Cheshire Ring Canal Planning

 Update (2018-04- 20):  Marple Locks not going to be ready

One week before we fly, I received a new email from the CRT.  Marple Locks still aren’t going to be ready.  If nothing else, this helps finalize our plans a bit.

Dear Mr Long

We have been advised that the stoppage at Marple Locks (notice attached) which has affected the Cheshire Ring route and was thought would be open in May has now been extended to sometime in June. (We do not yet have a date).

If you were thinking of cruising this route you can contact the following marinas for further advice…

Anderton Marina 01606 79642

You can also contact the Booking Office on 0330 333 0590

 

Updated Possible Routes

The full Cheshire Ring is no longer an option.

Quick to Marple and back

CanalRoute (Quick To Marple)

This one gives us easy days and chance to extend if we so desire.  The nice thing is that we are never under any pressure.   Mostly urban, except for the Peak Forest canal.  It would be fun to take a look at the reconstruction at Marple Locks.

Anderton Boat Lift and the Weaver, then to Marple and back

CanalRoute (Weaver and Marple)

The Anderton Boat Lift is probably worth doing.  If we choose to do it, we pretty much have to do it on the first day, or the day before the last.

Marple and the Barton Swing Bridge

CanalRoute (Marple and Worsley)

This is one way to extend the Marple and back route.  More urban, but also a chance to go across the Barton Swing Bridge.  If the urban stuff is nice, this is a good way to do more.

Marple and part way up the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and back

CanalRoute (Marple and Huddersfield)

Yet another way to extend the Marple and back route.  This one explores the Huddersfield.  More scenic and part way up the Pennines.

Up the Huddersfield Narrow Canal to Standedge

CanalRoute (To Standedge)

Or we could just go as far up the Huddersfield as we have time for.  The ultimate goal would be to visit the Standedge Visitor Center.  Lots of long days and lots of locks.  And the Pennines. And the highest canal in Britain.

Full Cheshire Ring, the original trip (no longer an option)

CanalRoute (Cheshire Ring – Clockwise or maybe Cheshire Ring – Counter-Clockwise)

This is the most varied with a bit of everything.  Urban through the Bridgewater and Manchester, then lots of locks and aqueducts (Marple), then the pretty Macclesfield, then up the Trent and Mersey.  Has almost everything.

If Marple Locks is expected to open on the 4rth / 5th, then this would be the way to go.  Clockwise we would hit Marple Locks at the end of Day 3.

Uh-Oh (2018-03-16)

Six weeks to go and another email from the Canal Trust.  There has been a MAJOR canal breach.

Dear Mr Long

We have been asked by the manager at Anderton Marina to advise you of some navigation closures. There has been a major breach of the canal on the Middlewich branch of the Shropshire Union  which is going to impact on some cruising routes. Photos are attached. The route to Chester and/or Ellesmere Port and return will not be navigable this season and neither will the Four Counties Ring.

At the moment the Cheshire Ring route has also been affected by CRT stoppages at Marple Locks.  Stoppage notice attached. We have spoken to CRT and they anticipate the Cheshire Ring being back in operation by early May (this closure is not due to the breach).

The breach is just 10 miles south of our starting point, and IF we manager to do the Cheshire Ring, we will pass within a few miles of the breach, which is just west of Middlewich.  So far, it doesn’t look like it will affect us, but exciting times.  Twenty-ish boats have been stranded high and dry.  Or maybe, low and muddy?  Anyways, the Four Counties Ring is no longer, probably for a year or so.

Amazingly big “pothole” carved out by the rushing water.

Plan B

If the Marple Locks don’t look like they are going to be passable on May 4, then we could go with Plan B.  Plan B is to first go up  the Anderton Boat Lift, and along the Weaver Canal for a few hours, moor up somewhere, then turn around and go down the boat life again, then head off to the Marple Aqueduct which is as the bottom of the Marple Locks.  Then turn around and head back to Anderton.

We miss out on the pretty Macclesfield and a lot of the Trent & Mersey.  But we do get to go up and down on the Anderton Boat Lift and see the Weaver.  A possible itinerary is here.

Marple Lock Renovations

Uh-Oh (2018-03-01)

Two months to go and I just got an email from the Canal Trust.  Looks like the Marple Locks are closed until the day we get to them.  If work is completed EXACTLY on schedule, then we can make it around. Otherwise, the Ring is NOT an option.

