Canal Pub
The Two Boats Inn
Long Itchington
Canal Pub
#1 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Attractions on the Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal is the longest canal in England, stretching for 137 miles from London to Birmingham. Completed in the early 19th century, it was designed as a vital artery for industrial transport, linking the capital with the Midlands and facilitating the movement of coal, building materials, and manufactured goods. The canal is renowned for its impressive engineering, including aqueducts, tunnels, and flights of locks such as those at Hatton and Stoke Bruerne. Today, the Grand Union Canal is a popular route for pleasure boating, walking, and cycling, and forms an important part of the nation’s canal heritage.
Britain’s 4,700 miles of canals and rivers are lined with historic pubs, castles, and engineering marvels. Visitors can enjoy canalside pubs like the Admiral Nelson and The Turf Hotel, explore castles such as Beeston and Chirk, and see attractions like the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Anderton Boat Lift, and National Waterways Museums. Day boat hire is widely available, and guided cruises offer relaxing ways to discover the canals’ heritage and scenery.
Grand Union Canal's Best Attractions in 2026
Day Boat Hire
#2 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Day Boat Hire
Lazy Days Day Boat Hire
The Boatyard, High St, Weedon Bec, Weedon NN7 4QD.
Canal Pub
#3 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Skippered Boat Trips
#4 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Skippered Boat Trips
#5 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Day Boat Hire
#6 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Day Boat Hire
Inland Navigators
Canna Mead Weedon Lane, Dodford, Northampton NN7 4TA.
Day Boat Hire
#7 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Skippered Boat Trips
#8 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Skippered Boat Trips
Waterways Experiences
Nash Mills Recreation Centre, Red Lion Ln, Hemel Hempstead HP3 9TE
Skippered Boat Trips
#9 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Restaurant Boats and Skippered Boat Trips
#10 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Restaurant Boats and Skippered Boat Trips
BMK Waterway Trust Electra
Campbell Wharf, Avebury Boulevard, Milton Keynes, MK9 4BG
Skippered Boat Trips
#11 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Day Boat Hire
#12 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Day Boat Hire
Canal Boat Day Hire
Apsley Marina Dickinson Quay Apsley Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire HP3 9WQ
Skippered Boat Trips
#13 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Skippered Boat Trips
#14 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Skippered Boat Trips
The Baldwin Trust – Halseyon Days
Leicester Marina, Pinfold Road, Thurmaston, Leicester, LE4 8AS
Skippered Boat Trips
#15 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Skippered Boat Trips
#16 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Skippered Boat Trips
London Waterbus Company (Little Venice)
s Pool WATERBUS Wharf, Little Venice, Browning, Blomfield Rd, London W9 2PF
Castle
#17 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Skippered Boat Trips
#18 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Day Boat Hire and Skippered Boat Trips
#19 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
Day Boat Hire and Skippered Boat Trips
Cosgrove Narrowboat Company
Cosgrove Wharf, Lock Lane, Cosgrove, Milton Keynes MK19 7JR.
Canal Pub
#20 Rated Attraction on the Grand Union Canal
