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River
Weaver Via Anderton Boat Lift |
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4
nights, 16 hours, 10 locks
Pearson’s
P5
Nicholson’s
N4, Lockmaster L5
With the re-opening of the Anderton boat lift in Spring
2002, a whole new navigation is open for exploration
from the Anderton base.
A stunning feat of 19th Century engineering, the lift
carries two boats at a time hydraulically, one up and
one down.
• Centre of the Cheshire salt-making
region, the River Weaver has a wealth of history,
including the Salt Museum at Northwich (01606 41331
www.saltmuseum.org.uk).
•
Head south to the head of the navigation and the Winsford
Flash lakes, one of the many wildlife havens on the
river.
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Lymm
& Return |
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3
nights, 20 hours, 2 locks
Cruise above the picturesque River Weaver and its valley,
where the only lock has a drop of just six inches! Preston
Brook has a tunnel of nearly a mile and there are also
two shorter ones on this route.
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Chester
or Ellesmere Port & Return |
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1
week, 32 hours, 44 locks (Chester)
1 week, 40 hours, 52 locks (Ellesmere Port)
Pearson’s P3, Nicholson’s N4, Lockmaster
L8
On this popular countryside route, the locks are well
spaced for easy cruising.
•
Mooring in Chester is within easy reach of the walled
city centre with its medieval ‘rows’ (TIC
01244 402111 www.chestertourism.com).
•
Chester Zoo is just a short walk from the canal (01244
380280 www.chesterzoo.org).
•
The fascinating Boat Museum (0151 355 5017 www.boatmuseum.org.uk)
at Ellesmere Port beyond Chester, near to the junction
with the Manchester Ship Canal.
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Froghall
& Return |
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1
week, 50 hours, 104 locks
Pearson’s P4, Nicholson’s N4, Lockmaster
L10
After stopping for the first night at Middlewich, this
cruise is through the heart of the Potteries.
•
Entertain the family for the day at Alton Towers (08705
204060 www.altontowers.com),
just 8 miles from the end of the Leek canal arm -
ask for details of taxis.
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Four
Counties Ring |
|
10
- 11 nights, 62 hours, 102 locks
Pearson’s P4, Nicholson’s N4, Lockmaster
L10
Accessible from both Anderton and Wrenbury Mill, this
varied landscape offers a most civilised adventure.
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Tarleton
& Return |
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1
week, 50 hours, 34 locks (Max 60ft boats)
Heading North of the Cheshire Ring the scenery is
varied, frequently rural and often spectacular.
•
Cross the Manchester Ship Canal at the impressive
Barton Swing Aqueduct.
•
The cottages and dry dock of Burscough Junction now
form a sleepy gateway to the Rufford Arm.
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Bingley
& Return |
|
2
weeks, 106 hours, 134 locks (Max 60ft boats)
This section of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal is
extremely
beautiful, with many large sections of easy, lock
free cruising through the 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 more comfortable turning point for a fortnight cruise
is the appealing market town of Skipton
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The
South Pennine Ring |
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3
weeks, 124 hours, 227 locks (Max 58ft boats)
Nicholson's N5 covers the whole ring, therefore
including the two routes detailed above
The newly restored Huddersfield Narrow Canal crosses
the Pennines to complete the fantastic South Pennine
Ring.
•
At 5698 yards, the Standedge Tunnel is the longest in
Britain - the passage requires pre-booking (01484 844298).
•
East of Huddersfield the canal is wider and the locks
are shorter, so the maximum length of boat to complete
this new circuit is 58ft.
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Wheelock
/ Heartbreak Hill & Return |
|
3-4
nights, 14 hours, 18 locks (Wheelock)
This route winds through the delightful valley of the
River Dane.
•
Explore the start of Heartbreak Hill and see the variety
of wildfowl and wading birds that this peaceful and
unspoilt stretch attracts.
•
With a few turning points on the way up the hill, this
gives you the chance to choose how far you explore,
depending on time available and enthusiasm for locks
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The
Cheshire Ring |
|
1
week, 49 hours, 92 locks -
Pearson’s P5, Nicholson’s N5, Lockmaster
L5
The route starts following alongside the enchanting
River Weaver for a number of hours.
•
Moor at Castlefields to explore the city of Manchester,
including Trafford Park, home of ‘Man U’
(0161 868 8626 www.manutd.co.uk),
the huge
Arndale shopping centre and the Science & Industry
Museum (0161 832 1830 www.msim.org.uk).
•
Enjoy glorious scenery as the Pennine Range overlooks
the canal and, if time allows, detour along the Peak
forest canal to its terminus.
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Beeston
or Nantwich & Return |
|
3
nights, 18 hours, 16 locks (Nantwich)
3 nights, 21 hours, 16 locks (Beeston)
Pearson’s P3, Nicholson’s N4, Lockmaster
L32 or L33
Easy cruising south from Anderton with splendid scenery
and good pubs. The lovely medieval town of Nantwich,
with its distinctive black and white architecture, is
a brisk 1/4 hour walk from the canal.
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Anderton
Marina... 
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