Narrowboat Holidays in Staffordshire
Narrowboat Holidays Across Great Britain
Why Staffordshire ?
A canal boat holiday in Staffordshire offers you a mix of stunning Peak District scenery, along with the contrast of the industrial workings of the Potteries, including famous industries such as Royal Doulton and Wedgwood.
There’s a wide choice of routes in this area, with the Cheshire Ring and the Four Counties Ring and the Shropshire Union canal being favourites for those looking for a longer holiday. You can also choose a short break canal boat holiday from this base. A recommended waterways holiday is a trip down the Caldon Canal to Leek and Hazelhurst, arguably one of the prettiest routes on the UK waterways network. This twenty-four hours journey time for a return trip makes it perfect for a three or four night short break.
Staffordshire Canal boat hire base
The Black Prince Staffordshire canal boat hire base is at the National Garden Festival site in Stoke-on-Trent. From here you can explore the local area plus travel further afield to other regions such as Warwickshire and Cheshire. We offer pet-friendly boats from this hire base, please declare your pet when booking (as we also have non-pet friendly boats).
UPDATE MARCH 2021: Due to a breach on the Trent and Mersey Canal it will not possible to cruise the Cheshire Ring or to Chester from our Staffordshire canal boat hire base. The Four Counties Ring and the Macclesfield Canal are still available for a variety of cruising options.
Canals to cruise from Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire
- Staffordshire & Worcester Canal (up to Middlewich)
- Trent & Mersey Canal
- Caldon Canal
- Macclesfield Canal
- Peak Forest Canal
UPDATE 2021: The following canals are not accessible from Stoke on Trent due to a canal breach:
- Bridgewater Canal
- Shropshire Union Canal
Top Attractions in Staffordshire
- The Potteries – the name given to the English city of Stoke-on-Trent which been shaped by the pottery industry for over 300 years. The Trent and Mersey Canal and the Caldon Canal allowed the development of some of the most famous names in pottery and a tour along both these UK canals would give you insight into this fascinating history.
- Emma Bridgewater pottery painting – choose an item of original Emma Bridgewater and spend a pleasant afternoon designing your own plate collection. This factory is on the waterways itself, easy for a stop off to be creative.
- Mow Cop – a famous hill-top folly with great views across Staffordshire and Cheshire. Great for a pet friendly holiday if your dog likes an active run around!
- At the end of the Caldon Canal head to the Churnet Valley Railway and enjoy a journey back to the classic days of railway travel on a rural line that passes through beautiful countryside known as Staffordshire’s “Little Switzerland”.
- Aston Marina – pick up your supplies from their farm shop or enjoy a meal at the family-run Bistro.
Nearby Attractions
- The Ancient High House, Stafford is one of the finest Tudor buildings in the country. It is the largest remaining timber framed town house in England and is said to have hosted a multitude of famous guests dating as far back as King Charles I in 1642.
- Give the kids a day off for good behaviour and head to Alton Towers, a surprisingly scenic theme park with attractive grounds for walks and picnics.
- Stop off at Shugborough Hall, an impressive stately home in Great Haywood, occasionally used for filming and open to the public.
- Enjoy an afternoon in the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester where you can see a wide variety of technological developments from the world’s first commercially available computer to daily weaving demonstrations in the Textiles Gallery. A great experience for all ages.
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