Shropshire Union Canal
Beeston to Wolverhampton
(49 miles and 27 locks each way) |
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The “Shroppie” carries
the traveller southwards through some magnificent scenery. Much of it’s
course is remote, but there are wayside inns and several towns and
villages within easy reach.
This canal has a totally different character to many other others, as it
strides boldly across valleys on high embankments and digs deeply through
narrow rock cuttings.
Locks are grouped in easy to work ‘flights’ at Audlem and Market Drayton.
There are plenty of canalside pubs to slake the thirst and hunger of the
traveller.
The countryside is rolling Shropshire hills at it’s best and the long
embankments at Nantwich, Shebdon and Shelmore offer unrivalled views.
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A selection of
places to visit include:
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Nantwich medieval ‘salt’ town (3½hrs)
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Hack Green ‘Secret’ Bunker (5 hrs)
www.hackgreen.co.uk
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Audlem pretty village (6½hrs)
www.audlem.org
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Market Drayton small town &
home of Gingerbread (11 hrs)
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Norbury Junction canal workshops and branch to former
Shrewsbury Canal (17 hrs)
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Gnosall useful shops and pubs (18 hrs)
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Wheaton Aston useful village (20 hrs)
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Brewood pretty village with good shops (21 hrs) |
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| In July Nantwich town has its annual
agricultural show and International
Cheese Festival. Held within easy walking distance from the canal at
Nantwich there is something for everyone from tractors to horses,
crafts and cattle and of course the biggest cheese show in the land
with loads of free samples for the hungry! |
Shropshire Union Canal
Chester and Ellesmere Port
(21 miles & 9 locks each way) to Ellesmere Port. |
A
pleasant and very leisurely week's journey.
From our boatyard you cruise through pleasant country to
Chester where you
pass through a deep rock cutting, outside the Roman city walls, followed
by 3 staircase locks carved from rock, to moor at Tower Wharf. This is the
main canal wharf complex for the city.
Chester is well worth visiting, having both historic interest in it’s
ancient buildings and cathedral and also has an excellent shopping centre
and Chester Races are held in May
www.chester-races.co.uk .
The well preserved ancient walls provide a circular walk around the old
town, and ‘The Rows’ (shops on several levels in the main streets) predate
the modern arcades by several centuries.
Travelling further along the canal takes you past
Chester Zoo to Ellesmere
Port (port of Ellesmere in Shropshire) where you may see (but not cruise
on) the Manchester Ship Canal. Here you may moor up in the old docks and
visit the
Boat Museum which displays a vast range of old working boats,
canal artefacts and historical documents. |
Cruising times from
Beeston:
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Beeston Castle ancient ruin (¾ hr)
●
Christleton outskirts of Chester (3hrs)
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Chester Tower Wharf (6 hrs)
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Chester Zoo (7½hrs)
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Ellesmere Port Boat Museum (9 hrs) |
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