Canal Boat Holiday Base Information - Base 25

Base 25 is near Stoke-on-Trent and is easily accessible by rail or road, as well as being close to Birmingham and Manchester Airports. It is run by one of the UK's leading canal boat operators.

Situated on the redeveloped National Garden Festival site, home of the industrial potteries, and host to some of the most fabulous scenery on Britain's waterways is what makes this one of the most popular starting points. There are a variety of routes available from this marina, with the Cheshire Ring and the Four Counties Ring being the most popular. You can exchange the contrasting landscapes of the Potteries, Royal Doulton, Cheddleton Mill and Wedgewood industries for the peace and tranquillity of the Llangollen Canal.
What better way to experience the hidden delights that this unique journey has to offer?

SHORT BREAK/ONE WEEK ROUTES
Caldon & Leek Canals:
41 miles, 34 locks, 3 hours cruising per day. An easy week down one of the most beautiful and quiet canals of them all. You encounter progressively more picturesque countryside as you enter the Churnet Valley. The Leek branch contains no locks from the junction, whereas the Froghall branch descends to the River Churnet. If time permits, a trip down the Trent and Mersey to Stone is well worthwhile

Four Counties Ring:
110 miles, 92 locks, 9 hours cruising per day. More strenuous, you travel onto the Trent & Mersey Canal, southwards past the Wedgwood factory through the canal town of Stone to Great Haywood. where you meet the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal.
Travelling westwards you join the Shropshire Union at Autherley. The 'Shroppie' with its impressive architecture, banks and cuttings, carries you northwards to the Middlewich Arm. At Middlewich you rejoin the Trent and Mersey which carries you back to Stoke through a number of locks and the Harecastle Tunnel.

TWO WEEK ROUTES
Cheshire Ring:
118miles, 92 locks, 6 hours cruising per day. Another more energetic route; you travel onto Trent & Mersey Canal, northwards through the Harecastle Tunnel and join the Macclesfield via a fly-over. This is a lovely canal through Congleton, Macclesfield and Marple to Manchester. Manchester is currently being improved, but has some way to go.
A lock-free section of the Bridgewater (where it all started) follows until Middlewich, passing the restored Anderton Lift. A more heavily locked section takes you back home to Stoke. Rochdale licence required.

East Midlands Ring:
219 miles, 147 locks, 7 hours cruising per day. South from the junction with Trent & Mersey Canal, through Stone and Great Haywood to Fradley Junction, where you turn towards Burton-on-Trent and the canalised River Soar to Leicester. After Leicester you encounter the famous Foxton flight and pass through undulating countryside to Norton and Braunston Junctions.
Turning northwards towards Rugby and Coventry, the canal takes a more direct route with cuttings and embankments to Fazeley and Fradley and home. Most of this route is very rural and quiet.