4. STRATFORD UPON AVON – WARWICK Mid Week Break.
Combining the delights of Shakespeare’s birth place and the heritage of an historic town by traversing the two different styles of canal.
Dep: 25 March, 6 May, 20 May, 3 June, 1 July, 15 July, 29 July and 26 August.

5. WARWICK – STOKE BRUERNE Weekend Break
Travel down the Grand Union through Braunston the home of English canals from the modernised section of canal in the 1930’s to the original double locks finishing at another famous canal village.
Dep: 28 March, 6 June and 1 August.

6 STOKE BRUERNE - MARKET HARBOROUGH Mid Week Break
Take a leisurely cruise from another village famous for canal memories,
through history with the Grand Union (Leicester section) canal and up the Foxton flight.
Dep: 1 April, 10 June and 5 August.

6(R). MARKET HARBOROUGH – STOKE BRUERNE Mid Week Break
A reverse direction of Cruise 6
Dep: 23 September

7. STOKE BRUERNE – HINCKLEY Weekend Break
A complete contrast with the Grand Union and the Oxford canals finishing on the lockless Ashby canal, providing a unique view of different styles of canal operation.
Dep: 26 September.

8. HINCKLEY – BIRMINGHAM Mid Week Break
Travelling the back waters of the Heart of England canals from the lockless Ashby canal through industrial mining heritage to a regenerated bustling city
Dep: 27 May, 22 July and 30 September.

9. WARWICK – BIRMINGHAM - Black Country Museum. Weekend Break
From an historic town with a famous castle through an 19th Century wide motorway-style waterway that linked London and Birmingham contrasting later with narrow canal arteries leading to a bustling city.
Dep: 9 May and 4 July

10. BIRMINGHAM – STOURPORT – WORCESTER. Weekend Break
A contrast in Industrial Heritage balanced with one of the prettiest canals in the country. Concluding with a short journey down a river which was once a bustling trading artery.
Dep: 3 October.

11. WORCESTER – BIDFORD UPON AVON – STRATFORD UPON AVON. Weekend Break.
A tranquil cruise over two rivers. The Severn to Tewkesbury and then meandering up the Warwickshire Avon to Shakespeare Country alighting at Bidford upon Avon or finishing at Stratford upon Avon.
Dep: 16 May and 11 July

12. MARKET HARBOROUGH - SHARDLOW. Weekend Break.
The canal meanders its way through unspoilt rural surroundings, constantly changing direction as it lazily motions you northwards, to the River Soar, once the most profitable waterway in England. The Soar is also a tranquil, meandering river navigation extending through Leicestershire to the junction with the River Trent which leads off to Shardlow the start of the Trent & Mersey Canal.
Dep: 4 April, 13 June and 8 August

13. SHARDLOW – GREAT HAYWOOD. Mid Week Break.
The Trent & Mersey Canal was the most ambitious plan to connect the principal rivers of England. Its importance was recognised by its early name of the 'Grand Trunk' Canal. It offers rural cruising through Derbyshire leading to Staffordshire passing through the brewery town of Burton on Trent and an historical junction at Fradley with a truly boaters pub.
Dep: 8 April, 17 June and 12 August

14. WARWICK - HINCKLEY Weekend Break.
Another complete contrast with the Grand Union and the Oxford canals finishing on the lockless Ashby canal, providing a unique view of different styles of canal operation.
Dep: 23 May and 18 July

2008 Winter

BED & BREAKFAST Winter (October to March & Summer subject to availability).
Overnight or Weekend Breaks in a new 21st century Birmingham with the latest shopping opportunities, sightseeing and canal side amenities.

2008 Exploratory Cruises

A. GREAT HAYWOOD – ANDERTON LIFT Weekend Break.
A journey on a canal through the North Midlands which offers excellent views over the Cheshire Plain and impressive engineering feats. This includes Harecastle Tunnel, the first of its kind and finally the Anderton Boat Lift. An incredible edifice, perched on the banks of the River Weaver like some giant three-storey high iron spider designed to lift cargo boats the 50 feet onto the Trent & Mersey Canal. The lift worked until 1983 when serious deterioration of the structure was discovered. Some £7m was raised to fund the restoration, which was completed in 2002.
Dep: 11 April

B. ANDERTON LIFT - CHESTER Mid Week Break.
A combination of three canals in the North West, starting on the Trent & Mersey pioneered by the need to convey pottery safely. Joining the Middlewich branch which is part of the Shropshire Union Canal leads across unspoilt countryside to the original Chester Canal. A wide beam waterway leading to a city which has a fine cathedral, town-crier and street theatre, but it still manages to feel friendly and on a small scale
Dep: 15 April

