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Locations
Wrenbury Marina in Cheshire
Wrenbury, near Nantwich, Cheshire. CW5 8HG
Things to do from Wrenbury Marina
Wrenbury Mill is set on the Llangollen canal. Do the Four Counties ring from here, or head towards Chirk and then Llangollen.
Wrenbury - The clock is turned back a few hundred year when you visit this pretty village in the heart of Cheshire. It boasts a village green and beautiful rose-covered cottages with flower filled gardens dating back to the 17th century. There are two pubs and a village stores. On this stretch of the Shropshire canal you will find a series of single-span timber bridges that are lowered and raised by counter-balancing beam weights.
Whitchurch - A bustling market town situated close to the Llangollen Canal and nearby to the superb flight of staircase locks at Grindley Brook. Visit Whitchurch Heritage Centre and spend time with J.B.Joyce, the oldest clock makers in the world. You can unearth Roman treasure and meet a musical knight - Sir Edward German, composer of 'Merrie England'
Ellesmere - Takes its name from the spectacular series of glacial meres and is why the area is locally known as the 'North Shropshire Lake District'. A perfect place for rest and relaxation or for the more active there is plenty of boating, walking or fishing. The Heron have always visited Ellesmere and you can view these majestic birds from the comfort of the indoor viewing centre. From here begin your exciting journey on the Llangollen Canal to some of the most breathtaking feats of engineering on the canal system including Thomas Telford's Pontcysyllte aqueduct and the Chirk tunnel and Chirk aqueduct.
Llangollen - Seeped in myth and legend the town is best known for hosting the International Musical Eisteddfod every July which brings in some 120,000 visitors and turns the town into a vibrant international stage. The town is a haven for shoppers looking for interesting and unusual gifts. Take a picnic up to the amazing horseshoes falls which is a pleasant stroll away these artificial falls are build on the River Dee. Take a ride on the Llangollen steam railway and view some of the country's most breathtaking scenery.
Pontycysyllte Aqueduct - Everyone should experience a trip over the Pontcysyllte aqueduct and marvel at this magnificent feat of engineering which is spans a 1000 feet and is 125 foot high. With the River Dee thundering beneath you and the Dee Valley stretching for miles it is no wonder that in June 2009 it became a World Heritage Site.
Directions
By Road : Leave the M6 motorway at junction 16 and follow signs to Crewe/Nantwich. At the first roundabout, go straight ahead, signposted Nantwich/Chester. Carry straight on through 3 more roundabouts.
After the third roundabout, you will come to some traffic lights. Turn left A525 and go straight through the next set off lights. Turn right at the next set signed Whitchurch A525. Take the second turning on your left signed Whitchurch.
Go past a lake on you right, and after about three miles you will enter the small village of Aston. Turn right to Wrenbury. Follow signs for two miles, and you will come to the end of the road facing you is a school.
Turn left, and keep going 3/4 mile you will come to a lift bridge. Go over the bridge, and the Marina is on the right.
By Rail: N/A
By Air : from the London Airports, make your way either by the London Underground airport shuttle bus, or taxi to Euston Main Line rail terminal, in central London. Board the Inter-City Express to Crewe (trains depart frequently for the North West, journey time is approximately 2 hours), then travel by taxi to Wrenbury.
From Manchester International Airport, take the airport bus to Manchester Piccadilly station, which leaves every half an hour. At the station board a train for Crewe. At Crewe, take a taxi from outside the station to Wrenbury marina. Please contact taxi company for an estimate. For information about train timetables and ticket costs, for all mainline rail transport please go to www.thetrainline.com.
NB: There is a station in Wrenbury Village, but it is over 1 mile from Wrenbury Mill. There are no waiting taxis and no telephone box, from which to order one.
Routes:
Whitchurch, Ellesmere or Chirk & Return | Llangollen & Return | Chester or Ellesmere Port & Return | Tiverton or Christelton & Return | Four Counties Ring | Audlem & Return
The short breaks from Wrenbury are superb, with plenty of glorious scenery.
3 nights, 10 hours, 20 locks (Whitchurch)
• Grindley Brook has six locks, three as a staircase with a lock-keeper in attendance.
