SAISONS Whilton Locks

Possible routes for a short break from Whilton

Text in black for 2 days or leisurely 3. Text in red for the more adventurous crew and 3 days

1 North - towards Leicester

An interesting staircase

Head up through the locks (7 in total). Turn right at Norton Junction and after a short cruise you reach Watford Locks (2 single, a staircase of 4 and another single). A little further on you travel though Crick tunnel. From here you have several hours of cruising through remote countryside to Welford Turn. This leads up through a single lock to the village of Welford with two good food Pubs and a pleasant walk up to the reservoirs which feed the canal.

2 South - towards London

A long tunnel and canal history

Plain cruising for the first few hours till you reach Blisworth Tunnel which is VERY long. This is followed by the canal centre of Stoke Bruerne with its excellent museum and book-shop. After the locks here you travel through pleasant countryside to Milton Keynes, a well laid out town with good shopping and entertainment.

3 North West - towards Coventry

Plenty of variety

Up the 7 locks , as for route 1, but continue straight ahead at Norton Junction to take you through Braunston Tunnel and down 7 more locks to Braunston, once a centre of canal trading, now a large marina. After Braunston follow the North Oxford Canal through Rugby. After Rugby, continue to turn round at Hawkesbury Junction to retrace your steps.

4 West - towards Banbury

Plenty of locks for the energetic

Initially as for route 3, but turn left after Braunston along the short run to Napton Junction. At the junction either turn right for flights of locks and open countryside, or continue straight ahead for single locks to Claydon, where a brisk walk will take you into the village with a very interesting and unusual bygones museum.

5 South and East - towards Northampton

A very long flight of locks

Initially as for route 2, but turn left at Gayton onto the Northampton arm. This takes you down a flight of 13 locks and through open countryside. Four more locks take you down to the River Nene and Northampton Town Centre.

[Home] [Where] [Opening Times] [Why come with us?] [Latest News] [Boat Details] [Availability 2008] [Prices] [Routes] [Week routes] [Short Break routes]