Timperley and return from Anderton

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Cruise this route from : Anderton

Route Type : Few Locks

Days : 5.00

Cruising Hours : 16.42

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.

This route involves long cruising days , and if you are not prepared to do this we would suggest stopping at Lymm & getting a short taxi ride to Timperley where you can get the tram into Manchester .Anderton to Lymm is 7 hours each way

Day 1

You should have time to cruise for a couple of hours before mooring at Dutton Hall Winding Hole for the night.

Leaving Anderton, you will be heading towards Barnton Tunnel, which emerges onto a hillside overlooking the River Weaver, with a fantastic view down to Saltersford Locks. Do make sure before you enter the tunnel, that there are no boats coming from the other side, as it is only wide enough for one boat at a time.

At the east end of the tunnel, you will see some handy shops, so maybe a good time to stock up, if you have not already done so.

Moving on, you will now enter Saltersford Tunnel, 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 at bridge 209.

Not too far from the mooring, you might like to have a meal in The Holly Bush Inn. 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 2 hours.

Day 2

Today you will head towards Timperley Bridge No. 33, where you will need to turn around for the return journey.

When you leave your moorings, you will soon enter some woodlands, just prior to Preston Brook Tunnel which is 1239 yards long. From the North end of the tunnel, you will see a sign announcing that from here onwards, you are now on the Bridgewater Canal.

You will notice that the canal now splits into two, where you will need to bear right. If you have the time, and want to visit Runcorn, then bear left for the 1½ hour cruise to the end of the canal, otherwise, keep left and make for Stockton Heath, a suburb of Warrington.

Runcorn (if you chose this route), has a really impressive road bridge, called the 'Silver Jubilee Bridge'. It links Runcorn to Widnes and is around 1,082 feet long, and it really is worth taking the detour to Runcorn just to see it.

Back towards Preston Brook Marina, bear left on a rural stretch until you reach Higher Walton, which is a pretty estate village, with local shops and amenities. A nice place to stop for lunch is the Walton Arms in Higher Walton. Children are welcome here, but only if they are dining with adults.

If you have time, you might like to visit Walton Hall in Higher Walton. This beautiful house and its gardens makes a nice day out for all the family, with play area's for the children.

And moving on, towards Stockton Heath, it becomes more urban and is a popular area for walkers and fishermen. Stockton Heath is North of London Road Bridge No. 15, and is a suburb of Warrington. This side of the canal is quite built-up, but on the South side, it is still very much unspoilt and open.

Next, you will pass by Grappenhall and Thelwall, where there is a pub called The Penny Ferry Inn. You can get a drink and maybe a snack here whilst waiting for the Penny Ferry to transport you across the Manchester Ship Canal, for a minimal fee.

Once back on your boat, you will cruise towards Lymm.

Lymm is a pretty little town with the streets tumbling down to the canal side. If you want to stop here and have a look around, there are 24 hour moorings, which is handy for the fish and chip shop! In the town centre is Lymm Cross, built in C17th, and the centre-point of the town.

You will now pass through some small villages – Oughtrington, Bollington and Dunham, to name but a few. The Swan With Two Nicks is a nice pub in Little Bollington, near the canal, and not far from Dunham Massey Country Park.

As you leave here, you will notice it becoming more built-up as you approach Sale. You will need to moor at Timperley Bridge No. 33, where you will turn ready for the journey back to Anderton.

From Timperley, you can get the Metrolink tram into Manchester, where there is a wealth of culture, restaurants and cafe's. On the canal side, you will find The Waterside Arts Centre and The Robert Bolt Theatre. In the Waterside Plaza, you might like to eat in The Waterside, a modern bar serving food all day, with a patio area overlooking the canal. They have a strict dress code, so do check first.

You might also like to take the tram as far as Stretford, if you have time.

You have cruised 22 miles, and navigated 1 lock, in just under 7½ hours.

Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Today you make your return journey to Anderton Marina.

All the above stops and locations are suggestions only and you are free to moor elsewhere if it is safe to do so.

Have a great holiday!

 

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.