Cheshire Ring

[Chasbo]

I am hoping to do the Cheshire Ring over the next couple weeks.

 

1) Does it make any difference which way round you do it?

 

2) Is there a best day of the week to go through Manchester?

[johnmck]

I am hoping to do the Cheshire Ring over the next couple weeks.

 

1) Does it make any difference which way round you do it?

 

2) Is there a best day of the week to go through Manchester?

 

Hi

 

We did the Cheshire ring clockwise starting from Acton Bridge, albeit we were on a hire boat with a two week schedule. You hear so many horror stories that we decided to time our passage through Manchester on the first Sunday/monday, with an overnight stop at Castlefields, Well, we loved it.... Not a single problem during the passage through the conurbation, if you do not count the over helpful drunk at one swing bridge who was more a threat to himself than us!

 

The Peak forest was a delight. In fact i cannot think of a negative apart from the closure of a few pubs...

 

We had time to divert to chester before returning the boat and even visited the Shady Oak to mirror another thresd, and had an excellant meal.(july 2009)

 

I am sure that you will enjoy whichever direction you take.

 

John.

[PhilR]

Personally, I prefer anti-clockwise.

 

Are you concerned about navigation issues or issues with the little darlings who are now on school holiday? Either way it isn't really an issue if you choose your timings right. There are some great city centre moorings too.

 

Early morning passages through the Ashton are normally very enjoyable (before they wake up)

 

There are no by-washes on the Rochdale 9, so you need to be aware that there might be water overflowing the top gates.

[Lewis 53]

We did it anticlockwise a couple of years ago and had a fantastic time and had no problems with the "little darlings", but it was mid week and out of school holidays. Night out in Manchester was great. Rochdale Nine was so full of water it was over the tow path in places (at least where there is one !) so some inventive lock wheeling was required and getting on and off the boat does need some agility at times. If you've not experianced water cascading over the lock gates before it can be a bit unerving at first. We only had the two of us and it required both of us to operate the gates on some occasions.

We loved it and would do it again and have lots of other stories about the trip. Dont be put off.

 

Lewis.

[boatchad]

I am hoping to do the Cheshire Ring over the next couple weeks.

 

 

So are we, give us a shout if we pass (Shropshire Blue). We are doing a four counties/cheshire ring combination anti clockwise from Norbury.

[STIG]

I am hoping to do the Cheshire Ring over the next couple weeks.

 

1) Does it make any difference which way round you do it?

 

2) Is there a best day of the week to go through Manchester?

We did Cheshire ring on a hire boat 2 years ago from Anderton. Their recommendation was to go clockwise and head for Castlefield as a mooring before setting off through the city and doing the Ashton - some choice scenery there . Beware if you need to moor and fill up with water at the top, fairfield junction if my memory serves me right, whilst some boats in front of us had issues with kids ( little darlins) jumping across their boats we had no problem, again another choice spot. After this it`s a great ring , not over populated with canalside pubs probably count them on 1 hand and still have fingers left during the whole ring, unlike on the southern rings, but thats us northerers for you. My best bit next to the fact your going through a city centre was probably the macclesfield especially marple , what a cracking set of locks they are Have fun and enjoy it whatever happens it`s another ring to cross off the list. We set out tomorrow to do the Avon ring, can`t wait

[Ray T]

We "did" the Cheshire Ring, clockwise from Acton Bridge, 3 yrs ago, in a BP hire boat. At that time we were advised, by the boat yard pepole to go through Manchester in a day without stopping. The only "issue" we had was with a "gentleman of the road". He approached us at the first lock, produced a windlass from inside his coat and offered to help us through the next 6. I initally thought "aye, aye we're in for trouble"!

 

Actually once I got chatting to him he was a "rough diamond", told us about his life, many facts about Manchester and said if we got in trouble he would get the local "Tongs" to help as they were his friends! After the 6th lock from Castlefields he said "you will be alright now". We gave him a tenner for his help and he cycled back to Castlefields to wait for the next punter.

 

This guy actually restored my faith in human nature and once again taught me not to judge a book by its cover.

 

Over the whole two weeks we took to "do" The Ring we had no bother at all.

 

We did this cruise in October, one of the weeks was 1/2 term.

[Chasbo]

Thanks for all your comments.

Three say clockwise and two say anticlockwise.

Oh well, I think I will just get to Middlewich and toss a coin.

