WW GUIDE THE PEAK FOREST AND ASHTON CANALS You begin in urban Manchester – and 21 miles later, you’re in a historic basin in the glorious Peak District, moored up beside a real pub. Richard Fairhurst savours a fine canal journey The Ashton Canal FOR MANY YEARS, THE ASHTON CANAL was synonymous with all that was wrong with urban waterways. The 1896 Oarsman’s Guide was uncompromising: “Its course is entirely through a manufacturing district with the usual unpleasant surroundings. The vapour rising from its waters caused by the factories on the banks, condensing their exhaust Bugsworth steam therein, is sometimes so thick as Basin. to make it diffi cult to see one’s way.” Downloaded by David A Calverley from waterwaysworld.com June 2012 Waterways World 71 WW GUIDE 1 1 Ancoats Lock 1 – By the 1960s, its star had sunk lower note the duplicated still. Though never formally closed, it was chamber. totally unnavigable: its channel dry, its lock-gates rotten or swinging loose. Local councillors and anxious parents demanded its infi lling. Its branches to Stockport and Hollinwood were abandoned, and the main line, like so many industrial urban waterways, looked set to go the same way. What saved it was an idea fi rst hatched in 1965: the Cheshire Ring. Adventurous holidaymakers were beginning to discover the canal system, and circular routes were perfect for a week’s holiday. The Ashton and adjacent canals would provide the ‘missing link’ in one such route. Volunteers from the Peak Forest Canal Society, the Inland Waterways Association, and (latterly) the new Waterway Recovery 2 Group set about bringing the canal back to life. Operation Ashton, in 1968, was followed in 1972 by Ashtac; and by 1974, navigation was possible once again. The restored canal earned a reputation as ‘bandit country’, not least due to some hair-raising incidents of vandalism in the 1980s and ‘90s, and British Waterways security staff took to escorting boats through. But the situation now is greatly improved – not least thanks to the Commonwealth Games of 2002, staged at ‘SportCity’ beside the canal. The towpath, once a no-go area, became a popular walking and cycling route from the city The Strawberry centre, while new housing was built Duck at Lock 13. in some of the most run-down areas. For today’s boater, then, the Ashton Canal poses no particular anxiety. You 3 should take the usual care: moor only in recognised places, be prepared for trips down the weed hatch to clear plastic bags and other rubbish, and be aware that water levels may be low on occasion. Don’t cruise late at night, but try to stick to daylight hours. Locking your front doors while underway is a sensible precaution, though almost certainly not necessary. But this is an interesting canal, as well as a useful one – so enjoy the cruise. Central Manchester The canal starts at Ducie Street Junction, in the shadow of Manchester Piccadilly Safe mooring in station. To the west is the Rochdale ‘Nine’, Thomas Telford Basin. the spectacular but arduous descent Downloaded by David A Calverley from waterwaysworld.com 72 Waterways World June 2012 THE PEAK FOREST AND ASHTON CANALS SportCity 4 Original canal cottage All this new wealth stops abruptly above beside the Islington Arm, with ‘Chips’ in the locks, for a brief burst of the ‘old’ the background. Ashton: semi-derelict mills, gas-holders, and waste ground. This pound is popular with (friendly) anglers, its narrow, green towpath rather more comfortable than the austere surroundings of New Islington. But this lasts for just half a mile before another surprising modern development. SportCity was the venue for the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and is still much in use today. Britain’s medal-winning cycling team has its home at the velodrome, while Manchester City have decamped from their historic base of Maine Road to the new Etihad Stadium – as you’ll see should you cruise through when they’re playing at home. The four Beswick Locks thread their way through the site, and you’re almost guaranteed to meet well-meaning gongoozlers asking “do you live on the boat, mister?”