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Visiting Manchester/ mooring


1Arthur

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Hello my name is Arthur and I’m thinking of doing the Chester Ring next year. I would like to know all The does and don’ts in Manchester like where to moor for a couple of days. Some of the guides say do the Ashton early? Just want to know what to expect and what to avoid.  Any info will be much appreciated 

Thanks 

Arthur

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9 minutes ago, 1Arthur said:

Hello my name is Arthur and I’m thinking of doing the Chester Ring next year. I would like to know all The does and don’ts in Manchester like where to moor for a couple of days. Some of the guides say do the Ashton early? Just want to know what to expect and what to avoid.  Any info will be much appreciated 

Thanks 

Arthur

I think you may mean the Cheshire ring. 

Ashton canal is best done in one hit, there are good moorings at either end.

I have done it many times and had no problems but there are reports of scroats and druggies in places. You have to have a non aggressive attitude to the drunks and homeless who continually want a handout.

Best to do it in a convoy if you can arrange it.

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I suggest you moor in the Castlefield area then do the Rochdale 9 and the Ashton in a day or split it and stay at the bottom of the Ashton there's a few good places around there. The Ashton isn't so bad these days and even 20 odd years ago I never met with any real trouble. I been down into Manchester a dozen or so times since then and not had any issues at all. Facilities are poor in Manchester last time I was there only a water point in the Potato wharf and the sanitary station was closed. Remember the Bridgewater Canal is managed by Peel who only allow CaRT license holders 7 days before they charge. 

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27 minutes ago, Midnight said:

I suggest you moor in the Castlefield area then do the Rochdale 9 and the Ashton in a day or split it and stay at the bottom of the Ashton there's a few good places around there. The Ashton isn't so bad these days and even 20 odd years ago I never met with any real trouble. I been down into Manchester a dozen or so times since then and not had any issues at all. Facilities are poor in Manchester last time I was there only a water point in the Potato wharf and the sanitary station was closed. Remember the Bridgewater Canal is managed by Peel who only allow CaRT license holders 7 days before they charge. 

This is only my opinion, maybe I'm just too old.

 

We have done it once, a couple of years ago in a 70' boat. We started from Marple and moored overnight just above the Rochdale 9. We didn't have any problem  with the Ashton flight but the "9" were truly horrible.

 

But loads of inexperienced boaters do it every year - so it's probably me.

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I don't know what the mooring availability is in the basin now at castlefield as I have heard Peel have let even more to long term moorers. Last year we moored there for a couple of days and explored Manchester a bit on foot. The Science Museum is a must IMO, we also moored at the top of the 9 just round the corner with no problem. You can also moor in the basin 2 locks down the Rochdale whose name I cant remember 

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Much of the central Manchester canal area is a filthy disgrace and it's clear that, after tarting it up a bit, they left it to fester. The police, the Council, CRT and Mayor Andy Burnham should be thoroughly embarrassed and ashamed.

That said, having cruised through last year, I still don't think its quite as dangerous for the transitting boater as it's often painted... if you take sensible urban precautions.

Stop in Piccadilly Basin overnight before the transit to Castlefield, being ultra considerate of the residents around that secure and pleasant basin lest we ruin it for others. Start out early to avoid peak herbert hours and be mindful of the glass, hypodermics and vomit as you work through the locks. It would be a little better if the pubs were made responsible for the broken glass and other waste their clientele generate.

If you've ever seen as many outrageously pissed and drugged people as you'll see around Castlefield, you've somehow been in much worse places than this old sailor managed to find himself! Still, you won't be bothered by Mr Plod, who is conspicuous only by his absence.

It's pretty obvious to me why so many folk fall in that canal and it's not because the canal infrastructure there presents any more of a risk than elsewhere where people don't seem to fall in - somehow that's what they blame though: perhaps it's less unpalatable than facing up to the real cause. 

I won't be rushing back, obviously, but it's only fair to say that never did I feel concerned for my own welfare. 

Edited by Sea Dog
Added the "central" to Manchester canal
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5 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

The Science Museum is a must IMO

 

Yes, it is, but why is it compulsory to combine it with a canal trip? We do ave trains to, and trams in, Manchester!

2 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Much of the central Manchester canal area is a filthy disgrace

Probably missed a word there I think.

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Hi Arthur

 

The Cheshire ring is a nice route but the bit through Manchester is fairly grim and to be honest, probably the worst U.K. city. Which is a bit of a disgrace considering how wonderful Mancunians think they are!

