Acton
Bridge is based near Northwich,
Acton Bridge is a
great place for exploring
a number of routes. Travelling north,
you
meet the canal where it all started – the
Bridgewater Canal, which takes you lock-free
to Manchester. From there you can travel
to the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, or continue
on the Cheshire Ring via the Peak Forest
and Macclesfield. As
well as the vibrant city of Manchester
(where parts of the
canal are currently being cleaned up),
this is a beautiful route with constantly
changing scenery. From south of the
base you can travel on the Four Counties
Ring,
or meander up to Chester and beyond
to the Ellesmere Port Boat Museum.
PUBLIC
TRANSPORT National Rail Enquiries: www.nationalrail.co.uk
Tel: 08457 484950
www.thetrainline.com Tel: 0871 244 1545 Nearest Airport: Manchester International Tel. 0161 489 3000
www.manchesterairport.co.uk Nearest Railway Station: Acton Bridge / Hartford
Taxi/Minicabs:
A1 Luxury Travel Tel: 01606 75500
Twinz Travel Tel. 01606 786888
Approximate prices: (Prices courtesy of A1 Luxury Travel subject to change)
Manchester Piccadilly train station to Acton Bridge: £40
Manchester International Airport to Acton Bridge: £30
HOTELS
/ GUEST HOUSES Ash
House Farm - Chapel Lane, Acton
Bridge, Cheshire, CW8 3QS Tel: 01606
852717 ,
£ 35.00 per person. Rate includes breakfast.
www.ashhousefarm.co.uk
Holly Bush Inn - Little Leigh,
Northwich, Cheshire, CW8 4QY Tel:
01606 853196 ,
Double rooms - £48.50, single
rooms - £43.50. Breakfast £6.50
www.thehollybush.net
GROCERIES
Good shopping facilities and a petrol
station are within a short distance
to the base. The Leigh Arms is next
Updated to the swing bridge December
2009 (see how to find us car ), and offers
lunches and evening meals.
FLYING INTO LONDON
From
Heathrow airport - get the London underground
tube to Euston station.
From Gatwick airport - get the Gatwick
Express to London Victoria station, then
get a London underground
tube to London Euston.
From Stansted airport - get the London
underground tube to London Euston.
From Euston - get a train to Crewe
or Runcorn, then change for Hartford.
Visit www.tfl.gov.uk to plan your route
on the London Underground.
FLYING INTO MANCHESTER
Get a train to Manchester Piccadilly,
then a train to Liverpool Lime Street,
and then change for Acton
Bridge.
HOW TO FIND US (by car)
Acton Bridge is situated beside the A49
(Warrington to Whitchurch road). This
is four miles south of
Junction 10 on the M56, and 300 yards
north of the swing bridge crossing the
River Weaver.
Suggested
Routes from Acton Bridge | Short
Routes ( see below )
Wigan & Return
84 Miles,
6 Locks, 1 Week Cruise, 5 hours per day (ROUTE A)
A
very pleasant and easy run with many
miles of lock-free cruising. Leaving
the base you travel on the first
British canal built by the Duke of
Bridgewater
to transport coal to Manchester.
On this you can see the mine entrances,
together
with the Barton Swing Bridge over
the
Manchester Ship Canal, where the
canal is swung to let large ships
through.
At Wigan, the Pier Museum and Trencherfield
Mill Steam Engine (the world’s
largest), are well worth a visit.
Chester & Return
84
Miles, 44 Locks, 1 Week Cruise, 6 hours
per day (ROUTE B)
A slightly more active route, but still
easily manageable at about five hours
per day, this trip includes varying canals
and countryside. Travelling southwards
past the old salt mines to Middlewich,
you turn onto the Middlewich arm to join
up with the Shropshire Union Canal. The
trip to the medieval city of Chester
is particularly pleasant with the canal
built next to the old city walls. You
should also have time to visit the boat
museum at Ellesmere Port.
Cheshire
Ring
98
Miles, 92 Locks, 1 Week Cruise, 8
hours per
day (ROUTE C)
An
active route at around eight hours
per day, the Cheshire Ring is one
of contrasts. Travelling northwards
over
the Bridgewater Canal and lock-free
to Manchester, where the city’s canals
are currently being improved. After this,
into the Peak District on the Macclesfield
Canal, with its pretty stone villages.
Just north of Stoke on Trent, you meet
the Trent & Mersey Canal travelling
through the many locks to Middlewich
and its history of salt, then home.
Four
Countries Ring
141
Miles, 102 Locks, 2 Week Cruise, 4
hours per day (ROUTE D)
A
relaxing fortnight, travelling
southwards to Stoke on Trent via
Middlewich. Passing
through the red-watered Harecastle
Tunnel (the result of local iron
workings) and
continuing past the Wedgwood factory
to Stone and Great Haywood, joining
the Staffordshire & Worcestershire
Canal. Just north of Wolverhampton,
you meet
the Shropshire Union Canal with its
extravagant cuttings and embankments,
carrying you
up to Barbridge and the Middlewich
arm. If time permits a diversion
along the
Caldon is well worthwhile.
Short
Route
Why not try a short break
from Acton Bridge?
You can enjoy 3 or 4 days from either
Saturday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon,
Wednesday morning to Saturday morning,
Friday afternoon to Monday morning
or from Monday afternoon to Friday
morning.
Prices start from as little as £75
per person.
Acton Bridge Short Route... Locks: 16 Cruising Time: Around 20hrs
return
Travel south from the base on the
Trent & Mersey
Canal, turning at Middlewich onto the
Middlewich arm to Barbridge Junction.
The route is glorious Cheshire countryside,
taking in the town of Middlewich.
