English Rose Canal Boat Holidays Week 2

Cruise 2 - BLACKBURN TO NORTHWICH

Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Bridgewater Canal, Trent and Mersey Canal

Day 1
Arrival and settling in.
We are moored close to the centre of Blackburn. We expect our guests to arrive at 4.00pm, but you may leave your cases with us earlier if you wish, and spend some time exploring the town.

Day 2
Leaving Blackburn we will travel to Chorley, where we will spend some time at the Botany Bay Village, a themed shopping centre in a converted mill.
(9.5 miles, 7 locks)

Day 3
From Chorley we continue south to Wigan Pier, descending the Wigan flight of 21 locks en route. The Wigan Pier Complex has museums and exhibition centres and the Trencherfield Mill, the largest working mill engine in Europe, installed when the mill was built in 1907. Click Here for more details.
(11 miles, 23 locks)

Day 4
Leaving Wigan, we go on to Worsley, with its ochre-coloured water, stained by the dissolved iron ore from the mines. From here, you could visit the mining museum at Astley Green, or the Salford Art Gallery and Museum.
(15 miles, 3 locks, 4 bridges)

Day 5
We leave Worsley and travel south to Lymm, a picturesque village with many beautiful shops and pubs right next to the moorings. Just before we arrive, we will cross the Bollin Aqueduct, from which there are good views of the Manchester Ship Canal and Dunham Park, and fine views of the distant Pennines to the north. We will stop at Dunham Massey Hall en route, a beautiful 18th Century house, once the seat of the Earl of Stamford.
(15 miles, no locks, 1 bridge)

Day 6
Between Lymm and Preston Brook, our next stop, we leave behind the industrial past on the outskirts of Manchester and head along a short rural stretch of the canal. We will stop at Higher Walton, giving you time to explore the Walton Hall, the Heritage Centre or the 20 acres of parkland and gardens.
(10 miles, no locks)

Day 7
From Preston Brook we travel to Northwich, your final destination. Northwich is an attractive town at the junction of the rivers Weaver and Dane. Salt has been responsible for its continued prosperity, but it now has an extensive shopping precinct. The famous Anderton Boat Lift which lifts boats onto the River Weaver is close by so we will stop to take a look!
(9 miles, 1 lock, Preston Brook Tunnel - 1239 yards, Saltersford Tunnel - 424 yards, Barnton Tunnel - 572 yards)

Day 8
From here, we will call you a taxi to the railway station where you can catch a train back to Blackburn, if you have left your car there.