We start from the wonderful County town of Warwick. If time permits, before you join us, the magnificent castle with over 1,000 years of history, superbly restored, is well worth a visit. You are welcome to drop off your bags with us first.
We pass through the “Royal” spa town of Leamington Spa, home of the first lawn tennis club where the modern rues were drawn up in 1874. Out into the countryside, we pass under the historic drovers’ Welsh Road and the Romans’ Fosse Way, through the staircase locks at Bascote, onto the Blue Lias Bridge and up the Stockton flight of locks. Stockton village was once famous for Blue Lias clay and cement.
Out into more open countryside, we will rise through the 3 locks at Calcutt before passing the Napton reservoirs, which were built to solve water shortage problems in the canal before being superseded by a back pumping system.
From the turn at Napton, where the Oxford canal continues to the south west, we take part of the original Oxford to Coventry canal eastwards for the final 5 mile stretch to Braunston.
Arriving at the historic canal village of Braunston, which is where the first stretch of the original Grand Junction canal opened in 1796, we pass under the magnificent twin Horsley bridges constructed in 1834 and thus we conclude our peaceful and picturesque cruise.
Join us aboard The Billet at 2pm for sparkling wine, refreshments and introductory welcome and safety chat. After settling in we will cruise at 3pm. Departure on your final day will be at 10am, after a sumptuous breakfast.
Cruise Dates 2018
Tuesday, 20th March to Friday 23rd March 2018
If travelling by train, we would suggest Warwick train station for Warwick; and Rugby train station for Braunston plus 15 minute taxi journey.