Duration: 7 Nights
TOTAL LOCKS: 118
CRUISING TIME PER DAY: 9.5 HOURS (59 HOURS IN TOTAL)
Maps & Guides for this route: P1, N2, L16
A route of contrasts, The Stourport Ring takes in the 21st century Birmingham city centre and 19th century heritage. Alongside the canal network in Birmingham city centre you will find The Symphony Hall, National Indoor Arena, the Sea Life Centre, International Convention Centre and Brindley Place.
Birmingham city centre is within easy walking distance of the canal with its restaurants, shops, theatres, art galleries and museums. The Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) link the old and new main lines and take you past places rich with history, such as Smethwick, West Bromwich, Tipton, Wolverhampton.
As part of the route, you will travel on the rural River Severn, the longest river in the UK and second longest in the British Isles. The route has 70 locks within the short 29-mile route making it perfect for fans of stunning engineering.
This route can also be travelled from our Alvechurch and Worcester Marinas
Begin your journey at Gailey Marina – a convenient base situated just off the M6 on the side of the A5. From there, travel along the waterways towards Wolverhampton and Dudley.
As you pass through Dudley, make sure you pop into the Black Country Living Museum and the Dudley Tunnel. The museum is a preserved Victorian town – pop into the local chippy and pay for your cod and chips with Victorian shillings, sit in a Victorian school lesson, or head down to the docks, the filming location for the BBC hit Peaky Blinders.
After Dudley, you’ll find yourself in Birmingham – a city with ‘more canals than Venice’. Birmingham City centre was built around the canals so there’s easy access to the eclectic range of restaurants, shops and more. Make sure you explore Brindley Place – Birmingham’s Canalside development – which not only offers a selection of restaurants, but the Sea Life Centre and the National Indoor Arena.
From Birmingham, head towards to Alvechurch and Worcester. Worcester is a stunning University town with stunning architecture centred around a Cathedral that dates back to 1084. Stroll along the ambient centre and browse the mix of high street brands and independent shops.
Finally, you will head towards Stourport, one of two towns in England to have grown as a direct result of the canal network. We recommend visiting during September where the whole high street is transformed into the Stourport Carnival. From food vendors and a fun fair to a fireworks finale, the Carnival is an event the whole family can enjoy.
Looking to book your canal holiday on the Stourport ring? Get in touch with a member of our friendly team today for more information!
