If you have just bought a share in a boat information with extra details about your boat's current home base will be sent with your "welcome pack".
STOCKTON TOP MARINA, STOCKTON, WARKS
Stockton Top Marina, Blue Lias Industrial Estate, Nr Stockton, Warks, CV47 8HS
This small marina is not on a number of maps, it is situated on the Grand Union Canal near Warwick, just three locks from Braunston
Locate the A426 where it runs between Southam and Rugby. About two miles north of Southam on this road you will pass The Boat Inn (where the road crosses the canal). If it is your first visit to the site the easiest way is probably to enter their car park and drive to the far end where you will find a set of steps leading you down in to the marina. The entrance to the marina car park it through the industrial estate which may by accessed about 200 yards south of the pub off the main road (or in the Southam direction).
Incidentally the best junction to use off the M40 is number 12, although the signs will send you via junction 11 as this is the route the HGV's use. If you are coming up from the London area the instructions are as follows:-
Leave at Junction 12, turn right. At the end of this road turn right and at the end of the next road turn right (at the roundabout). At the next roundabout turn left, at the next go straight ahead and at the next turn right, this is the A426 towards Rugby. As an additional guide: From the motorway keep following signs for "Bishops Itchington" until you pass through it, then follow signs for "Southam" until you are alongside it (on the Southam by-bass), then follow signs for "Coventry" A423 through two roundabouts, and at the third follow the local sign for "Dunchurch". This is the A426 (see two paragraphs above).
Map for Stockton Top Marina (Look where the main "red" road heading north east from Southam crosses the canal, the marina is behind The Boat Inn, (great food!) use their car park.)
Map, Blue Lias (Look for the word marina towards the top of the map)
If you wish to see a map showing the location of most of these boatyards on the canal network, click here
Calcutt Boats Ltd, Calcutt Top Lock, Stockton, Rugby, CV47 8HX
See directions above for Blue Lias Marina, Calcutt Boats is around 5 minutes drive from there. Leave the marina or pub car park in the direction of Rugby (left) on the A426. Immediately after crossing the canal turn right, taking a small road along side the canal. At the end of this road, at the "T" junction, turn right. You will cross two bridges, one over the canal and another over a long since closed railway line. Keep ahead on this road, go past Calcutt Lane and about 1/2 mile beyond this you will see signs in the road directing you to the left up the lane to the boatyard.
Approaching from the A425, which runs between Southam and Daventry at the cross roads in Napton by the Kings Head pub/petrol station take the Stockton Road, ignore the turn almost immediately sign posted to Stockton itself and keep ahead. After about a quarter of a mile you will see signs directing you to the right down the aforementioned lane.
Map,
Calcutt Boats
(Look for the lane leading up from the arrow to Calcutt Locks)
Swan Line Cruisers, Fradley Junction, Alrewas, Burton - on -Trent,
DE13 7DN
01283 790 332
Swan Line's Boatyard is situated where the Coventry and Trent and Mersey Canals join. To find the boatyard by road locate the A38 between Lichfield and Burton-on-Trent. From this road there is a turn directing you to Fradley Park, turn here and follow the signs sending you towards it (it is actually an industrial estate) Head down the lane and keep an eye out for a Go-Kart track on your left and take the first turn after this to your right, then turn left at the next cross-roads, and be warned, when I was there the mischief-makers had turned around the sign for Fradley Junction so don't think they are correct. After crossing the canal on the hump-backed bridge turn sharp left and along there you will find the boatyard just after The Swan public house. When you first arrive use the pub car park but seek guidance as to where you should leave your car as soon as possible from the staff at the boatyard.
If you are heading to this boatyard from any other direction you should follow signs for Fradley Junction once you are near the site. It is not actually in the village of Fradley.
Whist you are there you might like to have a look in at Woodside Caravan Park which is next door.
If you wish to see a map showing the location of most of these boatyards on the canal network, click here
Alvechurch Boats, Wrenbury Mill, Near Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5
8HG
01270 780 544
This boatyard is situated at the eastern end of the Langollen Branch
of the Shropshire Union Canal. Finding it by road is really very easy,
but there is no easy way of giving precise directions! Assuming you are
coming from the Motorway network leave the M6 at junction 16 and head towards
Nantwich on the A500, or, to put it another way, away from Stoke (take
care as the A500 also exits the M6 at junction 15, use J16).
