Stoke-on-Trent Base – Caldon & Leek

Caldon & Leek Canal Boat Holiday from Stoke-on-Trent Base

Great Family Break

Stoke-on-Trent 40 34 24 Suitable for Short Break, 1 Week or 10 Nights holidays

Route tags:

1 Week CruiseEasy RoutesEngland Canal Boat RoutesFamily FriendlyPeak DistrictStaffordshire

The canal boat holiday hire along the Caldon & Leek canals runs along one of the UK’s most beautiful and quiet canals, and give boaters the chance to see a contrasting marriage of industry and countryside.

AVAILABILITY Enquire

2025 Navigation Update

Please note that due to ongoing water shortages, the Caldon Canal is currently closed between Hazelhurst Junction and Frogall. However, you can still enjoy a scenic cruise along the Caldon Canal as far as Leek, or explore the Trent & Mersey Canal to Stone.

Departing from Stoke on Trent

You’ll begin your Caldon Canal narrowboat adventure from the Black Prince Holidays marina, leaving the Trent and Mersey Canal soon after departing Festival Marina. As you cruise onto the Caldon Canal, you’ll pass through the historic heart of the Potteries, where bottle kilns and old ceramic factories stand as fascinating reminders of Stoke-on-Trent’s rich industrial past.

Churnett Valley

The countryside becomes more progressively picturesque as you enter the Churnet Valley. On the edge of the Staffordshire Peak District, the Valley is certainly a location to take your camera, and with a local partnership having been awarded a significant grant to further celebrate and enhance the area, it is sure to retain its beauty for the long-term.

Alton Towers – fun theme park for families

If you are interested in taking an action-packed diversion, you can take in the largest theme park in the UK, Alton Towers, which is situated in the village of Alton, near the end of the Caldon Canal. Alton Towers features a busy theme park with everything from rollercoasters to cable car rides over the countryside. It provides a brilliant contrast of thrills and spills for all the family with a countryside landscapes set to the backdrop of a semi-ruined gothic country house. The park is also the home of a water park called Splash Landings.

Leek

If rides aren’t your thing, then head west on the route towards the Leek branch of the canal, which contains no locks from the junction. Although the branch ends a distance from Leek town centre, you could still take a trip to visit the town, where you can visit an antiques market on a Saturday and take a break in a range of restaurants and pubs.

Stone on the Trent & Mersey Canal

If time permits, a trip down the Trent & Mersey Canal to Stone is well worthwhile. Stone features Aston Marina, a leisure development for boaters that contains a waterside bistro which serves excellent local produce.

To cruise the Caldon & Leek route choose the Stoke on Trent base using our online Availability Search, or by calling Black Prince on 01527 575 115.