Visitor moorings in Manchester

[HenryFreeman]

Hey all,

 

Will be heading to Manchester over the next few weekends as part of my cruise down south. I'm wondering if anyone can recommend any moorings which might be safe(ish) to leave a boat for a few days in-between cruising days? I seem to recall reading Manchester isn't the best place to leave a boat but would welcome any opinions.

 

Thanks!

[IanD]

2 hours ago, HenryFreeman said:

Hey all,

 

Will be heading to Manchester over the next few weekends as part of my cruise down south. I'm wondering if anyone can recommend any moorings which might be safe(ish) to leave a boat for a few days in-between cruising days? I seem to recall reading Manchester isn't the best place to leave a boat but would welcome any opinions.

 

Thanks!

If there's space at New Islington Marina (there isn't always!) and you don't mind paying £10 £25 a night you'll be safe there.

 

The "hairpin" visitor moorings at Castlefield looked OK when we were there, don't know about for several days though -- also they're on the Bridgewater so you might be pulled up for that...

Edited February 26 by IanD
cost was wrong!

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

How long’s your boat?

My 48’ fits here quite nicely, have moored here for a few weeks at a time, not for several years mind. And once left it unattended for a week. 
The main footfall here at Piccadilly is commuters to and from the tram, and it’s quite at night. 

 

maybe you could use the basin,

I never have,

involves getting a code I think,

or there’s moorings on the Aqueduct that are probably ok,

 

lots of nosey neighbours around Piccadilly Village the troublesome type tend to stay away. 

[n-baj]

I’ve stayed near where beerbeerbeerbeerbeer points out for a night and found it okay, a few boats moored on the towpath as well which is always a good sign.

 

Regards to castlefield I believe you can stay on the Bridgewater for 10 days by ticking the “extend by 3 days to return to your home navigation” box but there’s no return for 28 days. Bridgewater licence is £40 a week once the free trial ends last time I looked.

[HenryFreeman]

3 minutes ago, n-baj said:

I’ve stayed near where beerbeerbeerbeerbeer points out for a night and found it okay, a few boats moored on the towpath as well which is always a good sign.

 

Regards to castlefield I believe you can stay on the Bridgewater for 10 days by ticking the “extend by 3 days to return to your home navigation” box but there’s no return for 28 days. Bridgewater licence is £40 a week once the free trial ends last time I looked.

 

Thanks for this!

 

So that brings up a new question about how/who/where/when to pay for a visitor mooring on the Bridgewater!

 

How/who/where/when do I pay for a mooring?

50 minutes ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

How long’s your boat?

My 48’ fits here quite nicely, have moored here for a few weeks at a time, not for several years mind. And once left it unattended for a week. 
The main footfall here at Piccadilly is commuters to and from the tram, and it’s quite at night. 

 

maybe you could use the basin,

I never have,

involves getting a code I think,

or there’s moorings on the Aqueduct that are probably ok,

 

lots of nosey neighbours around Piccadilly Village the troublesome type tend to stay away. 

 

Thanks for the suggestions! I've a 55' narrowboat so may/may not be a squeeze in that spot. It's just going to be for at most 5 days/a week.

1 hour ago, IanD said:

If there's space at New Islington Marina (there isn't always!) and you don't mind paying £10 a night you'll be safe there.

 

The "hairpin" visitor moorings at Castlefield looked OK when we were there, don't know about for several days though -- also they're on the Bridgewater so you might be pulled up for that...

 

I'll look up that marina and see what they have. I don't mind paying £10 a night! Thanks very much!

[n-baj]

Just now, HenryFreeman said:

 

Thanks for this!

 

So that brings up a new question about how/who/where/when to pay for a visitor mooring on the Bridgewater!

 

How/who/where/when do I pay for a mooring?

Mooring is free like on a crt canal but crt registered boats only have a week (or 10 days by ticking the 3 day extension box when booking Bridgewater passage) for free as it’s a privately owned canal owned by Peel Holdings

 

example pictured below

 

[PeterF]

And if you want to extend your stay on the Bridgewater beyond the free 7 + 3 days you can pay on line here.

https://bridgewatercanal.co.uk/boating/pay-online/

[HenryFreeman]

30 minutes ago, n-baj said:

Mooring is free like on a crt canal but crt registered boats only have a week (or 10 days by ticking the 3 day extension box when booking Bridgewater passage) for free as it’s a privately owned canal owned by Peel Holdings

 

example pictured below

 

 

Ah perfect, thank you!

22 minutes ago, PeterF said:

And if you want to extend your stay on the Bridgewater beyond the free 7 + 3 days you can pay on line here.

https://bridgewatercanal.co.uk/boating/pay-online/

Cheers! Big help!

Edited February 26 by HenryFreeman

[dmr]

1 hour ago, IanD said:

If there's space at New Islington Marina (there isn't always!) and you don't mind paying £10 a night you'll be safe there.

