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ACTON
BRIDGE BASE INFORMATION
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Acton
Bridge is based near Northwich, Acton Bridge is a
great place for exploring a number of routes. Travelling
north, you meet the canal where it all started – the
Bridgewater Canal, which takes you lock-free to Manchester.
From there you can travel to the Leeds-Liverpool
Canal, or continue on the Cheshire Ring via the Peak
Forest
and Macclesfield. As well as the vibrant city of
Manchester (where parts of the canal are currently
being cleaned
up), this is a beautiful route with constantly changing
scenery. From south of the base you can travel on
the Four Counties Ring, or meander up to Chester
and beyond
to the Ellesmere Port Boat Museum. |
Acton Bridge Base Information (pdf file 551 Kb)
Acton Bridge Routes Information 1 (pdf file 647 Kb)
Acton Bridge Routes Information 2 (pdf file 621 Kb) |
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PUBLIC
TRANSPORT
National Rail Enquiries: www.nationalrail.co.uk Tel:
08457 484950
www.thetrainline.com Tel: 0871 244 1545
Nearest Airport: Manchester International Tel. 0161 489
3000
www.manchesterairport.co.uk
Nearest Railway Station: Acton Bridge / Hartford
Taxi/Minicabs:
A1 Luxury Travel Tel: 01606 75500
Twinz Travel Tel. 01606 786888
Approximate prices: (Prices courtesy of A1 Luxury Travel
subject to change)
Manchester Piccadilly train station to Acton Bridge: £40
Manchester International Airport to Acton Bridge: £30 |
HOTELS / GUEST HOUSES
Ash House Farm - Chapel Lane, Acton Bridge, Cheshire,
CW8 3QS Tel: 01606 852717 , £ 35.00 per person.
Rate includes breakfast. www.ashhousefarm.co.uk
Holly
Bush Inn - Little Leigh, Northwich, Cheshire,
CW8 4QY Tel: 01606 853196 , Double rooms - £48.50,
single rooms - £43.50. Breakfast £6.50
www.thehollybush.net
Happy
Guests Lodge - Tarporley Road, Dutton, Cheshire,
WA4 4EZ Tel: 01928 790824
Double rooms - £44.95, single rooms £39.95.
Rates include breakfast. www.happyguestslodge.co.uk
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GROCERIES
Good shopping facilities and a petrol station are within
a short distance to the base. The Leigh Arms is next
Updated to the swing bridge December 2009 (see how to
find us car ), and offers lunches and evening meals. |
FLYING INTO LONDON
From Heathrow airport - get the London underground tube
to Euston station.
From Gatwick airport - get the Gatwick Express to London
Victoria station, then get a London underground tube
to London Euston.
From Stansted airport - get the London underground tube
to London Euston.
From Euston - get a train to Crewe or Runcorn, then change
for Hartford. Visit www.tfl.gov.uk to plan your route
on the London Underground.
FLYING INTO MANCHESTER
Get a train to Manchester Piccadilly, then a train
to Liverpool Lime Street, and then change for Acton
Bridge. HOW TO FIND US (by car)
Acton Bridge is situated beside the A49 (Warrington
to Whitchurch road). This is four miles south of
Junction 10 on the M56, and 300 yards north of the
swing bridge crossing the River Weaver. |
| Suggested Routes
from Acton Bridge | Short Routes ( see below ) |
Wigan & Return
84 Miles, 6 Locks, 1 Week Cruise, 5 hours per day (ROUTE
A)
A very pleasant and easy run with many miles of lock-free
cruising. Leaving the base you travel on the first British
canal built by the Duke of Bridgewater to transport coal
to Manchester. On this you can see the mine entrances,
together with the Barton Swing Bridge over the Manchester
Ship Canal, where the canal is swung to let large ships
through. At Wigan, the Pier Museum and Trencherfield
Mill Steam Engine (the world’s largest), are well
worth a visit. |
Chester & Return
84 Miles, 44 Locks, 1 Week Cruise, 6 hours per day (ROUTE
B)
A slightly more active route, but still easily manageable
at about five hours per day, this trip includes varying
canals and countryside. Travelling southwards past the
old salt mines to Middlewich, you turn onto the Middlewich
arm to join up with the Shropshire Union Canal. The trip
to the medieval city of Chester is particularly pleasant
with the canal built next to the old city walls. You
should also have time to visit the boat museum at Ellesmere
Port. |
Cheshire Ring
98 Miles, 92 Locks, 1 Week Cruise, 8 hours per day (ROUTE
C)
An active route at around eight hours per day, the
Cheshire Ring is one of contrasts. Travelling northwards
over
the Bridgewater Canal and lock-free to Manchester, where
the city’s canals are currently being improved.
After this, into the Peak District on the Macclesfield
Canal, with its pretty stone villages. Just north of
Stoke on Trent, you meet the Trent & Mersey Canal
travelling through the many locks to Middlewich and its
history of salt, then home. |
Four Countries Ring
141 Miles, 102 Locks, 2 Week Cruise, 4 hours per day
(ROUTE D)
A relaxing fortnight, travelling southwards to Stoke
on Trent via Middlewich. Passing through the red-watered
Harecastle Tunnel (the result of local iron workings)
and continuing past the Wedgwood factory to Stone and
Great Haywood, joining the Staffordshire & Worcestershire
Canal. Just north of Wolverhampton, you meet the Shropshire
Union Canal with its extravagant cuttings and embankments,
carrying you up to Barbridge and the Middlewich arm.
If time permits a diversion along the Caldon is well
worthwhile. |
| Short Route |
Why not try a short
break from Acton Bridge?
You can enjoy 3 or 4 days from either Saturday afternoon
to Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday morning to Saturday morning,
Friday afternoon to Monday morning or from Monday afternoon
to Friday morning. Prices start from as little as £75
per person.
Acton Bridge Short Route...
Locks: 16 Cruising Time: Around 20hrs return
Travel south from the base on the Trent & Mersey
Canal, turning at Middlewich onto the Middlewich
arm to Barbridge Junction. The route is glorious
Cheshire
countryside, taking in the town of Middlewich. |
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