Canal Routes from Cow Roast Marina, Tring
Our narrowboats are moored at Cow Roast Marina on the famous Tring Summit of the Grand Union Canal - the highest, most peaceful pound on the whole London-to-Birmingham line, and only 35–40 minutes by train from London Euston. From the moment you cast off you have a genuine choice of adventures: glide north on a completely lock-free stretch through wooded cuttings to canalside pubs at Bulbourne and Marsworth, or head south into the locks towards the historic market town of Berkhamsted.
Use the interactive map above to explore our recommended pub, lock, landmark and wildlife spots along the way - then read on for our honest guide to choosing the right route for your crew.
When you're ready,
Which canal route should you choose?
A narrowboat travels at walking pace - about 3 mph - and that's the whole point.
The golden rule for a great day afloat is simple: pick one destination, go there, and come back. Here's how the options compare:
Route
Distance
Locks
Time (Return)
Best for
South to Berkhamsted
~3 miles each way
8 locks
each way
A very full day
adventure
Best for early starts and energetic, confident crews
South to Dudswell or Northchurch
0.5-1.5 miles each
way
1-4 locks
Half to full day route
Ideal for crews who want to try lock work
North + towpath walk down the Marsworth flight
~3 miles by boat,
then on foot
No locks by boat
Full day of fun
Best suited for walkers, birdwatchers &
pub-lovers
North to Bulbourne & the
Grand Junction Arms
~3 miles each way
No locks
2-2.5hrs cruising
+ lunch
Great for first-timers, families, pure relaxation
If it's your first time at the tiller, don't worry — every hire includes a full safety briefing and hands-on tuition, and no licence or experience is needed. Our guide to driving and stopping a narrowboat without panicking
is a great read before you arrive.
North to Bulbourne and Marsworth the classic lock-free day
This is the route we recommend to most of our guests, and the heart of our
perfect-day itinerary from Cow Roast Marina. Heading north from the marina you stay on the summit pound the whole way - not a single lock between you and lunch.
Through the Tring Cutting
Minutes after setting off you enter the Tring Cutting, a deep, tree-lined channel dug through the Chiltern chalk by hand in the 1790s. It's green, shaded and utterly tranquil - one of the coolest places to be on a hot summer's day - and a favourite haunt of kingfishers. The canal slips right past Tring railway station, which is why a day on the water here makes such an easy car-free escape from London
Lunch at the Grand Junction Arms, Bulbourne
About an hour's gentle cruising (roughly 3 miles) brings you to Bulbourne, a hamlet built around the canal's historic workshops. Here you can moor right alongside the Grand Junction Arms, a proper canal-side pub with a big waterside garden - we'd suggest booking a table on summer weekends. Prefer a picnic? There are lovely quiet moorings all along this stretch. (See our packing list for the perfect boat day.)
Just past the pub, the Wendover Arm branches away at Bulbourne Junction - the junction doubles as the natural turning point for day boats, and we'll show you exactly how to wind (turn) the boat at your morning briefing. Five minutes' walk from Bulbourne Bridge is College Lake, an award-winning nature reserve in a former chalk quarry with hides, lakes and a visitor-centre café.
Marsworth locks, Tring Reservoirs and three more pubs
Beyond Bulbourne the canal begins its descent through the Marsworth flight - seven locks stepping down beside the reservoirs to Marsworth Junction, where the narrow Aylesbury Arm strikes out across the vale (a haven of tranquillity in its own right). Working the full flight and back takes three hours or more, so most day crews do something smarter: moor at Bulbourne and walk the towpath down the flight instead. It's one of the loveliest short walks on the whole canal.
Along the way you'll pass the four Tring Reservoirs, built two centuries ago to keep the summit topped up with water and now a National Nature Reserve teeming with herons, great crested grebes and rarer visitors - bring binoculars and our guide to wildlife along the waterways
(and if you're tempted to feed the swans, please bin the bread - they'll thank you for peas and oats instead.)
At the bottom you're spoilt for choice: the canalside White Lion, the Angler's Retreat by Startop's End reservoir, and the Marsworth Water's Edge café on the towpath.
South through the locks towards Berkhamsted
Turn right out of the marina and you're straight into the action: Cowroast Lock (No. 46) marks the southern end of the Tring Summit and is your first lock within two minutes of setting off. It's a brilliant confidence-builder - and from there the canal falls away down a wooded valley.
Dudswell Locks (~half a mile)
A pretty pair of locks beside a quiet hamlet - a perfect first taste of lock work and a popular turning point.
Northchurch Lock (~1.5 miles)
The canal slides past the old village of Northchurch, whose flint church of St Mary's has Saxon origins.
Berkhamsted (~3 miles and 8 locks each way)
The historic "Port of Berkhamsted", where the canal runs right through the middle of a thriving market town - past the moated remains of Berkhamsted Castle, where William the Conqueror accepted the surrender of the English crown in 1066, and a parade of waterside pubs including The Boat, The Crystal Palace and the much-garlanded little Rising Sun ("The Riser") on the lockside.
A word of honesty: Berkhamsted and back is a very full day - eight locks in each direction. It's fun and rewarding for energetic, early-starting crews, but most southbound guests have an equally lovely day turning at Dudswell or Northchurch and taking the locks slowly. We'll help you pick the right turning point on the morning.
The quiet arms: Wendover and Aylesbury
Two side-branches meet the main line on our doorstep. The Wendover Arm, leaving the canal at Bulbourne Junction, is a hushed, reed-fringed backwater being lovingly restored by volunteers - read the story of this arm in need of a hand. The Aylesbury Arm drops away from Marsworth Junction towards the Vale of Aylesbury and is best enjoyed as a towpath walk on a day trip - or as inspiration for your next visit.
Beyond the towpath: bluebells, beechwoods and a monument to the Canal Duke
The canal here threads the northern edge of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The National Trust's Ashridge Estate rises just east of the marina: ancient beech and oak woodland famous for its spring bluebell displays, crowned by the Bridgewater Monument - 172 steps up a column raised to the "Canal Duke" whose money built England's waterways. It's a wonderful add-on walk before or after your day afloat
Getting to Cow Roast Marina from London
Trains run from London Euston to Tring in 35–40 minutes; from Tring station it's a short taxi ride or a pretty 25-minute towpath walk to the marina. Many guests are on the water by mid-morning having left London at 9 am. Driving instead? There's parking at the marina - full directions come with your booking confirmation.
