accompany the main line railway, past Albion Junction (where the Gower Branch comes in) to Pudding Green Junction. Here, a sharp left turn leads into the Wednesbury Old Canal, leading to the Walsall Canal and another route to the northern part of the BCN network. At yet another junction at Bromford, the Spon Lane Locks (of which more later) bear off to the left, while up ahead we can see a multi-level combination of bridges involving the M5, the railway, the New Main Line and the Old Main Line.

Meanwhile, the Old Main Line skirts Oldbury where a sharp right turn at Oldbury Junction leads to the Titford Canal: its six locks climb to what is now the highest navigable level on the BCN, passing the historic pumphouse which houses the BCN Society’s headquarters, before ending at Titford Pools. We could describe these as “a small canal reservoir spanned by a concrete viaduct carrying the M5 motorway”, but it’s actually worth a visit, the formerly silted pools recently dredged out and navigable, and the area benefiting from a package of nature and wildlife improvements.

The M5’s influence is felt rather more strongly back on the Old Main Line, which runs underneath the motorway for some distance (you get a great view of the work being carried out to shore up and repair the deteriorating 1960s structure) as it approaches the multi-level bridges mentioned above. The Old Main Line crosses over the New Main Line on Steward Aqueduct; the railway runs alongside the New Main Line at a higher level, bridging the Old Main Line; and the motorway runs at the topmost level, striding over everything. And in among it all is Spon Lane Junction, where the Spon Lane Locks provide the second interconnection between the old and new lines. Confused? See our map.

On the Old Main Line approaching Summit Tunnel, created when a new road was built in the 1970s

Old and new lines now run parallel and close together but at different heights, with the New Main Line in a deep cutting. Thomas Telford’s Galton Bridge spans this cutting, but sadly the view of this elegant and impressive structure was rather spoilt in the 1970s by the construction of a massive new road embankment crossing both canals. So massive, in fact, that rather than new bridges it crosses the canals on two new concrete tunnels (even if they weren’t actually tunnelled through the ground – so perhaps technically they’re just long bridges – they certainly look like tunnels). Galton Tunnel carries the New Main Line, Summit Tunnel the Old.

Look out for the tall chimney of the old Brasshouse Lane pumping station, which once lifted water supplies between the two canal levels, and then for the Engine Arm, a navigable feeder which branches off the Old Main Line and crosses the New Main Line on a cast iron aqueduct by Thomas Telford. The three Smethwick Locks (note the replica toll house by the top lock, recently rebuilt after damage in an arson attack – let’s hope it lasts longer this time) finally bring the Old Main Line down to the Birmingham Level, and the two lines meet at a junction with a pair of cast iron towpath bridges.

Near Smethwick, typical BCN iron towpath bridge in distance

Leaving Smethwick behind, we’re into the last couple of miles into Birmingham, and another heavily industrial area, much of which is being transformed – some of it quite rapidly – by modern developments. The canal follows a straight and direct course, but three lengths cut off by the straightening of the original canal survive as navigable loops, and are all worth a detour. First is the Soho Loop, passing another former railway interchange basin now used as residential moorings at Hockley Port. The first signs of modern redevelopment accompany the end of this loop as it crosses straight over the main line (at a junction with no fewer than three towpath bridges) into the Icknield Port Loop. Or, to use its full name, the Icknield Port Road Wharf Loop – I can’t help thinking it must have been vying with the Tipton Green and Toll End Communication for the “longest name for shortest canal” trophy! Anyway it’s the scene of extensive redevelopment, with new housing rapidly replacing the former industrial land within the loop.

An apparently rural scene by the Soho Loop

Finally there’s the Oozells Street Loop, and by now we’re approaching the city centre with modern commercial, residential and leisure developments facing the canals on all sides. The Oozells Street Loop ends at a complex junction where the main line turns right, while the link to the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal bears off left. BCN purists will tell you that it’s actually two junctions – one called Deep Cuttings and the other Old Turn – and there’s a third junction called Farmers Bridge Junction where the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal begins above Farmers Bridge Locks. Oh, and there are another three towpath bridges, plus a fourth footbridge added in recent years – and a small island in the canal to make the turn more interesting.

