Guide to the beautiful Stratford upon Avon Canal in England

The Beautiful Stratford-on-Avon Canal.

Guide about the towpath, bridges, locks and other canal features for the Stratford-on-Avon Canal which is located in the English Midlands.

The 25.5 mile long Stratford-on-Avon Canal runs between Kings Norton Junction near Birmingham (where it connects with the Worcester and Birmingham Canal) more or less in a south easterly direction to Stratford upon Avon (where it links up with the River Avon).
View of several of Lapworth's flight of locks The canal was authorised by Act of Parliament in 1793 and after some delays finally opened between Kings Norton Junction and Lapworth in 1803 and eventually connected with the Avon at Stratford at the end of June 1816. The Canal's locks are very similar to those found on the Oxford Canal i.e. they are narrow and only one barge at a time can go through - transversing the Flight at Lapworth can therefore take some time - particularly the 6 to 14 sequence and shortly after that the 15 to 19 sequence of locks all of which are right on top of each other.

Kings Norton Junction is a really nice peaceful area with it's nice old Junction Bridge 72, a beautifuly made old brick warehouse and additionally several seats along the grassy areas which are just right for stopping off for a lunch break or picnic. Several cycle routes intersect at the junction - by using the Worcester Canal's towpath the centre of Birmingham is only about 6 miles away in one direction and Worcester around 25 miles in the other.
Right at the head of Kings Norton Junction is the fairly large Junction House - it's noticeboard makes interesting reading concerning toll and cargo charges in effect in 1894. For instance tonnage per mile of Lime at 1/2d, manure, bricks tile and stone at 3/4d, cattle, sheep and pigs were 1-1/2d and on top of this a charge of 1d per mile per boat.

The start of the Stratford upon Avon Canal Juncton Bridge 72 Junction Bridge at Kings Norton Junction Toll house - Kings Norton Canal Junction Warehouse just by the junction at Kings Norton
Kings Norton Junction Junction Bridge 72 Junction Bridge 72 Toll Office Warehouse by the Jcn.

Around 200 yards along the Stratford upon Avon Canal there is a quite rare and nicely preserved double guillotine stop lock - these type of locks were used to control water flow between canals owned by different companies - water was a valuable commodity. The stop lock mechanism is still there and shows the gearings, chains and iron gantry as well as the oak "guillotines" at each end of the lock.

Bridge 1 Bridge 1 and a double guillotine stop lock on the Stratford upon Avon Canal Guillotine stop-lock sadly just a few remains of an old swing bridge canal pipebridge
Bridge 1 Bridge 1 and stoplock guillotine double stop lock Site of an old swing bridge Pipebridge

The canal starts off by passing through residential areas of Birmingham's suburbs for around 5 miles but you would hardly know this - it is often heavily tree-lined and very peaceful. The canal is quite wide for narrowboats and the towpath is generally in really good condition as far as Dickens Heath with just one short stretch where it has become muddy.
Brandwood Tunnel is 322 metres in length and wide enough to be able to take two way narrowboat traffic - the size of barge it can accommodate is maximum 2.13 metres Beam and 2.1 metres Air draft. There is no towpath within the tunnel - in days past boatmen pulled the narrowboas and barges through by using the iron hand-railings which were built into its sides. If cycling or walking along the canal you have to divert up into Brandwood End. Although it's just a short distance you have to use a side road and then cross a major road where several main roads meet (there are pedestrian lights) and nothing is marked. From the West Portal walk up to the road - turn left and then go right on a path which cuts across grass to the main road. Go straight across the road and then shortly bear left down a path on the right and back onto the towpath.

