Stratford Canal

The Stratford-upon-Avon Canal is a picturesque and historically rich waterway that winds through the Warwickshire countryside, connecting the town of Stratford-upon-Avon to the broader canal network of England. Completed in 1816, it was originally constructed to transport goods, particularly coal and agricultural produce, between Birmingham and Stratford, providing an essential link during the height of the Industrial Revolution. Today, the canal serves as a tranquil route for leisure boaters, offering scenic beauty and a glimpse into the area’s past.

Route and Connections

The Stratford-upon-Avon Canal runs for approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers), linking Kings Norton Junction in Birmingham, where it connects to the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, down to the famous town of Stratford-upon-Avon, where it meets the River Avon. At Kings Norton, boaters can continue on to the Midlands or head south toward Worcester and the Severn, while the southern end of the canal gives access to the Avon, opening a route toward the River Severn and beyond.

At its southern terminus, the canal connects to the River Avon at the Stratford-upon-Avon basin, a popular mooring spot for visitors exploring Shakespeare’s birthplace. The River Avon is navigable from Stratford, offering a picturesque route down to the River Severn.

Locks

The canal features 54 locks in total, divided between the northern and southern stretches. These include the Wilmcote Flight, a series of 11 locks that descend toward Stratford, offering both a challenge for boaters and a beautiful backdrop of countryside and wooded areas. The locks are mostly narrow, designed for traditional working narrowboats, which gives the canal its intimate, historic feel.

One of the most interesting engineering features is the Lapworth Flight, a group of 18 locks near the village of Lapworth. This stretch of the canal is particularly scenic, with peaceful rural views and well-maintained lock cottages adding to the charm. The narrow locks also reflect the canal’s original 18th-century design, preserving its historical character.

Interesting Features

  • Barrel-roofed cottages: One of the unique architectural highlights of the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal is the series of barrel-roofed lock keepers’ cottages, a distinctive design found along this waterway. These curved, brick-roofed houses were built to accommodate the lock keepers and their families, and several of them still stand today, adding a quirky, historical touch to the landscape.
  • Edstone Aqueduct: The canal is home to the Edstone Aqueduct, the longest aqueduct in England. Spanning 475 feet (145 meters), this cast-iron structure carries the canal over both a road and a railway line. Boaters passing over the aqueduct are treated to views of the surrounding countryside, with the sense of gently floating above the landscape.
  • Kings Norton Guillotine Lock: At Kings Norton Junction, there’s the unusual Kings Norton Guillotine Lock, a rare and unique example of a guillotine stop lock. It was designed to prevent water from one canal draining into the other in times of emergency. The lock’s metal guillotine gates still remain, though they’re no longer operational, providing an interesting historical relic.

The canal is known for its scenic charm, passing through areas of rolling countryside, woodlands, and small villages. Its gentle pace and historic character make it a favorite among boaters, walkers, and cyclists, offering a peaceful route through the heart of Shakespeare’s England.

Canal Specification

Max Boat Length70 ft
Max Boat Width7 ft
Number of Locks56
Length25.5 miles (41.0 km)

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River/Canal Route Planning

If you are looking for a canal/river route planner, we recommend Canal Plan, we use it to plan our routes, and then once we have a plan our maps are useful to find what else there is on the way

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