Modern developments surround the junction with the Oozells Street Loop. A longer boat would struggle to get round that turn!

The final length of the BCN Main Line passes through the heart of the Brindley Place redevelopment, with shops, bars and restaurants, the Sea Life Centre, the National Indoor Arena, International Convention Centre and more, in a lively atmosphere that’s a far cry from the what was until the 1980s a rather unkempt industrial canalside area (albeit one with a great character all of its own).

The final few yards of BCN Main Line lead to Gas Street Basin, where the Worcester Bar originally formed a physical barrier between the BCN and the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, as dictated by the Act of Parliament (for reasons of inter-canal rivalry) until common sense prevailed and a shallow stop-lock was built to link them together. This lock has for many years been left open at both ends and you cruise straight through onto the W&B. But before you do, look back at the rather cavernous bridge you’ve just passed under. It’s variously referred to as Broad Street Bridge or Broad Street Tunnel (it was considerably longer, with a church built on top of it, until around the 1990s); but it now has a new name.

As a new commemorative bench (a heavy metal one, naturally) on top of the bridge proclaims, this bridge is named ‘Black Sabbath Bridge’ in honour of Brum’s famous rockers, whose original line-up are pictured as part of the monument. So a cruise that began with Robert Plant ends with Ozzy Osbourne.

Old Turn Junction: Bear left through the bridge for the Birmingham & Fazeley, right for Gas Street,

Image(s) provided by:

Martin Ludgate

by Martin Ludgate

Our Deputy ed is a guru on all things to do with canals.

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18th April 2024

Events Guide

by Jane Hyde

15th April 2024

Hidden Depths

8th April 2024

Cruise Guide: Yorkshire Ouse River Ure and Ripon Canal

No thanks, I’m not interested!

• The Canal Revolution
• 250 Years BCN
• Chillington Wharf
• 1.2 Birmingham’s Lost Canal Basins
• 1.3 The Lost Loops of the BCN
• 1.4 The Smethwick Summits
• 1.5 The Ridgacre Branch Canals
• 1.6 The Balls Hill Branch Canal
• 1.7 Canal Hunter Resource Pack
• 2.1 The Titford Branch Canals
• 2.2 The Oldbury Loop
• 2.3 Toll End Communications Canal
• 2.4 The Wednesbury Oak Loop
• 2.5 The Bradley Locks Branch
• 2.6 Lost Basins of Wolverhampton
• 2.7 The Lost Canals of “The 21”
• 3.1 The Slough Arm
• 3.2 Exploring the Bentley Canal, Part 1
• 3.3 Exploring the Bentley Canal, Part 2
• 3.4 The Anson Branch
• 3.5 Wyrley Bank Branch Sneyd
• 3.6 The Wyrley Bank Branch Canal
• 3.7 Lord’s Hayes Branch Canal
• 3.8 Cannock Extension Canal, Part one
• 3.9 Cannock Extension Canal, Part two
• 3.10 Churchbridge Locks
• 3.11 Hatherton Branch Canal
• 3.12 The Hatherton Restoration
• 3.13 Ogley Locks, Part one – Ogley
• 3.14 Ogley Locks, Part two – Muckley Corner
• 3.15 Ogley Locks, Part three – Wall
• 3.16 Ogley Locks, Part four – Sandfields
• 3.17 Ogley Locks – Gallows Wharf
• 4.1 Coals from Cannock – Hednesford to Pelsall
• 4.2 Coals from Cannock – Pelsall Common to Chasewater
• 4.3 Cannock Coal to Aldridge
• 4.4 Cannock Coal to Hay Head
• 4.5 Cannock Coal to Perry Barr
• 4.6 Cannock Coal to College Road
• 4.7 Cannock Coal to Spaghetti Junction
• 4.8 Cannock Coal to Saltley
• 4.9 Cannock Coal to Digbeth
• BCN Cottages – a new Facebook group
• Gauging on the BCN
• Birmingham Canals Resources
• Resources for Boaters
• Try the Titford Canal!
• Moorings and Facilities
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• BCNS Explorer Cruises
• BCN 24h Marathon Challenge
• Why you should join us!
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The Birmingham Canals have a bit of a reputation. Black satanic mills, locks everywhere, whole days spent down the weed-hatch, untangling complete households from the prop in the rare moments when not being stuck on submerged cars, HGVs and tanks in a hostile environment. Racing along the New Main Line from one end to the other seems to be the only reasonable option.