At Nantwich take the A530 south towards Whitchurch and after about
3 miles you will see signs towards Wrenbury, simply follow them. If you
are coming down from the north and using the A49 then, once again, Wrenbury
is well signposted from this road. Once you arrive in the village the boatyard
is situated right next to the lift bridge over the canal.
If you wish to see a map showing the location of most of these boatyards on the canal network, click here
Oxford Cruisers Ltd, Eynsham, Witney, Oxon OX8 1DA
01865 881698
By river, the boatyard is about twenty minutes upstream of Eynsham lock, near Oxford, where the river starts to wind about and become much more rural than below Oxford.
By road, from the east......
Follow the M40/A40 to Oxford
Continue on the A40 passing north of Oxford, following signs
for Cheltenham.
Look out for two side roads opposite each other signposted for
“Cassington” to the right and “Cassington Mill” to the left (at traffic
lights). Keep going straight on.
Approximately 1 mile further on, you come to a roundabout.
Take the first exit, signposted for “Stanton”, then follow Local
Instructions below......
By road, from the west....
Follow the A40 towards Oxford
Pass Witney, and pass a signpost to the left for Freeland.
Pass a signpost to the right for Eynsham
Approximately half a mile further on, you come to a roundabout.
Take the third exit, signposted for “Stanton”, then follow Local
Instructions” below.....
Local Instructions.....
At the next roundabout, take the second exit, signposted for “Stanton”
At the next roundabout, take the first exit, signposted for “Farmoor”
After a short distance, you cross a toll bridge over the river
(the charge is 5p per car)
After approximately half a mile, you come to Farmoor - indicated
by a roadside sign
50 yards further, there is a (concealed) entrance on your right
signposted “Oxford Cruisers”
Drive in and park in the boatyard area.
Map for Oxford Cruisers at Eynsham
If you wish to see a map showing the location of most of these boatyards on the canal network, click here
Bartington Wharf, Acton Bridge, Northwich, Cheshire, CW8 4QU
01606 852945
Acton Bridge boatyard is situated just north of the actual village, and is very easy to find. Assuming that you are coming off the motorway network, locate the M56, taking it in the direction of Runcorn, that is to say, away from Manchester, and leave at the first junction you come to, junction 10. Take the A49 south, towards Whitchurch, staying on this road until you come to a cross-roads where there are traffic lights, after about 4 miles. Go straight on at these lights and after about 1 mile the road will rise slightly where you cross the canal. Continue a little way until you see “The Horns” public house and take the turning opposite it. Follow the road round a “U” and up to the boatyard which is through the gate at the end. Obviously if you are coming from the south on the A49 you will need to keep a sharp look out for the pub and turn just after it.
In a nutshell, if you are following the above from the M56 and you come to a very large swing bridge, you have gone too far!!
Map for Acton Bridge
If you wish to see a map showing the location of most of these boatyards on the canal network, click here
Swallow Cruisers, Wharf Lane, Hockley Heath, Solihull B94
5NR
01564 783442
This boatyard is situated just above the Lapworth Flight on the northern section of the Stratford Canal. To find the boatyard by road is really very easy, though what is written below may make it sound complicated! Assuming you are coming off the motorway network leave the M42 at junction 4 and take the A3400 towards Hockley Heath, that is to say away from Solihull. Pass through the town and keep a look out for a sign on your right towards "Nuthurst Grange”. Turn left just before it, up Wharf Lane, and the boatyard is a few hundred yards up on your left. If you come to the M40 you have gone to far. But (and here is the complicated bit) it is perhaps worth mentioning that at the nearer junction for the M40 (J16) you can only get off if you are heading south, or towards London, and on if you are heading in the opposite direction. If these are the directions that you will approach/leave then this exit is quite a bit nearer, just reverse the above! Finally on this subject, if you are coming from the south you may consider approaching the boatyard on the B4439, if you do come this way the turning off it on to Wharf Lane is signed for Henley, but I would advise you that it is probably quicker to use the M40 to its end, take the M42 north and come off at junction 4, even though it looks quite a bit further on a map.
