A Stress-Free Narrowboat Escape on the Coventry and Ashby Canals

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When we were invited to enjoy a UK narrowboat holiday on the Ashby Canal aboard Foxy Lark by Drifters Waterway Holidays, we had no idea that I would be arriving straight from the hospital after taking a family member by ambulance (twice) to the hospital – never in the history of Little Wren’s travels has a weekend break been so needed, or so appreciated! The Ashby Canal is renowned for easy boating in stunning countryside – bring it on!

Why Take a Canal Boat Holiday?

We’d cut our teeth the previous year on our epic Drifters Waterway Holidays trip on the Stratford Canal to learn the ropes. This year’s weekend with ABC Boat Hire had been chosen for pure relaxation. There would be no locks to master, making it an excellent choice for newbies or the less experienced – us! This, after all, is only our second time in charge of a 66ft canal boat.

For the nature-loving scientist on board, aka Mr Wren, we’d be cruising along the Coventry canal into the Ashby Canal, renowned as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Setting off aboard Foxy Lark reminded us exactly why we have become fans of waterway holidays:

Slow Travel at its best

England’s canals are designed for pottering along at 4mph. It’s the ultimate unhurried way to travel, perfect for those who want to unwind, sip a cup of tea, and watch the countryside roll by.

Step Back in Time

The canal network dates back to the Industrial Revolution. Cruising these waterways connects you to another era – it’s like you’re in a living history movie. We pass old wharfs, stone bridges, and traditional canal pubs, and we’re off visiting (or so we thought, more later) one of the sites of England’s most historic battles – Bosworth. ‘A horse, a horse, my Kingdom for a horse…’ and all that!

Access to lesser-known Britain

Travel by canal and you meander through towns and villages that you’d rarely reach by car or train. It’s a unique way to discover off-the-beaten-track England.

Wildlife and Nature

The immersion in wildlife and nature is to be treasured. From swans and their cygnets to dragonflies darting amongst the reeds, our canals are teeming with life. In spring and summer, the towpaths’ wildflowers put on their own special show.

An Easy and Sociable Holiday

It’s a fabulous holiday with friends and family, and you don’t need prior boating experience—the boat hire companies provide full tuition. Plus, there’s a genuine camaraderie on the canals; a friendly wave from passing boaters is all part of the experience.

We’ve found that if you explain you’re a Newbie crew to other boats around, suddenly you have a whole crowd of helpers… (Or maybe it’s just an act of self-preservation to try and prevent you from ramming their boat!)

Choice of Routes

Whether you want a short, peaceful trip (like the Coventry & Ashby Canals) or a more adventurous circular route with locks, there’s something for everyone.

Tea, Tranquillity (and Something Stronger!)

Unwinding seems easy on the water. It was really interesting to review my smartwatch’s stress levels, which showed an overall stress level of 56 on Friday, coming from a hospital environment, to 31 by Saturday morning, and 28 on Sunday. Yes, please, I’ll take as much of this natural lowering of stress levels as I can get.

Life onboard is delightfully simple—did someone yell ‘Can you put the kettle on‘? Or at the end of the day, safely moored up, open a bottle of wine, and reflect on how good the slow, peaceful canal life can be.

Cruising the Coventry & Ashby Canals with Drifters Waterway Holidays

Drifters Waterway Holidays comprises the following hire boat companies: ABC Boat Hire, Anglo Welsh, Black Prince, Countrywide Cruisers, Kate Boats, Foxhangers, Napton Narrowboats, Shire Cruisers, Union Canal Carriers, and Grand Union Narrowboats. 

Last year, we headed out with Anglo Welsh; this year, it’s ABC Boat Hire. Between all ten companies, they offer over 500 boats for hire, operating from 40 bases across England, Scotland and Wales. 

ABC BoatHire – Springwood Haven

The ABC Boat Hire Marina at Springwood Haven is found in rural Warwickshire, a short trip from Nuneaton. It is one of sixteen ABC Boat Hire locations across England, Scotland and Wales.

Top Tips before you leave

Plan ahead

Having learned the hard way the previous year, when we had an idea of the upcoming route but rarely moored where we were advised to, this trip began with meticulous planning. We found that with a 66-foot boat, you can’t simply stop. Good luck yelling at the Captain: “You missed it, turn back!”

