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Canal sites, Top 8 to visit UK
Quote from Fergus McCarthy on October 1, 2025, 4:14 pmCanal sites from soaring aqueducts and deep dark tunnels, to extraordinary boat lifts and long flights of locks, Britain’s 250-year old canal network is steeped in history and engineering marvels. Canal River Trust.
1. Take a boat trip across ‘The Stream in the Sky’ in North Wales, LL14 3SG
Opened in 1805, the world-famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct canal site, and 11-mile Llangollen Canal World Heritage Site near Wrexham is described as ‘a masterpiece of creative genius’ by UNESCO. Standing at 39 metres high above the Dee Valley, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is the highest aqueduct that you can still take boats across in the world, and it is the longest aqueduct in Britain. Visitors can find out more about boat trips across the aqueduct, local walks, cafes, pubs and places to visit at the Trust’s Trevor Basin Visitor Centre. NB Charges apply for the boat trips.
2. Wonder at the Caen Hill Flight of locks in Wiltshire, SN10 1QR
With 16 of its 29 locks falling in a straight line, the Caen Hill flight of locks scheduled ancient monument on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Devizes is visually the most impressive canal site in the country. Caen Hill is the longest continuous flights of locks in the country. As well as walking up the flight watching boats travel through the locks, visitors can find out more about the site at the Canal & River Trust’s welcome boat The Admiral, stroll through the newly planted Diamond Jubilee Wood, spot wildlife in the side ponds that adjoin and store water for the locks, and visit the Caen Hill Locks Café and Black Horse pub.
3. Explore the historic canal sites village of Stoke Bruerne in Northamptonshire, NN12 7SE
The ‘chocolate box’ pretty village of Stoke Bruerne near Towcester has the Grand Union Canal running through it. The village is home to the free to visit Canal Museum, full of interactive displays and collections that bring to life what it was like to live and work on Britain’s canals. There’s a canalside café at the museum and a historic workboat moored outside. There’s a choice of canalside pubs and other places to eat in the village. The Stoke Bruerne Canal Boat Company offers boat trips that take visitors into the Blisworth Tunnel. There’s a woodland sculpture trail to follow next to the Blisworth Tunnel and a nature reserve at the bottom of Stoke Bruerne Locks. NB Charges apply for the boat trips.
4. Visit the National Waterways Museum at Gloucester Docks in Gloucestershire, GL1 2EH
Housed in a Grade II listed grain warehouse in the heart of what once was the bustling Gloucester Docks, the National Waterways Museum Gloucester charts the 200-year old history of the docks and the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. With fun, interactive exhibits, a café and museum shop, visitors can discover the stories of the communities that lived and continue to thrive there. As well as visiting the museum and cafe, visitors to the docks can follow a wildlife trail around the docks, enjoy an exhibition about the Dunkirk Little Ship Queen Boadicea II, and visit the Gloucester Docks Activity Hub offering a range of free activities, including wellbeing walks, paddle sports and yoga. Museum admission is £10 for adults, £6 for children aged 5 to 15, under 5’s go free.
5. Experience the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire, CH65 4FW
Occupying the old dock buildings of Ellesmere Port, which originally linked the Shropshire Union Canal to the River Mersey, the National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port sheds light on the fascinating history of our canals and the people who worked on them. There are 19 Grade II listed buildings to explore, including the Porters Row cottages built for dock workers in 1833, the forge and stables, all bought to life with the help of costumed interpreters and volunteers maintaining the historic boats and engines. Museum admission is £13.25 for adults, £9.95 for children aged 5 to 15, under 6’s go free. Family tickets (2 adults, 2 children) £32.50 Concession (65+) £9.95.
6. Enjoy bird watching at Tring Reservoirs in Hertfordshire, HP23 4LL
The four reservoirs at Tring were built to supply the Grand Union Canal and are now a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The waters of the reservoirs attract many plants, fish and insects, and large numbers of breeding, wintering and migrating birds. As well as watching boats go through the locks, there are three way-marked circular walks to follow and bird hides to sit in and watch swifts and common terns during the day, or pipistrelle bats hunting for insects in the evening.