Only it’s not. Not at all. The BCN has a lot to offer. It’s not the Llangollen, okay, but it has more aqueducts, it has splendid scenery, it’s not crowded, it has a lot to explore. That’s why the BCNS is offering, since many years, the (always fully booked) Explorer Cruises.

Our Explorer Cruises are gentle, fun cruises for boat owners and hirers alike, an opportunity to discover under-used parts and hidden gems of the BCN. Together with fellow boaters that know the BCN well.

Have a look at two reports from previous events:

2019 Explorer Cruise

2013 Explorer Cruise

You’ll find the dates for the our next Explorer Cruises on the Upcoming Events page – we’ll publish them as soon as we know them!

If you have taken part in previous events, and have photos or experiences you would like to share – we would love to hear from you ! 

Comments 15

We would realy like to participate in one of your tour cruises, we would like more information on dates, days on each tour and also the cost, would realy appreciate more info on this Yours hopefully Ray&Viv On RubyIrene

Are there any spaces on the next one or two explorer cruises? Ideally 2024. Thank you so much.

I’d be grateful for details of the Explorer cruise, which (I gather) will take place in May 2024. My wife and I hope to join you in our narrowboat Piu Lento, normally moored at Wolverhampton Boat Club.

Hi there, are there any spaces left for the May 23 Explorer Cruise?.

Dave & Jo James nb Wind on the Water.

Hi is the any availability to join your May cruise please? Thank you.

Could we sign up for the BCN Newsletter please

I am afraid that the Explorer Cruises for this year have been filled with those that booked for the 2020 cruises & we had to cancel because of Covid. We may have a space on the June Cruise 18th to 24th. email: [email protected]

We have a narrowboat and are constant cruisers. Could we sign up for your newsletter. Also do you have any information regarding BCN CRUISES. Regards Susan Holder

email: boundarypost@gmail to be put on the mailing list for BCN information.

Would love to be part of your Explorer Cruise 2022 if it’s running

Hi Jean is the cruise going ahead this year? We were booked for 2020 but alas couldnt travel. Now it may be a possibilty. Please can you let me know ? Best wishes Helen storey Australia

We would like to take part in your BCN explorer cruise in May 2022 if you will be running one

I am interested in the Explorer Cruise in 2020. Many thanks

Email [email protected] for details

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How to Explore the Birmingham Canals

Are you looking for a unique and exciting way to explore Birmingham, UK? Look no further than the city’s canals! Birmingham is home to some of the most beautiful and historic canal networks in all of Britain.

From romantic boat trips along the Grand Union Canal to family-friendly activities on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, there are plenty of ways to experience these waterways.

Whether you’re planning a day trip or an evening out with friends, here are some great ideas for exploring the canals of Birmingham.

Quick links to information in this post:

History of Canals of Birmingham

The canals of Birmingham, UK have a long and fascinating history. Dating back to the 1700s, these waterways were vital for transporting goods and connecting people throughout the region. Over time, they grew in importance – becoming the lifeblood of industry for many towns and cities across Britain.

Today, these canals still offer an important route for cargo transportation but also provide a unique way to explore some of Birmingham’s most interesting sights from a different perspective. From educational trips to leisurely boat tours, there are plenty of ways to experience this historic part of England!

Book a guided boat trip and experience Birmingham’s historic sights and landmarks

For a relaxing time, book one of the guided boat trips that are available along many of Birmingham’s canals. These tours will take you through some of the city’s most historic sights and landmarks, while giving you an insight into its industrial past. From experiencing an underwater tunnel on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal to admiring beautiful bridges from your boat on the Grand Union Canal, these tours provide a unique way to appreciate the beauty of Birmingham’s waterways.