 

The "hairpin" visitor moorings at Castlefield looked OK when we were there, don't know about for several days though -- also they're on the Bridgewater so you might be pulled up for that...

New Islington is good, most of the moorings are not secure but it feels safe due to the huge number of trendy yoing professional walking up and down. I've heard that its £20 or £25 per night but half suspect that this is an enterprising local who cons boaters into handing over some cash. 😀

The bar on the corner does good beer but at "almost London" prices.

 

Sadly the Castlefield area gets seedier and seedier everytime we visit, a real missed opportunity to make a little version of Gas St Basin.

[IanD]

23 minutes ago, dmr said:

New Islington is good, most of the moorings are not secure but it feels safe due to the huge number of trendy yoing professional walking up and down. I've heard that its £20 or £25 per night but half suspect that this is an enterprising local who cons boaters into handing over some cash. 😀

The bar on the corner does good beer but at "almost London" prices.

 

Sadly the Castlefield area gets seedier and seedier everytime we visit, a real missed opportunity to make a little version of Gas St Basin.

IIRC New Islington charge £25 per night (not £10!) for visitors, and that's payable to the marina staff -- I stayed there for one night last autumn. We were moored right outside the bar which does good but expensive beer, as you say...

 

Castlefield is indeed a shamefully missed opportunity, especially since Peel took it over... 😞

 

1 hour ago, HenryFreeman said:

 

Thanks for this!

 

So that brings up a new question about how/who/where/when to pay for a visitor mooring on the Bridgewater!

 

How/who/where/when do I pay for a mooring?

 

Thanks for the suggestions! I've a 55' narrowboat so may/may not be a squeeze in that spot. It's just going to be for at most 5 days/a week.

 

I'll look up that marina and see what they have. I don't mind paying £10 a night! Thanks very much!

My mistake, I checked back and it was £25 a night... 😞

 

The basin (Thomas Telford) used to be free to visitors but only overnight, you needed an access code but the locals would give you that -- however it's now keyfob controlled so you can't get in or out... 😞

Edited February 26 by IanD

[dmr]

New Islington  only really work if you plan to go up the Rochdale as its two (wide) locks up from the top of the Rochdale 9/Ashton canal. If the plan is an overnight stay while transiting the Bridgewater then all of the moorings mentioned here (except Castlefield itself) involve doing the Rochdale 9 which is not a trivial thing.

 

As I've said before, we use New Islington as a stop before going up the Rochdale so arrive in the afternoon, head for the bar, and leave New Islington just before first light. This avoids paying the mooring fee. The beer comes to much more than £25 but is a better investment.

[IanD]

6 minutes ago, dmr said:

New Islington  only really work if you plan to go up the Rochdale as its two (wide) locks up from the top of the Rochdale 9/Ashton canal. If the plan is an overnight stay while transiting the Bridgewater then all of the moorings mentioned here (except Castlefield itself) involve doing the Rochdale 9 which is not a trivial thing.

 

As I've said before, we use New Islington as a stop before going up the Rochdale so arrive in the afternoon, head for the bar, and leave New Islington just before first light. This avoids paying the mooring fee. The beer comes to much more than £25 but is a better investment.

Agreed about location, but the OP just said "Manchester" without saying where he was coming from or going to... 🙂

 

You'd have had a job doing that when we were at New Islington, we got the only available mooring -- right outside the bar, as it happens... 😉

 

(also we couldn't do a sneaky overnight drop-in since we were there to get a pumpout, so they knew we were coming...)

Edited February 26 by IanD

[ditchcrawler]

Does it have to be in Manchester, I think I would contact Stretford marine Services 0161 866 4819 or even the boat clubs down there 

[dmr]

7 minutes ago, IanD said:

Agreed about location, but the OP just said "Manchester" without saying where he was coming from or going to... 🙂

 

You'd have had a job doing that when we were at New Islington, we got the only available mooring -- right outside the bar, as it happens... 😉

 

(also we couldn't do a sneaky overnight drop-in since we were there to get a pumpout, so they knew we were coming...)

 

The last couple of visits there has been an empty "for sale" boat right outside the bar and a couple of other boats looked unoccupied, we have breasted up and this is partly why I don't want to pay £25 .... for a breasted and not fully secure mooring.

 

Note that the Rochdale and Peak Forest routes are both currently closed though the Rochdale might be open before too long with a bit of luck. Dunno how the HNC is doing.

[IanD]

31 minutes ago, dmr said:

 

The last couple of visits there has been an empty "for sale" boat right outside the bar and a couple of other boats looked unoccupied, we have breasted up and this is partly why I don't want to pay £25 .... for a breasted and not fully secure mooring.

 

Note that the Rochdale and Peak Forest routes are both currently closed though the Rochdale might be open before too long with a bit of luck. Dunno how the HNC is doing.

 

Was that the one that recently sank there?