7. Discover Little Venice canal sites near Paddington Station in London, W9 2PF
Just behind the busy A40 and Paddington Station lies Little Venice, one of London’s most picturesque spots. Little Venice is the area where the Regent’s Canal sites joins the Grand Union Canal and the canal widens to create a basin of water, with Browning’s Island in the middle. From Little Venice there’s a regular boat taxi service to London Zoo and Camden Lock. Visitors can have a picnic on the banks of the canal in Rembrandt Park, stroll along to Paddington Basin and look out for the ‘Walking Man’ and ‘Standing Man’ sculptures by Sean Henry and visit one of café and restaurant barges along the way.
8. Watch fish swim through a Fish Pass at Diglis Island in Worcestershire, WR2 4FF
Diglis Island and the Diglis Fish Pass near Worcester are two fascinating visitor destinations created through the Unlocking the River Severn project. The largest of the four fish passes is 100 metres long and has its own underwater viewing gallery where visitors can spot different species swimming through the pass. Visitors can book a 90-minute tour visiting both Diglis Island and the fish pass or take the 70-minute ‘Locking the Severn’ walking tour. Tickets are also available for 20-minute Fish Pass drop-in sessions.
The Canal & River Trust’s eight regional guides provide information on the following Places to Visit:
· London Brentford, Camden, Hanwell, Islington, King’s Cross, Limehouse Basin, Little Venice, Old Ford Lock & Bow Wharf, Three Mills & Queen Elizabeth Park, Welsh Harp (Brent Reservoir) and West India Docks.
· South East Aldermaston Wharf near Reading, Aylesbury, Banbury, Berkhamsted, Bishop’s Stortford, Kintbury in Berkshire, Newbury Wharf, Oxford City Centre, Reading at The Oracle, Thrupp in Oxfordshire, Tring Reservoirs in Hertfordshire and Weston Turville Reservoir in Buckinghamshire.
· South West Avoncliff Aqueduct in Wiltshire, Bath Locks, Bathampton in Somerset, Bradford on Avon Wharf, Caen Hill Locks at Devizes, Crofton in Berkshire, Devizes Wharf, Diglis in Worcester, Dundas Aqueduct in Somerset, Gloucester Docks, Maunsel Lock near Tamworth, Saul Junction in Gloucestershire and Seend Locks in Wiltshire.
· West Midlands Bancroft Basin in Stratford-upon-Avon, Birmingham City Centre, Coventry Basin, Diglis Basin in Worcester, Earlswood Lakes near Solihull, Ellesmere in Shropshire, Fradley Junction and Great Haywood Junction in Staffordshire, Harecastle Tunnel in Stoke-on-Trent, Hatton Locks in Warwickshire, Hawkesbury Junction near Coventry, Stourport-on-Severn Basins, The Bratch near Wolverhampton and Whitchurch & Grindley Brook.
· East Midlands Beeston Lock near Nottingham, Braunston in Northamptonshire, Cosgrove & Wolverton near Milton Keynes, Foxton Locks in Leicestershire, Gunthorpe Lock near Nottingham, Langley Mill in Nottinghamshire, Market Harborough, Newark, Castle Wharf in Nottingham, Stoke Bruerne near Towcester, Stoke Lock & Woods near Nottingham, Sutton Cheney near Nuneaton, Torksey in Lincolnshire, Trent Lock in Long Eaton, Welford Wharf near Northampton and Woolsthorpe Locks near Grantham.
· North West Anderton Boat Lift in Northwich, Audlem Mill near Crewe, Burnley in Lancashire, Chester Canal Basin, Clarence Mill & Adelphi Mill in Bollington, Lancaster & Penny Street Basin, Lune Aqueduct near Lancaster, Marple Locks in Cheshire, Middlewich, Nantwich, National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port, Portland Basin in Ashton-under-Lyne and Upper Mill near Oldham.
· Yorkshire & North East Bingley Five Rise Locks near Bradfield, Drakeholes near Doncaster, Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire, Leeds Waterfront, Naburn Locks near York, Pocklington Canal near York, Ripon Canal Wharf, UNESCO World Heritage Saltaire, Sheffield Victoria Quays, Skipton, Sowerby Bridge, Sprotborough near Doncaster, Standedge Tunnel at Marsden near Huddersfield, Tees Barrage and Turnerwood near Worksop.
· Wales Brecon Basin in Powys, Chirk Aqueduct near Wrexham, Goytre Wharf near Abergavenny, Llangollen, UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Welshpool near Swansea.
