Shardlow Canal Walk
This circular walk around Shardlow takes you along the Trent and Mersey Canal and the River Derwent. The delightful little canal village is located just to the south west of Long Eaton and a real highlight of the area. It's another noteworthy spot on the canal having been a significant 18th-century river port for the shipment of goods from the River Trent to the canal. During this time it became was known as "Rural Rotterdam" and "Little Liverpool". Today Shardlow is considered Britain's most complete surviving example of a canal village, with over 50 Grade II listed buildings and a large number of surviving public houses.
You can start the walk from the public car park, next to the canal near Great Wilne. From here you can pick up the canal towpath and follow it east to Long Horse Bridge (now Fathorse bridge). Here you leave the canal to follow a riverside path along the River Trent to Cavendish Bridge, passing an aqueduct on the way. The route then passes the pretty Shardlow Marina before returning to the car park.
If you enjoy this walk then you could head east to visit the noteworthy Trent Lock. It's a significant location as the lock marks the point where the River Trent and River Soar meet with the beginning of the Erewash canal. It also sits on the border of three counties: Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
Shardlow Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Shardlow Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Shardlow OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Shardlow Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Pubs/Cafes
There's several good options for canalside refreshments in Shardlow. The historic Clock Warehouse is housed in a converted milll, dating from 1780. There's a nice garden here right next to the water. Perfect for relaxing in on warm summer days. You can find the pub right next to the canal at a postcode of DE72 2GL.
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
Just to the south you could visit nearby Castle Donington. Here you can visit Donington Park which is famously used as a motor racing track and is also the venue for the Download Music Festival.
To the north there's some nice waterside trails around St Chad's Water and Church Wilne Reservoir. St Chad's includes a nice circular lakeside footpath with a wildflower meadow and the historic 13th century St Chad's Church.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Leicestershire Walks page.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
Former salt warehouse - Shardlow. This former salt warehouse was known as "number 2 store" and was built in the late 18th century, shortly after completion of the adjacent Trent & Mersey canal. It found later use as a corn merchant's premises and most recently was the premises of Derby Timber Products Ltd. It appears to be unused at the current time.
New Inn
River Trent at Shardlow. Looking South.
Trent & Mersey Canal. Shardlow is a superb example of a canal village, located at the eastern end of the Trent & Mersey Canal. From here boaters effectively leave the narrow canal network and head into river navigations, joining the Trent about a mile further on at Derwent Mouth.
Malt Shovel
Shardlow Marina
The Clock Warehouse, Shardlow. This warehouse on the Trent and Mersey Canal at Shardlow, Derbyshire, built around 1780, has been refurbished as a family pub. It takes its name from the clock above the signs reading "Navigation from the Trent to the Mersey".
Shardlow Lock