Waterways are an integral part of Stafford's geography. The **River Sow** flows directly through the heart of the town, offering scenic riverside walks, particularly through Victoria Park. The River Sow is a tributary of the **River Trent**, which it joins just outside the town limits.
Additionally, the **Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal** skirts the edge of the borough. This historic, highly picturesque canal is popular with narrowboat cruisers, kayakers, and towpath walkers, eventually linking to the Trent and Mersey Canal at Great Haywood.