Parents News UK had a previous article about Fun on Canals
Canal sites from soaring aqueducts and deep dark tunnels, to extraordinary boat lifts and long flights of locks, Britain’s 250-year old canal network is steeped in history and engineering marvels. Canal River Trust.
1. Take a boat trip across ‘The Stream in the Sky’ in North Wales, LL14 3SG
Opened in 1805, the world-famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct canal site, and 11-mile Llangollen Canal World Heritage Site near Wrexham is described as ‘a masterpiece of creative genius’ by UNESCO. Standing at 39 metres high above the Dee Valley, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is the highest aqueduct that you can still take boats across in the world, and it is the longest aqueduct in Britain. Visitors can find out more about boat trips across the aqueduct, local walks, cafes, pubs and places to visit at the Trust’s Trevor Basin Visitor Centre. NB Charges apply for the boat trips.
2. Wonder at the Caen Hill Flight of locks in Wiltshire, SN10 1QR
With 16 of its 29 locks falling in a straight line, the Caen Hill flight of locks scheduled ancient monument on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Devizes is visually the most impressive canal site in the country. Caen Hill is the longest continuous flights of locks in the country. As well as walking up the flight watching boats travel through the locks, visitors can find out more about the site at the Canal & River Trust’s welcome boat The Admiral, stroll through the newly planted Diamond Jubilee Wood, spot wildlife in the side ponds that adjoin and store water for the locks, and visit the Caen Hill Locks Café and Black Horse pub.
3. Explore the historic canal sites village of Stoke Bruerne in Northamptonshire, NN12 7SE
The ‘chocolate box’ pretty village of Stoke Bruerne near Towcester has the Grand Union Canal running through it. The village is home to the free to visit Canal Museum, full of interactive displays and collections that bring to life what it was like to live and work on Britain’s canals. There’s a canalside café at the museum and a historic workboat moored outside. There’s a choice of canalside pubs and other places to eat in the village. The Stoke Bruerne Canal Boat Company offers boat trips that take visitors into the Blisworth Tunnel. There’s a woodland sculpture trail to follow next to the Blisworth Tunnel and a nature reserve at the bottom of Stoke Bruerne Locks. NB Charges apply for the boat trips.
4. Visit the National Waterways Museum at Gloucester Docks in Gloucestershire, GL1 2EH
Housed in a Grade II listed grain warehouse in the heart of what once was the bustling Gloucester Docks, the National Waterways Museum Gloucester charts the 200-year old history of the docks and the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. With fun, interactive exhibits, a café and museum shop, visitors can discover the stories of the communities that lived and continue to thrive there. As well as visiting the museum and cafe, visitors to the docks can follow a wildlife trail around the docks, enjoy an exhibition about the Dunkirk Little Ship Queen Boadicea II, and visit the Gloucester Docks Activity Hub offering a range of free activities, including wellbeing walks, paddle sports and yoga. Museum admission is £10 for adults, £6 for children aged 5 to 15, under 5’s go free.
5. Experience the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire, CH65 4FW
Occupying the old dock buildings of Ellesmere Port, which originally linked the Shropshire Union Canal to the River Mersey, the National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port sheds light on the fascinating history of our canals and the people who worked on them. There are 19 Grade II listed buildings to explore, including the Porters Row cottages built for dock workers in 1833, the forge and stables, all bought to life with the help of costumed interpreters and volunteers maintaining the historic boats and engines. Museum admission is £13.25 for adults, £9.95 for children aged 5 to 15, under 6’s go free. Family tickets (2 adults, 2 children) £32.50 Concession (65+) £9.95.
6. Enjoy bird watching at Tring Reservoirs in Hertfordshire, HP23 4LL
The four reservoirs at Tring were built to supply the Grand Union Canal and are now a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The waters of the reservoirs attract many plants, fish and insects, and large numbers of breeding, wintering and migrating birds. As well as watching boats go through the locks, there are three way-marked circular walks to follow and bird hides to sit in and watch swifts and common terns during the day, or pipistrelle bats hunting for insects in the evening.