. Lock 4 is shallow at under 4ft, the next three averaging almost 12ft each. The top lock (7), past the road bridge, retains its old lock cottage, incongruous but reassuring in such a modern area. The Clayton Flight For now, SportCity is the limit of through central Manchester, and another Alsop’s Chips, by Lock 3, is the real regeneration. Lock 8 marks the start of the crucial link in the Cheshire Ring. To the eye-catcher – a colourful, fluid Clayton Flight, nine locks which remain north-east, the Rochdale Canal, reopened stack with river names emblazoned much as they’ve always been. Some will in 2002, heads off to the Pennines. You across it in giant type. choose to hurry through, but anyone would be forgiven for not noticing the What makes the scene unique is that with a nose for industrial heritage will discreet entrance to the Ashton Canal, this modern design exists beside the canal find this an interesting cruise. Numerous a modest canal bridge dwarfed by the heritage. Between the two locks, the short of the canalside factories are still in use. modern apartments towering above. Islington Arm heads north under a brick Security fences ostensibly prevent access Indeed, apartments and other new towpath bridge, watched over by a canal to and from the canal, but on any sunny housing dominate the first half-mile of the cottage. Lock 1 was once paired, and the lunchtime, you’ll see workmen leaning out Ashton. A sharp 90° turn is followed by second chamber, now derelict, can still be the doors to enjoy a waterside sandwich. Store Street Aqueduct, which like most such seen. The Ancoats Locks are fairly deep, After Lock 10, the deepest narrow lock structures (Pontcysyllte excepted!) is more with an average rise of 8ft each: you will in Britain (and the world?), look for a dramatic from below than above. Its 45° need a British Waterways T-key for the anti- redundant towpath bridge to the south. skew was an engineering breakthrough when vandal locks, and the usual dose of patience This was the entrance to the 5-mile, lock- built in 1798; if you have time, walk down for the hydraulic paddle gear. BW’s roving free Stockport Arm, closed in the 1960s from your mooring to Store Street for a look. lengthsmen, who work across all the East (WW November 2009) but now proposed The safest local mooring is Thomas Manchester waterways, will sometimes for restoration. The Strawberry Duck pub, Telford Basin, on the south side of the appear here in their pick-up truck, ready to beside Lock 13, once had the reputation of canal. Visiting boaters are welcome here, offer assistance or advice on navigating the being even more intimidating than a cruise a secure basin within the Piccadilly Ashton, and warn of any low pounds ahead. along the Ashton Canal: today it, too, is Village development. You’ll need to ask Above Lock 2, a lift-bridge on the friendly and welcoming, with Holts real a resident for the keypad code to get in towpath (north) side opens up to a brand ales. The lock was once crossed by a swing- and out. (Athletic boaters may choose to new canal arm, providing new moorings bridge, giving access to factories on the hurdle the barrier!) You can also moor and opportunities for still more canalside south bank. Most have since been cleared, in the new Rochdale Canal basin at regeneration. Because of the recession, but you’ll see intriguing cast-iron remnants Ducie Street. Piccadilly Village was the work on the ‘New Islington’ urban village and crumbling archways dotting the banks. first step to gentrifying the Ashton, and has proceeded rather slower than intended, At Lock 16, the top of the flight, it’s is fairly sensitively done with replica but several streets of cheerful modern wise for a crew member to stay on the cranes and heritage-style lighting. housing make an entertaining detour for bank. Not only are there two manually As the three Ancoats Locks begin, the architecturally curious. Frustratingly, operated swing-bridges along here, the however, this modest brick architecture the new arm off the Ashton almost meets a pound is susceptible to low water levels: gives way to something more assertive: counterpart from the Rochdale Canal – but you may need to run up to the next lock Regeneration with a capital R, all sharp a low-level road crossing, full of buried to let a little water down. Kids flock to the angles and glass frontages. The tower beside pipes and cables (expensive to reroute), towpath from the surrounding housing Lock 1 is fairly typical urban design, but Will prevents the connection being made. estates but are generally friendly! Downloaded by David A Calverley from waterwaysworld.com June 2012 Waterways World 73 WW GUIDE WALKING AND CYCLING THE UPPER PEAK FOREST is one of the most appealing afternoon walks on the canal system. A manageable length, with excellent views, a pub at each end and return train transport, it’s the ideal day out for the Manchester-based waterway fancier. The Cheshire Ring, including the Lower Peak Forest and the Ashton, was at one point promoted as a long-distance waterway walk. The signs are a little tatty and the project seems to have gone into abeyance, but there are plenty of waymarked routes nearby for the boat-borne rambler. The Tame Valley Way and Goyt Way will give you a valley- floor viewpoint to complement the higher vistas of the towpath: clamber down the hillside near Marple Aqueduct for some very both as a way to avoid Manchester’s route through the Goyt Valley, connecting pleasant ‘country park’ walking.