Lymm and return from Anderton

Back to all routes

Cruise this route from : Anderton

Route Type : Few Locks

Days : 3.00

Cruising Hours : 13.50

Number of Locks : 2

 


 

Cruising Notes

Navigational Notes
Saltersford Tunnel
Tunnel entry is as follows:
Northbound (Saltersford Tunnel to Preston Brook) - Entry on the hour until 20 minutes past the hour.
Southbound (Saltersford Tunnel to Barnton) - Entry 30 minutes past the hour until 10 minutes to the hour.

Preston Brook Tunnel
Tunnel times are as follows:
Northbound: open on the hour, and remains open until 10 past the hour.
Southbound: open at half past the hour, and remain opens until 20 to the hour.
Plank Lane Swing Bridge
Opening times are as follows: mid Mar, Apr, May - 8am-6pm. Jun, Jul, Aug - 8am-8pm. Sep - mid Nov - 8am-6pm, Mid Nov - mid Mar Weekdays 8am-4.30pm. Weekends 10am-2pm. Closed for lunch daily 12pm-12.45pm. Closed 24 Dec 09 - 04 Jan.


Day 1

On the Trent & Mersey canal you pass the town of Barnton on your right, and you will then come to 2 small tunnels, both of which have room for only 1 boat at a time, so make sure they are clear before proceeding.

All around this area are relics of salt workings, some of which still go on today. Going through Barnton Tunnel you emerge onto a hillside overlooking the River Weaver, with a marvellous view straight down the huge Saltersford locks. There is a useful range of shops up the hill from the east end of the tunnel, including a launderette, chemist and butcher.

Moving on, you will now enter Saltersford Tunnel, again, two boats cannot pass in this tunnel, so do take care when entering and leaving it.
Passage is timed - northbound is on the hour to 20 past , southbound is half past the hour for 20 minutes.
Once through the tunnel, you will again be in open countryside and not far from your mooring for the night which is by bridge 209.

Not too far from the mooring about 1/4 mile to the north of Bridge 209, so take the road to your right by the bridge, you might like to have a meal in The Holly Bush Inn, Little Leigh, Northwich. Food is served at lunchtimes and evenings, along with traditional ales. There is a large beer garden with children's play area, so the whole family can relax before settling down for the night, ready for tomorrow's journey.

You should now have travelled about 4 miles in 1.45 hours.


Day 2

The northernmost stretch of the Trent & Mersey is pleasant & rural, you can see the splendid River Weaver valley 60 feet below, and occasionally the large vessels that ply up and down it.
Entering woodland you soon reach Preston Brook tunnel, although you will have to negotiate your first lock before entering it. The tunnel is about 1239 yards long.

North of Preston brook the canal diverges, the left arm goes to Runcorn, and is a dead end, but if you want to cruise down the 4 miles, it takes 1.5 hours to reach the end of the canal. The old town is to be found down by the docks, where the elegant curved 1092 single span of the steel road bridge with the railway beside it, leaps over the Ship canal and the Mersey.

There are pubs along the route & in the town, to the left by bridge 76, & just past bridge 82 (Grapes Inn), and to the north by bridge 84 and 89 at the end of the canal (Waterloo).
Norton priory Museum can be reached north east of Bridge 75. There is a supermarket & PO south of bridge 74.

It is 4.75 hours from Anderton marina to here, or 3 hours from Bridge 209 if you stopped there for the 1st night.

For those not doing the Runcorn detour, continue up the Bridgwater canal, leaving Runcorn behind you, entering a rural stretch, before you reach Stockton Heath. There is a pub north of bridge 11- the Walton Arms, otherwise there are all services 400 yards north of London Road bridge 15. The Manchester Ship canals runs parallel about ¼ mile away.

There are fine views of the distant Pennines to the north, before the canal makes a very pleasant passage through the heart of Lymm, where the streets come right down to the waters edge. There are convenient 24 hour moorings here, and stores, banks & takeaways & pubs- by Bridge 23.

From Bridge 209 it is 4.75 hours cruising to here

Day 3
Day 4
It is 6 hours 20 minutes back to Anderton marina.

If you want to get into Manchester, you can go a bit further on up the canal to Timperley, near Sale, Manchester.

It is 8 hours 20 minutes cruising from Anderton to Timperley in Sale, Manchester, from where you should be able to get a tram into the city centre.

 

This route is provided courtesy of UK Canal Boating

The information above is provided in good faith to assist you with planning your canal boat holiday. Information accuracy cannot be guaranteed.