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Black Country canal expedition – 26 July – 2 Aug 2025

Updated 05/01/2025

Do you have Explorer Scouts who are keen to embark on a weeklong residential canal narrowboat cruise around the Birmingham and Black country ring? 

Explorers will :

  • work as part of a small team/crew, working their boat for the day, from preparing the barge in the morning, cooking meals, keeping the boat tidy whilst working over one-hundred locks in the week.
  • get to see Birmingham from a whole unique perspective from descending the Wolverhampton 21 locks, to mooring in Birmingham City centre.
  • also be having fun off the boat with a day in Drayton Manor Theme Park, being free to roam Birmingham city centre and probably going bowling.
  • have really busy week around some chill out opportunities, gain a real sense of camaraderie and achievement and make new friends.

When?     Saturday 26th July to 2 August 2025 

Times:

  • Start: Saturday 26 July 2025 @ 2.00 pm
  • End:   Saturday   2 August 2025 @ 9 am

Where?

Start/Pick up location – Anglo Welsh base at Great Heywood (Mill Lane, Great Haywood, Stafford, ST18 0RJ)  (approx. 2 ½ hours’ drive from Cambridge). Note that to keep costs down, travel to/from Great Heywood is not currently included, and so will be responsibility of parents.

Who?  Young people who are Explorer Scouts at the start date of the expedition

How much:  £460 per Explorer Scout  payable by instalments as below

We do not want finance to be a barrier to accessing the opportunities of scouting so please get in touch if you would like to discuss more flexible options or financial support.

Event flyer to help with local promotion

To help Units promote the event to their Explorers, you can use the button below to download the flyer (previously emailed to all Units, Lead Volunteers & District 14-24 Team Leaders).

Booking a place

All bookings should be made by the Explorer’s parents by clicking the button below. This directs the booker to the Eventbrite booking system which also contains payment and other details that will be emailed once booking has been completed.

Contact for more information: neil.eccles@cambridgeshirescouts.org.uk

 Frequently Asked Questions 


Water safety requirements

A. A knowledge of water safety will be important. We will be requiring explorers to wear buoyancy aids where there are greater risks such as when using locks or navigating very busy stretches of water. The waterways we are using are on average less than 1m deep, and, although an ability to swim and good water-confidence is useful, it is not a requirement for the trip.

· Both water safety and the ability to behave appropriately in their team will be essential to the success of the expedition. If any explorer is not able to meet the required standard in these respects, parents will be asked to collect them early at their own expense.


What's included in the cost?

A. The £460 covers boat hire, fuel, mooring fees and ancillary costs, participants’ food, drink, tickets for bowling and Drayton Manor theme park.


By when are the various payment instalments to be made?

A. Payment is due by the following dates:

£ 60 :  (Non-returnable) deposit, payable within 5 days of booking on Eventbrite

£100 : 31 January 2025 (First payment)

£100 : 28th February 2025 (Second payment)

£100 :  31st March 2025 (Third payment)

£100 : 30th April 2025 (Final payment)

Please note, there is a £50 non-returnable deposit for each Explorer Scout booked. The balance of £400 paid is recoverable providing we can find a replacement.

What the highlights of the trip?

A. Highlights:

· Working as a team to negotiate over 75 locks, numerous tunnels, and 68 miles of canals over 7 days.

· Experience both country and city landscapes as we go from rural Staffordshire to the centre of Birmingham.

· Assuming we make good progress, a day at Drayton Manor theme park https://www.draytonmanor.co.uk/

· Mooring in the centre of Birmingham.

What accommodation will we be using?

A. Accommodation

· We will have a flotilla of 4 boats, sleeping around 10 per boat in individual bunks

· The boats all have flush toilets and showers as well as a basic kitchen.

· Young people will be living in close proximity for a week, so the ability to get on well with others and maintain good hygiene is essential!

· Each boat will have 2 leaders in charge, at least one of whom will have a narrowboat permit issued by  The Scout Association.

Will the expedition count towards gaining my Duke of Edinburgh Award?

A. The expedition has the potential to be used as a Gold Duke of Edinburgh Residential, please enquire before signing up

Black Country canal expedition – 26 July – 2 Aug 2025

Black Country canal expedition – 26 July – 2 Aug 2025

Black Country canal expedition – 26 July – 2 Aug 2025

Black Country canal expedition – 26 July – 2 Aug 2025

Black Country canal expedition – 26 July – 2 Aug 2025

Black Country canal expedition – 26 July – 2 Aug 2025

Black Country canal expedition – 26 July – 2 Aug 2025

Black Country canal expedition – 26 July – 2 Aug 2025

Black Country canal expedition – 26 July – 2 Aug 2025

 

HM King Charles III has been confirmed as our new Patron, a great honour for UK Scouts.

The King continues a long tradition of the monarch giving their Patronage, dating back to 1912. This was when Scouts was granted its Royal Charter and HM George V became our first Patron.

Find out more
King Charles III

Our Patron, HM King Charles III