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A green and white boat driven by a man in a red t-shirt cruises under a bridge away from camera and round a corner,

Cruising rings

Varying in length and taking anything from two days to three weeks, cruising rings are circular routes that allow you to see a new stretch of water every day.

If you have limited time for a boating holiday on our canals and rivers, why not consider one of the many well-established cruising rings?

Cruising (or circular) rings allow you to start and finish in one destination. Many pass by quaint market towns, historic relics or beautiful nature spots, whilst others are within close proximity of bustling cities, and walking or cycling routes.

Find your perfect cruising ring below, listed in alphabetical order.

The lock at Stratford upon Avon

Avon Ring

Two weeks should allow you ample time to navigate this route, while still allowing you to appreciate places such as Stratford-on-Avon or Worcester

Tame Valley (Courtesy of Dan Brown)

Birmingham ring

At 45 miles, this ring takes just one week to complete at your leisure

Black Country ring

Also known as the Staffordshire ring, this ten-day loop is made up of a combination of canals, each memorable for different reasons

Marple Aqueduct on the Peak Forest Canal

Cheshire ring

Featuring the Bridgewater Canal, the Cheshire is one of the original cruising rings and takes around two weeks

Big Lock, Trent & Mersey Canal, Middlewich

Four Counties ring

The Four Counties Ring is one of the more rural cruising rings and is best savoured slowly across a minimum of a fortnight

Foxton Locks in the sunshine

Leicester ring

Taking just over three weeks, you can experience non-tidal rivers combined with broad and narrow gauge canals

Mid-Worcestershire ring

The Mid-Worcestershire, or Droitwich ring, is a 21-mile circular route and the only ring that you can comfortably negotiate in a weekend

Narrowboat heads towards Standedge Tunnel

South Pennine ring

Witness breathtaking scenery on this journey, which takes at least two weeks due to many locks along the way

River Severn approaching Diglis

Stourport ring

The Stourport Ring takes about two weeks, and visits no fewer than three cities, taking in both urban and countryside scenery

Boats moored in Paddington Basin

Thames ring

This lengthy loop needs about 35 days to complete, and offers an eclectic combination of narrow canal, broad canal, tidal and non-tidal river waters

Two Roses ring

Lancashire and Yorkshire are brought together over 27 days of canal and river cruising centering on the Pennines

Wide shot of a canal on a sunny day with buildings on both sides and a couple of people on the towpath

Warwickshire ring

Despite how close it comes to Birmingham, the Warwickshire ring manages to carve a surprisingly rural route over two weeks

Ready to book a boating holiday?

Last Edited: 7 April 2026

photo of a location on the canals

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