The UK’s most scenic canals

Photos

19

Total Votes

139

Scenic rating

5.9

The most northerly of the canals on this list and perhaps the most remote, the Caledonian Canal passes through some of the most iconic scenery of the United Kingdom. Originally built to provide ships with safe and reliable passage between the east and west coasts of Scotland, the Caledonian Canal connects multiple lochs along the The Great Glen Fault, an efficent route that benefits from their remarkably straight alignment and outstanding natural beauty.

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Photos

50

Total Votes

342

Scenic rating

5.32

Passing though the West Midlands, the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal links the River Severn to the Trent & Mersey Canal, or the Grand Trunk, as it was known. It was an important part of James Bridleys "Grand Cross" which aimed to link navigable rivers to allow trade easier access to sea ports. The most scenic canal in England, the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal skirts around the edges of Birmingham without ever becoming truly urban, offering a rural escape for millions of people.

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Photos

37

Total Votes

269

Scenic rating

5.22

Located in the north western reaches of England, the Lancaster Canal has the longest single level canal pound in England. Constructed by John Rennie, it hosts several single span stone aqueducts, including the impressive Lune Aqueduct - a masterpiece of civil engineering that takes the canal over the River Lune. The canal runs 42 miles from Preston to Tewitfield without a single lock, offering relaxed exploration for boaters, cyclists and and walkers alike.

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Photos

15

Total Votes

114

Scenic rating

5.21

The Crinan Canal is just 9 miles long traversing Kintyre peninsula, it and easily explorable in 1 day by bike. Flat and traffic-free, the towpath is perfect for a family ride. That short length is key to why it was built - as a shortcut between the Firth of Clyde and the Inner Hebrides, avoiding a long journery around the peninsula and now often called "the most beautiful short cut in Britain". These days you'll want to take your time, relax and enjoy the superb scenery.

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Photos

43

Total Votes

322

Scenic rating

5.17

The Mon & Brec winds it's way almost exclusivley through the Brecon Beacons National Park. Isolated from the rest of the Inland Waterways system, it maintains a peaceful character as it follows the Usk Valley, surrounded by rolling countryside. Originally two separate canals - the Monmouthshire Canal and the Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal. It was built to tap the mineral wealth of the area, walking along the canal today, it's difficult to imagine it was once a busy industrial corridor for coal and iron.

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Photos

23

Total Votes

198

Scenic rating

5.13

Built to carry limestone from the quarries around Froghall, the Caldon Canal runs along the beautiful Churnet Valley, meeting the Trent and Mersey canal at Etruria. It offers a mixture of picturesque countryside in the Staffordshire Moorlands and industrial heritage of the Potteries. Off the beaten track from the often busy Four Counties Ring, offering a peaceful enviroment. Visitors also have the chance to see a Steam Train on the Churnet Valley Steam Railway.

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Photos

49

Total Votes

341

Scenic rating

5.09

The Coventry canal was a vital link of the "Grand Cross" - James Brindley's early canal building scheme to link the major rivers of the Trent, Mersey, Severn and Thames. The canal is mostly rural and home to diverse wildlife with much of the former coal mines and quarrying areas having been reclaimed by nature. The canal starts at Coventry Basin located in the heart of the city and heading though some scenic countryside and meeting the Trent and Mersey canal 38 miles later at Fradley Junction.

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Photos

17

Total Votes

120

Scenic rating

5.09

Teeming with wildlife, much of the Montgomery Canal is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Running 33 miles from the Llangollen Canal at Frankton Junction to Newtown in Powys, Wales. The canal fell into disuse following a breach in 1936, however restoration by various parties including Shropshire Union Canal Society, Canal & River Trust and Waterway Recovery Group, starting with a "Big Dig" in Welshpool in 1969, means the canal is now navigable from the Llangollen Canal to Crickheath, as well as other isolated stretches. With the majority of the canal in water, and accessible by towpath all the way to Newtown, it makes a peaceful and tranquil canal, and a great option for wildlife and nature enthusiasts.

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Photos

52

Total Votes

395

Scenic rating

5.04

The Llangollen canal is one of the most popular narrowboat holiday destinations in the UK, and with the world famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and nearby Chirk Aqueduct, it's easy to see why. An 18-arched stone and cast iron structure spanning the River Dee at a major feat of engineering and today rightly recognised with the 18 kilometre UNESCO world heritage site. Although they are undoubtably a highlight, there is more to the Llangollen Canal than the Aqueducts alone. The canal passes though the ancient peatlands of Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses, the Meres of Ellesmere and some of the most scenic canal views as you head along the Welsh section towards Llangollen, which in itself is a popular visitor attraction.

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Photos

90

Total Votes

614

Scenic rating

5.02

Technically two lengths of navigable river linked by a canal, the name "Kennet and Avon Canal" is used to refer to the entire length of the navigation which links The River Thames with the Bristol Channel. Passing through some of England's most beautiful countryside, it also hosts impressive feats of engineering such as the Caen hill locks and some of the most intricate masonary work on the UK canal system, especially as the canal approches Bath, including Dundas and Avoncliff aqueducts and serveral ornate bridge and tunnels.

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