Kingston Upon Thames to Berkhamsted (7 nights)

This 7-night journey begins at Kingston Upon Thames, a vibrant Surrey town first recorded in a Royal Charter in 838. This medieval market town offers a host of historical treasures to explore, alongside a lively cultural scene and a shopper’s paradise. We aim to depart in good time, allowing guests the opportunity to experience the town’s charm before joining the boat for the cruise.

Departing Kingston, we follow the impressive scenery of the River Thames downstream, passing Twickenham, Richmond, and Kew before leaving the river through one of the two Thames Locks at Brentford. Here, the canal meets the River Brent, which accompanies the canal as it ascends through three locks into increasingly green surroundings. The striking Victorian façade of the former Hanwell Asylum overlooks the Hanwell flight of six locks, where we also pass three picturesque lock-keepers’ cottages.

Continuing westward, we encounter one of Brunel’s last engineering marvels: the Three Bridges, where a road passes over the canal while the canal crosses above the railway. After passing the locks at Norwood, we enter a long lock-free stretch that carries us through Bulls Bridge junction, where the Paddington Arm diverts into central London, and Cowley Peach junction, where the Slough Arm branches away.

Beyond Cowley Lock, the canal takes us through Yiewsley and Hayes before passing through Denham Country Park and navigating Denham Deep Lock, the deepest on the Grand Union Canal with an 11ft 1in drop.

As we reach Rickmansworth, the Batchworth Lock Canal Centre provides a fascinating insight into the area’s rich waterway heritage. To the south of the town lies Rickmansworth Aquadrome, a popular nature reserve with scenic woodland trails, tranquil lakes, and Stoker’s Lake, home to more than 60 species of breeding birds and one of the largest heronries in the country.

Cruising northward, the canal flows through the heart of the Colne Valley Regional Park, a 27,500-acre mosaic of farmland, woodland, and nature reserves. Near Watford, the waterway skirts the western edge of Cassiobury Park, often described as “one of the loveliest sections of canal so near a town anywhere in Britain.” This section also passes Whippendell Woods, renowned for its spectacular springtime display of bluebells and a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest since 1954.

Next, we arrive at Kings Langley, birthplace of Nicholas Breakspear, the only Englishman to have become pope. Nearby, in Apsley, we find Frogmore Paper Mill, the world’s oldest mechanised paper mill still in operation today.

As we continue north, the canal meanders past Boxmoor’s meadows and village, where, in 1802, Robert Snooks became the last highwayman to be hanged and buried at the scene of his crime. Shortly after, we arrive in Hemel Hempstead, passing through its scenic surroundings before reaching our final destination.

The journey concludes in Berkhamsted, a vibrant cultural town and the birthplace of author Graham Greene. Before disembarking, guests can explore the well-preserved ruins of the 11th-century Norman castle where William the Conqueror received the English crown after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. This historic gem provides a fitting end to a cruise that has traversed centuries of history, nature, and engineering marvels along the UK’s beautiful waterways.

*Price based on 2 people sharing a twin/double cabin. Cabins booked for 1 person incur a single occupancy supplement of 30%.

Please refer to our terms and conditions before booking. If you have any questions or specific requirements please contact us.

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