Canal Boat Holiday Base Information - Base 61

Base 61 is a family-run boatyard offering personal service, conveniently situated for M1 and M6 and close to Rugby railway station.

From base 61, near Rugby, centrally located on the waterway network for a variety of circular and out-and-return routes. Also a choice of start dates for short breaks, weeks or longer holidays.

One-week routes
1. Oxford, Coventry & Ashby Canals: Ideal for first timers or those wanting a very relaxing holiday. Only one lock at Hawkesbury, allowing you to cruise the length of the attractive and rural Ashby canal, passing the Battlefield of Bosworth, Shackerstone Steam Railway and many small villages.
2. South Oxford Canal: A very popular route, again very rural, taking you gently towards the university city of Oxford via Banbury. Passing small Cotswold Stone canal-side villages with a steady procession of narrow locks.
3. Leicester Section: A good sampler route giving a selection of canal features. Head south to Norton Junction and then across the Grand Union Leicester summit to the staircase locks at Foxton, site of the inclined plane. Then into Market Harborough, leaving enough time to cruise the Welford Arm. Narrow locks, broad locks, staircase locks, tunnels and a swing bridge gives you plenty of variety. Highly recommended.
4. Warwickshire Ring: 100 miles and 100 locks so bring a fit crew! An interesting and energetic week taking you through Royal Leamington Spa, Warwick and Birmingham, bringing you back via the Birmingham & Fazeley and Coventry canals. We recommend cruising the Ring in a clockwise direction so that you get most of the locks behind you during the first half of the week. We suggest that only experienced crew tackle this route as it is a very hard week and probably best enjoyed in two weeks.
5. Grand Union South: A real countryside cruise taking you south through pretty scenery to Stoke Bruerne, a picture postcard village where the main street is the canal; home of the Waterways Museum. Further south over the River Ouse Aqueduct to Linslade before retracing your steps.

Two week routes
1. Leicester Ring: Follow route 3 above & continue north to Leicester and the quiet river scenery of the River Soar. Turn onto the Trent and take the Trent & Mersey Canal to Burton, then south via the Coventry and Oxford canals back to Rugby.
2. Thames Ring: Follow route 2 above, continue to Oxford, join the River Thames to cruise downstream through Henley, Sonning, Marlow, Maidenhead, Windsor & Hampton Court. Onto the tidal Thames for a short distance through Richmond before rejoining the canal network at Brentford, heading north on the Grand Union.
3. Stratford-upon-Avon: Use route 4 above with a detour to Stratford-upon-Avon. Lots of extra locks but rewarded with a mooring in Bancroft Basin, outside the theatre.

Short Break routes
1. South Oxford Canal: To Fenny Compton and return. Passing through the canal centre at Braunston and up to the Napton flight of locks, following the meandering course of the Oxford Canal to Fenny Compton.
2. Grand Union Canal: To Gayton Junction and return. Passing through Braunston and its famous tunnel, down the Buckby locks and through a rural landscape to Gayton Junction.
3. Grand Union, Leicester Section: To Welford Junction and return. Passing through Braunston to Norton Junction, turning into the Leicester section. Up the Watford flight of locks, through Crick tunnel to the Welford Junction.
4. Oxford, Coventry & Ashby Canals: To Stoke Golding and return. Ideal route for a leisurely cruise, with only one lock at Hawkesbury Junction. On to the Coventry canal and the rural Ashby canal to the delightful village of Stoke Golding, turning the boat at Sutton Cheney Wharf for the trip back
5. Oxford and Coventry Canals: To Atherstone and return. Similar to route 4 above, but staying on the Coventry canal, past the charming British Waterways Maintenance Yard at Hartshill, to turn at the top of the locks at Atherstone.Additional information

Free well-behaved pets are welcome. Free secure car parking. Free helmsman's waterproofs.