Travelling north from Weedon along the North Oxford. Coventry and Trent & Mersey canals there are relatively few locks, so good progress can be made.

Turning left at Great Haywood, Tixall Wide is a nice mooring Place; this is a lake through which the canal passes in the grounds of Shugborough Hall, home of the Earl of Lichfield. On to Autherley junction. This is rather built up area so It is better to travel on to Brewood, a beautifully quite village. The Shropshire Union Canal is well known for its deep wooded cuttings and high embankments. Carry straight on past the junction with the Llangollen canal and turn right to Middlewich with its salt works. Travel south through the one and three quarter mile long Harecastle tunnel - this tunnel is only one-way at a time, so delays here can be expected. The tunnel keeper will tell you when you can enter. Harecastle tunnel is an eerie place with reddy brown water at one end and clear at the other. It is reputed to be haunted by a ghost called Kit Crewbucket! (not recommended for the faint hearted). Having survived Harecastle tunnel, travel on south through the Potteries, rejoining your outward track at Great Haywood.

263 miles - 166 locks - 3 tunnels - 9 hrs per day navigating (a busy two weeks).
This two week Shropshire Union Cruise can be nicely extended into three weeks to include the Llangollen Canal with its two spectacular aqueducts. You would then cover

353 miles' - 206 locks - 4 tunnels and 2 aqueducts; 7 3/4 hours a day navigating (a comfortable three weeks).

Places of interest for this route

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