Suggested routes for your holiday

Please note some locks tunnels may need to be booked in advance of your trip please see Canal and River Trust website or Canalplan.uk website.

The River Soar section of the Grand Union Canal is a tranquil river navigation. It is described by some as ‘a well-kept secret, meandering in peaceful isolation through delightful scenery'. The choice of route is yours: Cruise south via Foxton Locks towards the Grand Union mainline north or south and the Oxford Canal, or travel north through Trent Junction to either Nottingham, the Erewash Canal or the Trent and Mersey Canal towards Derbyshire. Here are a few suggestions: 

One week- South:

• South through Leicester towards Foxton Locks on to Market Harborough and back 
  (38 hours 6 hours a day) 
  Charnwood Forest Villages – Quorn / Barrow on Soar / Watermead Country Park 
  Leicester - National Space Centre/varied museums 
  Foxton Locks – Inclined Plane Boat Lift and museum, you do not go through the locks. 
  Market Harborough Arm to Union Wharf site of the first IWA campaigning rally / old market town
• South through Leicester to Foxton Locks and on to the Welford Arm and back 
  (45 hours 7 hours a day) 
  As above but proceeding down Foxton Flight of locks / Husbands Bosworth Tunnel 1166 yards 
  Welford Arm – quiet and tree lined canal / Welford - village and nature reserve
• South to the end of the Leicester section of the Grand Union canal at Norton Junction and back 
  (56 hours - an energetic 9 hours a day!) 
  Charnwood Forest Villages – Quorn / Barrow on Soar / Watermead Country Park 
  Leicester- National Space Centre / varied museums
  Foxton Locks – Inclined Plane Boat Lift / Crick Tunnel 1528 yards / Watford Locks.

One Week - North:

• From Trent Junction (6 hours away) there is a choice of three directions:
• Nottingham - Tales of Robin Hood / Galleries of Justice 
  Erewash Canal to Langley Mill - Lock House Tearooms. Full of canal memorabilia, waterways tableau, lovely food. 
  Trent and Mersey Canal out towards Derbyshire – beautiful countryside
• Trent Junction and Trent and Mersey Canal to Fradley Junction and back 
  (38 hours 6 hours a day) 
  Lovely countryside with many nature reserves and opportunities for walking and cycling 
  Burton on Trent / Coors Visitor Centre / Marstons Brewery / Branston Water Park / Shardlow. 
  Fradley Junction attractive and busy junction with the Coventry Canal. Famous canal pub.
• Trent Junction and Trent and Mersey Canal to Burton on Trent and back 
  (28 hours 4 hours a day) 
  Lovely countryside with many nature reserves and opportunities for walking and cycling 
  Burton on Trent / Coors Visitor Centre / Marstons Brewery. Shardlow.
• From Trent Junction, East to Nottingham and then West to Burton on Trent and back 
  (36 hours 6 hours a day).