Western Portal of Brandwood Tunnel Eastern Portal of Brandwood Tunnel Stratford upon Avon Canal - Brandwood Tunnel Brandwood Tunnel Pipebridge and Bridge 3
Brandwood Tunnel West Brandwood Tunnel East Brandwood Tunnel (E) East Portal Brandwood Tunnel Pipebridge and Bridge 3
Bridge 3 sideing bridge near Brandwood Lyons Wharf - Stratford upon Avon Canal Bridge 4 Pipebridge and Bridge 4
Bridge 3 Brandwood cut bridge Lyon's Wharf Bridge 4 Pipebridge and Bridge 4
Pipe and Bridge 4 pipes and bridge 4 Bridge 5 - Stratford upon Avon Canal Bridge 5 Pipebridge near Bridge 6
Bridge 4 Pipes and Bridge 4 Bridge 5 Bridge 5 Pipes and Bridge 6
Bridge 6 and Pipes Bridge no:6 Canal Bridge 7 Bridge 7 site of stoplock at Shirley Aqueduct
Bridge 6 Bridge 6 and nearbye pipes Bridge 7 Bridge 7 Site of aqueduct stoplock
Stratford upon Avon - Shirley Aqueduct Stratford upon Avon Canal - Shirley Drawbridge Shirley Drawbridge Shirley Drawbridge (open) Canal Bridge 9
Shirley Aqueduct Shirley Drawbridge Shirley Drawbridge Shirley Drawbridge Bridge 9
Canal Bridge 9 Railway Bridge no:9a Railway Bridge 9a Bridge 10 Bridge 10
Bridge 9 Railway bridge Railway bridge 9a Bridge 10 Bridge 10
Stratford-upon-Avon - Canal Bridge 11 Stratford-upon-Avon - Canal Bridge 11 Stratford-upon-Avon - Canal Bridge 12 Stratford-upon-Avon - Canal Bridge 12 Stratford-upon-Avon - Cana Footl Bridge 13
Bridge 11 Bridge 11 Bridge 12 Bridge 12 Footbridge 13
Bridge 14 Bridge no14 The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge:-15 The Stratford upon Avon Bridge:-15 Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge 16
Bridge 14
Dickens Heath		 Bridge 14 Bridge 15 Bridge 15 Bridge 16

Up to this part of the canal there are very few bridges crossing the canal but from Dickens Heath onwards you start to regularly come across many really nice old brick bridges. The towpath changes to grass from here - when walked there had been little rainfall for several weeks and most of the towpath was dry however it is obvious from the surface that in places this must get extremely muddy when wet and probably difficult to traverse for cyclists. The canal is completely lined with beautiful trees and quite dense foliage for some miles now and walking along especially with a little bit of sunshine getting through is a complete walking pleasure.
Just after passing Bridge 16 there is the feeder arm which provides water to the canal from the three reservoirs at Earlswood Lakes - these reservoirs were built in the 1820s.

The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge:-16 Stratford upon Avon Canal feeder arm from Earlswood Reservoirs Lady Lane Wharf The Stratford upon Avon Canal PipeBridge The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge:-17
Bridge 16 Feeder Arm Lady Lane Wharf Pipe Bridge Bridge 17
The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge 17 The Stratford upon Avon Canal Bridge:-18 Canal Bridge no:18 Stratford upon Avon Canal - Waring's Green Wharf The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge:-19
Bridge 17 Bridge 18 Bridge 18 Warings Green Wharf Bridge 19
Bridge 19 The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge:-20 The Stratford upon Avon Canal Bridge 20 The Stratford upon Avon Canal: M42 Bridge The Stratford upon Avon Canal M42 roadbridge (20a)
Bridge 19 Bridge 20 Bridge 20 Bridge 20a M42 Bridge 20a
The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge:-21 The Stratford upon Avon Canal Bridge 21 The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge:- 22 The Stratford upon Avon Canal - Bridge 22 The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge:- 23
Bridge 21 Bridge 21 Bridge 22 Bridge 22 Bridge 23
Canal Bridge 23 The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge:-24 Stratford upon Avon Canal Bridge 24 Hockley Heath Side Arm The Stratford upon Avon Canal - Bridge: 25
Bridge 23 Bridge 24 Bridge 24 Hockley Heath Arm Bridge 25
Bridge 25 - Stratford upon Avon Canal Draw Bridge on the Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge 26 The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Draw Bridge 26 The Stratford upon Avon Canal barges alongside a wharf The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge:- 27
Bridge 25 Draw Bridge 26 Draw Bridge Swallow Cruises Wharf Bridge 27
Canal Bridge:27 The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Lift Bridge Canal Lift Bridge 28 The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Lapworth Flight - Toplock The Stratford upon Avon Canal- Toplock (Lock 2)
Bridge 27 Lift Bridge 28 Lift Bridge 28 Lapworth TopLock Top Lock 2
The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge:-29 The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Lock 3 The Stratford upon Avon Canal Lock gates The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge: 30 right next to Lock 4 The Stratford upon Avon Canal Lapworth Lock no:4
Bridge 29 Lapworth Lock 3 lockgates lock 3 Lock 4 + Bridge 30 Lapworth Lock 4
The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge:-30 The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Lock:-5 The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge:-31 The Stratford upon Avon Canal: Bridge:-31 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.6
Bridge 30 Lock 5 Bridge 31 Bridge 31 Lock 6
Lapworth Locks - Lock no.6 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.7 Stratford upon Avon Canal - Lapworth Lock Flight - Lock no.7 Old cast iron Bridge - bridge 32 near the top of the Lapworth Lock Flight Lapworth - the lug on Bridge 32
Lock 6 Gates Lock 7 Lapworth Lock7 Bridge no.32 Bridge 32 lug

