The Four Counties Ring
Four Counties Ring Canal Boat Hire & Narrowboat Holidays
A spectacular circular canal boat holiday route taking in three very different canals across Cheshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, and the West Midlands.
Which is the Fourth County?
Route at a Glance
94 (Circular) Locks
2 Subterranean Tunnels
7+ Night Route
Featured Discovery
St Mary's church with its octagonal tower.
Nantwich
This circular canal holiday cruising route takes in four counties and three very different canals, giving you incredible variety.
The most frequent question asked about the Four Counties Ring is "Which is the fourth county?". Even if you failed GCSE Geography it's fairly simple to guess at Cheshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire being included. Well, the fourth is the West Midlands, however you're only in it for a couple of miles or so on the northern fringes of Wolverhampton!
To reach the Shropshire Union from Middlewich you travel west along the short length of the Middlewich Arm. The very first obstacle is Wardle Lock, famously known as Britain's 'shortest canal', which the Trent & Mersey company insisted on building themselves to maintain a tight grip on passing tolls. From there, it is a four-hour cruise to Barbridge Junction, which a fairly energetic crew can easily accomplish on their first afternoon afloat.
The Shropshire Union Canal
Heading south from Barbridge, the Shropshire Union is one of our newer canals (or less old, one should probably say). It runs in a comparatively straight course on a grand scale that perfectly reflects the ambitious engineering of its time. Designed by Thomas Telford to avoid as many locks as possible, it features mysterious deep wooded cuttings (like Woodseaves, plunging almost a hundred feet deep) and huge embankments like Shelmore, on which the canal soars above the surrounding landscape.
The next morning might see you calling in at Nantwich, a wonderful old market town with many half-timbered houses, for the shopping, or carrying on to Audlem for lunch and a visit to the particularly well-stocked Audlem Mill Canal Shop.
Fifteen narrow locks carry the canal up out of the Cheshire Plain and into Shropshire, and there's another five at Adderley before you reach Market Drayton, another of the timeless old towns which this part of the world seems to specialise in. Here you can discover the spicy secret of gingerbread making which had its origins in the neighbourhood.
Now the canal continues straight without locks through unspoilt arable land. Today's holidaymakers can thank Telford for a twenty-five mile stretch with only one lock, and the atmospheric 81 unlined yards of the Cowley Tunnel, to impede their gentle progress. After crossing Watling Street on a fine aqueduct, the canal enters Brewood, a lovely village of winding lanes and handsome houses which is a great place to stop and eat or rest for the night.
The Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal
A few miles to the south lies Autherley Junction, where you turn onto the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal. Brindley's Staffs & Worcs is the antithesis of Telford's Shropshire Union. It belongs to an earlier generation of canal building less-accomplished in civil engineering terms, but all the more enchanting for its propensity to wander about the countryside like a dog trying to remember where he's hidden a favourite bone.
Its summit section ends at Gailey, overlooked by a charming roundhouse which once housed a toll-keeper but is now home to an excellent canal shop. The locks lead you down to Penkridge as the canal winds around the northern tip of Cannock Chase, missing the county town of Stafford by a mile. The countryside hereabouts is delicious.
Beyond the village of Milford the canal suddenly widens into a marvellous ornamental lake known as Tixall Wide. A stop will be rewarded by the sight of much wildlife. The story goes that Izaak Walton learnt to fish here. A fanciful tale, perhaps, but it is definitely known that Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in the neighbourhood on her way to the executioner's block at Fotheringhay.
The Trent & Mersey & The Potteries
At Great Haywood you join the Trent & Mersey Canal and head northwards along the picturesque Trent Valley towards The Potteries. This has relatively few locks before reaching the famous brewing town of Stone. The city of Stoke-on-Trent is made up of six individual towns, all still very much involved with the manufacture of ceramics. The canal's journey through The Potteries isn't pretty, but it is fascinating in an unexpected way.
Several of the pottery works, notably Wedgwood at Barlaston, are open to the public and there is much to be enjoyed and learnt. At the restored Bone Mill at Etruria, for example, you can discover the origins of the term 'bone china'. Etruria is also the location of the Festival Park whose attractions include a multi-screen cinema complex and Waterworld.
Harecastle Tunnel & The Cheshire Flight
Having quelled potential mutiny, press on to Harecastle Tunnel, one of the great experiences of canal boating. At Harecastle Tunnel you are faced with an hour's subterranean cruising under your own power and control; holidays don't come much more adventurous than this. Boats enter the 'single-lane' tunnel under the supervision of keepers at either end, and it is best to arrive at the tunnel mouth no later than mid-afternoon to avoid being delayed overnight.
