The Avon Ring — Canal Cruising Ring

Overview

The Avon Ring is a popular medium-length cruising circuit in the West Midlands and Worcestershire, taking in two canals and two rivers. It runs to approximately 109 miles with around 129 locks. Most sources put a comfortable cruise time at 10 to 14 days at a 4-hour-day pace; fitter crews push it through in a fortnight comfortably, while a hard one-week run is feasible only for experienced pairs willing to put in long days.

Route

The ring links four navigations in a clockwise (or anti-clockwise) loop:

• Worcester & Birmingham Canal (Birmingham to Worcester)
• River Severn (Worcester to Tewkesbury)
• River Avon (Tewkesbury to Stratford-upon-Avon)
• Stratford-upon-Avon Canal (Stratford back to Kings Norton Junction, rejoining the Worcester & Birmingham)

Highlights

• The Tardebigge flight — 30 locks in just over two miles, the longest lock flight in the UK
• King's Norton Junction and the historic guillotine stop lock
• Worcester Cathedral from the river
• Tewkesbury Abbey and the Mythe
• Bidford-on-Avon, Evesham and the Vale
• Stratford-upon-Avon basin in the heart of Shakespeare's town
• The Edstone Aqueduct on the Stratford Canal

Difficulty

Approximately 129 locks across roughly 109 miles is a busy lock-per-mile ratio, mostly concentrated in the Tardebigge and Stoke flights on the Worcester & Birmingham, and the Lapworth flight on the Stratford Canal. The two river sections (Severn and Avon) are non-tidal but flow-controlled — high water after rain can shut both rivers for days at a time, and stream warnings are common in spring and autumn. The Severn at Worcester has a few large mechanised locks operated by Canal & River Trust lock keepers; the Avon is operated by the Avon Navigation Trust and requires a separate licence supplement (often included in hire packages — check with the operator). No tunnels of major difficulty, though the West Hill (Wast Hills) Tunnel on the Worcester & Birmingham is around 2,700 yards and unlit.

Suitable for

A two-week cruise for first-time hirers willing to commit to lock work, or a brisk fortnight for experienced crews. Not recommended as a one-week trip unless the crew is confident and prepared to cruise long days. Crew of three or more makes Tardebigge much more pleasant.

Where to start

Common hire bases on or near the ring include Alvechurch, Tardebigge, Stoke Prior, Worcester, Stratford-upon-Avon and Wootton Wawen. Alvechurch and Tardebigge are popular starting points because they sit on the Worcester & Birmingham and let crews tackle Tardebigge early or save it for the return.

Practicalities

• Stoppages and pinch points: the Tardebigge and Stoke flights can queue in summer; allow a full day for the Tardebigge descent or ascent. The Stratford Canal's southern section is narrow with split-bridge crossings.
• River sections: both the Severn and the Avon are subject to stream warnings — check Canal & River Trust and Avon Navigation Trust notices before committing. Pontoons are limited on the Severn between Stourport and Worcester.
• Avon licence: the River Avon is run by the Avon Navigation Trust, separate from CRT. Confirm your hire firm has the licence covered.
• Mobile signal is generally good across the ring, with brief gaps in the deeper cuttings on the Worcester & Birmingham.

Best time of year

Late spring (May to early June) and early autumn (September) give the best balance of water levels, daylight and lower queue times. School-holiday peaks (late July and August) bring busy lock flights, particularly Tardebigge and Lapworth. Winter cruising is possible but river closures are frequent and CRT stoppage programmes often hit the Worcester & Birmingham flights between November and March.