The Stratford upon Avon Canal has something of a split personality as far as it's bridges are concerned - right up to and including Bridge 30 (which is a turnover bridge) they are standard brick bridges with room under the bridge on one side or the other for the towpath. However at Lock 7 you come across a complete change - many of the bridges are made of cast iron and are footbridges placed at the end of many of the locks. These bridges were constructed in two sections with a one inch gap in the centre which enabled the tow-ropes attached to the horses to be passed through and thus avoid frequent un-harnessing. Bridge 32 (see the photo above) is a cast iron turnover footbridge i.e. the towpath changes sides - and to accommodate the towrope and avoid un-harnessing/tangling up the tow-rope was guided round an iron "cotton reel".

Cast iron Bridge 32 at Lapworth Lock Flight Lapworth Locks - Lock no.8 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.8 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.9 Stratford upon Avon Canal - Lapworth Locks - Lock no.9
Bridge 32 Lapworth Lock 8 Lapworth Lock 8 Lapworth Lock 9 Lapworth Lock 9
Lapworth Locks - Lock no.10 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.10 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.11 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.11 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.12
Lapworth Lock 10 Lapworth Lock 10 Lapworth Lock 11 Lapworth Lock 11 Lapworth Lock 12
Lapworth Locks - Lock no.12 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.13 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.13 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.14 Lock no.14 and bridge 33 and pipe
Lapworth Lock 12 Lapworth Lock 13 Lapworth Lock 13 Lapworth Lock 14 Lock-14 Bridge-33 Pipe
Bridge 33 and Pipebridge Pipebridge and Bridge 33 Bridge 34 Bridge no.34 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.15
Bridge 33 + Pipes Bridge 33 + Pipebridge Canal Bridge no.34 Canal Bridge no.34 Lapworth Lock 15
Lapworth Locks - Lock no.15 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.16 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.16 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.17 Lapworth Locks - Locks 17 and 16
Lapworth Lock 15 Lapworth Lock 16 Lapworth Lock 16 Lapworth Locks 16+17 Lapworth Lock 17

The area around the flight of locks at Lapworth is really well maintained with plenty of grass areas and quite a few bench seats available for people to use whilst perhaps watching the narrowboats navigating the many locks. The Lapworth Lock Flight consists of 26 locks in all with locks 6 to 14 immediately next to each other - the locks themselves are single locks with double bottom gates. In between each lock there is a quite large pool / pound of water available for any transitting narrowboats needing to wait their turn - these mini-reservoirs are also very useful for providing an immediate water source to the locks.

Lapworth Locks - Lock no.17 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.18 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.18 Bridge 35 pipebridge at bridge 35
Lapworth Lock 17 Lapworth Lock 18 Lapworth Lock 18 Canal Bridge no.35 PipeBridge by bridge 35
Bridge 35 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.19 Bridge 35a Bridge 36 and Lock 20 at Lapworth Lapworth Locks - Lock no.20
Canal Bridge no.35 Lapworth Lock 19 Canal Bridge no.35a Bridge36 + Lapworth Lock20 Lapworth Lock 20
Lapworth Locks - Lock no.20 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.20 Bridge 36 Lapworth Locks - Lock 21 and Bridge 36 Lapworth Locks - Lock no.21
Lapworth Lock 20 Lapworth Lock 20 Canal Bridge no.36 Lapworth Lock 21 + Bridge 36 Lapworth Lock 21
Kingswood Canal Junction Kingswood Canal Junction footbridge Kingswood - railway Bridge Kingswood Canal Junction area Kingswood Canal Bridge 37
Kingswood Junction Footbridge at Kingswood Jc Kingswood Jc Railway Bridge Area at Kingswood Junction Kingswood Jc Bridge no.37

The canal provides a connection with the Grand Union Canal Main Line about halfway along it's route at Kingswood Junction towards the bottom of the Lapworth Lock Flight between Locks 19 and 22. Narrowboats can go between the two canals - if heading from Birmingham then narrowboats can turn left just after Lock 19 and use the Lapworth Link Lock 20 and narrowboats coming from the south would turn right after Lock 22.

