Weaver navigation

[Steve Manc]

Hi

Plan to travel down onto the Weaver Navigation via Anderton Boat Lift within the next 7 days.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions on best places to moor or places to visit once on the Weaver?

 

I would like to pre book a slot on the boat lift. Any suggestions on how much time we should plan on the Weaver.

 

Thanks

[MoominPapa]

8 minutes ago, Steve Manc said:

Hi

Plan to travel down onto the Weaver Navigation via Anderton Boat Lift within the next 7 days.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions on best places to moor or places to visit once on the Weaver?

 

I would like to pre book a slot on the boat lift. Any suggestions on how much time we should plan on the Weaver.

 

Thanks

In no particular order. Devil's Garden is a nice rural mooring. Go down to the end by the ship canal for a visit and to ogle the pipes on the chlorine factory. There are good VMs just below Hunts lock which tend to get less full then the ones between the bridges in Northwich town. VMs above Vale Royal locks are good.

 

MP.

 

[john6767]

You have to go down to the bottom, the chemical plant is surreal.  Stop on the pontoon at Marsh lock, unless CRT are there fixing the broken gates!  The view out to the Mersey over the MSC is interesting.

[Steve Manc]

Thanks 

 

 

[rgreg]

You can easily spend a relaxed week on the Weaver and cover it all. All of the above mentioned moorings are excellent and I would add Barnton Cut to the list.

Edited June 20, 2018 by rgreg

[dmr]

The Weaver is a spectacular waterway and tragically under-used. We have spent almost the entire winter down there. I spent quite a bit of time at Anderton and its amazing how many boats come down the lift, go a few hundred yards upstream, turn and go straight back up the lift. The adventurous ones go through Northwich then turn and go back up the lift so never do a Weaver lock. I suggest going end to end at a leisurely pace, though its a 6mph limit so its quite nice to give the engine a little thrash on deep water. Always a few interesting old boats moored between Northwich and Hunts lock. The Weaver is more of a very big canal than a river for much of its length.

 

Very low bridge between Vale Royal lock and Winsford so get the junk off the roof. CaRT will swing it but you might have to wait a day. Despite warnings from the lock-keepers you can and should go out into Winsford bottom flash to turn. Don't go too far and take it slow so if you do touch the bottom you can still reverse off. Council have built a little "marina" with free moorings but its difficult for deeper boats, can't get in to the side. Winsford is a sad town, heart torn out by a dual carriageway right through the middle. Red Lion is its best feature but only as long as you like your pubs a bit lively! Nice open mic night on a Wednesday. Some truly unpleasant fishermen up towards Winsford.

 

Salty Dog micro pub in Northwich serves several very nice beers but best to drink early evening, especially at the weekend, unless you like loud live music. £2.00/pint on Mondays. Beer pub, not an eatery. Bowling Green near Hunts lock for drinking and eating. 

 

Extensive walking in parkland, reclaimed from Salt Industry, all the way from Anderton to Winsford.

 

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

[Steve Manc]

Thanks to all, it is very helpful ?

[Jerra]

1 hour ago, dmr said:

Despite warnings from the lock-keepers you can and should go out into Winsford bottom flash to turn. Don't go too far and take it slow so if you do touch the bottom you can still reverse off.

I would definitely say take it slow.  Last time we were up there we talked to a boat (well the crew anyway) who had got stuck.  They said RCR couldn't get to them.  They had ended up having to pump their water tanks dry and at the point we spoke to them had been filling up for 1 hour.

[Sea Dog]

3 hours ago, dmr said:

Council have built a little "marina" with free moorings but its difficult for deeper boats, can't get in to the side.

Or shallower ones when we went up there a couple of years ago.  Looks nice enough, so it's a bit of a shame when no-one uses it.  It's a self licking lollipop too - no-one uses it, so why keep on top of it? Still well worth the trip up there though, as it's a really lovely, peaceful waterway.

[dmr]

17 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Or shallower ones when we went up there a couple of years ago.  Looks nice enough, so it's a bit of a shame when no-one uses it.  It's a self licking lollipop too - no-one uses it, so why keep on top of it? Still well worth the trip up there though, as it's a really lovely, peaceful waterway.

Yup, while moored outside the Red Lion a couple of boats went up and came back, pointing out that its deserted so must be a bad spot. We did spend a few nights in there over winter, the front was about a foot or so out from the edge which gave a tricky step in slippery conditions, the back was almost out in the flash. Very lonely place and a few possibly dodgy goings on in the car park at night but no trouble. Lots of interest from dog walkers in the daytime.

 

Forgot to add, locals use the adjacent slipway quite a bit to take little boats out into the flash, one rather nice one too. 

 

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

Edited June 20, 2018 by dmr
forgot to add...

[Sea Dog]

2 hours ago, dmr said:

Forgot to add, locals use the adjacent slipway quite a bit to take little boats out into the flash, one rather nice one too. 

The flash looks lovely too, doesn't it. So tempting to venture in and explore it...

[dmr]

7 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

The flash looks lovely too, doesn't it. So tempting to venture in and explore it...

Couple of year ago we went just a little way in but we very soon touched the bottom. Some people say you can get quite a way in if you know the route, sounds dangerous. Also met a local boater this year, with quite a deep boat, who said he did most of it a few years ago during the floods when the level was high.....that sounds really risky.

 

Maybe one day the "Middlewich Link" will get built, but I doubt if I will live to see it.

 

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