While the canals of the Midlands and South offer exciting adventures, head east or north to escape the crowds and discover some lesser-known treasures along our waterways.
The Chesterfield Canal is a lovely, rural stretch that makes for quiet boating holidays.
Travelling north & east
The Coventry Canal meets the Trent & Mersey Canal at Fradley Junction – the central crossroad in James Brindley's original design. From Fradley, head east to the charming village of Alrewas and beyond to Burton on Trent and Derwent Mouth lock, the final part of the Trent & Mersey.
Continue your boating adventure east to Trent Lock and Waters Meet, another major junction of waterways. From here, you'll have plenty of choice for boating adventures without the crowds.
The Erewash Canal
The Erewash Canal is the perfect place to escape into the Nottinghamshire countryside. Head north through Trent Lock and then start your journey towards Langley Mill, the current terminus of the canal.
Langley Mill would have once been busy with industry, today it's a peaceful spot.
River Trent
Continuing east at Waters Meet from the Trent & Mersey Canal is the Upper River Trent and the route to Nottingham and beyond. Make sure you follow the signs to Beeston Lock and then take the canal into the heart of Nottingham.
If your boat is suitable for river cruising, after the bustle and buzz of the city, it's time to head east again and enjoy the rural Trent Valley with its clear, fast waters – an exhilarating contrast to often turbid canals. Don't forget to make sure you've got an anchor and lifejackets on board. You can head as far as the city of Newark, with its dramatic castle on the water's edge.
Experienced boaters with the appropriate equipment and charts can venture further onto the tidal section beyond Cromwell Lock.
Newark Castle was built in the mid-12th century.
Chesterfield Canal
Only accessible via the tidal River Trent or with a trail boat, like a small cabin cruiser or Wilderness boat, the Chesterfield Canal is a gem that not many boaters will reach – so it's perfect for escaping the crowds. It's a beautifully green and peaceful canal that feels secluded and rural for most of its length.
There's an active canal restoration group busily working towards connecting the Chesterfield end of the canal to the rest of the network. But from West Stockwith to Kiverton, there is so much to see and enjoy. Don't miss the amazing Turnerwood flight of locks or the Drakeholes Site of Special Scientific Interest.
This Site of Special Scientific Interest is a protected area relax in nature and spot wildlife.
Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigations
From the mouth of the Chesterfield Canal, head north to Keadby Lock and the Stainforth & Keadby Canal, these days considered to be part of the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigations. There are three boat yards at the historic port of Thorne, where you can find boat services, like fuel and sanitary facilities.
The navigation is wide, so it's perfect for larger boaters. There are a variety of bridges and rural views to enjoy as you pass through the quiet countryside. Listen to the VHF 74 channel for commercial traffic on the waterway, and you may get to see the Exol Pride at work.
At Bramwith Lock, the navigation turns south towards Doncaster and Sheffield, and you'll experience the contrasts of the area's former industrial past as well as open rural scenery. Doncaster has an award-winning market, restaurants, a theatre, several museums and the Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Don't miss the beautiful Sprotborough Lock or the fascinating buildings in Sheffield Basin that tell the story of the canal's past at the terminus of the waterway.
