Whaley Bridge Return Canal Boat Holiday

Whaley Bridge and return canal boat holiday from Stoke-on-Trent Base

Relaxed Countryside Cruise

Stoke-on-Trent 76 26 38 Suitable for 1 Week, 10 Nights or 2 Week holidays

Route tags:

1 Week CruiseEasy RoutesEngland Canal Boat RoutesPeak DistrictStaffordshire

This is an easy and relaxed week’s narrowboat hire travelling into the Peak District and the Whaley Bridge with a canal boat holiday to the end of the Peak Forest Canal.

AVAILABILITY Enquire

PLEASE NOTE: April 2025: The Macclesfield Canal is currently closed due to a breach, which means that this cruising route to Whaley Bridge is not currently available.

You begin your journey at the Black Prince Peak District Base, situated on the re-developed National Garden Festival site. This location is one of our most popular narrowboat holiday starting points and is near to a host of family friendly attractions including Water World, a dry Ski-slope and a multi-screen cinema.

Canal boat holiday whaley bridge and return

Once you get on the water, you begin your self drive canal holiday by travelling north through the Harecastle Tunnel, the fourth largest canal tunnel in the UK, to join the Macclesfield Canal at Hardings Wood. This canal skirts the small towns of Congleton, Macclesfield and Marple.

Congleton, situated on the banks of the River Dane, is renowned for The Cloud, a hill on the border of Cheshire and Staffordshire that allows excellent views of the stunning Cheshire Plain. The plain is a lovely area with several different walking routes, each offering a new perspective of this vast area.

Macclesfield is also strewn with historical attractions, making it an ideal destination on a Peak Forest canal boat hire trip. St Michael’s Church has overlooked the town centre since the 13th century, and the Georgian town hall takes pride of place.

If you’re interested in a pleasant walk, head to the Roman Lakes leisure complex in Marple. The town will also be of interest to ghoul lovers, as it contains two of the most haunted places in Cheshire: Goyt Mill and Marple Hall.

You then turn on to the Peak Forest Canal to Whaley Bridge. The Peak Forest canal links the Ashton Canal with the tramways famous for collecting limestone from local quarries, and contains Marple Aqueduct, which carries the canal around 100 feet above the river Goyt. Whaley Bridge is a small town situated on the river, with prehistoric attractions including preserved burial sites and the remains of an ancient stone circle.

Book our Stoke-on-Trent to Whaley Bridge base on a canal boat holiday by using our online Availability Search, or by calling Black Prince on 01527 575 115.