Dear Mr Long

We have been asked by the Manager at Anderton Marina to inform you of a stoppage notice we have received from the Canal & River Trust (see below). This means that guests will not be able to complete the Cheshire Ring until early May. If you wish to discuss this with the marina you can contact them on 01606 79642.

“Subject: Marple Locks delays

Dear Boating Businesses,

I hope you are all well.

I’m sorry to bear bad news but the Manchester Pennine & Potteries waterway have asked me to update you on the latest progress on site at Marple and to advise you that unfortunately, the Marple Lock Flight will not be open in time for Easter.   We know this will be disappointing to hear but wanted to let you know as soon as we were clear about the delay. We are now aiming reopen the Marple Lock Flight in time for the May Day Bank Holiday (4th May). 

At Lock 15 we’ve suffered issues while removing the stone from the towpath side lock chamber wall during the dismantling phase. Some of the stonework has started splitting and crumbling in parts and unfortunately, we will not be able to reuse it as we had expected.  Working with our heritage advisor we’ve managed to source new replacement stone from a local quarry, but the need to have new stones cut and delivered has introduced the delay to reopening the navigation.

The rest of the works are progressing to plan.  We’re currently excavating down to a depth of 7 metres behind the Lock wall and in the next few weeks we will be installing the reinforcement steel cages and concreting behind the Lock wall ready for the rebuild.  The other maintenance works on the flight are progressing well too with new lock gates being fitted at Locks 1 and 13, a total of 10 locks have been grouted, large wash wall repairs between Lock 8 & Lock 9, Lock quadrant walls rebuilt and Lock slope towpaths upgraded. Our volunteers are also doing a great job removing vegetation, installing new paddle gearing to the locks and fixing some of the towpath where it is in bad condition.

The new railings to Marple Aqueduct is on schedule. We are currently carrying out the ground works on site for the new railings to be installed w/c 27th February.

We will provide a further update in the then next few weeks, but in the meantime wanted to assure you that we were doing all we can to reopen the flight as quickly as possible.”

Packing List

I was pretty pleased with my packing for our narrowboat adventure last year.  So, list this year is pretty much the same, with some minor tweaks:

Wearing:

Day Pack: (on plane, all pocket KNIVES removed) (yellow)

Luggage: (Blue Granite Gear)

• • • • Goretex jacket + pants + rain/sun hat
      • Fleece tights
    • ~ 3 pairs of shorts
    • jeans
    • ~ 3 long sleeve 2 shirts
    • ~ 6 Tshirts
    • grey cotton fleece
    • 8 pairs socks (4 thick, 4 short)
    • 12 underwear
    • swimsuit
    • CanadaDay (socks, shirt, flag)
    • Sandals
    • Non-clothing:
      • Toiletries kit (shaver, toothbrush, floss, deodorant, little toothpaste, aspirin)
      • stuff sack for dirty clothes
      • extra expanding tote bag
    • Other boat/car stuff
      • binoculars
      • inverter (for car charging of stuff)
      • umbrella
      • rain/sun hat
      • GoPro fanny pack + bits
      • Bluetooth speaker
      • foam pad to sit on (2?)
  • Big laptop for Sandy and Peter (Sandy’s luggage)
    • with charger etc.
    • mouse?

Canal Route Planner

I have discovered a great website for planning out a canal trip.   You can see what I have planned so far (WorkInProgress).  (Thank you,  Nick’s Canal Route Planner)

Maps

I just received my Collins-Nicholson Maps for the Cheshire Ring (Waterways Guide 5).   Here are the maps for the route we expect to take:

Our Boat

Our Boat is “Booted Eagle”, an Eagle Class Narrowboat.   If you click through the link, you should take a look at the 360 virtual tour.  It is the best way to get a feel for this boat (screen captures have been added to the photos below).

This time, our boat is a 66 footer, with a rear saloon and galley.  I think that this will be better for us.  Last time, we seemed to have 2 groups of people, one at the front, and one at the back.  This time we also have a microwave and a toaster.  Last time we had a rather rickety gas oven that was awkward to light.  We burned a lot of toast.

It looks like we are going to have a bunch of 240 volt outlets.  Last time, we only had one, in the closet at the back of the boat.  We only need to charge cell phones and camera batteries, but this will make life easier.

We also have a bunk bed in one of the cabins, so that we can sleep three if desired.  We are just small enough to use it ( 68kg max).

And we have a center exit!