Useful Book

An invaluable book was the Canal Companion South Midlands – Featuring the South Midlands ring. Michael Pearson’s handy book is a mine of information, from suggested mooring points and the history along the way to sites and stop-off points to be enjoyed.

Useful websites

Check for news and updates from The Canal & River Trust (CRT), the UK’s largest canal charity. For example, works in the region, or updates, such as those in the summer of 2025, when Canal boating was impacted by low rainfall. Check out notices and stoppages here. You can also set up CRT alerts on your phone for notices issued on a canal or river that interests you.

On the Ashby Canal, I enjoyed reading about the valuable work of the Friends of Ashby Canal Facebook page. Although not specifically aimed at this, the Facebook page also contains helpful information on current boating conditions.

Life Onboard a Narrowboat Foxy Lark

Comfort on board the Foxy Lark is fabulous; it exceeded our expectations. I’m always gobsmacked at how nice a canal boat can be; we even had fresh flowers, and the boat is exceptionally well-equipped. Foxy Lark is spotlessly clean and superbly prepared, from wet weather gear to everything needed to cook up a storm.

Two bedrooms, two bathrooms

We had two bedrooms, and we slept really well; the beds were extremely comfortable. When you book, they ask about the configuration you want for the beds, which can be set up as either two singles or a 4 ft 6 double bed in each room. There is also a possibility that it can be extended further to sleep six by converting the seating area in the saloon into a double bed in the evening.

Friends joined us, and I particularly appreciated that each couple had their own bathroom with a shower and hot water.

Galley Kitchen

There is a fully equipped galley with grill, oven, microwave, cafetière, toaster and double filtered drinking water. Although, sadly, unlike last year, there was no wine fridge to be found on board! Boo hoo!

The Wifi and the TVs worked well; yes, we even had a TV in our bedroom – hooray, we could even keep up with all the Wimbledon action. We liked how thought had been given to every little detail, like charging points. We had everything we needed on board, including towels. You just need to rock up with friends and food!

See our Little Wandering Wren’s Short YouTube video tour of Foxy Lark here:

Springwood Haven cruising the Coventry & Ashby Canals

Why the Coventry and Ashby? Well, they are conveniently situated slap bang in the middle of England, so relatively easy to get to from most parts of the country. But you would probably be right to say – with the most tremendous respect to the good people who live there – that Nuneaton and Hinckley are not on too many people’s lifetime bucket list. 

Exploring The Coventry Canal

And to an extent, the canal reflects its surroundings. Down to earth, pragmatic, unpretentious and OK, at times a bit messy. The Coventry Canal, with its suburban route, takes you past people’s back gardens. Lucky them – you couldn’t help but think how nice it would be to face onto the canal.

Not our favourite canal ever, with its residential feel and a fair share of abandoned canal boats. However, what it does do well is set you up for the contrast of turning left into the pretty Ashby Canal

Discovering The Ashby Canal

The Ashby Canal connects to the Coventry Canal but was never finished. With a dead end, it doesn’t get the throughfare traffic. The 22-mile Ashby de la Zouch Canal is more rural and narrower in character. Opened in 1804 to transport coal and limestone.

Peaceful Countryside Cruising

Now it is loved for being unspoiled, pretty and peaceful, and after the busyness of the Coventry canal, we appreciated its tranquillity.

Site Of Special Scientific Interest

Having a Site of Special Scientific Interest, we were on the lookout for native freshwater crayfish and
the water shrew. The Ashby is also known for its vast quantities of free-floating aquatic flora. We keep an eye open too for rare water beetles, and apparently, there are nine species of dragonfly, including the scarce red-eyed damselfly, to be found further downstream. There is a lot more than cute ducks with their ducklings, which were aplenty to be admired here.

Help, we’re still novices at boat handling

Whilst we jumped on board thinking no locks – too easy! We soon found that, while the bridges might be wider than our previous Drifters Waterway Holiday escapade on the Stratford Canal, it appeared we had more space; however, the low water levels required precision steering to avoid grounding in several places.

In July 2025, we found it shallow, and any move off the central line brings the threat of grounding.

The Journey Begins

Springwood Haven Facilities

ABC operate out of Springwood Haven Marina just outside Nuneaton. It’s a nice setup with plenty of parking, a good store, easy mooring, and such friendly people. Big shout-out to Denise and her lovely, calm manner!

