Canals and Waterways are a great way to explore Cheshire at a leisurely pace, as well as offering visitors the opportunity to enjoy sites of historic interest along the way.
Cheshire is home to the Cheshire Ring, consisting of 97 miles of canal and 92 locks, taking 50 hours to complete. The Cheshire Ring is made up three main canals that run through the county; the Macclesfield Canal running through Congleton and Macclesfield, the Trent and Mersey running through Middlewich and Wheelock and then the Bridgewater Canal running through Lymm in the North. The Shropshire Union Canal also skirts Chester's City Walls where you can stop off and explore 2000 years of history.
Why not stop off and explore one of the many towns and villages enroute or take a trip to see Anderton Boat Lift, an incredible edifice, perched on the banks of the River Weaver like some giant three-storey-high iron spider.
The Cheshire Ring is a circuit made up of 6 main sections of canal in the North West of England, three of which run through Cheshire and Warrington; the Macclesfield Canal, the Trent and Mersey Canal and the Bridgewater Canal.
The whole is 97 miles long, with 92 locks and takes 1 week to complete. Hire a narrowboat for a week or for the day and explore the beauty of Cheshire; many attractions, places to eat and visit are accessible from the canal side.
The Cheshire Ring provides a range of canalside scenery from the gentle rolling plains of the Cheshire countryside to the peaks of the Peak District National Park. There is a variety of canal features en-route including locks, aqueducts and tunnels plus the historic town centres of Northwich, Middlewich, Macclesfield and Congleton are within easy reach to explore.
The Biddulph Valley Way follows the route of a disused railway which carried coal between the Potteries and Congleton for over 100 years. Today, this is a tranquil route that allows visitors to enjoy the delightful Cheshire East countryside
Situated in the delightful Bollin Valley, the Macclesfield Riverside Park provides a recreational park close to the heart of the town. The park has a variety of habitats and is a great place to watch wildlife.
From Congleton you quickly reach tree lined lanes below Congleton Edge. Gritstone rocks nearby give the landscape a very different feel to the Cheshire Plain.
Swanley Bridge Marina is a 315 berth marina. This pristine development is located on the beautiful Llangollen Canal just two miles from the junction of the Shropshire Union.
This route, devised by Alsager Chamber of Trade, is one a series of walks in the Alsager area. The walks have been published in leaflets entitled ‘It’s all about Alsager - Walking Maps of Alsager’.
The Wheelock Rail Trail is a popular 2km traffic free route for walkers and cyclists on the outskirts of Sandbach and runs between Ettiley Heath and Malkins Bank.
The second part of two walks making the Middlewood Challenge, a 20-mile walk in the figure of eight. The first section of the Challenge is Walk 9 which is about 8 miles long and takes around 3½ hours to walk. Total walking time for both parts is arou
OverWater is set in the beautiful Cheshire countryside close to the vibrant village of Audlem. Find them next to Bridge 80 on the Shropshire Union Canal.
**Small Visitor Attraction of the Year Award Winner 2019* It’s not your eyes playing tricks on you. Seeing the tumbling architecture of Little Moreton Hall for the first time, engineers in 1990 could not believe their eyes either.
The Bollin Valley Way is a 25 mile (40 km) recreational path shadowing the course of the River Bollin. The route starts at Macclesfield Riverside Park and finishes in Partington giving walkers a feel of the valley's variety.
Andersen Boats offer canal boat holidays and are ideally located for a choice of picturesque canal adventures including the Llangollen Canal, the Marple aqueduct and the Anderton Boat Lift.
The Wheelock Rail Trail near Sandbach follows the route of a disused railway from Ettiley Heath to Malkins Bank. Today the trail is a rich haven for wildlife and wild flowers and provides a pleasant level and wide route.
A pleasant ramble on the Middlewood Way, across fields and along the towpath of the Macclesfield Canal. Part of the walk, crossing from the Middlewood Way to the Canal can be muddy.
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