UK Canal Boating

Navigational Notes

Saltersford Tunnel
Tunnel entry is as follows:
Northbound (Saltersford Tunnel to Preston Brook) - Entry on the hour until 20 minutes past the hour.
Southbound (Saltersford Tunnel to Barnton) - Entry 30 minutes past the hour until 10 minutes to the hour.

Preston Brook Tunnel
Tunnel times are as follows:
Northbound: open on the hour, and remains open until 10 past the hour.
Southbound: open at half past the hour, and remain opens until 20 to the hour.

Preston Brook
Information for Canal & River Trust Licence Holders visiting the Bridgewater Canal
All C&RT craft are subject to the terms and conditions of the Bridgewater Canal whilst they remain on our waterway.
C&RT licence holders may remain on the Bridgewater Canal for periods not exceeding seven consecutive days.
C&RT craft wishing to extend beyond the 7 day reciprocal arrangement period must obtain a temporary short term Bridgewater Canal Licence at a cost of £40 for 7 consecutive days. If you wish to obtain a temporary short term Bridgewater Canal licence please contact the Bridgewater Canal Company on telephone 0161 629 8266.

Castlefield Junction
Information for Canal & River Trust Licence Holders visiting the Bridgewater Canal
All C&RT craft are subject to the terms and conditions of the Bridgewater Canal whilst they remain on our waterway.
C&RT licence holders may remain on the Bridgewater Canal for periods not exceeding seven consecutive days.
C&RT craft wishing to extend beyond the 7 day reciprocal arrangement period must obtain a temporary short term Bridgewater Canal Licence at a cost of £40 for 7 consecutive days. If you wish to obtain a temporary short term Bridgewater Canal licence please contact the Bridgewater Canal Company on telephone 0161 629 8266.



CRUISING NOTES

Cruise southwards from the Marina.

From Wharton Lock is an excellent view of Beeston castle- a massive ruin dating back to the 14th century which is visible from 30 miles away. The castle was built by the Earl of Chester in 1337, & is situated on the top of a steep hill dominating the surrounding countryside. It is open April to September.

Beeston Castle is also known as the the formidable ‘Castle of the Rock’. Climb to the top of this impressive crag with incredible views over eight counties, from the Pennines to the Welsh mountains. Legend has it that Beeston still guards King Richard II’s lost treasure – maybe your family can find it? An exciting exhibition details the secrets of 4,000 years of Beeston Castle’s history, from Bronze Age settlement to Iron Age hill fort, the Castle itself was begun in 1225.

With over 40 acres of unspoiled woodland trails to explore and an abundance of wildlife Beeston Castle and Woodland Park makes for a truly exhilarating and enchanting day out for all the family.

At Bunbury Wharf, 2 staircase locks require thought before action, they are 14 feet wide like all locks between here and Chester. The village of Bunbury is 1 mile south west of the Locks and has stores, butcher & take away fish & chips & a couple of pubs.

Bunbury Water Mill is up the hill from Bunbury Wharf, & is open Easter-Sep & gives guided tours around its fully restored watermill.

The Davenport Arms is at Calveley by bridge 104. The countryside is flat, rich farmland. The Olde Barbridge Inn is Canalside at the Barbridge Junction. Turn left along the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal, this is an attractive and wonderfully tranquil canal, with some rural moorings.

The canal crosses the River Weaver over an aqueduct as it approaches the village of Church Minshull which can be accessed by bridge 14.

Moor by Bridge 14 and walk into the village on Church Minshull, to your left, the Badger Inn is in the village and serves lovely food and ales.

The canal continues through quiet farmland interspersed with woods until it reaches Middlewich, there are good moorings at the boatyard to the left of the junction. You will be turning left at the junction on the Trent & Mersey canal heading north.

The town centre is in easy walking distance from the canal and is known for its heritage events and festivals. Once a thriving centre for the excavation of salt, the canal played an important part in the success of the industry in the town. Since the decline of the salt industry, the town is a friendly place with a good range of shops and pubs to be found.

The town is home to a popular folk and boat festival which runs for three days every year over a bank holiday weekend. It has been going since 1990 missing only one year due to foot and mouth. Folk musicians play at a number of venues, and it is estimated to bring in 30,000 visitors and 400 narrowboats over the course of the weekend.

There are plenty of pubs and restaurants here, among them The Big Lock (garden; children and dogs welcome); The Boars Head; The Newton Brewery Inn (garden; children welcome), and The Kings Lock (canalside seating; children welcome until 9pm; dogs in bar area only).

After turning left at the Junction and continuing northwards , Croxton Aqueduct crosses the River Dane and follows alongside the canal, into the peaceful countryside, the canal overhung with pretty trees and following the curve of the hill. Near Broken Cross Boating Club, by bridge no. 176, there are moorings with picnic and barbecue areas.