• With several good shops, Whitchurch is very good to either explore, or stock up on supplies.
3 nights, 17 hours, 20 locks (Ellesmere)
• The run into Ellesmere is through an area of outstanding beauty, with a series of Ice-Age lakes known as 'meres' very close to the canal.
4 nights, 26 hours, 24 locks (Chirk)
Towards the Welsh border at Chirk, the country's fine hills come into view and the scenery becomes altogether more dramatic.
Llangollen & return
1 week, 36 hours, 24 locks
The Llangollen Canal is arguably the most beautiful canal on the whole system and also boasts the striking Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
• Unusually, this canal has a flow of 2mph, so the outbound journey will be slower than the return.
• With time, detour along the Montgomery canal.
• The last locks are at New Marton from where, as it clings to the hillside contours, an enchanting blend of aqueducts and tunnels takes the canal, lock free, to Llangollen.
• Take a steam train ride from Llangollen up the Dee Valley or visit the ruins of Castell Dinas Bran.
(Please note mooring charges apply at Llangollen)
Chester or Ellesmere Port & return
4 nights or 1 week, 24 hours, 46 locks (Chester)
1 week, 32 hours, 52 locks (Ellesmere Port)
For Ellesmere Port add 1.5 hours per day and 8 locks
On this popular countryside route the locks are well spaced for easy cruising. You can choose to travel to Chester and then retrace your steps back to the marina or continue along the Shropshire Union main line to its historic terminal on the River Mersey 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 TIC 01244 402111 www.chestertourism.com
Chester Zoo is just a short walk from the canal. 01244 380280 www.chesterzoo.org
The fascinating Boat Museum 0151 355 5017 www.boatmuseum.org.uk at Ellesmere Port is a few locks beyond Chester, near to the junction with the Manchester Ship Canal. The museum has an extensive collection of preserved inland waterway craft and display areas in many of the former warehouses.
Tiverton or Christleton & return
3 nights, 13 hours, 28 locks (Tiverton)
From Wrenbury the canal travels down to the Cheshire Plain where open pastures, woodland and hills accompany the wide canal towards Tiverton.
4 nights, 18 hours, 30 locks (Christleton)
With only one lock between Tiverton and Christleton, this is a leisurely cruise, turning before the descent into Chester
Four Counties Ring
10 - 11 nights, 62 hours, 112 locks
A fascinating voyage of discovery and well worth the extra bit of effort!
The journey takes you along the wonderfully rural Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal to Great Haywood Junction where, passing under a distinctive roving bridge, you join the Trent and Mersey Canal heading north towards the Potteries and Peak District.
The rolling Staffordshire countryside leads you to Stoke-on-Trent, the Wedgewood Visitors Centre and the impressive 2926-yard long Harecastle Tunnel.
Beyond Harecastle the 13 miles to the salt town of Middlewich sees the canal descend 31 locks to the Cheshire Plains.
The short Middlewich arm links the Trent and Mersey Canal to the Shropshire Union Canal again through more glorious countryside.
The scenery on the climb up ‘Heartbreak Hill’ to the summit at Kidsgrove is fantastic. As well as sights of the potteries such as the Bottle Kilns at Etruria, the Wedgwood Pottery Centre at Barlaston is not to be missed. 01782 204218 www.thewedgwoodstory.com
The National Trust’s Shugborough Hall is a short walk from moorings at Great Haywood. 01889 881388 www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Audlem & return
3 nights, 14 hours, 28 locks
Heading south from Hurleston on the Shropshire Union takes a route through open countryside. With just a few, evenly spaced locks until the foot of the Audlem
flight, this is an extremely relaxing cruise to an attractive village.
More Information
Customer Testimonial
Five friends and myself have just returned from a 4-day narrow boat holiday in Shropshire, which we booked through yourselves. I just wanted to say, on behalf of the group, what a great experience we had from start to finish. The boat was impeccable and the staff at the marina were very friendly and helpful. Even the weather turned out nice. We will definitely be booking a boat with you in the near future and perhaps trying out one of the other canals available. Rob Gallie, Surrey