Recommended canal walks

[ronymaxwell 1]

I live in Staffordshire and often use the canals for walking as not only are they picturesque (in the main) but they're mostly flat. I travel by bus and train to places I can visit within a day. I'm especially interested in aqueducts but not exclusively. Can anyone make any recommendations please. Googling doesn't bring up a great lot.

[Jennifer McM 907]

What about Google Maps? The satellite view might bring up some ideas for you. 

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?rlz=1C1CHWA_enGB627GB627&q=canals+in+staffordshire&npsic=0&rflfq=1&rlha=0&rllag=52694740,-2096203,13674&tbm=lcl&ved=2ahUKEwiFxueH5YzdAhUlI8AKHaApAywQtgN6BAgCEAQ&tbs=lrf:!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!2m1!1e16!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:1&rldoc=1#rlfi=hd:;si:;mv:!3m12!1m3!1d236221.54557068244!2d-2.1575016!3d52.68434505!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i122!2i293!4f13.1;tbs:lrf:!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!2m1!1e16!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:1 

 

Perhaps the WIKI page for the Staffs & Worcs Canal will bring something up something of interest?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staffordshire_and_Worcestershire_Canal

[rupertbear 16]

I know that you are walking rather than boating but I suggest that you buy a couple of boater's canal guides. They will give you much more useful information than walker's guides.

Nicholson's are excellent for all the basic facts and can be augmented by Pearson's for more quirky and subjective content.

 

Staffordshire is a big place, are you more Kinver or Leek?

[ronymaxwell 1]

A small town called Eccleshall about midway between Stafford and Newcastle-under-Lyme.

I will have a look at the guides you mention, thank you.

[ronymaxwell 1]

Jennifer, thank you too. I hadn't realized you could do this kind of search on Google Maps, I'll be having a good look.

[Flyboy 179]

On 28/08/2018 at 08:56, ronymaxwell said:

Jennifer, thank you too. I hadn't realized you could do this kind of search on Google Maps, I'll be having a good look.

There are some canal walks in Staffs. here.    https://www.walkingenglishman.com/staffordshire.html

 

As you live in Eccleshall which is inside the 4 counties ring I suggest that you look at Pearsons Canal Companion '4 Counties Ring'  & Nicholsons '4 Counties Ring'. You can get them online or from the Anglo Welsh hire base at Great Hayward  or Canal Cruising at Stone. Pearsons would be my first choice.

Edited August 29, 2018 by Flyboy

[doratheexplorer 371]

How far do you like to walk in a day?  2 miles?  20 miles?

An adaptation of this is very varied and interesting.  Urban and only one small aqueduct though  https://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MTExMjgx

[doratheexplorer 371]

A lovely one, but a bit of a drive for you would be to start in Stratford and walk up the Stratford canal, catching the train back from Bearley or Wooton Wawen.  (Or walk back if you want a long one).  Then you'll walk over the biggest canal aqueduct in England.

[ronymaxwell 1]

Thanks Flyboy and Dora. I'm not in the best of health unfortunately which is one reason why I do the walks, it helps me a lot. I'm restricted though to about 4 to 5 miles. The links are great and I will probably cherry pick parts of the routes. The Stratford canal looks good, I need to look what rail stations are available in the area. It helps if I can get off at one then walk the canal and get back on at another.

[Heartland 102]

There are many rail/bus opportunities when walking waterways. These are of course limited by cost of travel. Train fares are very complex these days.

 

A few suggestions though

 

Stratford Canal a walk from Wilmcote Station to Stratford by canal

 

Grand Union- a walk from Warwick Parkway up Hatton Locks or the other way to the Cape and Warwick Station

 

Trent & Mersey- a walk from Rugeley Town to Rugeley Trent Valley, or a Walk from Rugeley Trent Valley to Brindley Bank aqueduct

 

BCN a walk from Coseley Station to tunnel and onto Tipton for the station there

 

Long Eaton a short walk from that station by road takes the walker onto the Erewash Canal and travelling to Trent Lock  you can walk along the Trent and the cut to the next Lock. The pub at Trent Lock is very good.

 

With a bit more planning it is possible to get a bus to Trevor (Wrexham perhaps) and walk along the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and onto Chirk for a train home.

 

 

Edited September 8, 2018 by Heartland

[ronymaxwell 1]

Thanks Heartland, plenty to look at there.

[Cavcanal 2]

If train journeys aren't too hard, the Montgomery canal is stunning, there's a station in Newtown.

 

The Shropshire Union has some lovely bits, plenty of nice walks through/near Chester. As you come out of the station walk straight ahead up City Road and the SU goes underneath you. Turn right and you can walk quite close to the city centre towards Telford's Warehouse which is a decent pub. From City Road to there probably only three or four miles tops I would think.

There is a railway station (two, I think) in Ellesmere Port not too far from the start of the SU so you could visit the boat museum, go on their tourist boat thing then take a stroll if wanted. Not sure how far from the station it is, but not too far I don't think.

[X Alan W 223]

On 28/08/2018 at 09:52, ronymaxwell said:

A small town called Eccleshall about midway between Stafford and Newcastle-under-Lyme.

I will have a look at the guides you mention, thank you.

Canal wise you"re more towards the "Shroppie"some good walks on that canal

[BWM 224]

Lapworth has a train station and has both narrow and broad canals running parallel through it, so a circular walk of the distance you mention is possible. There is a back way out of the station that takes you across a field then a short length of country lane to reach the Stratford. You can either use the link at the basin to access the grand union or continue on the Stratford, where there are some aqueducts.

[David Mack 719]

On 08/09/2018 at 18:53, Heartland said:

 

Stratford Canal a walk from Wilmcote Station to Stratford by canal

 

 

Or Wilmcote station to Wootton Wawen Station (both on the Birmingham- Stratford line). About 5 miles and would take you over the iron trough Edstone and Wotton Wawen Aqueducts.

[Athy 901]

I hope Rony sees these new posts. He has not visited the site since October 1st. Perhaps you could P.M. him your suggestions (the second of which, in particular, would surely interest him).

[BWM 224]

1 hour ago, Athy said:

I hope Rony sees these new posts. He has not visited the site since October 1st. Perhaps you could P.M. him your suggestions (the second of which, in particular, would surely interest him).

Approaching the aqueducts from the opposite direction that i suggested. 

[TheBiscuits 1602]

2 hours ago, Athy said:

I hope Rony sees these new posts. He has not visited the site since October 1st. Perhaps you could P.M. him your suggestions (the second of which, in particular, would surely interest him).

@ronymaxwell