Shortly, the canal veers to the right towards bridge no. 180a, passing under the railway, and taking you to the outskirts of Northwich.

There is a small settlement called Broken Cross, just as you go under the motorway bridge. There is a pub here called Old Broken Cross, which has moorings, and a small canalside garden. Children and dogs are welcome. Next, is Northwich, lying at the junction of the rivers Dane and Weaver. The town centre is close to the canal, and has a large shopping precinct. There are a few pubs left here, after the town was 'rebuilt', such as the Wharf (canalside; children welcome).

You will notice it becoming increasingly industrialised as you near Anderton, and this is because of the thriving salt industry in this area. You'll also see beautiful countryside, and large 'lakes' called 'Flashes', off to the left, close to Marston, where many of the houses collapsed due to subsidence from the salt industry.

A little further and you will reach Marbury Country Park, on the right, near bridge no. 198. There are visitor moorings here and a picnic area, within the 200 acre grounds. For more information, visit http://www.visitcheshire.com/things-to-do/marbury-country-park-p32091.

Anderton Boat Lift is the next point of interest on the canal. Stay on the main canal, as the boat lift would take you down to the Weaver Navigation. If you have time, you may want to stay and take a look at the Boat Lift, and perhaps visit the cafe here. It is a magnificent piece of engineering built in 1875 by Edward Leader Williams, an English civil engineer. For more information, visit https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/places-to-visit/anderton-boat-lift-visitor-centre. The Stanley Arms (canalside; children welcome) is directly opposite the Boat Lift.

Barnton is to your right, and then you will be near to the east end of the Barnton Tunnel (572yds long).

Once through Barnton Tunnel, you will very shortly approach Saltersford Tunnel (424yds long; see Navigational Notes), then an aqueduct. All the while, the Weaver Navigation is alongside the canal, and once through Saltersford Tunnel you will be once again in open countryside.

Once you are more or less level with Dutton Hall, the Weaver Navigation veers off to the left, leaving the side of the Trent and Mersey. The canal carries on through pleasant countryside, then some woods, before entering the Preston Brook Tunnel (1239yds long; see Navigational Notes). At the end of the tunnel, there is a notice which informs you that from now on, you're on the Bridgewater Canal.

Pubs en route from Barnton to Preston Brook are Leigh Arms (moorings and garden; children and dogs welcome); Horns Inn (garden; children welcome); Hollybush (garden; children welcome), and Tunnel Top (garden; children and dogs welcome).

Next, under the M56, then take the right hand fork, because if you go left, you will reach a dead end in Runcorn. From the canal you can get good views of the Manchester Ship Canal. Where the railway meets the canal, at Daresbury, there is a church which has a stained glass window dedicated to Lewis Carroll, who was born in Daresbury. The window depicts him with the dormouse, Mad Hatter and Cheshire Cat, from the Alice in Wonderland stories that he wrote.

Cruising through a rural stretch, you will soon reach Higher Walton, visible through the trees, then the suburbs of Stockton Heath, via Lower Walton. Stockton Heath is a suburb of Warrington, and has shops and local services.

A little further on is Grappenhall, a cobbled street village, with stocks still remaining near the church. Sherlock Holmes was filmed here. There are a couple of pubs here Rams Head (outside seating), and Parr Arms (outside seating), both of which are on the cobbled street. Then, just a little further is Thelwall, which is just a short walk from the Thelwall Underbridge. There is a pub here called Penny Ferry Inn (garden; children welcome), so-called because it is right by 'The Penny Ferry', where for a small charge, the ferry will take you across the Ship Canal.
Under the M6 bridge and you will soon be in Lymm, where the streets tumble down to the canalside, making it a very pretty place to cruise through. There are 24 hour moorings here if you should want to stop a while. Again, there are plenty of pubs and restaurants to choose from – Golden Fleece (canalside; children welcome until 8pm); Bulls Head (children welcome during the day only), and Trattoria Baci, and Italian restaurant.

Before you know it, the suburbs of Sale are upon you. Sale is a vast residential suburb of Manchester, with many Victorian buildings. There is the Waterside Arts Centre and Robert Bolt Theatre, https://watersideartscentre.co.uk/.

There are many pubs and restaurants to choose from, among them The Waterside, by Sale Bridge no. 35 (patio seating; smart casual dress – no sportswear/shorts); The Railway Inn, also by Sale Bridge (outside seating; children welcome until 9pm), and Bridge Inn (moorings; garden; children welcome), by bridge no. 36a.

From Timperley Bridge no. 33, you can take the Metrolink tram from the station beside the canal, into Manchester if you moor up here for the night, or you may want to cruise to the outskirts, nearer the M60 bridge, and moor there.
Once under the M60 bridge, you will be entering Stretford, and on the way to Waters Meeting, where you will need to bear right, towards Manchester. Between bridges 93 and 94 you will pass Manchester United Football Ground on the right, then a little further, to the left you can see Salford Quays, http://www.thequays.org.uk/; The Lowry Centre, https://www.thelowry.com/, and the Imperial War Museum, http://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-north.