 

CB

[lemontoes]

We are planning to do the Cheshire ring anticlockwise ....starting in a week or so. I'm a little nervous of all the things we've been told to beware of, but intend stopping over in Manchester anyway as it seems a shame not to. We will also be going down to Chester for a couple of days, time permitting. We have three weeks, but don't intend rushing. We would have had four weeks, but in an unguarded moment, I promised a weeks camping! Haven't done Marple locks yet (other than helping another boater with the locks), so looking forward to it.

 

Lemon

[journeyperson]

Thanks for all your comments.

Three say clockwise and two say anticlockwise.

Oh well, I think I will just get to Middlewich and toss a coin.

 

CB

 

The hardest bit of the trip is likely to be the Rochdale Nine through Manchester and I think these are easier going down, so for that reason I think anti-clockwise. Approaching Manchester is also more interesting if you first see the city far off and below you from the Macclesfield Canal and then descend gradually into the canyon of the Rochdale Nine via Marple and Ashton, rather than approaching on the level Bridgewater.

 

If you are joining the Cheshire Ring at Middlewich and go anti-clockwise, you also end the trip with a long, almost lockless stretch which might be welcome after the descent from Marple.

Edited July 24, 2010 by journeyperson

[ValandPete]

The hardest bit of the trip is likely to be the Rochdale Nine through Manchester and I think these are easier going down, so for that reason I think anti-clockwise. Approaching Manchester is also more interesting if you first see the city far off and below you from the Macclesfield Canal and then descend gradually into the canyon of the Rochdale Nine via Marple and Ashton, rather than approaching on the level Bridgewater.

 

If you are joining the Cheshire Ring at Middlewich and go anti-clockwise, you also end the trip with a long, almost lockless stretch which might be welcome after the descent from Marple.

 

 

I agree with this, my preferred option. Go thro Ashton early and keep to the middle of the channel, I had lots of debris. My experience is that the locks in Manchester are the hazard: not well maintained and hard to operate - especially the one in Castlefield where there are lots of gongoozlers drinking at the pub watching the struggle to open and then keep open the lock gates. Stayed in Castlefield and Piccadilly, no problems.

 

Have a good trip

 

Val

[BlueStringPudding]

We are planning to do the Cheshire ring anticlockwise ....starting in a week or so. I'm a little nervous of all the things we've been told to beware of, but intend stopping over in Manchester anyway as it seems a shame not to. We will also be going down to Chester for a couple of days, time permitting. We have three weeks, but don't intend rushing. We would have had four weeks, but in an unguarded moment, I promised a weeks camping! Haven't done Marple locks yet (other than helping another boater with the locks), so looking forward to it.

 

Lemon

 

If you head down Chester way give me a wave - I'm moored at Tattenhall at the mo.

[MartinClark]

We did Cheshire ring on a hire boat 2 years ago from Anderton. Their recommendation was to go clockwise and head for Castlefield as a mooring before setting off through the city and doing the Ashton - some choice scenery there .

 

You're right - the Ashton Canal is quite attractive these days, as my Virtual Cruise will bear out:

http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/ashton/ac3.htm

 

We "did" the Cheshire Ring, clockwise from Acton Bridge, 3 yrs ago, in a BP hire boat.

I hope it didn't suffer from any leaks?

 

At that time we were advised, by the boat yard pepole to go through Manchester in a day without stopping.

That doesn't seem very good advice! Most people find Castlefield to be one of the best and most interesting places to moor on the whole ring. Safe, too.

[MartinClark]

We are planning to do the Cheshire ring anticlockwise ....starting in a week or so. I'm a little nervous of all the things we've been told to beware of,

The best advice I can think of is to ignore all the dire warnings you may have been given. What on earth are all these things to beware of? There is an awful lot of Bow Locks talked about the Cheshire Ring!

 

If you are going during the school holidays then you may see groups of youngsters if you pass through certain urban areas late enough in the day but in almost all cases they will not bother you. I have been down the Ashton Canal with groups of youngsters swimming in locks or congregating around bridges and had not the slightest bother from them. Yes, it is possible that there could be occasional incidents, but these could happen anywhere on the system, so why be more worried about that possibility on the Cheshire Ring?

 

Can I recommend a quick read of answers 5 and 6 of my Frequently Asked Questions?

- "I want to boat around the Cheshire Ring but I have heard bad things. Have you any advice about going through Manchester?"

- "Where should I moor in or around Manchester?"

Edited July 25, 2010 by MartinClark

[Mrs Humdinger]

Many years ago, we didn't do the Cheshire Ring because part of it was shut. I can't for the life of me remember where we started from, but I recall a couple of nights in Congleton and a night moored in the basin at Runcorn!! I was a bit concerned when I stepped off the boat in the morning to find 3 gents asleep on the ground nearby. We had no problems, but I'm not sure I'd be rushing to visit Runcorn again.

