Great Waterways Journeys

This is a guide to circling England using its inland waterways, by boat or on foot. Along the way we learn about our industrial heritage, how cities grew and thrived, as well as passing through spectacular landscapes and idyllic countryside.

Beginning in leafy Surrey and ending at Bristol Docks via north Yorkshire, this 780-mile journey passes through the industrial landscape of the West Midlands and the stunning Pennine hills, as well as famous cities such as Oxford and Bath, taking you via the first canal in Britain, Hampton Court Palace, Cadbury World, idyllic Shropshire villages and iconic pieces of Victorian engineering.

The route is split up into different sections, so readers can either take on the whole circumnavigation or one part of it. Celebrating the restoration of the canals that make this journey possible, the book features (and uses, if you’re travelling by boat) iconic pieces of waterways history such as the Anderton Lift, the Barton Swing Aqueduct, and the 29 locks at Devizes. Each section of the route is illustrated by a map, and features practical information on locks, tunnels and aqueducts, nearby places of interest, good pubs, useful transport links etc.

Giving readers a unique way to discover the beauty and variety of England’s waterways, and laying down a new challenge to inland waterways enthusiasts, this is a practical and fascinating guide.