Guides: P5, N5, L5
From Anderton, 7 nights, 8 hours per day, 92 locks
From Wrenbury 10/11 nights, 6.5 hours per day, 114 locks
From Whitchurch 14 nights, 6 hours per day, 137 locks
A fascinating trip that takes you through the heart of Manchester and the Peak District with its distinctive stone architecture. Moor at Castlefields to explore the city of Manchester, including Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C. 0870 4421994 and The huge Arndale shopping centre
The trip will let you enjoy glorious scenery as the Pennine Range overlooks the canal and, if time allows, detour along the Peak Forest canal to its terminus. Enjoy the stunning views from Marple and at Anderton pause to visit the fabulously restored boat lift which now operates throughout the cruising season to link the canal with the River Weaver.
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Guides:P5, N5, L5
From Anderton to Chester, 7 nights, 5.5 hours per day, 44 locks
From Wrenbury to Chester, 7 nights, 4 hours per day, 46 locks
From Whitchurch to Chester, 7 nights, 5 hours per day, 66 locks For Ellesmere Port add 1.5 hours per day and 8 locks
From Gailey 10 nights, 6.5 hours, 44 locks
On this popular countryside route the locks are well spaced for easy cruising. You can choose to travel to Chester and then retrace your steps back to the marina or continue along the Shropshire Union main line to it’s historic terminal on the River Mersey at Ellesmere Port. Mooring in Chester is within easy reach of the walled city centre with its medieval‘rows’ where there are a variety of shops, galleries and the majestic cathedral.
Chester Tourist Information Centre 01244 402111, Chester Zoo is just a short walk from the canal. 01244 380280. The fascinating Boat Museum 0151 355 5017 at Ellesmere Port is a few locks beyond Chester, near to the junction with the Manchester Ship Canal. The museum has an extensive collection of preserved inland waterway craft and display areas in many of the former warehouses.
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Guides: P5, N5, L5
From Anderton, 14/21 nights, 8+ hours per day, 134 locks (Max 60ft boats)
For the more energetic this can be a 14 night trip, but if you are wanting to take your time and see the sights then take a more leisurely 3 week break. Heading north of the Cheshire Ring the scenery is varied, frequently rural and often spectacular. You will experience areas of easy, lock-free cruising through the beautiful wide-open moorland of rural Pendle. If just two people are cruising, it is best to share the large double locks with another boat if possible. A comfortable turning point for a fortnight cruise is the appealing market town of Skipton. This is a short walking distance from the canal and a lovely market town to explore. It has a good selection of shops, a castle, museum and local bicycle hire.
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Guides: P5, N5, L5
From Anderton 21 nights, 6.5 hours per day, 227 locks (Max 58ft boats)
The recently restored Huddersfield Narrow Canal crosses the Pennines to complete thefantastic south Pennine Ring. At 5698 yards, the Standedge Tunnel is the longest and highest in Britain– the passage requires pre booking with Standedge Visitor Centre. (01484 844298)
East of Huddersfield the canal is wider and the locks are shorter, so the maximum length of boat able to complete the circuit is 58ft.
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P4, N4, L10
From Gailey 7 nights, 8.5 hours per day, 94 locks
From Wrenbury 10/11 nights, 6.5 hours per day, 112 locks
From Anderton 10/11 nights, 6.5 hours per day, 102 locks
From Whitchurch 14 nights, 6 hours per day, 132 locks
A fascinating voyage of discovery and well worth the extra bit of effort! The journey takes you along the wonderfully rural Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal to Great Haywood Junction where, passing under a distinctive roving bridge, you join the Trent and Mersey Canal heading north towards the Potteries and Peak District. The rolling Staffordshire countryside leads you to Stoke-on-Trent, the Wedgewood Visitors Centre and the impressive 2926-yard long Harecastle Tunnel.
Beyond Harecastle the 13 miles to the salt town of Middlewich sees the canal descend 31 locks to the Cheshire Plains. The short Middlewich arm links the Trent and Mersey Canal to the Shropshire Union Canal again through more glorious countryside.
The scenery on the climb up ‘Heartbreak Hill’ to the summit at Kidsgrove is fantastic.
As well as sights of the potteries such as the Bottle Kilns at Etruria, the Wedgwood Pottery Centre at Barlaston is not to be missed. 01782 204218
The National Trust’s Shugborough Hall is a short walk from moorings at Great Haywood. 01889 881388
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Suggested routes and timings are approximate and will be affected by available cruising hours, weather conditions and amount of traffic on the waterway.
More detailed advice will be given when the boat is collected.
When planning any river cruising within your route, do bear in mind that in some weather conditions river navigation may be restricted, so it is worth having an alternative plan.