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Midlands and South Wales Marinas and Moorings

Lock densities and ring routes drive the choice of marina more than anything else: Tardebigge sits at the top of a 30-lock flight (great for the Avon/Worcester/

4 min read · Updated 2025-12-11

Midlands and South Wales Marinas and Moorings

What's in this region

This hub indexes marinas and long-term moorings across the West and East Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, north Oxfordshire and South Wales. Waterways covered include the BCN, the Birmingham & Fazeley, the Coventry, the Ashby, the Grand Union (Midlands reaches), the North and South Oxford (north section), the Staffs & Worcs, the Stratford-upon-Avon, the Worcester & Birmingham, the southern Trent & Mersey, the Rivers Severn and Avon (Worcestershire / Warwickshire reaches), the Droitwich Canals, the Erewash and Nottingham canals, and the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal.

Cruising character (and what it means for moorings)

The Midlands has the largest concentration of inland marinas in the UK, partly because it's the most popular cruising region and partly because it sits at the junction of every major ring. A boat moored at Napton, Mercia, Calcutt, Fenny Compton or Crick has half-a-dozen ring routes within easy reach.

Lock densities and ring routes drive the choice of marina more than anything else: Tardebigge sits at the top of a 30-lock flight (great for the Avon/Worcester/Stourport options, less great for casual weekend cruising); Calcutt, Napton and Wigrams Turn are at the heart of the Grand Union/Oxford cross.

The South Wales section (Mon & Brec) is a separate, isolated network — a single wide canal with very few locks, and very few marinas. Moorings are correspondingly limited and tightly held.

River and tidal considerations: Severn-side marinas (Upton, Tewkesbury, Worcester, Stourport) sit on a powered-lock river that floods in winter and can close to navigation for weeks. Avon-side marinas (Evesham, Bidford, Pershore) similarly. The Trent below Cromwell is tidal.

Marinas in this region

On the Birmingham Canal Navigations and Birmingham & Fazeley

  • Aldridge Marina.
  • Sherborne Wharf (central Birmingham).
  • Sovereign Wharf (also Birmingham city).
  • Norton Canes Docks (Cannock Extension).
  • Glascote Basin (Coventry / B&F junction).
  • Fazeley Mill Marina.
  • Streethay Wharf (Coventry).

On the Coventry, Ashby and Oxford (North)

  • Hinckley Marina (Ashby).
  • Mancetter Marina (Coventry / Ashby).
  • Springwood Haven Marina (Coventry).
  • Bosworth Marina (Ashby).
  • Stoke Golding Marina (Ashby).
  • Hillmorton Boat Services / Hillmorton Wharf Marina (North Oxford).
  • Brinklow Marina (North Oxford).
  • Rose Narrowboats / Stretton-under-Fosse area.
  • Heyford Wharf (Oxford).
  • Cropredy Marina (Oxford).
  • Fenny Compton Marina (Oxford / Grand Union junction area).

On the Grand Union (Midlands reaches)

  • Calcutt Boats (Napton/GU).
  • Napton Marina.
  • Wigrams Turn Marina (Napton/GU).
  • Braunston Marina (Grand Union/Oxford junction — historic centre of the canal world).
  • Crick Marina (Grand Union, Leicester arm).
  • Welford Marina (Leicester arm).
  • Yelvertoft and other smaller GU marinas.
  • Whilton Marina (Grand Union, Buckby).
  • Stowe Hill Marina and Stowe Hill Workshop.
  • Bugbrooke Marina.
  • North Kilworth Wharf (Leicester arm).
  • Debdale Wharf Marina (Leicester arm).
  • Union Wharf Narrowboats / Market Harborough basin.
  • Pillings Lock Marina (River Soar).
  • Sileby Marine (River Soar).
  • Sawley Marina (Trent / Soar — straddles the Northern hub).
  • Barby Moorings (Grand Union).

On the Staffs & Worcs and Trent & Mersey (south)

  • Great Haywood Marina (S&W / T&M junction).
  • Aston Marina (Stone — also in the NW hub).
  • Stenson Marina (T&M).
  • Mercia Marina (T&M, Willington — the largest inland marina in the UK).
  • Shobnall Marina (T&M, Burton).
  • Kings Bromley Marina (T&M).
  • Kings Orchard Marina (T&M, Lichfield).
  • Fradley Marina (T&M / Coventry junction at Fradley).
  • Hatherton Marina (S&W / Hatherton Branch).
  • Tardebigge New Wharf (W&B).

On the Worcester & Birmingham, Severn, Avon and Droitwich

  • Alvechurch Marina (W&B).
  • Tardebigge New Wharf (W&B).
  • Stoke Prior (W&B).
  • Hilperton & Staverton Marina (Alvechurch — also K&A).
  • Worcester Marina.
  • Stourport Marina (Severn / Staffs & Worcs junction).
  • Upton Marina (Severn).
  • Tewkesbury Marina (Severn / Avon junction).
  • Evesham Marina (Avon).
  • Bidford Moorings (Avon).
  • Avon View Marina.
  • Saul Junction Marina (Gloucester & Sharpness).
  • Sharpness Marina.
  • Droitwich Spa Marina.

On the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal

  • Wootton Wawen and Lapworth area moorings.
  • Shakespeare Marina (Stratford).

On the Coventry / Ashby / East Midlands

  • Beeston Marina (Trent).
  • Nottingham Castle Marina (Trent / Nottingham Canal).
  • Redhill Marina (Trent / Soar).
  • Pillings Lock Marina (above).

On the Mon & Brec (South Wales)

  • Goytre Wharf moorings.
  • Govilon Wharf area moorings.
  • Brecon Basin moorings.
  • Pencelli area moorings.

Suggested cruises from this region

Weekend (2–3 nights)

  • Mercia onto the Trent & Mersey to Burton and back.
  • Crick onto the Leicester arm and back.
  • Goytre out toward Brecon and back on the Mon & Brec.

Week (7 nights)

  • The Avon Ring from Stoke Prior or Tardebigge.
  • The Stourport Ring from Stourport or Stoke Prior.
  • The North Oxford end-to-end from Cropredy or Brinklow.
  • The Mon & Brec full length from Goytre.

Fortnight (14 nights)

  • The Warwickshire Ring from Napton, Calcutt or Stratford.
  • The Black Country Ring from Great Haywood or Alvechurch.
  • The Leicester Ring (approximate, where navigable) from Crick or Pillings Lock.