A minor holiday hiccup, local knowledge needed please!

[b0atman]

Chester zoo bit of a walk up hill but worth it .

Blue planet aquarium.

Cheshire oaks outlet centre .

[Tim Lewis]

Well, given that we will have to make good speed to get to Chester for Monday afternoon, we probably will go to Ellesmere Port too, I'd like to visit the boat museum.

 

I'd appreciate more ideas about things to do on our holiday. Obviously I'm hoping to chat to other boaters, and maybe look around a few boats, the main purpose of the holiday is to do some research ahead of buying a boat myself. But I would appreciate advice on "must see" places along the way, including non-canal places, one of my boys is going to college in September to train in animal husbandry, so I imagine he'd enjoy Chester Zoo for example.

 

If anyone is in between Anderton and Ellesmere Port in the first week of August, we'd love to pull up for a chat, a beer, some advice, our boat will be called Great Blue Heron 1 and it's a 58' semi-trad.

 

Beeston Castle looks like an interesting walk from the canal, went passed a couple of days ago but didn't have time to explore it.

 

Tim

Can you still moor overnight at the EP museum?

 

There are 48 hour visitor moorings just outside the Museum for museum visitors.

 

Tim

[Suzie_q]

 

Beeston Castle looks like an interesting walk from the canal, went passed a couple of days ago but didn't have time to explore it.

 

Tim

Don't know it from the canal but Beeston is worth the climb up for the view but there isn't much of the castle left at the top.

[David Mack]

 

Beeston Castle looks like an interesting walk from the canal, went passed a couple of days ago but didn't have time to explore it.

 

Definitely worth it. We took the kids up there a few years ago. Its a bit of a walk from the canal though. Shame the pub opposite the entrance has closed!

[crispy]

We live at Beeston and there has never been a pub opposite the castle! However The Beeston Castle pub by the cattlemarket closed a while ago and has been demolished to - guess what -build houses.

 

The quickest walk to the castle is on the Sandstone trail path from Whartons lock, at the road turn left follow round till you get to the castle entrance -will take about half hour each way plus going up the castle. It is English Heritage, you will have to pay,also has an interpretation centre but no food.

 

On the Shroppie:

 

The Davenport Arms at Calvely is also closed.

 

Pub wise you have The Jolly Tar and Barbridge Inn at Barbridge and your next pub is the Shady Oak just past Whartons lock unless you take a walk into Bunbury where The Nags head will drive you back if they have staff available. Also the Tollemache Arms on the A51 a 10min walk from Bunbury Locks.

 

Food shops -you can go up the embankment near Countrywide on Wardle straight to the garage shop across the A51 otherwise there are no food shops within quick walking distance until Egg Bridge.

 

The café at Beeston has just reopened - 7.00a.m to 3.00p.m.

 

Bunbury Mill is open Sundays -café and interesting to look at.

 

Its a lovely stretch of canal and usually pretty quiet.

[kevinl]

Are there no stations between Crewe and Chester, the canal and the railway run virtually together for most of the way?

K

[John Williamson 1955]

tgere are no stations between Chester and Crewe. The cutbacks over the last few decades have got them all.

 

There is a bus linking the two stations, the Arrive 84 service:-

 

http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/uploadedfiles/Services/North_West/NWWN84_300809_160809m.pdf

[8 Hairy Feet]

Hey Southern Star

Are you back yet?

Did you enjoy your trip?

I do hope so!

[Paul C]

So, we are hiring a boat from Anderton on Saturday 2nd August,

 

 

 

Hey Southern Star

Are you back yet?

Did you enjoy your trip?

I do hope so!

???

[8 Hairy Feet]

Ah silly me I thought they had gone already!

[Southern Star]

No problem, easily done!

 

No, we will be away this time next month. Me, my girlfriend, her daughter, who is 28 and my twin boys who will be having their 16th birthday on the Monday.

 

And if we enjoy the experience, I have a nice little 45' trad stern to view the weekend after we get back with a view to buying...

 

 

However, I'll put that on the back burner for now and carry on soliciting advice on places to see and things to do along the way- Anderton to Ellesmere Port it's going to be now, thanks for the tips so far and the boat museum is definitely on the list.

[jellybeano]

Nice place to moor on way back to Anderton is alongside the flashes between bridges 180A and 181 on the T and M. Less than two hours back from there to Anderton. Need to use spikes, but a good solid edge. Lovely open views.

[Southern Star]

Just a quick follow up, we got back yesterday and we all had a lovely week.

 

We had problems with the car on the way up, I hit some debris in the road and broke a coil spring, so we arrived late but we phoned Anderton Marina and they were very helpful, they said "We go home at five, but we'll leave the boat open, just come and see us in the morning". In the event, we did manage to get there before five, so we only lost an hour or two.

 

We went to Chester, spent the day looking round the city and had a meal on the waterfront (this was my twin boys' 16th birthday). Then we went back to and past Anderton and through the tunnels, and finally did a trip on the boat lift in the river bus. I'm glad we didn't attempt the Cheshire Ring as we first thought of doing, as it would have been very hard work, so thanks to all for that advice.

 

We met and chatted to loads of nice people who were very tolerant of our inexperience and answered all of our questions in a helpful and friendly way.

 

We also stopped off at various brokerages and looked at boats. We saw a lot of overpriced (IMHO) tat, but in the end we found a boat which was just what we were looking for, so we put down a deposit on it and we're getting the survey done this week, hopefully it will all go through by the end of August so we'll be able to spend some more time on the cut in the months and years to come.

 

Thanks again to all for the advice.

[Alan de Enfield]

............... but in the end we found a boat which was just what we were looking for, so we put down a deposit on it and we're getting the survey done this week, hopefully it will all go through by the end of August so we'll be able to spend some more time on the cut in the months and years to come.

 

Thanks again to all for the advice.

 

Well done - "aint no stopping you now"

 

I doesn't exist if there are no pictures.

 

When your survey goes thru' post some pictures.

[Southern Star]

Thanks Alan, I will post some pics when the deal is done 'n dusted, the projected completion date is 27th August. All I'll say for now is that it is pretty much exactly what I have been looking for in terms of length, layout etc and it appears to have been very well cared for.

 

Buying a boat is something I've wanted to do for over 20 years, and have been very seriously researching for around 18 months now, but family commitments, mortgage, running a business etc have made it impractical in the past. Now is the right time for all sorts of reasons, so hopefully the survey will be positive.

[8 Hairy Feet]

ah glad you enjoyed

yourselves...good luck with the

boat purchase.