7. Discover Little Venice canal sites near Paddington Station in London, W9 2PF
Just behind the busy A40 and Paddington Station lies Little Venice, one of London’s most picturesque spots. Little Venice is the area where the Regent’s Canal sites joins the Grand Union Canal and the canal widens to create a basin of water, with Browning’s Island in the middle. From Little Venice there’s a regular boat taxi service to London Zoo and Camden Lock. Visitors can have a picnic on the banks of the canal in Rembrandt Park, stroll along to Paddington Basin and look out for the ‘Walking Man’ and ‘Standing Man’ sculptures by Sean Henry and visit one of café and restaurant barges along the way.
8. Watch fish swim through a Fish Pass at Diglis Island in Worcestershire, WR2 4FF
Diglis Island and the Diglis Fish Pass near Worcester are two fascinating visitor destinations created through the Unlocking the River Severn project. The largest of the four fish passes is 100 metres long and has its own underwater viewing gallery where visitors can spot different species swimming through the pass. Visitors can book a 90-minute tour visiting both Diglis Island and the fish pass or take the 70-minute ‘Locking the Severn’ walking tour. Tickets are also available for 20-minute Fish Pass drop-in sessions.
The Canal & River Trust’s eight regional guides provide information on the following Places to Visit:
· London Brentford, Camden, Hanwell, Islington, King’s Cross, Limehouse Basin, Little Venice, Old Ford Lock & Bow Wharf, Three Mills & Queen Elizabeth Park, Welsh Harp (Brent Reservoir) and West India Docks.
· South East Aldermaston Wharf near Reading, Aylesbury, Banbury, Berkhamsted, Bishop’s Stortford, Kintbury in Berkshire, Newbury Wharf, Oxford City Centre, Reading at The Oracle, Thrupp in Oxfordshire, Tring Reservoirs in Hertfordshire and Weston Turville Reservoir in Buckinghamshire.
· South West Avoncliff Aqueduct in Wiltshire, Bath Locks, Bathampton in Somerset, Bradford on Avon Wharf, Caen Hill Locks at Devizes, Crofton in Berkshire, Devizes Wharf, Diglis in Worcester, Dundas Aqueduct in Somerset, Gloucester Docks, Maunsel Lock near Tamworth, Saul Junction in Gloucestershire and Seend Locks in Wiltshire.
· West Midlands Bancroft Basin in Stratford-upon-Avon, Birmingham City Centre, Coventry Basin, Diglis Basin in Worcester, Earlswood Lakes near Solihull, Ellesmere in Shropshire, Fradley Junction and Great Haywood Junction in Staffordshire, Harecastle Tunnel in Stoke-on-Trent, Hatton Locks in Warwickshire, Hawkesbury Junction near Coventry, Stourport-on-Severn Basins, The Bratch near Wolverhampton and Whitchurch & Grindley Brook.
· East Midlands Beeston Lock near Nottingham, Braunston in Northamptonshire, Cosgrove & Wolverton near Milton Keynes, Foxton Locks in Leicestershire, Gunthorpe Lock near Nottingham, Langley Mill in Nottinghamshire, Market Harborough, Newark, Castle Wharf in Nottingham, Stoke Bruerne near Towcester, Stoke Lock & Woods near Nottingham, Sutton Cheney near Nuneaton, Torksey in Lincolnshire, Trent Lock in Long Eaton, Welford Wharf near Northampton and Woolsthorpe Locks near Grantham.
· North West Anderton Boat Lift in Northwich, Audlem Mill near Crewe, Burnley in Lancashire, Chester Canal Basin, Clarence Mill & Adelphi Mill in Bollington, Lancaster & Penny Street Basin, Lune Aqueduct near Lancaster, Marple Locks in Cheshire, Middlewich, Nantwich, National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port, Portland Basin in Ashton-under-Lyne and Upper Mill near Oldham.
· Yorkshire & North East Bingley Five Rise Locks near Bradfield, Drakeholes near Doncaster, Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire, Leeds Waterfront, Naburn Locks near York, Pocklington Canal near York, Ripon Canal Wharf, UNESCO World Heritage Saltaire, Sheffield Victoria Quays, Skipton, Sowerby Bridge, Sprotborough near Doncaster, Standedge Tunnel at Marsden near Huddersfield, Tees Barrage and Turnerwood near Worksop.
· Wales Brecon Basin in Powys, Chirk Aqueduct near Wrexham, Goytre Wharf near Abergavenny, Llangollen, UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Welshpool near Swansea.
Parents News UK had a previous article about Fun on Canals