Take a kayak tour along the canals for a unique view of the city

If you’d rather explore the canals for yourself, why not try out kayaking? Many companies offer guided kayak tours along the canals – allowing you to experience this unique part of Birmingham from a different perspective. Plus, once your tour is finished, you can always enjoy a deliciously refreshing pint in one of the many canal-side pubs.

Roundhouse Birmingham organises kayak tours down the Birmingham canals for about £30.

Stroll along some of the quieter towpaths and enjoy nature watching

Alternatively, there are plenty of activities suitable for families to get involved with too. Take a stroll along some of the quieter towpaths and admire the wildlife that’s been drawn to these tranquil areas.

Join an educational trip

Or why not join one of the educational trips offered by local organisations like the Canals and River Trust – perfect for kids aged 5-12 who want to learn more about the area’s history and how it was shaped by its waterways.

Boat trips along the Birmingham Canals

There are several companies that run boat trips on the canals of Birmingham, UK. 

1. Hire a boat

Hire a boat with GoBoat . From the water, you can experience the historic canals of Birmingham from a completely new perspective – at your own pace. You are your own captain when renting our fully-electric boats to cruise along the network of waterways through the city. Fitting up to 8 people, you’ll enjoy a unique social sailing experience with friends, family or colleagues.

2. Take a narrow boat day cruise

Discover Birmingham’s Canals and its Industrial Heritage on one of Sherborne Wharf’s luxury passenger narrowboats. You cruise on one of three passenger narrowboats which depart from Brindleyplace.

3. Guided boat tour

Brindley Cruises offers a regular guided boat tour service throughout the week with up to 4 tours a day. Join the guided boat tour from Brindleyplace and learn all about the canals and their history from the industrial revolution up until today. For just £6 for adults and £4 for kids, this is a great day out activity for the family.

4. Narrowboat holiday

If you have some time off, maybe enjoy a narrow boat holiday around the Warwickshire countryside including a stop in Birmingham along with historic towns such as Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick, and Royal Leamington Spa. Black Prince offer a range of boats to hire for weekends or longer.

5. Party boat

If you’re in the mood for a party, why not hire a party boat from Gas Street Basin?! Central Boat Parties offer boat hire for all kinds of celebrations including birthdays, anniversaries, and corporate events.

Overall, there are plenty of ways to experience the canals of Birmingham from the comfort of a boat trip! Whether you’re looking for an educational tour with knowledgeable skippers or just want a lazy afternoon away from the hustle and bustle of city life, there’s something for everyone when it comes to exploring Britain’s historic waterways.

Relax with family or friends at one of the canal-side pubs

There are some fab bars, pubs, and restaurants along the canals in the Brindleyplace, Gas Street Basin, and Mailbox/Cube area in Birmingham. 

Restaurants and Bars Alongside the Birmingham Canals

1. the canal house bar & grill.

Country-style tavern offering elevated British fare, creative cocktails, live music & canal views.

12 Bridge St, Birmingham B1 2JR

2. Canalside Bar

Charming, rustic pub with a fireplace, a waterfront patio, real ales & grub, including breakfast.

Gas St, Birmingham B1 2JU

3. Bistro Pierre

Regional French dishes appear on the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus of this chain bistro.

Waterside House, 46 Gas St, Birmingham B1 2JT

4. Pennyblacks

Wines and real ales in casual canalside venue designed in pub style with weekend party nights.

132-134 Wharfside St, Birmingham B1 1RQ

5. Perios Brindleyplace

Easygoing restaurant with colourful murals offering tacos & fajitas, plus beer & cocktails.

The Waters Edge, 14T Brindley Place, Birmingham B1 2HL

6. Malt House

This large pub branch with a canalside terrace and balcony serves real ales and hearty British food.

75 King Edwards Rd, Birmingham B1 2NX

7. The Distillery

Relaxed pub offering beer, a gin bar & casual eats such as pizza, plus an outdoor area on the canal.

4 Sheepcote St, Birmingham B16 8AE

8. The Flapper

Regular live gigs, pool tables and a beer garden with an arcade draw crowds to this lively hangout.

Cambrian Wharf, Kingston Row, Birmingham B1 2NU

No matter what your plans are, exploring Birmingham’s canals will guarantee a fun day out! So don’t miss out on this amazing part of the city – make sure you explore the Birmingham canals during your next visit.