Bridge 37 - Kingswood Junction Lapworth Lock no.22 Bridge 37a Lapworth Lock no.23 Lapworth Lock no.23
Kingswood Jc Bridge37 Lapworth Lock 22 Canal Bridge no.37a Lapworth Lock 23 Lapworth Lock 23
Bridge 38 Broom Hall Bridge 38 Lapworth Lock no.24 Lapworth Lock no.24 Stratford on Avon Canal - Dicks Lane Lock
Broom Hall Bridge no.38 Canal Bridge no.38 Lapworth Lock 24 Lapworth Lock 24 Dicks Lane Lock 25
Dick's Lane Bridge 39 Stratford-upon-Avon Canal Lock 26 Stratford-upon-Avon Canal Lock 26 gates M40 Bridge 39a over the Straford upon Avon Canal Stratford-upon-Avon Bottom Lock 27
Dicks Lane Bridge 39 Lock 26 Lock 26 gates M40 bridge 39a Lapworth Bottom Lock 27
Canal Foot-Bridge 39b Stratford-upon-Avon Canal Lock no:28 Stratford-upon-Avon Canal Lock 28 and cottage Stratford-upon-Avon Canal Lock 29 Canal Lockgates (29)
Bridge 39b Lock 28 Cottages at Lock 28 Lock 29 Lock 29 lockgates

Just above there is a photo of the type of a lock-keeper's cottage the design of which was quite unique to the Stratford upon Avon Canal - to save money the cottages were single storey and had barrel vaulted roofs. 

Location of demolished railway bridge Canal Lock 30 Stratford-upon-Avon Canal Lock 30 Finwood Bridge (no:40) Stratford upon Avon Canal Bridge 40 - Finwood Bridge
Missing railway bridge Lock 30 Lock 30 Finwood Bridge Finwood Bridge 40
Stratford-upon-Avon Canal Lock 31 Lowsonford Bridge no:41 Lowsonford Bridge 41 Stratford-upon-Avon Canal Lock 32 Site of Demolished Canal bridge 42
Lock 31 Lowsonford Bridge Lowsonford Bridge 41 Lock 32 Missing Bridge 42
Lock 33 Canal Bridge 44 Canal Bridge no: 44 Bucket Lock Aqueduct The aqueduct at Bucket Lock
Lock 33 Bridge 44 Bridge 44 Bucket Lock Aqueduct Bucket Lock Aqueduct
Bucket Lock 34 Bridge 44a - Bucket Lock Bridge Bucket Lock Bridge no:44a Canal Bridge no: 45 Stratford-upon-Avon Lock 35
Bucket Lock 34 Bucket Lock Bridge Bucket Lock Bridge 44a Bridge 45 Lock 35
Old sign showing weight restrictions on a Straford upon Avon Canal Bridge Canal Bridge no: 45 Preston Bagot Toplock 36 Canal Bridge no: 46 Preston Bagot Lock 37
Old weight restriction sign Bridge 45 Preston Bagot Toplock Bridge 46 Preston Bagot Lock 37
Preston Bagot Bottomlock 38 Canal Bridge no: 47 Canal Bridge 47 Canal Bridge no: 47a Canal Bridge 48
Preston Bagot Bottomlock 38 Bridge 47 Bridge 47 Bridge 47a Bridge 48
Canal Bridge no: 48 Canal Bridge 49 Canal Bridge no: 49 Canal Bridge 50 Canal Bridge no:50
Bridge 48 Bridge 49 Bridge 49 Bridge 50 Bridge 50
Green Lane Bridge 51 Green Lane Bridge no:51 Canal Bridge 52 Canal Bridge no: 52 Canal Bridge 53
Green Lane Bridge 51 Green Lane Bridge Bridge 52 Bridge 52 Bridge 53
Wooten Wawen Wharf Canal Bridge no: 53 Wooten Wawen Aqueduct Wooten Wawen Aqueduct Canal Bridge no: 54
Wootton Wawen Wharf Bridge 53 Wootton Wawen's Aqueduct Wootton Wawen Aqueduct Bridge 54
Canal Bridge 54 Canal Bridge no: 55 Turnover Bridge no: 55 Canal Bridge no: 56 Canal Bridge 56
Bridge 54 Bridge 55 Bridge 55 Bridge 56 Bridge 56

Edstone Aqueduct was built in the early 1800s and is the largest of a series of three cast iron (trough design) aqueducts which can be seen on the Stratford upon Avon Canal. Edstone Aqueduct takes the canal over a tributary of the River Avon and also over GWR railway lines and a road - the aqueduct is 475 feet long, supported on huge brick pillars and has the canal's towpath alongside. It's very interesting to walk across the aqueduct whilst narrowboats (and the occasional duck) are passing by more or less level with your waist.

