Four Counties Ring Dragonfly Narrowboat Hire

102 locks, 114 Miles, 7 hours per day – 10 nights.

This is a circular route of great contrast with plenty to see and do along the way. It is possible to complete the four counties ring in 10 days, however this leaves little time to visit places or to take an extra cruise along the Caldon Canal to Leek and Froghall (this takes about 4 days) a most delightful canal heading towards the Peak District.

Initially the route takes you through parts of Cheshire where you can see the historic town of Nantwich, with its fine timbered houses and Audlem, the home of the famous Shropie Fly pub.

Cruising further south into Shropshire takes you through the Tyrley locks near Market Drayton and then it is a gentle cruise along many lock-free miles, through rolling countryside and deep cuttings to Norbury.

Cruising south into the West Midlands and you reach Autherley Junction, where a left turn takes you onto the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal. This meandering canal takes you into Staffordshire and has many places of interest including Penkridge with its large open-air market and then further on the home of the Earl of Lichfield, Shugborough Hall, well worth a visit.

At Great Haywood you join the Trent and Mersey Canal and start on the heavier locks to Stone and the Potteries. Within easy reach of the canal are the Wedgwood visitor centre (www.thewedgwoodstory.com) and the famous Trentham Gardens, which now also boasts a Monkey Forest with Barbary Macaques monkeys roaming freely.

You then travel through the more built-up areas of Stoke-on-Trent, passing the junction of the Caldon canal, shopping centres, and entertainment parks then onto the Harecastle Tunnel, where a resident keeper will guide you into the 2926yds tunnel.



After Hardingswood Junction, brace yourself to travel down “Heartbreak Hill”, so called by the old boatmen because of the 26 locks dropping you down to Wheelock. Further on at Middlewich a left turn takes you onto the Shropshire Union Canal and onto Barbridge. Then it is just a short cruise back to Hurleston locks and the Llangollen Canal to finish your voyage at Swanley.


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