Whilst you are deep in the bowels of the earth, the scene shifters are busy, and beyond the north end of the tunnel you soon exchange Staffordshire industry for Cheshire countryside. Now you begin to descend the locks of the 'Cheshire Flight'; twenty-six locks in seven miles, representing six or seven hours of hard work. Happily, you aren't forced to do them all at once, and there are several little villages along the way at which to take a breather.
Many of these locks are 'duplicated', or in other words, they have two chambers, side by side, an improvement carried out to speed up traffic during the nineteenth century, though many are now closed. Sooner or later you arrive back from your Four Counties Ring holiday adventure at our Middlewich base.
Four Counties Ring Highlights:
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Telford's Engineering: Cruise the soaring Shelmore Embankment, the 100ft-deep Woodseaves cutting, and the unlined Cowley Tunnel.
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The Audlem Flight: Master your locking skills as you climb the 15 locks out of the Cheshire Plain towards Market Drayton's gingerbread.
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Tixall Wide: Moor up on this spectacular, broad 18th-century lake on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire canal to watch the wildfowl.
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Harecastle Tunnel: Navigate an hour of thrilling subterranean cruising under Harecastle Hill.
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The Cheshire Flight: The ultimate boating achievement! Descend 26 locks back towards the Cheshire plain and Middlewich.
Cruising Time
Average cruising time per day:
Four Counties Ring: 8 hours (7 nights) or 4 hours (14 nights)
Explore More Canal Routes
Looking for a different direction? See where else you can travel from Middlewich.
Important Route Updates
While our Middlewich base offers incredible access to the network, please note the following updates to some of our famous routes.
Great news, there is still an abundance to explore! Even when a 'Ring' is temporarily closed, you can enjoy magnificent out-and-back journeys along the open sections. The UK canal network is over 200 years old, so occasional maintenance 'hiccups' are to be expected. Please contact us for expert advice on tailoring an amazing adventure around them!
The Cheshire Ring
Expected to open again as a full ring next year. However, much of the route remains open and makes for a wonderful out-and-back holiday.
The Llangollen Canal
Currently closed due to a major breach, as seen in the national news. It is expected to reopen as a route next year and cannot be explored past the breach.
Planning Your Trip
The Four Counties Ring is a spectacular circular route. Of course, you may not have the time or inclination to cruise the whole circuit, but prefer instead to amble along the Shropshire Union Canal as an out-and-back journey, mooring now and then to explore the dreamy towns and villages which lie beside its flower-strewn banks.
Please Remember: if you're planning to spend a day out and about off your boat (such as visiting Waterworld, the Wedgwood Pottery Museum, or exploring the old market towns), please make sure you factor this into your plans when working out the amount of cruising hours required to complete your holiday route. We recommend looking into the Cheshire Ring if you are seeking a different circular route.
Choosing Your Perfect Pace
We want you to love every moment of your journey. While our route guides provide suggested times based on a steady pace and ideal conditions, we always encourage you to plan your trip around your crew's unique comfort and abilities.
Since everyone's energy levels are different, you may find that choosing a longer duration, such as 14 nights instead of 7, allows you to reach your goals while keeping the adventure inclusive, relaxed, and truly enjoyable for everyone on board. For more detailed advice on planning a journey that is safe and inclusive for everyone, please visit our Accessibility Statement.
Captain's Note: Your holiday should always feel like a break, never a task! If you are unsure about the best route and duration for your specific crew, please get in touch for friendly, honest advice.
Download Your Digital Map
We suggest downloading the free Open Canal Map while you plan. It is a fantastic interactive tool for exploring routes, finding visitor moorings, water points, and local pubs along the towpath.
Boatyard Bonus: It's incredibly helpful for pinpointing your exact location on the canal network. If you ever need to call our team for advice or assistance during your holiday, you can tell us exactly where you are!
* Disclaimer: Open Canal Map is a third-party application. It is not affiliated with Andersen Boats and is downloaded and used entirely at your own discretion.
Pearson's Canal Companions
For the ultimate captain's preparation, we highly recommend picking up a copy of Pearson's Canal Companions. These legendary guides are the gold standard for boaters, packed with beautifully illustrated mile-by-mile maps, fascinating local history, and invaluable reviews of towpath pubs and eateries.
Four Counties & Cheshire Rings
Perfect for navigating the Cheshire Ring, Four Counties Ring, and our local Trent & Mersey routes.
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Welsh Waters (featuring the Llangollen Canal)
The essential guide for anyone heading down the Llangollen Canal or exploring the Shropshire Union.
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