Induction and Briefing

Mark from ABC Boat Hire gave us an excellent induction to Foxy Lark, the canals and canal travel etiquette. One tip – if you are heading south east on the canal towards the Ashby and the boat is pointing the wrong way, there is a winding hole a couple of hundred metres away; better still, perhaps ask a member of the ABC team to reverse the boat into the entrance of the marina and turn there.

Thanks, Mark, for pointing us in the right direction in more ways than one!

You do not need any prior experience for canal boating, as a full briefing is provided. If you would like to know more, check out our Ultimate Beginners Guide to Canal Boating here.

The route

Sutton Cheney and Return – 31 miles, 0 Locks, approx 13 hours in total.

Day One: (6 miles. Travel time approx 2.5 hours)

Coventry and Ashby Canal to Bridge 5

After our briefing, we set off around 4 pm, having loaded up Foxy Lark with provisions, as if we were heading into the wilds… not just beyond Nuneaton!

With the men firmly ensconced in what we ladies hoped would be their favourite positions at the tiller, we brought them tea and then scurried back to enjoying the views and a natter at the front of the boat! The initial cruise up the Coventry Canal was not wildly exciting, but a great way to settle into life aboard.

The journey took two hours, turning onto the Ashby Canal at Marston Junction. This is our first big test of boat handling skills to swing around to get lined up for the turn. Turning in, you come across what was once a stop lock, the only narrow point we found on the canal.

Happy days, one of the first things of note about the Ashby Canal is the width of bridges designed with the thought that the Ashby Canal could be a through route between London and the northwest, taking wider boats.

Moorings

We moored up at the visitors’ mooring by Bridge Five; the boat in front lent a hand to help us park up for the night, then joined the Captains for a thank you beer on deck – such is the camaraderie of canal boating!

Dinner:  Whilst we chose to eat on board, it’s a short walk to The Corner House, a family-friendly pub with a real ale beer garden in Bedworth.

See website: www.cornerhousepubnuneaton.co.uk

Address: 454 Nuneaton Road, Bedworth, Warwickshire, CV12 9SB

Day Two: (10 miles. Travel time approx 4 hours)

Bulkington Road to Sutton Cheney Wharf (Bridge 34)

After a great night’s sleep and a hearty cooked breakfast on board, we’re ready to meander our way through the countryside. First passing a mobile home park along with some gnomes! You can keep track of the distance covered by the black railway sleepers, which have white numbers indicating the distance from the start at Marston Junction and the second to the original end at Ashby Woulds.

The Ashby: the highlights include passing the Triumph motorcycle factory – a lot of history there! Next time, we will find a way to go to the Triumph Factory Visitor’s Experience.

Moorings

We moored at the Nutts Lane visitor moorings on the landing stage just beyond the water point, where we took the opportunity to refill. Sutton Wharf offers excellent facilities, including a café, an ice cream barge, and toilets.

Bosworth Battle Heritage Centre and Country Park

We are primarily here for the nearby site of the Battle of Bosworth – the venue for the last major battle of the War of the Roses in 1485. You’ll find a nice, easy walking trail for the stroll from the wharf to the Heritage Centre and around the ‘site of the battle’. There is a slight problem now, though, because for the last 500 years, people have assumed the battle took place around Ambion Hill. New research, however, suggests that the battle actually took place a couple of miles to the south. Not sure when they’ll move the visitors’ centre…

Website: https://www.bosworthbattlefield.org.uk/

Address: Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre & Country Park, Sutton Cheney, Nuneaton, Leicestershire, United Kingdom. CV13 0AD

Dinner: Hercules Revived, a classic 17th-century English country coaching inn.

We had a great meal here, the atmosphere is lovely, the staff are friendly, and the pub comes highly recommended. However, walking from our moorings to the restaurant was not so nice along the main road – we suggest taking the slightly longer route across the fields, past the Bosworth Heritage Centre.

Website: https://www.herculesrevived.co.uk/

Address: Main St, Sutton Cheney, Hinckley.

Day Three: (13 miles. Travel time approx 5.5 hours)

Sutton Cheney to Stoke Golding

Today started with our big challenge: to reverse the boat in full view of the experienced boaters moored up behind us, all the way to the turning point. Happily, despite some trepidation, this was well-handled by our captains, and the ladies could return to doing what they loved best: admiring the views with a cup of tea!