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You are here > Attending > Things to do > Sherborne Wharf Heritage Narrowboats

Sherborne Wharf Heritage Narrowboats

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Discover Birmingham’s Canals and its Industrial Heritage on one of Sherborne Wharf’s luxury passenger narrowboats.

Your cruise on one of our three passenger narrowboats will depart from the International Convention Centre Quayside, opposite Brindleyplace, the bustling heart of Birmingham. You will cruise along quiet stretches of the canal which first brought commercial life to Birmingham and was the start of the first industrial revolution over two hundred years ago.

The City Heritage Route covers the Oozells Street and Icknield Port loops of the original James Brindley Canal, a section of the Sir Thomas Telford’s Main Line and the area around Birmingham Arena and the International Convention Centre before going through the Worcester Bar at Gas Street Basin and turning to disembark at the ICC.

Guide Prices

Adults £8 Seniors £7 Child £6 (0 – 15 years of age) Family ticket available for 2 Adults & 2 Children @ £22

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Opening Times

* Canal Boat trips depart from the International Convention Centre Quayside daily from Easter to end of October. They run trips at weekends only throughout November, January, February and March. 11.30 am, 1.00 pm, 2.30 pm and 4.00 pm (Approximate duration of 65 minutes)

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Birmingham ring

The Birmingham ring traces the major canals in the Birmingham Canal Navigations and offers an excellent overview of the city's maze of waterways.

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About the Birmingham ring

Leaving Birmingham via the Old Main Line, perhaps the keystone of the Birmingham Canal Navigations , the route branches off at Wolverhampton to explore the Wyrley & Essington Canal and Daw End Canal sections which, though sadly under-used, must rate as some of the prettiest waters to be found in the Midlands, before returning to the heart of Birmingham along the Tame Valley Canal and Birmingham & Fazeley Canal .

Fascinating diversions

Setting out from Birmingham’s much re-vamped water frontages of Gas Street Basin and Brindleyplace towards Wolverhampton the Old Main Line loops are the remnants of the earlier canal built by James Brindley , and later changes by Thomas Telford. They make for short but fascinating diversions around little-explored backwaters.

Rising through Smethwick Locks, traces of an earlier parallel flight can be seen to the right. The Engine Branch supplies water from a nearby reservoir; the arm taking its name from a pump engine that stood here. Near Spon Lane Junction the Stewart Aqueduct takes the Old Main Line over the New Main Line.

Curly Wyrley

At Wolverhampton the Wyrley & Essington Canal pursues a convoluted route that gives rise to its nickname the ‘Curly Wyrley'. Substantial redevelopment around Wednesfield has all but obliterated the site of the former Bentley Branch, now denoted by a theme-pub and cinema multiplex.

The derelict chambers at Sneyd once raised the Birmingham navigations to its highest level, and the built up area around Bloxwich is quickly followed by the delightful Pelsall Common.

From Longwood the Rushall Canal locks down to link with the Tame Valley Canal directly beneath the M6 at Ray Hall. With a grey appeal all of its own, the Tame Valley meets Perry Barr Locks in a sudden outburst of greenery. By the bottom of the flight the industry begins to hem in claustrophobically and at Spaghetti Junction the M6 roars directly overhead.

Two lengthy lock flights, 11 at Aston and 13 at Farmer's Bridge, herald the reappearance of the city centre. The flights are interspersed by the near-rustic Aston Junction from which the Digbeth Branch heads off toward the Grand Union Canal . At the top of Farmer's Bridge Locks Brindley Place and its local area have undergone a renaissance in recent years and offer a cosmopolitan mix of bars, clubs and restaurants in the heart of the city.

Visit our stoppages section and check your route

Last Edited: 01 August 2023

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Ariel the Waterbus

‘Ariel’ ‘The Waterbus’ moored up at Brindley Place

Our Narrow Boat ‘Ariel’ runs a special ‘Waterbus Service’ around the canals of Birmingham all year round.

This service operates 1/2 hourly, daily, from 10.30 am to 5.00 pm.

