Birmingham and Fazeley Canal

Birmingham and Fazeley Canal

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WATERWAYS LICENCES

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Canal Licensing Information

Licence Required?

Yes - included in British Canoeing Membership

License Authority

Canal and River Trust

Further Information

The British Canoeing licence covers you from Old Turn Junction to Fazeley Junction.

The Birmingham and Fazeley canal is rather typical of many canals. It speaks the language of the industrial revolution and keeps the yesteryear heritage alive.

The canal is 15 miles long, has a whopping 38 locks along it, and links to the Coventry Canal at Tamworth. It then climbs its way all the way into Gas Street Basin in the heart of Birmingham. 

A real mix of rural and urban scenery, you can get the best of both worlds along this canal. If you set off from Gas Street Basin the canal weaves through claustrophobic tunnels and ornate archways.

Look out for the unique gothic footbridge at Drayton Bassett. Also, the well known Farmer’s Bridge Lock Flight. This must have been a real spectacle in its heyday. The series of 13 locks was lit just by gaslight! You can also see the Birmingham Post Office Tower. 

A little more history for you. The Birmingham and Fazeley canal opened in 1789. It became more popular when 10 years later it became the first direct canal route to London when it joined with the Warwick & Birmingham Canal after the opening of the Digbeth branch. 

Now though? Well, now the canal has left behind it’s industrial usage. Walkers, cyclists and paddlers alongside canal and pleasure boaters all enjoy the canal today.