For more information on what you can see and do in Manchester, if you decide you want to moor up, use the visit Manchester link (useful links)

The Manchester Ship Canal is just across the tow path at Pamona Lock, and you will cruise through Castlefield Junction (see Navigational Notes), then some more locks as you make your way to the Ancoats Locks. Take the right hand fork, which takes you towards Droylsden on the Ashton Canal, through more locks. The canal is now densely populated, with a busy towpath. En route you will cruise through Openshaw, and through the Fairfield Locks, then you can moor up somewhere near here, for the night.

Pubs along this part of the canal are, among others, The Pearl Restaurant Bar and Lounge in Audenshaw; Strawberry Duck, canalside by Lock 13, and Bridge Inn, near bridge no. 11 (outside seating; children welcome).

You will soon be at Bridge 18, where there is a convenient pub called the Miners Arms, where you can moor up if you wish. There is a beer garden and children are welcome.

Cruising south, the canal meanders through wooded areas, small villages, and a few pubs en route, where you can stop if you wish. Soon you will reach the outskirts of Bollington, a suburb of Macclesfield. Bridge 29 is just south of Bollington, so if you moor along this stretch, there are some pubs – Dog and Partridge (garden, children welcome); Holly Bush (beer garden), and The Plaice (licensed fish restaurant).

If you want to moor up and go into Macclesfield, the best place to moor is near Bridge 37, where you will see a vast old converted mill overlooking the canal. Built in the 1820's, it is the Hovis Mill, where flour was milled. It is now luxury apartments. Pubs in Macclesfield include Dolphin Inn, Navigation, Puss In Boots, and Britannia. All have a garden and children are welcome.

As you leave Macclesfield, you will soon reach the Gurnett Aqueduct, with a pub nearby, the Old Kings Head, with a garden, children welcome.

A little further on is Royal Oak Swing Bridge in Oakgrove, you will see the foothills and mountains of the Pennines, tumbling down towards the canal, which is now quite remote and quiet. Shortly, you will reach your first locks, Bosley Locks, a flight of 11. At the end of the flight is another small aqueduct, Dane Aqueduct.

Round a large curve, then under the railway viaduct, and soon you will reach the hamlet of Buglawton, a suburb of Congleton, to the right of the canal. There is a pub near here called Robin Hood, which it is claimed, is haunted! It dates from 1787, and was the Court Room, and is south west of bridge 61.

Moving on, you will soon be in Congleton, a busy market town. Moor up and have a look around if you wish. There are shops, restaurants, walks, cycle routes, and Mow Cop Castle to see. For more information, visit http://www.visitcheshire.com/places/congleton-p33561. Some of the local pubs are Wharf Inn and Moss Inn, both with gardens, and children and welcome.

Leaving Congleton behind, Watery Lane Aqueduct is next, then the canal runs straight, through a series of bridges, and you can moor up along here for the night if you wish, perhaps near Scholar Green, to your right. This is a small village, again with some pubs – Travellers Rest and Rising Sun, both welcoming children and have gardens.

Leaving Scholar Green, you will soon approach the junction of the Trent and Mersey Canal and Hall Green Branch. You will turn right here towards Kidsgrove, onto the Trent and Mersey Canal, and over the Red Bull Aqueduct. The first locks are here, before you reach Church Lawton and the next locks, 9 in total stretched over one mile.

Soon you will reach Rode Heath where there are shops, so you can stock up on supplies if you need to. There is a canalside pub here too, The Broughton Arms, with canalside seating and a garden. Children welcome, but not in the bar area.

Another village is soon in view, just prior to the motorway bridge, Hassall Green. There is a haunted pub called The Romping Donkey, and restaurant called Lockside 57 here. Both welcome children and have outdoor seating.

Beyond Bridge 151 is Malkin's Bank Golf Club and Wedding Venue. Very soon you will reach Wheelock, where you can moor up for the night if you wish. There is a fish and chip shop in the village, and the following pubs: Nags Head and the Cheshire Cheese, both with gardens, children and dogs welcome.

It's quiet now, as you leave the suburbs of Wheelock, and soon you will pass Paddy's Wood on your right, then go under Rookery Railway Bridge No. 158. Again, to the right, you will see signs of habitation as you go under Elton Moss Bridge No. 160.

The canal is straight for a while, and then you approach the suburbs of Middlewich, and you will turn left down the Middlewich Branch to retrace your steps back to the Marina

 

NB: This route has been provided as a guide only. Information may become inaccurate or out of date. You should always check with the marina that the route is possible within your time frame, current weather conditions and canal stoppages etc.