C. CHESTER - LLANGOLLEN Weekend Break.
Travel across the Cheshire Plain on a wide beam waterway to Britains favourite canal. The Llangollen Canal has understated rural countryside, including the market towns of Whitchurch and Ellesmere, gives way to the majesty of the Chirk and Pontcysyllte Aqueducts - two of Britain's greatest waterway landmarks.
Dep: 18 April

D. LLANGOLLEN - ELLESMERE  Mid Week Break.
A Llangollen experience with an opportunity to venture down part of the contoversially restored Montgomery Canal. A whole day is spent exploring the restoration which is open and navigable as far as Gronwen Wharf. Leaving the Montgomery Canal a short journey to Ellesmere completes the cruise.
Dep: 22 April

E. ELLESMERE – NORBURY JUNCTION Weekend Break.
A mixture of a meandering Welsh canal descending through deserted Shropshire farmlands to one built in the twilight of canal building utilising railway techniques in rural Cheshire to form an arrow straight functional waterway to serve a purpose.
Dep: 25 April

F. NORBURY JUNCTION - BIRMINGHAM Mid Week Break.
Starting from a Historic Junction on the “Shroppie” and experience the
changing scenery from rolling farmland to an urbanised area mixed with a wealth of industrial heritage. The Wolverhampton 21 flight of locks initiates the changing scene.
Dep: 29 April

G. WARWICK - BANBURY Weekend Break
The trunk route of Britain's canal network, the picturesque Grand Union is the longest single canal in Britain. The Grand Union Canal was once one of the busiest in the country as the main line from London to the Midlands. This section passes through the innovative modifications completed in the 1930’s before turning onto the picturesque Oxford Canal which meanders slowly through classic scenery,.
Dep: 29 April

H. BANBURY - OXFORD Mid Week Break.
The picturesque Oxford Canal meanders slowly through classic scenery, much of which has barely changed in centuries. The southern section is particularly charming and remains largely unaltered, consequently, the Oxford Canal has escaped large-scale development and few towns have sprung up on its banks until the famous City of Oxford is reached.
Dep: 2 September

I. OXFORD - LECHLADE Weekend Break.
One of the most famous rivers in the world, the Thames is steeped in history, rights of navigation were laid down in Magna Carta. The river’s history extends much further in a character found nowhere but Old Father Thames. A unique cruise designed to tour the river around Oxford starting downstream to Clifton Hampden through Abingdon first. Retracing the Thames to Oxford and venturing up to the head of navigation just beyond Lechlade.
Dep: 5 September

J. LECHLADE - OXFORD Mid Week Break.
If you want peace and quiet more than anything, then cruising the Upper Thames is place to explore. Apart from Old Father Thames at St John's lock, you'll find the main source of life will be the occasional welcoming lockkeeper with their unique manual lock gates. Entering Oxfordshire at Radcot the cruise passes through the oldest bridge in the country, which was constructed of Cotswold stone in the 12th century for the nuns of Farringdon Priory. Finally arrive at Oxford by the Oxford Canal from Dukes Cut put in to link the Oxford Canal to The Thames above the city.
Dep: 5 September

K. OXFORD - BANBURY Weekend Break.
Another opportunity for a unique cruise designed to tour the river around Oxford starting downstream to Clifton Hampden through Abingdon first. Retracing the Thames to Oxford and where we change course up the picturesque Oxford Canal. It meanders slowly through classic scenery, much of which has barely changed in centuries.
Dep: 12 September

L. BANBURY - BRAUNSTON Mid Week Break.
The Oxford Canal is one of England's most peaceful waterways, running lazily through the countryside from Oxford to Braunston and beyond. It was briefly the principal waterway from London to the Midlands, but was superseded soon after construction by the more direct Grand Junction Canal featured in the last part of the cruise at Napton . This trunk route of Britain's canal network now called The Grand Union is the longest single canal in Britain and was once one of the busiest in the country
Dep: 16 September

M. BRAUNSTON – MARKET HARBOROUGH Weekend Break.
Take a leisurely cruise from a famous village for canal memories, through history turning up the Grand Union (Leicester section) canal and up the famous Foxton flight.
Dep: 19 September

N. LAPWORTH LOOP Spring/Autumn Weekend Break.
A contrast in canals between the rural Stratford Canal and the Grand Union with a fascinating flight of locks through a regenerated city centre.
Dep: 13 March, 9 October, 16 October.