We had full-on rain today, which was unlucky given that 2025 will be known as the summer of drought. We had intended to stop for a Sunday roast, but the beauty of being well-prepared on the culinary front meant we could change plans and stay in for the day.

Mooring

We wild-moored on a peaceful stretch of the Coventry Canal a few miles from our return destination at Springwood Haven. Again, we could have headed off to find a local pub, but it was so cosy and lovely to stay in and eat up supplies!

Day Four (2 miles. Travel time approx 45 minutes)

It was just a short chug back to Springwood Haven Marina in the morning to offload, say our thanks and then head to the nearby Dobbies Garden Centre for a cooked breakfast!

Reflecting on our time aboard Foxy Lark, we all agreed it was brilliant. We even said we quite liked the contrast between the urban back gardens and the fields and pasture!

Heading Further on the Ashby

We turned back at Sutton Wharf. If you get the chance to continue to enjoy what the Ashby Canal Association say, the “Canal between Shackerstone and Snarestown is one of the most beautiful in England”

The stretch between Carlton Bridge, north of Market Bosworth, and Turnover Bridge, north of Snarestone, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, designated in 1989 for its diverse aquatic flora, particularly the submerged plants and invertebrates

However, do check the water levels, as we were told it gets a lot shallower up there!

Things to do further on from Sutton Wharf:

• Market Bosworth: Farmers Market 4th Sunday of the month 9 am – 2 pm, You can walk across fields to the town from the tow path.
• Shackerstone for The Battlefield train rides (Weekends & Bank Holidays, summer only) and award-winning Real Ale pub: The Rising Sun (no food)
• Snarestone, where you find the only tunnel on the canal, which is 250 m long and Snarestone Wharf for ice cream and a gift shop. From Snarestone, you can walk to Measham to visit the small gem of the Measham Museum, located in a renovated former railway station.
• Moor up near Shenton Aqueduct and walk across to Whitemoors Antique & Crafts Centre, Country Tea Rooms and Gardens.

Tips with hindsight

Canal challenges

The canal system is having a tough summer. A lack of rain means that water levels in the canals are low; a lack of funding means that the canals are not dredged as frequently as they once were. What does this all mean for the narrow boat sailors? Running aground is very easy to do, so a few tips are:

• Stick to the middle of the canal.
• Move gingerly towards the side to allow boats to pass, and try to do this at wider points in the canal
• Keep out of the weeds (as my old boss used to say);
• Moor at designated points where water tends to be deeper;
• If you do wild moor, keep an eye on the canal depth.

Overall, this trip is a good, gentle introduction to canal boating, with the caveat that there is sufficient water to prevent you from running aground.

Locks or no Locks?

Or lack of challenges – No Locks. After the exhaustion of last year, we were relieved at the prospect of doing a tour with no locks …. But you know what, we found we missed the locks a bit! With locks, you work together as a team, often connecting, chatting and helping other passing boaters, it’s great exercise!

Drifters Waterway Holidays Ashby Canal Details

Address: ABC Boat Hire: Mancetter Road, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV10 0RZ

Drifters Waterway Holidays website: https://www.drifters.co.uk

2026 hire prices start at £599 for a short break (three or four nights) on a boat for up to four people, £875 for a week.  Narrowboats range from 32ft to 70ft and can accommodate up to 12 people. 

Other useful websites:

Canal & River Trust: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/

Ashby Canal Association Friends: Facebook page with their mission to restore the lost 8+ miles of the Ashby Canal. Their page contains useful local updates.

Final Thoughts

Thank you, Drifters Waterway Holidays and ABC Boat Hire, this was a fantastic weekend from start to finish. After three days, we were sad to see our stress-free life aboard Foxy Lark come to an end. We returned to Springwood Haven with a firmly cemented love of canal boat holidays. Life aboard is a brilliant and relaxing way to see the world. We can’t wait to return for future canal boat holidays. With a Canal & River Trust network of over 2,000 miles of stunning canals and rivers in Britain, there is plenty of choice.

A note from Little Wandering Wren

Disclosure: Little Wandering Wren was a guest of Drifters Waterway Holidays exploring the Coventry and Ashby Canals with ABC Boat Hire.

Follow us on Social Media: Find more photos of my travels and stories on Instagram @littlewanderingwren.

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