The Trent and Mersey Canal

Back then, in 1985, Anglo Welsh offered one way trips, so me, knowing nothing about the canal system, thought it would be a breeze to go from Trevor to Great Heywood.In a week!

Now I know, some people do the whole four counties ring in a week.

But, I really didn’t know what it was all about, and finished up sailing past places I would loved to have stopped at a while.However, it was a great trip, enjoying it so much we have never stopped returning.

Part of that first trip was on the Trent and Mersey.This canal runs from the Bridgewater canal, close to the River Mersey to the junction with the River Trent.

It was one of the first canals built, conducted by James Bindley, and opened in 1777.

We joined the canal at Middlewich, an old salt town, with the very welcoming Kings Lock Inn. Good moorings here between the lock, and bridge 166.

And, by Big Lock, is the Big Lock Inn, serving a fine pint of Theakston XB, and Directors. There is a canal side garden, and is boater and family friendly.

We quite liked Middlewich, good moorings, a useful selection of shops, two banks, Somerfield and a chandlery by the boatyard.There is a water point, at the junction, and sani station at the Boatyard.

Wheelock provides good moorings, a newsagent, and one of our favorite pubs on the trip, the Cheshire Cheese, where our kids gave the juke box a fine work out.

A news agency and post office make Wheelock a pleasant spot to re-stock.

If you have time, visit the Commercial Hotel, a classic friendly pub with cosy rooms and Thwaites Bitter.

From Wheelock onwards, the locks start to get serious, with 26 of them over the next 7 miles before to Kidsgrove and the Harecastle Tunnel.

This was a real culture shock for us, motoring through the industrial history of England operating heavy slow locks that a year previously, we didn’t even know existed!

But we loved it, and what a great stretch of canal it is!Most of the locks along here are doubled, and improvement made in the 1830’s by Thomas Telford to speed up traffic.The locks are spread out, so they are too far for a flight, and too close to take a breather!

The remains of industry, and the potteries, are evident everywhere along this stretch.

Rhode Heath has two pubs, the Broughton arms, (bridge 139) and the Royal Oak, 5 minutes walk over bridge 142.

It’s a rural cruise, with lovely scenery, right down to Lawton Three locks, which is closely followed by Church Locks.

Try the Broughton Arms, at Rhode Heath, and give yourself a well earned break! Marston’s pedigree is very agreeable.

At Red Bull, the Macclesfield canal passes over the top, the precursor to today’s motorway junction, but a lot more attractive.And so we come to Kidsgrove, and the Harecastle Tunnel.

And here the Macclesfield leaves the Trent and Mersey, heading south, to eventually swing north back at Red Bull.

The canal water gets more orange, the closer you get to Harecastle, and mooring by the tunnel, it is a rich maroon colour.Harecastle Tunnel is 2,962 feet long. Passage through is controlled by BW staff.

It is a chilly and spooky experience, at least, being one way working, one does not have to worry about oncoming boats.

The tunnel we use today is the second one opened at Harecastle.

The first, was opened in 1777. The current one was opened in 1827, (completed in three years, as opposed to the original one taking eleven years!)to ease congestion caused by the huge increase in traffic.

In 1914 the original tunnel was abandoned due to bad subsidence and declining traffic.

After the 40 minute or so journey through the tunnel, it is with some relief to arrive at daylight and more at Longport. Here we visited the Duke of Bridgewater, but have been told recently it is no longer operating as a pub.

There is a water point just by the exit to the Caldon Canal.

Stoke is a canal friendly town, with plenty of moorings. Although most of the pottery trade has gone, you can still see remnants around Stoke, with bottle kilns, warehouses and old factories reminding us of what used to be.

Water and sanitary disposal is available by Etruria Junction.From Stoke, it is a pleasant cruise through Hem Heath where a pleasant little gift shop operates.

There are good moorings by bridge 103 to wander into Barlaston, where the Plume of Feathers is a welcome sight

The Wedgewood Visitor Centre can also be reached from bridge 104.Stone is a delightful, bustling town, once the headquarters of the Trent and Mersey Canal Company.

Another boater friendly town, moorings are plentiful, and the town centre only a few minutes away.The Star Inn, by bridge 93, is one of the oldest pubs on the system, and serves a fine Banks, and Pedigree, and serves bar meals.

The Rising Sun, a family friendly pub is located next to Limekiln Lock, selling Bass beers. A lovely canal side garden with swings here as well.

In the town, Safeway and Somerfield both have supermarkets, and there are plenty of other shops to restock the fridge.There is a market on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. We found mooring before lock 27 (just before bridge 93) ideal, handy to the Star and the town.

Continuing on through the lovely Trent Valley, the canal accompanied by the rail and road towards Great Haywood.It is well worth a stop at Sandon, a pretty village a brief stroll from bridge 83. There the Dog and Doublet with its timeless atmosphere and Bass beers.

There is also a handy Post Office and store here.As the canal turns towards Weston, the railway thunders past, emphasizing the pleasure of the quiet 3 mph canal life.

Just try sitting on the village green near the marvelous Woolpack at Weston. Selling Marston’s Ales, this pub has been highly recommended by Pearson’s and other guides, and rightly so. Also has post office and store in the village.

Great Haywood is one of our favorite canal villages.

There are ample moorings along here, especially pleasing after bridge 73 with an outlook over Shugborough Hall.

Since we last visited in 2005 the new mariner has opened with even more space available.

Great Heywood is a great little town.

Two pubs, post office, newsagent, and one of the finest pack horse bridges in existence.

Just stroll over the bridge, do a walk around the Shugborough Hall estate, then finish the day with a pint of Tetley’s at the Clifford Arms in there delightful outside area.

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