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.
This long distance cycle route was launched to celebrate National Bike Week in 2012. The 37 km / 24 mile trail follows the course of River Bollin from its source in Macclesfield Forest to where it joins the Manchester Ship Canal near Partington.
Established in 1971, Middlewich Narrowboats are a small company, who place great importance on strong customer relations and value for money. They operate three main routes covering the 'seven wonders of the waterways'
For over 100 years trains travelled along the Biddulph Valley Way carrying coal from the Potteries to Congleton. Today walkers, cyclists and horse riders enjoy this tranquil route away from the roads.
Bunbury is an ideal starting point for no less then four routes on your voyage of discovery, which includes the ancient city of Chester, the Middlewich branch, the Llangollen Canal and the Shropshire Union Canal.
For over 100 years trains travelled along the Biddulph Valley Way carrying coal from the Potteries to Congleton. Today walkers, cyclists and horse riders enjoy this tranquil route away from the roads.
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.
**Small Visitor Attraction of the Year Award Winner 2019* Seeing the tumbling architecture of Little Moreton Hall for the first time, engineers in 1990 could not believe their eyes. Fortunately this timber-framed building, curled around with a…
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.
The Middlewood Way, part of NCN 55 offers a 10-mile (16-km) traffic-free route ideal for cyclists. It follows the line of the former Macclesfield, Bollington and Marple Railway through picturesque Cheshire countryside.
Bollington Discovery Centre brings together the history of this and other great mills of Bollington, the Macclesfield Canal and shows their place and importance to the town.
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
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
Enjoy a pleasant ramble in the rolling Cheshire countryside, through arable farmland and pastures, along the Macclesfield Canal and across the Danes Moss Reserve.
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.
Many of the features of the Country Park, including the lime avenues and the arboretum, are a legacy of the days when Marbury was a grand estate. Stroll through splendid woodlands and enjoy views across Budworth Mere.
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.
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