The Ashby Canal

The lock-free Ashby Canal takes boaters through beautiful stretches of the Leicestershire and Warwickshire countryside

The Ashby Canal is currently navigable for 22 miles from its junction with the Coventry Canal to Snarestone. It winds through the countryside and is rich in wildlife, including kingfishers, dragonflies, herons, fish and aquatic plants.

The section of the canal from Carlton Bridge to Snarestone is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

There are no locks on the Ashby Canal, but there’s a 229 metre long tunnel at Snarestone.

The Ashby Canal runs alongside Bosworth Field, where Richard III lost his crown to Henry Tudor in 1485. The Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre & Country Park near Sutton Cheney tells the story of the battle.

You can cruise the Ashby Canal to Snarestone and back on a 10-day or two-week holiday from Wootton Wawen.