 

Anyway, we have traversed Manchester a few times and never had any problems. So long as you don’t mind blokes having sex with each other in the middle of the day at the lock in the shadows under Piccadilly station etc

 

OK places to stop are Portland Basin area, Droylsden marina (Top of Ashton flight), Thomas Telford basin (read small print on notice carefully - at first sight it says “no mooring” but a closer look reveals you can moor for 24 hrs) and Castlefield Basin on  Bridegwater. The latter doesn’t have much space for visitors these days. Mooring in Manchester is not easy but that is no problem because in fact Manchester is a shit hole and no sane person would want to do anything other than pass through fairly quickly. Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds etc are all 1,000,000 times better!

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Do you intend to do the Cheshire Ring clockwise or anti-clockwise?

We did it anti-clockwise a few weeks ago. No real problems apart from the breach at  Bosley Locks. 

 

Nicknorman says

 

“OK places to stop are Portland Basin area, Droylsden marina (Top of Ashton flight), Thomas Telford basin (read small print on notice carefully - at first sight it says “no mooring” but a closer look reveals you can moor for 24 hrs) and Castlefield Basin on  Bridegwater. The latter doesn’t have much space for visitors these days. Mooring in Manchester is not easy but that is no problem because in fact Manchester is a shit hole and no sane person would want to do anything other than pass through fairly quickly. Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds etc are all 1,000,000 times better!”

 

Agree with part of that, but not all.

 

From the top of the Marple Flight, a full day cruise to Droylsden Marina. There have been issues with boat vandalism if you moor opposite Portland Museum (the museum side is quite full and, I believe private). Droylsden Marina is a good overnight stop with good facilities near by.

 

Early morning start and down to Piccadilly arriving at lunch time. Hard work with poorly maintained locks, but no issues with the locals if you do it in the morning. We moored for the rest of the day at Piccadilly Gardens. It is gated, but the locals will give you the code to get in and out, and then it is a very short walk into the city.

Next day start after 8 o’clock for the Rochdale Nine (the locks are padlocked overnight). This short, but strenuous leg down to Castlefield is, shall we say, interesting, but never encountered any real problems.

Due to Peel Holdings renting out most of the berths at Castlefield, you need to arrive before noon to ensue you get one of the three or four berths available. 

Manchester is a wonderful city and well worth spending a couple of days there.

We have berthed there dozens of times and never encountered a problem, but we are sensible on our times of passage avoiding afternoons and, if possible, weekends.

Hope you have a great time on the Cheshire Ring.

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Just to add and agree with others:

 

OK mooring above lock 92

Ok mooring in Piccadilly Village.

Do the Ashton flight in one hit because there’s no decent place to overnight, but you won’t get any hassle while working the locks. So no need to start at dawn and race down. Take your time. 

 

Do spend an afternoon in Manchester, there’s some decent and unusual boozers. The Whitworth Art Gallery is worth a visit.  

 

And there’s a free bus to nip around on. Catch it at Piccadilly. 

 

But no ‘easy/convenient’water tap, pump out or Elsan, so get all that sorted before arriving Manchester. 

 

Enjoy

 

also: the Rochdale 9 are not the horror story people say. 

All part of the experience  

Edited by Goliath
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1 hour ago, Machpoint005 said:

 

 

Probably missed a word there I think.

Central Manchester is not so good, but as you go further from the centre, especially on the Rochdale, it gets much worse, Manchester makes the Walsall canal look quite pleasant.

 

................Dave

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1 hour ago, nicknorman said:

Hi Arthur

 

The Cheshire ring is a nice route but the bit through Manchester is fairly grim and to be honest, probably the worst U.K. city. Which is a bit of a disgrace considering how wonderful Mancunians think they are!

 

Anyway, we have traversed Manchester a few times and never had any problems. So long as you don’t mind blokes having sex with each other in the middle of the day at the lock in the shadows under Piccadilly station etc

 

OK places to stop are Portland Basin area, Droylsden marina (Top of Ashton flight), Thomas Telford basin (read small print on notice carefully - at first sight it says “no mooring” but a closer look reveals you can moor for 24 hrs) and Castlefield Basin on  Bridegwater. The latter doesn’t have much space for visitors these days. Mooring in Manchester is not easy but that is no problem because in fact Manchester is a shit hole and no sane person would want to do anything other than pass through fairly quickly. Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds etc are all 1,000,000 times better!

Well when we went through it was actually three blokes, one sticking his **** up another ones **** and the third one watching and pleasuring himself. And a druggie using a mooring bollard as a little table to prepare his fix.

