Where to find us
Mabel is moored on the Trent & Mersey Canal at Uplands Marina, right next door to the historic Anderton Boat Lift, the perfect start to your waterways holiday.
We've provided some route suggestions to get you started, from cruising the Cheshire Ring, Shropshire Union or the Llangollen Canal, your adventure starts here!
Suggested Routes
Cheshire Ring (7-14 nights)
Chester or Ellesmere Port and Return (7-10 Nights)
The Four Counties Ring (7-13 Nights)
• Cruising Time Per Day: 8 Hrs • Locks: 92 Travel clockwise, heading up to Manchester. The ring takes in the whole of the Macclesfield Canal, parts of the Trent & Mersey, Bridgewater, Rochdale, Ashton and Peak Forest Canals, providing a wide range of breathtaking scenery. Take a detour from Marple along the Peak Forest Canal and enjoy stunning views. Cruise through the heart of Manchester and moor at Castlefield to explore the city and its numerous attractions including Old Trafford, home of Manchester United, the Arndale shopping centre or the Museum of Science and Industry. This route has a variety of canal features including broad and narrow locks, aqueducts and tunnels, and the distinctive stone architecture of the Peak District.
The Four Counties Ring (7-13 Nights)
Chester or Ellesmere Port and Return (7-10 Nights)
The Four Counties Ring (7-13 Nights)
• Cruising Time Per Day: 6.5 Hrs • Locks: 102 From Uplands Marina travel down to Middlewich to join the ring. This is one of the more rural cruising rings taking you through the counties of Cheshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire and the West Midlands. Highlights include the Industrial Canal Heritage of the Stoke-on-Trent potteries region, the wealthy pasturelands of Cheshire, to the stunning remote sandstone cuttings of Shropshire. This route typically takes two weeks to complete but more energetic crews can do it in a week.
Chester or Ellesmere Port and Return (7-10 Nights)
Chester or Ellesmere Port and Return (7-10 Nights)
Chester or Ellesmere Port and Return (7-10 Nights)
• Cruising Time Per Day: 5.5-7 Hrs • Locks: 44 On this popular countryside route the locks are well spaced for easy cruising. Travelling to Chester and then retracing your steps back to the marina is a popular week for first time boaters. Continue past Chester along the Shropshire Union main line to its historic terminal on the River Mersey at Ellesmere Port. Visit the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port. Mooring in Chester is within easy reach of the walled city centre with its medieval ‘rows’ where there are a variety of shops, galleries and the majestic cathedral. Chester Zoo is just a short walk from the canal.
Beeston or Nantwich and Return (3 Nights)
Beeston or Nantwich and Return (3 Nights)
Chester or Ellesmere Port and Return (7-10 Nights)
• Cruising Time Per Day: 8 Hrs • Locks: 16 Easy cruising south from Uplands Marina with splendid scenery and good pubs. This pleasant cruise is very rural with just a few villages and small towns as you cruise through the countryside. Beeston Castle can be seen up to 30 miles away. The impressive ruins are the remains of this 14th century castle built by the Earl of Chester in 1337 and it is situated on top of a steep hill. A short 15 minute walk from the canal is the lovely medieval market town of Nantwich, famous for the medieval timbered buildings dotted around the town. Stroll through the atmospheric streets and visit for bijoux boutiques, antiques dealers and contemporary craft shops.
Lymm and Return (3 Nights)
Beeston or Nantwich and Return (3 Nights)
Lymm and Return (3 Nights)
• Cruising Time Per Day: 8 Hrs • Locks: 1 Cruise above the River Weaver and its valley, where the only lock has a drop of just six inches! Preston Brook has a tunnel of nearly a mile, and there are also two shorter ones on this route. With its historic centre a few yards from the canal bank, Lymm boasts a 17th century cross and an informative visitors centre. Picturesque Lymm Dam can be found via a short walk through the village centre. Sainsbury's, wine bars, pubs, shops, restaurants and take aways make Lymm the perfect place to stock up and enjoy a drink, takeaway or a meal out. For a longer trip, travel on from Lymm to the attractive village of Bollington and then on to Dunham Massey, where the beautiful Dunham Massey Hall is set in acres of wooded deer park. Owned by the National Trust, the grounds, hall and gardens are open to visitors.