The Oxford Canal
The Oxford Canal starts by the River Thames in Oxford and runs for 77 miles, mainly through quiet rolling countryside, to near Coventry where it connects with the midlands canal system. At one time it was the main transport route from the midlands to the south of England and it is now one of the most beautiful and popular cruising canals.
See more at Canal Junction!
From world famous Oxford, founded nearly a thousand years ago and with its many University Colleges, the canal heads north through pleasant pastures, through the old canal village of Thrupp and passing close to the magnificent Blenheim palace, Winston Churchill's birthplace. The countryside becomes more isolated with rolling hills around the old village of Lower Heyford, neighboring Upper Heyford had a large USAF base.
Banbury is an interesting medieval market town with many fine old pubs. Cropredy, a tiny village with only two pubs, hosts a huge outdoor folk music festival each August when Fairport Convention, and about 17,000 fans, have their annual reunion. The two pubs get busy then! The Oxford Canal course is very winding in places and often looks much more like a river. Above Napton it twists and turns so much that the Napton Windmill, only a few miles distant, is visible for many hours in many different directions!
Hireboats (self drive) on these canals: Rose Narrowboats Willow Wren College Cruisers
Hotel boats on these canals 2003:   Full details Coming Soon!
Email us your questions
about Canal Vacations		 promotes the wonderful leisure opportunities on UK canals. We don't offer boats or vacations of our own!
homepage
next canal