With more canals than Venice, this popular 75-mile journey offers canal boat holiday-makers the chance to explore Birmingham, Britain’s second City and its surrounding countryside from the unique perspective of its historic waterways.
What can you See & Do on the Black Country Ring in a week?
To complete this popular circuit in a week, you will need to cruise around eight hours each day, giving time to visit canalside villages and pubs along the way, and perhaps one or two major attractions.
To create more time for visiting destinations along the way, we recommend booking a 10-day or two-week holiday to travel this route.
Pass gently through the peaceful English countryside, listening to joyful birdsong. Enjoy watching out for farm animals in the fields, church spires in passing villages, and waterside wildlife.
Head into the centre of Britain’s second city and discover exciting cultural destinations, like the Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery, packed with Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces.
Stop off to visit the famous Black Country Living Museum, home of the Peaky Blinders popular BBC TV series.
Whether you are simply looking to escape into the English countryside, or you’d like to take the opportunity to visit some of our greatest historic and cultural attractions, Great British Boating offers a variety of suggestions on where to stop on your way round the Black Country Ring.
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Hall” link_url=”” target=”_self” hotspot_position_left=”42.3″ hotspot_position_top=”34.8″ pointer_type=”count” pointer_icon=”fa-map-marker fas” tooltip_position=”top” tooltip_text_color=”” tooltip_background_color=”#666666″ /][iee_image_hotspot_item title=”Fradley Pool
Nature Reserve” link_url=”” target=”_self” hotspot_position_left=”55.5″ hotspot_position_top=”45.8″ pointer_type=”count” pointer_icon=”fa-map-marker fas” tooltip_position=”top” tooltip_text_color=”” tooltip_background_color=”#666666″ /][iee_image_hotspot_item title=”Black Country
Museum” link_url=”” target=”_self” hotspot_position_left=”30.9″ hotspot_position_top=”58.0″ pointer_type=”count” pointer_icon=”fa-map-marker fas” tooltip_position=”bottom” tooltip_text_color=”” tooltip_background_color=”#666666″ /][iee_image_hotspot_item title=”The Grand Theatre” link_url=”” target=”_self” hotspot_position_left=”29.2″ hotspot_position_top=”51.0″ pointer_type=”count” pointer_icon=”fa-map-marker fas” tooltip_position=”right” tooltip_text_color=”” tooltip_background_color=”#666666″ /][iee_image_hotspot_item title=”Brindley Place” link_url=”” target=”_self” hotspot_position_left=”43.9″ hotspot_position_top=”67.7″ pointer_type=”count” pointer_icon=”fa-map-marker fas” tooltip_position=”top” tooltip_text_color=”” tooltip_background_color=”#666666″ /][iee_image_hotspot_item title=”Alvechurch Marina. Click HERE” link_url=”https://www.drifters.co.uk/bases/alvechurch/?location=Alvechurch” target=”_blank” hotspot_position_left=”40.0″ hotspot_position_top=”75.6″ pointer_type=”icon” pointer_icon=”fa-star fas” tooltip_position=”top” tooltip_text_color=”” tooltip_background_color=”#f25d1c” /][iee_image_hotspot_item title=”Worcester Base. Click HERE” link_url=”https://www.drifters.co.uk/bases/worcester-marina/?location=worcester” target=”_blank” hotspot_position_left=”26.0″ hotspot_position_top=”92.0″ pointer_type=”icon” pointer_icon=”fa-star fas” tooltip_position=”right” tooltip_text_color=”” tooltip_background_color=”#f25d1c” /][iee_image_hotspot_item title=”Autherley Base. Click HERE” link_url=”https://www.drifters.co.uk/bases/autherley/?location=Autherley” target=”_blank” hotspot_position_left=”27.9″ hotspot_position_top=”54.9″ pointer_type=”icon” pointer_icon=”fa-star fas” tooltip_position=”left” tooltip_text_color=”” tooltip_background_color=”#f25d1c” /][iee_image_hotspot_item title=”Gailey Base. Click HERE” link_url=”https://www.drifters.co.uk/bases/gailey/?location=gailey” target=”_blank” hotspot_position_left=”29.2″ hotspot_position_top=”42.1″ pointer_type=”icon” pointer_icon=”fa-star fas” tooltip_position=”top” tooltip_text_color=”” tooltip_background_color=”#f25d1c” /][iee_image_hotspot_item title=”Great Haywood Base. Click HERE” link_url=”https://www.drifters.co.uk/bases/great-haywood/?location=great haywood” target=”_blank” hotspot_position_left=”37.1″ hotspot_position_top=”33.9″ pointer_type=”icon” pointer_icon=”fa-star fas” tooltip_position=”top” tooltip_text_color=”” tooltip_background_color=”#f25d1c” /][iee_image_hotspot_item title=”Brewood Base” link_url=”https://www.drifters.co.uk/bases/brewood/?location=brewood” target=”_blank” hotspot_position_left=”22.1″ hotspot_position_top=”47.0″ pointer_type=”icon” pointer_icon=”fa-star fas” tooltip_position=”left” tooltip_text_color=”” tooltip_background_color=”#f25d1c” /][iee_image_hotspot_item title=”Tardebigge Base. Click HERE” link_url=”https://www.drifters.co.uk/bases/tardebigge/?location=tardebigge” target=”_blank” hotspot_position_left=”39.0″ hotspot_position_top=”79.3″ pointer_type=”icon” pointer_icon=”fa-star fas” tooltip_position=”left” tooltip_text_color=”” tooltip_background_color=”#f25d1c” /][iee_image_hotspot_item title=”Stoke Prior Base. Click HERE” link_url=”https://www.drifters.co.uk/bases/stoke-prior/?location=stoke prior” target=”_blank” hotspot_position_left=”32.4″ hotspot_position_top=”82.0″ pointer_type=”icon” pointer_icon=”fa-star fas” tooltip_position=”left” tooltip_text_color=”” tooltip_background_color=”#f25d1c” /][/iee_image_hotspot]
Things to see & do
From quiet country pubs and village churches, to exciting historic attractions where history and culture come to life, you’ll find plenty of places to visit on your canal journey round the Black Country Ring.
Alternative rings:
