captain birdseye

This is why I use cheap carabinas and carry a few spares, they are easy to snap on

First night stop out at Moore at the Red Lion and then travel into Castlefield the next day. I would try and get up the Nine wide locks and the Ashton flight in one day and moor out at Ashton just round the junction on the Peak Forest. It is only an extra hour fro Droylsden and a far nicer spot to stop. Remember to take time to go up the upper peak to Bugsworth it's worth the few hours boating and a good place to stop. You can easily get to Bollington the next day an Congleton the day after from there. I would also recommend a stop at Little Morton Hall down anear the bottom of the Macclesfield, I'm sure somebody will be on in a minute to tell me the bridge number, its a very well preserved Tudor hall. Last night of the trip either stop at the Salt Barge at Lion Salt Works or go past the Marina and stop at the boat lift, you can turn round here and it would give you time to explore this unique structure and there is always the Stanley Arms for a meal and a beer.

friends pop up stall at Bugsworth on Saturday when we were there and at Bollington on Sunday when we passed through. Both had volunteers chatting to the people walking and cycling along the towpath

Earlier horse boats tended to be sleeker as Maximum carrying capacity wasn't such a concern in the early days. Horse boats definitely accelerate faster than motors, as when the horse leans onto the pull the rope tensions providing instant acceleration and then the horse walks on.

Like this

Just cheap Krabs not the screw type, only lost a couple when the button on the bow has got caught and they gave out under the strain. So they do work as a weak link. They also make hanging the fender and adjusting the length of chain a doddle, far easier than a shackle

I use carabinas, easy to snap on and off and essentially an open link so release when under too much strain

we moor at Furness Vale which is a nice pleasant place to be, and an easy drive for you from Glossop. We live towards Mottram and pop over broadbottom to the Chinley road and then through Hayfield to New Mills doesn't take long. Also you have the advantage of easy trips to Bugsworth, Marple, Poynton and Bollington if you fancy a night out for a pint and a meal. Incidentally our boat draws over two feet and we have very little trouble apart from slowing down for a few bridge holes as previously described

There's always time for a lunchtime pint, it's about four hours from Lymm to Castlefield

Have you got the Lymm Brewery Tap on your list, try the Dunham Dark a mild brewed to the legendary Chesters mild recipe Anyhow, it's a sunny day I'm off for a poter round to Bugsworth and a bit of a crawl followed by the Vale on Saturday and back to the Oldknow on Sunday

Also don't forget the Vale Inn in Bollington it's Bollington Brewery's tap, and the Samuel Oldknow in Marple has great beer and pork pies and its a five minute walk from the ring o bells

If you moor at Bugsworth and fancy a change with good beer, walk up the lane beyond the Navigations car park for about ten minutes and you come out at the Old Hall and Papermill both sell a great range of beer and do good food, and they walk back to the Navi before dark to finish off the evening on another six real ales

Yes, I agree if you like a decent pint Stone is a great stop. With Limestone's brewery tap(The Bore Hole) , a Titanic pub (The Royal Exchange) and the Swan at the bottom of the locks (if you are a member, don't forget to ask for CAMRA discount) and it's a good place to shop

The Bridgewater is deep so you can get a move on along it. Lymm is a good place for a night, try the brewery tap just near the little aqueduct in the village. The bakery in the middle of the village does great pies and pastries. Dumham Massey about an hour nearer Manchester is an interesting National Trust park and hall to visit. I'd go for a trip into Liverpool if time isn't a problem, we were going to go last year but were thwarted by stoppages. I'd personally come back via the Huddersfield as there is less grot, but the Rochdale route also gives you the Ashton delights. The Peak Forest is my home canal so I know it well, it and the Macc are a bit shallow but you shouldn't have too much trouble, remember a loaded fuel boat does the route every odd week and so keeps a reasonable channel. Bugsworth is well worth a visit with three decent pubs within a short walk(if you are into beer). Marple is a great little town. My other favourite stop is Bollington, head for the Vale Inn (Bollington Brewery's Tap) across the cricket field from the embankment. Little Morton Hall, down the bottom of the Macc is a short walk from the canal and well worth it. There are lots of good places to see and its a nice canal take your time and enjoy it.

Having two children aged 14 and 12 who have been around boats all their lives, the best solution is as mentioned earlier, put your dreams on hold, but a narrowboat you can weekend on and go away during the holidays for extended cruising. You will all learn a lot and the children can have a stable education. When they get fed up of boating and start going away with school and friends they will leave you to boat on your own and when they do come with you they will enjoy it more. Our two stay with friends and go on school holidays for part of the holidays whilst we cruise all summer holidays, we arrange to get the train home and pick them up and drop them off, we also let each of them invite a friend along when their sibling is away, which the enjoy doing. They both lost a bit of enthusiasm for boating as they got older, but this way keeps them going and we can boat at weekends and during the summer.

I came up the Rochdale through this lock which has now been improved and made "safe" you can now only access the lockside via a narrow gap on the edge of the canal on the towpath side. The offside can only be accessed by crossing the gates and not by the tail bridge, which was the thing that was said to be dangerous. Narrow access to lockside. The fencing now goes all round to the other side of the lock The extent of the fencing on the offside means that you can't get round there, in the case of an emergency the only option is to go over the top gates which is great if you need to close the bottom paddles!

It is really sad that two hire companies that have been around for years have folded when their main cruising areas. the Cheshire Ring, the Four Counties and the Llangollen have all been denied to them for a whole season. We hired from them both when I was much younger, and when I was just a school kid used to look forward to helping the hirers up and down the Ashton canal when it was first reopened. Hopefully this year will be better, we were locked in between Bosley and Marple all last summer, but hopefully will have one escape route open this year.

Had a cracking run through the Tunnel yesterday on Claytons Tar Boat Spey, the Bollinder sounds really good echoing off the roof

Is the Cape any Further than the Saltisford Arm and are the moorings OK. I am only thinking we might want to nip out for a pint after a day with the children being touristy around the castle

Just a quick question. We will be passing through Warwick this summer and were wondering where is the best place to moor so as to visit Warwick and it's castle

That's because Marple locks are deep. I believe the Rochdale summit is the next highest after the HNC with the Macclesfield / Peak Forest in third place and Titford a close fourth

Titford was never highest, or at least not for a long time. Bosley top lock to Marple top lock pound is 518 feet as opposed to 511 for Titford.

Either side of Standedge Tunnel are 32W and 42E

The stoppage a Saltersford is due to come off next weekend and then all should be clear for this route to the Upper Peak Forest See notice below. Notice Details From Date: 21st January 2019 at 08:00 To Date: 15th March 2019 at 16:00 inclusive Type: Navigation Closure Reason: Repair Is Towpath Closed? Yes Notice updates: 18/02/2019 @ 15:02 The washwall repairs near Little Leigh Aqueduct are progressing well. Please be aware the navigation is now fully closed from the East Portal of Saltersford Tunnel, through the tunnel to Bridge 206, Bradley Meadow Bridge.