Round trip £4 or £1 per stop

Waterbus route

The Waterbus stops at:

• Brindley Place
• Sherborne Wharf
• King Edwards Wharf
• Gas Street Basin

For More Information Contact us

Waterbus Sponsorship

There are opportunities to sponsor our Waterbus to uniquely promote your own project or local business.  Ariel Can be painted in your corporate colours at a very competitive price.

Contact Details

• Phone: (+44) 0121 455 6163
• Email: [email protected]
• Address: Sherborne Wharf Ltd Offices, Sherborne Street Birmingham, B16 8DE, United Kingdom
• Email: email@​sherbornewharf​.co.uk

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Voyage underground & discover 428 million years of history.

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The Dudley Underground Experience

Jump on board and discover a magical underground world which dates back 428 million years

The Two Tunnel Tour

6 hour boat trip with 10am start. A fantastic way to explore the canal infrastructure and local area.

The Dudley Tunnel Trip

3 hour boat trip with 10am start. A trip through the entire Dudley Tunnel is mesmerising.

The Open Water Cruise

3 hour boat trip with 10am start. Explore the local waterways & history of Tipton by boat.

Please see below to view the latest events at Dudley Canal & Caverns

This magical trip will take you on a fairy tale journey through beautifully lit caverns and tunnels, filled with lights, decorations and Christmas music.

Alice In Wonderland – Easter Adventures

The characters from Lewis Carroll’s novel will be here to entertain you and add a magical element to an already exciting experience.

Put on your best Halloween costume and bring your magic as you join us aboard the “Spooky Boat” for a trip into our fun-filled, magical caverns.

Little Skippers Holiday Fun

Join us during the holidays and enjoy some fun-filled crafts. Activities will run every Thursday, Friday and Saturdays  throughout the holidays.

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U.S. travel alert: Cruise line cancels more visits to popular Caribbean destination

• Updated: Apr. 24, 2024, 10:55 p.m. |
• Published: Apr. 24, 2024, 11:09 a.m.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has canceled more stops at one of its most popular destinations due to safety concerns.

• Leada Gore | [email protected]

RoyalCaribbeanblog.com, a website that tracks the line, reported guests booked in the summer and early fall are receiving notification their visits to Labadee, Haiti have been canceled. Labadee is a private resort operated by Royal Caribbean.

The line had previously canceled visits to Labadee through the end of May. The stop was replaced with visits to other destinations or a day at sea.

The cancellations affect several Royal Caribbean ships, including Adventure of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, and Symphony of the Seas, the website reported.

Royal Caribbean announced in March it was suspending calls to the resort on the northern coast of Haiti after the U.S. State Department issued an alert advising people not to visit the country. Haiti is at a Level Four travel advisory, alongside countries such as Russia, Syria and Burkina Faso, due to issues with “kidnapping, crime, civil unrest and poor healthcare infrastructure,” U.S. officials said.

Haiti is located on the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic sharing the island to the east. The Dominican Republic is under a level 2 advisory with visitors urged to exercise increased caution.

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You are here > Home > Things to do > Great British Boating

Great British Boating

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Great British Boating   offers a range of canal boat holidays on the 2,000 miles of Britain’s inland waterways, with all of the information you need to plan and make the most of your time. You can adventure at your own pace along our recommended routes, watching out for wildlife and stopping to enjoy traditional pubs, tea rooms and country walks, as well as exciting historic attractions and cultural events.

Peaceful canals and rivers offer a great way to relax and discover Britain from a unique perspective. Choose from hundreds of top quality boats offering all the comforts of home, and all operated by established canal boat holiday companies.

Canal boat hire operators offer a range of holidays from each starting point.

Short breaks  are three-night weekends or four night mid-week holidays. They are great for beginners, providing the chance to get a taste of life afloat on Britain’s inland waterways.

One week holidays  provide seven nights away, starting on a Friday or a Saturday.  A week afloat offers the chance to travel further and explore more waterside attractions.

Longer holidays  can be 10-days, two weeks or even longer.  These holidays offer the chance to travel round some of the larger circuits, taking in a wide range of landscapes and destinations.

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