Bearley Lock 39 Edstone Aqueduct Ducks using the Edstone Aqueduct The Edstone Aqueduct Edstone Aqueduct from the road
Bearley Lock 39 Edstone Aqueduct Edstone Aqueduct - ducks in transit Edstone Aqueduct Edstone Aqueduct view from the road beneath.
Draper (Canal) Bridge 57 Draper Bridge no: 57 Canal Bridge no: 58 Stratford-upon-Avon Canal Bridge 58 Featherbed LaneBridge 59
Draper Bridge 57 Draper Bridge Bridge 58 Bridge 58 Featherbed Lane Bridge
Featherbed Lane Bridge no: 59 Canada Bridge no: 60 - Stratford on Avon Canal Canada Bridge 60 Wilmcote Toplock 40 Wilmcote Lock 41
Featherbed Lane Bridge 59 Canada Bridge 60 Canada Bridge 60 Wilmcote Toplock 40 Wilmcote Lock 41
Lock Gates at Wilmcote Lock 41 Wilmcote Lock 42 Wilmcote Lock 43 Canal Bridge 61 Wilmcote Lock 43
Wilmcote Lockgates (41) Wilmcote Lock 42 Wilmcote Lock 43 Bridge 61 Wilmcote Lock 43
Canal Bridge no: 61 Wilmcote Lock 44 Wilmcote Lock no:44 Wilmcote Lock 45 Wilmcote Lock 46
Bridge 61 Wilmcote Lock 44 Wilmcote Lock 44 Wilmcote Lock 45 Wilmcote Lock 46
Part of the Wilmcote Lock Flight Wilmcote Lock 47 Missing Canal Bridge 62 Wilmcote Lock 48 Gates at Wilmcote Lock 48
Wilmcote Lock Flight Wilmcote Lock 47 Missing bridge 62 Wilmcote Lock 48 Wilmcote Lock 48 gates
Wilmcote Lock no:49 Wilmcote Lock 49 Wilmcote Bottomlock 50 Bottomlock Gates - Wilmcote Lock Flight Chaly Beate Canal Bridge no:62a
Wilmcote Lock 49 Wilmcote Lock 49 Wilmcote BottomLock 50 Wilmcote BottomLock Gates Chaly Beate Bridge 62a
Chaly Beate Bridge 62a Canal Bridge 63 Canal Bridge no: 63 Bishopton Lock 51 Lock gates at Bishopton Lock 51
Chaly Beate Bridge 62a Bridge 63 Bridge 63 Bishopton Lock 51 Bishopton Lockgates
Canal Bridge no: 64 Canal Railway Bridge no:64a Canal Railway Bridge 64b One Elm Lock 52 Canal Bridge no: 65
Bridge 64 Railway Bridge 64a Railway Bridge 64b One Elm Lock 52 Bridge 65
Lockgates at One Elm Lock Canal Bridge no: 66 Stratford-on-Avon Canal Bridge no: 66 Maidenhead Road Lock no:53 Maidenhead Road Lock
One Elm Lockgates Bridge 66 Bridge 66 Maidenhead Road Lock 53 Maidenhead Road Lock 53
Gear at Maidenhead Road Lock no.53 Canal Bridge no: 67 Stratford-upon-Avon Canal - Lock 54 Warwick Lane Lock 55 Canal Bridge no: 68
Lock 53 Bridge 67 Lock 54 Warwick Lane Lock 55 Bridge 68
Lockgates at Warwick Lane Lock Canal Bridge 69 Canal Bridge no: 69 Bancroft Basin - in the centre of Stratford upon Avon Canal and River meet at Wide Lock 56
Warwick Lane Lockgates Bridge 69 Bridge 69 Bancroft Basin Wide Lock 56

Full width lock at Wide Lock 56 - Stratford-upon-Avon Tramway Bridge crossing the River Avon at Stratford upon Avon Once you have passed under Bridge 69 (which is the lowest bridge since Lapworth) you enter the centre of the historic town of Stratford-upon-Avon at Bancroft Basin which marks the start (or end?) of the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal. The whole area is very spacious and nicely paved and grassed - and particularly on a sunny weekend really full of tourists (the Shakespeare bit..). The River Avon meets the canal via Wide Lock 56 which is a double lock - from here you get excellent views of the River which at this point is really wide - also of the lovely Tramway Bridge. Tramway Bridge, which was built in 1823, got its name from being part of a 16 mile long horse-drawn tramway which ran between Moreton-in-Marsh (with a branch to Shipston-on-Stour)and the basin at Stratford-upon-Avon.

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