Manchester canals are not so good.

 

..............Dave

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Manchester is fine unless you are one of those delicate timid souls who are afraid of big cities. Best place to moor is the council run New Islington marina - showers, laundry and £2 pumpout although you need to go up 2 locks of the Rochdale. From there you can get to Stretford and Sale or up the Ashton to Portland Basin in a day.

 

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Just now, Señor Chris said:

Manchester is fine unless you are one of those delicate timid souls who are afraid of big cities. Best place to moor is the council run New Islington marina - showers, laundry and £2 pumpout although you need to go up 2 locks of the Rochdale. From there you can get to Stretford and Sale or up the Ashton to Portland Basin in a day.

 

Think all the New Islington visitor moorings are closed at present and not sure if they are going to re-open.

A few years ago Castlefield was looking quite good, like it might become a little version of Gas Street, but its now going seriously backwards.

 

...................Dave

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4 minutes ago, dmr said:

Central Manchester is not so good, but as you go further from the centre, especially on the Rochdale, it gets much worse, Manchester makes the Walsall canal look quite pleasant.

 

................Dave

Central Manchester is bad, really bad as a City goes for boating. 

No facilities etc.  

But it’s much safer than folk make out. 

 

Manchester is a place I’ll only pass through. 

 

 

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3 minutes ago, dmr said:

Think all the New Islington visitor moorings are closed at present and not sure if they are going to re-open.

A few years ago Castlefield was looking quite good, like it might become a little version of Gas Street, but its now going seriously backwards.

 

...................Dave

I think they’re still open for visitors 

 

all the permanent moorers have been clustered up the far end while building work goes on.

 

There is a lift bridge at new Islington, (ashton side)  into a Basin that apparently does work but no one uses it. 

 

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7 minutes ago, dmr said:

Think all the New Islington visitor moorings are closed at present and not sure if they are going to re-open.

A few years ago Castlefield was looking quite good, like it might become a little version of Gas Street, but its now going seriously backwards.

 

...................Dave

They were open during the summer. Shame about Castlefield though - didn't stop there last time.

 

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10 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Central Manchester is bad, really bad as a City goes for boating. 

To be fair, when it comes to canals, it has bigger fish to fry - have a look at Salford Quays.

15 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Manchester is a place I’ll only pass through. 

That's your loss. It's the most visited city in the UK after London and Edinburgh I think so it must have something.

 

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20 minutes ago, Señor Chris said:

 

That's your loss. It's the most visited city in the UK after London and Edinburgh I think so it must have something.

 

A short train ride to Liverpool?

 

.............Dave

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24 minutes ago, Señor Chris said:

To be fair, when it comes to canals, it has bigger fish to fry - have a look at Salford Quays.

That's your loss. It's the most visited city in the UK after London and Edinburgh I think so it must have something.

 

As a boater I’ll only pass through because

as a boater it doesn’t have owt much to offer. 

 

But as a city yea, loads going on.

I have lived there. 

Not knocking it as a city. But shit for boating. 

 

In a city I’d expect  boaters to be able to rest up for a couple of weeks: buy diesel, visit a chandlery for supplies, at least find a water point and empty their toilet. 

 

 

(Maybe it is one of the most visited cities, and maybe those who did visit wished they’d gone somewhere else.)

 

 

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We did this route last month with no problems, moored at Dukinfield then Castlefield -- where we had a lot of fun trying to turn a 69' boat round at the far end of the basin where it's shallow... But there is a well-concealed water point there just past the hotel boats.

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1 hour ago, Goliath said:

I think they’re still open for visitors 

 

all the permanent moorers have been clustered up the far end while building work goes on.

 

There is a lift bridge at new Islington, (ashton side)  into a Basin that apparently does work but no one uses it. 

 

My understanding is that New Islington was going to link the Ashton and Rochdale canals but was designed by the council who know even less about canals than CRT :)(hence all the repairs going on now). It was not until the basins were dug and the bridges built etc that it was realised that there is a significant level difference between the Rochdale and Ashton canals and so the Ashton side of the project was abandoned. I realise this level of incompetence is hard to believe but unless you can correct me I reckon its true.

 

......................Dave

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9 hours ago, dmr said:

Think all the New Islington visitor moorings are closed at present and not sure if they are going to re-open.

A few years ago Castlefield was looking quite good, like it might become a little version of Gas Street, but its now going seriously backwards.

 

...................Dave

Is that a very recent closure? We moored overnight about 6 weeks ago.

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