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Cheshire Narrowboat Base

BEGIN YOUR ADVENTURE AT ACTON BRIDGE

Based near Northwich, our Cheshire Acton Bridge hire base is a great place for exploring a number of routes with canal boat hire. Travelling north, you meet the canal where it all started – the Bridgewater Canal, which takes your narrowboat 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.

PLEASE NOTE: There are restrictions on certain routes during the 2022 season on Black Prince holidays, please see below for details.

Routes from
Acton Bridge Base

Cheshire Acton Bridge Hire Base

Bartington Wharf, Warrington Road, Bartington, Northwich, Cheshire, CW8 4QU

MAP& DIRECTIONS

Wigan and Return – Nature Spotters Paradise

March 8, 2021

86 miles
6 locks
(for the total return trip)

Chester and return canal boat holiday

February 27, 2021

84 Miles
44 Locks
1 Week Cruise
6 hours per day

Cheshire Ring canal boat holiday

February 27, 2021

98 Miles
92 Locks
2 Week Cruise
5 Hours per day

temporarily unavailable

Four Counties Ring canal boat holiday

January 27, 2021

141 Miles
102 Locks
2 Week Cruise
5 hours per day

Liverpool & Return – Experienced Boaters Trip to Albert Dock

March 8, 2020

103 miles
8 locks
(for the total return trip)

Manchester and Return – Great Family Break for Teenagers

March 8, 2020

68 miles
2 locks (stop lock)
(for the total return trip)

Lymm and Return – The Perfect Beginners Break

March 8, 2020

1 stop lock
13 Miles
2 Locks
(for the total return trip)

Acton Bridge Short Route

March 13, 2014

Locks: 16
20hrs return

Harecastle Tunnel

For boat hire guests departing from our Acton Bridge base and wanting to cruise the Four Counties Ring it is necessary to book slots for passage through the Harecastle tunnel. Slots are available for seven days a week, from 8 am until 5 pm. We will send you details on how to reserve your slot prior to your holiday.

ROUTE RESTRICTION NOTICE 2022

The Macclesfield Canal and the Peak Forest Canal will be will be closed from Friday 24th June due to water shortages. It is anticipated that these canals will remain closed for several weeks, the Canal & River Trust cannot confirm re-open dates yet.

You can read more detailed information here, but in summary this news means that it will not be possible to cruise the Cheshire Ring at this time. There are plenty of other cruising routes available, including the Four Counties Ring, return trips to Manchester, Liverpool or Chester and along the Llangollen Canal.

NARROWBOATS AVAILABLE TO HIRE FROM ACTON BRIDGE

Below are the boat types that are available to hire from this base. When you start your holiday search all the boat options and dates that closely match your desired departure date and party number will be presented to you.

SEE BOAT AVAILABILITY

SAT 2.30PM – TUES 9.30AM | TUES 2.30PM – SAT 9.30AM

FRI 2.30PM – MON 9.30AM | MON 2.30PM – FRI 9.30AM

Duchess 4 | Duchess 6

BASE INFORMATION

HOTELS/GUEST HOUSES

Holly Bush Inn, Little Leigh, Northwich, Cheshire, CW8 4QY Tel. 01606 853196
Double Room £48.50 Single Room £43.50 Breakfast £6.50
www.thehollybush.net

Happy Guests Lodge, Tarporley Road, Dutton, Cheshire, WA4 4EZ Tel. 01928 790824
Double Room £49.95 Single Room £44.95 Price includes breakfast and free WiFi
www.happyguestslodge.co.uk

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

National Rail Enquiries:
www.nationalrail.co.ukTel: 08457 484950
www.thetrainline.comTel: 0871 244 1545

Nearest Airport:
Manchester International Tel. 0161 489 3000

Nearest Railway Station: Acton Bridge/Hartford

Taxi/Minicabs:

Mark Lacking, up to 7 passengers

Gemini Cars
01606 594020
07966 169920
geminicars247@gmail.com

Mike Eves, up to 4 passengers

Travel-Link
01606 550355
07899 087320
douglaseves@aol.com

GROCERIES

Good shopping facilities and a petrol station are within a short distance to the base. The Leigh Arms is next to the swing bridge (see How to Find Us – Car) and offers lunches and evening meals.

FLYING INTO LONDON

From Heathrow airport get the London underground tube train to Euston station.
From Gatwick airport get the Gatwick Express to London Victoria station, then get a London underground tube train to Euston station.
From Stanstead airport get the London underground tube train to Euston station.
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 Picadilly station, then a train to Liverpool Lime Street, then change for Acton Bridge.

HOW TO FIND US BY CAR

Acton Bridge is situated beside the A49 (Warrington to Whitchurch road). This is 4 miles south of Junction 10 on the M56 and 300 yards north of the swing bridge crossing the River Weaver.

www.theaa.com/route-planner

Cheshire Acton Bridge Reviews:

Black Prince Holidays Ltd

4.8

Based on 82 reviews

review us on

Ian Bailey

19:07 12 Aug 22

Great Staff and procedures to get people on their way quickly. went canal barging during a Very hot week so planning of stop offs essential for liquid breaks

Trevor Field

21:43 04 Jun 22

Brilliant hand over for our 2 week canal trip around the Avon ring. Beautiful boat too.

Lisa Crew

18:01 21 Apr 22

We took a 4 day break with Black Prince on one of their Duchess 4 narrow boats last week. Our welcome was very warm and the induction was informative and made me feel confident with the way that the boat needed to be maintained, how to tackle locks and our guide helped us to plan our whole route. The holiday was one of the most relaxing that I have ever known; keeping busy on the 46 lock route meant that I was tired in the evenings and slept better than I have I have in years, but the scenery and sedentary pace of the whole thing made me distress within hours of first setting off. The boat itself was very clean, well laid out and had everything that we needed, all in excellent order. I recommend this company as one that delivers on its promises.

Martyn Stubbs

18:06 09 Sep 21

Picked up boat small induction off we went no problem. Clean boat. Rudder came off we rang black Prince someone was with us in 15 mins 10 minutes fixed on our way no problem. We throughly enjoyed ourselves. We will be back thankyou.

Anthony Morgan

17:04 02 Sep 21

This is the 5th time we have been away with Black Prince but the first time from Stoke Pior. Can't fault their service. This is the first time we have been given a map of our journey with advice on where to Moor and not Moor, pump outs etc. Really friendly and helpful staff. Definitely would recommend Black Prince if you want to try a canal boat holiday. Their boats are always clean and are very modern.

Proud British Vet-086

11:18 12 Aug 21

I cannot Thank Black Prince at Stoke Prior enough. Especially Bob.These guys went above and beyond, to help me out of a sticky situation I found myself in, due to a breakdown, and waterpump drive belt failure.Without their very kind assistance I would have been somewhat stuck.It's people like this that really do make boating such a pleasure.My Sincere Thanks.Kind Regards Martin and DiNB Fragil

Gavin Parkes

11:54 18 Jul 21

Highly recommended. This is the second time we have hired a boat with Black Prince and the first time from this base. The experience was top class. Very friendly and helpful staff who were very knowledgeable in a relaxed manner. Boat was clean, comfortable, reliable and could not want more. We will use Black Prince again in the future.

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NEED HELP PLANNING YOUR ADVENTURE? HAVE A QUESTION?

Call today on ++44 (0)1527 575 115 and a Black Prince team member will be happy to help!

Cheshire Narrowboat Base

BEGIN YOUR ADVENTURE AT ACTON BRIDGE