If you wish to see a map showing the location of most of these boatyards on the canal network, click here
The Marina, Kent Green, , Scholar Green, Cheshire, Via Stoke On
Trent ST7 3JZ
01782 785700
Situated on the Maccelsfield, near the junction with the Trent and Mersey Canal, Heritage Narrowboats is easy to find, once you find the turning off the A34! On your map look for the A34 between Congleton and Kidsgrove, just north of Stoke.
If you are heading north, stay on the A34 keeping an eye out for an interesting looking thatched pub called The Bleeding Wolf on your left-hand side. After passing this pub, a short distance along the road is another pub on the left called The Travellers Rest. Once you pass this pub, keep a look out on your right for a small shop called The Village Store.
On the brow of the next rise is a turning to the right, sign-posted
'Mow Cop one and three quarter miles'. Turn right here into Station
Road.Stay on this road for approx. half a mile, past The Rising Sun and
cross the Macclesfield Canal. Take the next turning left, by Wharf
Plumbing. The entrance to Heritage is about 100m on your left. Keep
an eye out for some
blue gates.
(At the time of typing I do not really have a landmark for the turn off coming south, you might like to try the above or....)
Coming from the north on the A34 keep an eye open on your left for a car dealership with a restaurant located just after it, turn left immediately after this restaurant. Once on this road keep straight ahead for around 2 miles, the road will then enter a series of bends and cross the canal. Once across the canal there is a sign indicating a level crossing at a turn to your left, DO NOT TURN HERE, but keep an eye out for some blue gates soon after it on your right, this is Heritage Narrowboats.
If you wish to see a map showing the location of most of these boatyards on the canal network, click here
Barton Turns Marina, Barton under Needwood, Burton on Trent, Staffs
DE13 8EA
01283 711666
The marina is situated just down the Trent and Mersey Canal from Fradley Junction near the village of Barton-Under-Needwood. To find the marina by road could not be easier. Locate the A38 where it runs in an almost straight line between Lichfield and Burton-upon-Trent. About half way along this stretch is the village of Barton-u(nder)-Needwood. Leave the A38 here (on some maps this looks like a flyover with no exit, but you can exit here) and follow the signs directing you to the village (and Byrkley Park). Just a few hundred yards after leaving the A38 and joining the road towards the village there is a little brown sign for “Barton Turn Marina”, turn left here, then first right and you are on a partly made up road. Just follow this road and the marina reception is reached.
Garden Festival Park Marina, Etruria, Stoke on Trent, ST1 5PA
01782 201981
Canalwise this marina is situated just north of the entrance to the Caldon Canal on the Trent and Mersey. Finding it by road is as follows. From the north leave the M6 at Junction 16 on to the A500 or from the south leave at junction 15 and take the A500, both will be signposted towards Stoke. Leave the A500 at the A53 towards Hanley and city centre. You will pass over the canal and you can see the marina on the left hand side at this point. Stay in the left hand lane (do not cross flyover) and you will come to a large roundabout under it. Turn left at this and you have now entered Festival Park. Turn left at the mini roundabout and on your left you will pass a cinema complex. Take the first left after this and you will then pass though the gates in to the marina. If you get lost (!) then follow the brown “tourist” signs to Festival Park. Incidentally if you choose to approach from the A50 (from the east of Stoke) it joins up with the A500 in the centre of the city. This road is new and offers a quite stunning approach to the city.
If you wish to see a map showing the location of most of these boatyards on the canal network, click here
Alverchurch Boats, Alverchurch, Birmingham BH48 7SQ
The boatyard is situated on the western edge of the village of Alvechurch and may be found thus. Exit at junction 2 (signposted Birmingham (South)), From the motorway roundabout roundabout take the A441 towards Birmingham. At the next roundabout, turn left (signposted Alvechurch). Continue to next roundabout and immediately pass under the motorway and enter the village of Alvechurch. Follow this road until you come to a pedestrian crossing controlled by traffic lights. Immediately beyond the pedestrian crossing turn right into Bear Hill. Follow road up the hill until, as you leave the village, you pass over a railway bridge followed closely by a canal bridge. The boatyard is then on your left with the entrance about 200 yards beyond the canal bridge.