[dmr]

9 minutes ago, IanD said:

 

Was that the one that recently sank there?

 

Can't remember and we did not venture in very far but from the photos I think it was possibly near the bakery and I did go there, very good bread at "almost London" prices just like the beer 😀

[Paul C]

 

IMHO Castlefield Basin is the best place to stop (if you're coming in from the Bridgewater). Plan your trip to arrive early afternoon to have a good chance of a space.

[IanD]

2 hours ago, Paul C said:

 

IMHO Castlefield Basin is the best place to stop (if you're coming in from the Bridgewater). Plan your trip to arrive early afternoon to have a good chance of a space.

There are no visitor moorings in the basin any more thanks to Peel, but there are in the "hairpins" the other side of the railway viaduct.

[dmr]

31 minutes ago, IanD said:

There are no visitor moorings in the basin any more thanks to Peel, but there are in the "hairpins" the other side of the railway viaduct.

We found a couple of spaces up the basin, no "reserved for boat name" signs so maybe empty or maybe the residents had gone boating. Its mucky water up there now and silted. We took the nearest spot, didn't fancy going in too far. A hire boat went to the end and got very grounded, we used to turn up there easily.  It still feels reasonably safe there. The right hand side in the photo was a bit laddish/druggy and looked to be colonised by crusty boats. We also passed a "boater community" on the offside near Dunham so maybe Peel are losing control just like CRT. We had a walk over to the Castlefield  visitor mooring (is this the hairpin?) and they were full of what looked like long term moorers and it was not where I would choose to spend a night. I suggest that hoping to find a spot in the basin just up from the Wharf pub is still the best option. We've had some really good visits to Castlefield and it is so sad to see it going downhill.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

40 minutes ago, dmr said:

We found a couple of spaces up the basin, no "reserved for boat name" signs so maybe empty or maybe the residents had gone boating. It’s attain mucky water up there now and silted. We took the nearest spot, didn't fancy going in too far. A hire boat went to the end and got very grounded, we used to turn up there easily.  It still feels reasonably safe there. The right hand side in the photo was a bit laddish/druggy and looked to be colonised by crusty boats. We also passed a "boater community" on the offside near Dunham so maybe Peel are losing control just like CRT. We had a walk over to the Castlefield  visitor mooring (is this the hairpin?) and they were full of what looked like long term moorers and it was not where I would choose to spend a night. I suggest that hoping to find a spot in the basin just up from the Wharf pub is still the best option. We've had some really good visits to Castlefield and it is so sad to see it going downhill.

Captain Swing was shot under the viaduct there,

Who shot Captain Swing?

[HenryFreeman]

 

4 hours ago, IanD said:

Agreed about location, but the OP just said "Manchester" without saying where he was coming from or going to... 🙂

 

You'd have had a job doing that when we were at New Islington, we got the only available mooring -- right outside the bar, as it happens... 😉

 

(also we couldn't do a sneaky overnight drop-in since we were there to get a pumpout, so they knew we were coming...)

Yeah, good point. Coming from Barnoldswick -> Chorley -> Wigan and then going onto the Macclesfield and onwards south via Oxford Canal -> Braunston -> Grand Union.

[dmr]

14 minutes ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

Captain Swing was shot under the viaduct there,

Who shot Captain Swing?

 

???? The Peaky Blinders did that and that was in Birmingham?

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

6 minutes ago, dmr said:

 

???? The Peaky Blinders did that and that was in Birmingham?

Ha ha, well done,

yea it was Arthur,

there was a shoot out behind those huge pillars,

a lot of the last series was shot around Manchester,

 

 

[dmr]

Was some of the Peaky Blinders also shot in Liverpool near the docks? there is an old industrial bit just off the canal that I thought I recognised in some of the Peaky Blinders episodes?

[IanD]

1 hour ago, dmr said:

We found a couple of spaces up the basin, no "reserved for boat name" signs so maybe empty or maybe the residents had gone boating. Its mucky water up there now and silted. We took the nearest spot, didn't fancy going in too far. A hire boat went to the end and got very grounded, we used to turn up there easily.  It still feels reasonably safe there. The right hand side in the photo was a bit laddish/druggy and looked to be colonised by crusty boats. We also passed a "boater community" on the offside near Dunham so maybe Peel are losing control just like CRT. We had a walk over to the Castlefield  visitor mooring (is this the hairpin?) and they were full of what looked like long term moorers and it was not where I would choose to spend a night. I suggest that hoping to find a spot in the basin just up from the Wharf pub is still the best option. We've had some really good visits to Castlefield and it is so sad to see it going downhill.

There were no spots in the basin near the Wharf either time we were there, and last time no space anywhere in the basin -- not even at the far end near the shallows where we moored before.

 

Castlefield is just one example of how badly boaters are served by moorings in Manchester, in contrast to Birmingham there seems to be no drive to encourage boaters to stay there -- in fact, increasingly the opposite... 😞