UK Canal Boating

From Tattenhall Marina turn south along the Shropshire Union Canal


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. Do not turn left up the Middlewich canal but continue straight on.

Nantwich Basin used to mark the end of the old Chester Canal, but now it is the home to the Nantwich Canal Centre, which incorporates a shop, café, boatyard and hire centre. Nantwich is a beautiful town whose centre is a short walk from the Basin and has the largest collection of historic buildings outside Chester within the county of Cheshire and offers a varied shopping experience including a vibrant market.

Move south down the Shropshire Union Canal.
There is a small cast iron aqueduct and a long sweeping embankment flanked by housing.

The Hack Green Locks are 2 locks within walking distance of the Hack Green Nuclear Bunker which was a secret bunker reserved to protect the privileged in case of attack during the Cold War. Today it is open to the public and it has a substantial collection of military and Cold War memorabilia, including one of the largest collections of decommissioned nuclear weapons in the world. If you are planning a visit to Hack Green be sure to check opening times to avoid being disappointed.

Moor up just before Moss Hall Bridge to avoid the Audlem flight of locks , you can walk into Audlem which is off to your left, with pubs canalside and by bridge 78. Audlem village is a place to get supplies in, just a short walk from the Shroppie, with most shops available along with a tourist information and post office.

The 15 Audlem Locks have a total rise of around 30 metres from the Cheshire Plain to the Shropshire heights and are the longest flight on the Shroppie.

This is an area that is popular with walkers, the towpaths are often busy with people taking strolls on nice days, and there is a gift shop to visit which is in an old mill.

After congratulating yourself on completing this flight you only have just over a mile until the 5 Adderley locks, but then you have a quiet 3 mile stretch until you reach Market Drayton.

Market Drayton, the home of Gingerbread, is a market town which holds a market every Wednesday. It is also a lively boating centre with many moorings to choose from and several boatyards. The centre of town is an easy walk from the canal and there are plenty of shops to purchase supplies from along with the market where you can pick up good local produce too. The town has some beautiful architecture from timber framed houses to a stunning 14th century sandstone church. On entering the town you pass over the pretty 40 Steps Aqueduct so called because of the 40 steps leading up from the road to the canal.

On leaving Market Drayton you climb the 5 Tyrley Locks , the landscape is very quiet and pleasant.

Woodseaves Cutting and the impressive High bridge is the next place on your journey. This is a magical place, particularly in Spring when the deep cutting echoes with birdsong, as it is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest because its geological importance.

The Wharf tavern at bridge 55 was once a coal wharf and warehouse, but is now a popular canal venue.

No villages are close by this stretch of the canal, at the end of the Shebdon Embankment is the Knighton Cadbury's factory. This was opened in 1911 and they had a fleet of narrowboats to transport their goods to the Bournville site. The last load to be carried by boat was in 1961 by “Charlie Chocolate” Atkins in his boat Mendip which has recently been restored and can be seen at the Ellesmere Port museum.
At the end of the great Shebdon Embankment is an aqueduct ,

There is another cutting- Grub street, that is soon reached with an unusual double arched bridge containing what must be the smallest telegraph pole in the country!

The Norbury Junction is where the Newport Branch used to be, but it is now closed , but there is a Canalside cafe with picnic tables and a pub, and it is a popular and pretty setting.

Shelmore Embankment is 1 mile long and caused much grief and expense to the Birmingham and Liverpool Canal company and to Thomas Telford, the engineer in particular. It took 5.5 years during which time millions of cubic feet of earth had to be removed, and it collapsed many times! This was the last section of the canal to be completed and the reason for Telford to never see his final waterway opened. Troubled from the start this section had to be repeatedly repaired. Today it is covered in mature trees whose roots help with stability and there are also flood gates at either end of the embankment in case of a breach.

Gnosall village is passed to the right, which is convenient for stocking up on supplies or stopping for a pint and a bite to eat.

Once through Cowley Tunnel you are into Cowley cutting that is deep, narrow and wooded. This section was originally intended to be a part of the Cowley Tunnel which takes you into Gnosall, but the ground was unstable so they opened this section out and made it the cutting it is today.

You are now into beautiful countryside passing through deep wooded cuttings and embankments that give views for miles. During this section you will only pass though a handful of hamlets. It is so rural and remote that you can get lost in the peace, disturbed only by a nosy herd of cows as you cruise by.

At Wheaton Aston you will find a waterside garage that offers some useful facilities for boaters and a canalside pub. Wheaton Aston also has a few basic supplies.

The Wheaton Aston lock is unique by way of being the only singular lock on the canal route as the other locks are bunched together in "flights". This made for quicker working by the boat people because locks could be easily prepared in advance of the boats.

Turn just after Tavern Bridge 19 at the winding hole and make the journey home.

 

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.