Canals in Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton is situated at the northern end of the Wolverhampton Level of the Birmingham Canal Navigations.

Click on the PDF icon below to download a map of canals within Wolverhampton:

From Wolverhampton the Birmingham Canal Navigations provides over 37 miles of lock free boating, from Wolverhampton to Smethwick, via the BCN Old Main Line.

Canals also reach to Walsall, Chasewater (Anglesey basin) and Daw End (Aldridge) on the Wyrley and Essington Canal. At 473 ft above sea level this is one of the highest cruising lock free levels in the country.

At Wolverhampton, the Birmingham Canal Navigations connects with the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal the Shropshire Union Canal.

Further connections can be made from local canals to enable narrow boats to reach over 2,000 miles of English canal network.

A local map of the Black Country canal network can be found on the Waterscape website.

Canal information

There are 15.5 miles of canal and 25 locks within the City boundaries, which comprise of:

Birmingham Canal Navigations (Main Line)

• Route miles: 5.6
• Locks: 21

Birmingham Canal Navigations (Wyrley and Essington)

• Route miles: 3.7
• Locks: 0

Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal

• Route miles: 5.6
• Locks: 3

Shropshire Union Canal

• Route miles: 0.8
• Locks: 1 (stop lock)

The 21 Locks

From the city centre at Horseley Fields Basin, the Birmingham Canal Navigations descends 133 feet over 1.8 miles through 21 locks.

The locks connect the Birmingham Canal Navigations with the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal at Aldersley Junction and can be walked via the towpath.

Boat size

Canals in Wolverhampton can be used by narrowboats which are:

• 71 feet 6 inches in long
• 7 feet wide
• 6 feet 6 inches high
• less than 3 feet draft.