[mayalld]

Thanks for all your comments.

Three say clockwise and two say anticlockwise.

Oh well, I think I will just get to Middlewich and toss a coin.

 

CB

 

In that case, I'll add a vote for anti-clockwise.

 

As Martin has already said, the horror stories of what goes on on the Ashton Canal are grossly exagerated, and you should put them from your mind.

 

What you should keep in your mind is that, like all urban canals, it is a magnet for disaffected and bored youngsters at times, and that there is a small possibility of being subject to mildly antisocial behaviour.

 

It is vanishingly unlikely that anything bad will actually happen to you, but unless you are seriously laid back about things, then you may well find that such antics put you on edge, and spoil the enjoyment of the day.

 

So....

 

You need to take into account that the reports of "bandits" on the Ashton don't actually give very much information about WHERE on the Ashton. My experience is that you will encounter no trouble on the Rochdale 9, or in Ancoats/Beswick. Which means that at the Manchester end of the canal, you have 16 locks where you really are not expecting any trouble.

 

If you do get any irritations, it will be in the Clayton flight, and particularly towards the upper end of that flight, close to Lock 13 and the Strawberry Duck pub.

 

Add that to the fact that the people who are likely to irritate are not usually out early in the morning, and you can see that if you set of from the TOP of the Ashton canal, you are going to be well past any potential idjits before they get up. Coming the other way, you pass through Clayton mid afternoon, and have to make more of an effort to appease the local yoof.

[JohnEW2912]

We have done it both ways in recent years and I think both ways have their merits. I can see why the hire companies based on the northern T&M and Bridgewater suggest clockwise because time is a factor for them and it makes more logistic sense to go that way, but if you're starting from anywhere else and/or time is not a factor then i don't think it makes much difference.

 

Although we haven't had any trouble at all around Manchester (apart from an awkward Asda trolley), as has been mentioned above it's more likely that if there were trouble it would be on the Clayton flight. Since the introduction of CCTV you don't even run the risk of being propositioned at Piccadilly lock any more!

[Chasbo]

Well - Here I am moored outside the fish and chip shop at Kings Lock.

So you have probably guessed - We are going anticlockwise!

Give us a wave if you see us.

 

CB

[Steve 130]

Hi

 

We’ve just finished the ring and chugged back over to Yorkshire. We started at Portland Basin and went clockwise, had no problems at all and had a great time. Only issues was the amount of dross in the Ashton - got the propeller fouled four times, but other than that a great cruise. Stopped in Piccadilly fro Saturday night no problems. The Rochdale nine were hard work but agree with other comments the landing stages certainly make a difference. Enoy your trip.

[PhilR]

Well - Here I am moored outside the fish and chip shop at Kings Lock.

So you have probably guessed - We are going anticlockwise!

Give us a wave if you see us.

 

CB

 

Will do. What is the name of the boat? I hope to be putting a top coat on the gunwhales/side decks tomorrow so bring some dry weather with you! ................

 

Edit: Just noticed your profile, is the boat *May as Well*?

Edited July 27, 2010 by PhilR

[DHutch]

Ive not really read the thread, but i would also concur that manchester is cracking bit of boating. Its not all quite as developed and 'waterside' as brum but its working on even that. Certainly no problems and a spot on bit of overnight mooring right by piccadilly stn.

 

Ive only done there ring as a ring one so cant comment on a direction. Chicken and the egg?

 

 

Daniel

[lemontoes]

Hoping to set off late afternoon tomorrow.......still trying to dry tents from our camping trip! If you see Tonka give us a wave!

 

BSP...... will certainly wave if I pass.......still planning to go down to Chester, but I get easily side tracked!

Edited August 2, 2010 by lemontoes

[Chasbo]

Well - We are going anticlockwise!

 

I spoke too soon!

 

We were going anticlockwise but now we are going clockwise.

We got to Bugsworth Basin - a little detour I know but well worth it - and I get a phone call to say my father has been rushed into hospital. So we are now heading home the shortest way which is back the way we came.

My father is now out of hospital but still not very good.

Perhaps I can have another go at the Cheshire Ring next year.

[lemontoes]

Hope your father recovers soon. The Macclesfield is lovely (I'm biased) so it isn't too bad having to do it both ways.

 

Jan

[NB Lola]

We are travelling the Cheshire anti clock wise, leaving Kings Bromley on 20/8 in Lola, give us a wave, or a tenner!.

 

 

 

As usual I will blog times and experiences