Cheshire Ring
Trent & Mersey, Macclesfield, Peak Forest, Ashton, Rochdale,
Bridgewater Canals.
(125 miles & 110 locks on circular route) |
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The
Macclesfield and Peak Forest canals offer a very attractive 2 weeks
holiday, which could be turned into a circular route by travelling on the
Ashton and Rochdale Canals to return via the Bridgewater Canal. However,
impressive the industrial heritage of Manchester may be, you may find that
the beautiful moorland scenery of the Macclesfield Canal will persuade you
to return by the same route.
The Macclesfield Canal leaves the Trent & Mersey Canal at Kidsgrove (Stoke
on Trent), and apart from a small ‘stop lock’ has only one flight of 12
easy locks at Bosley. It continues on one level then all the way to Marple
and Whaley Bridge on the Peak Forest Canal.
Macclesfield is a large silk manufacturing town on the edge of the Peak
District National Park. At Marple the upper Peak Forest Canal carries you
through mountainous scenery to New Mills, Whaley Bridge and the vast
Buxworth limestone loading basins. |
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If continuing round the ‘Cheshire Ring’ the lower Peak Forest Canal
drops you down through 16 very deep locks at Marple, to pass over
the very impressive Marple Aqueduct and through a couple of tunnels,
to reach Dukinfield, junction with the Ashton and Huddersfield
Narrow Canals (now fully restored).
Passing through the Ashton and 1˝ miles of Rochdale Canal (fully
restored into Yorkshire during summer 2002) you arrive at
Castlefields (Manchester), junction of Rochdale and Bridgewater
canals. This is an excellent safe mooring to visit the city centre
and explore the excellent industrial museums and Granada TV studios.
After a well earned rest on the lock free Bridgewater canal you
return to Beeston via the Trent & Mersey and Middlewich Branch
canals. |
Cruising times from
Beeston:
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Middlewich (7 hrs)
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Kidsgrove (16˝ hrs)
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Macclesfield (24 hrs)
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Marple (27˝ hrs)
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Marple to Whaley Bridge
& return +(5 hrs)
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Dukinfield (33 hrs)
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Manchester Castlefields (40 hrs)
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Preston Brook (48 hrs)
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Middlewich (54˝ hrs)
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Return Beeston (61˝ hrs) |
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