Bridgewater Canal- Little Bollington to Keckwick Hill Bridge Easy Trail: Please be aware that the grading of this trail was set according to normal water levels and conditions. Weather and water level/conditions can change the nature of trail within a short space of time so please ensure you check both of these before heading out. Route Distance: 11 miles Lymm Bridge Summary Approximate Time: 3-5 hours The time has been estimated based on you travelling 3 – Canoe through 5mph (a leisurely pace using a recreational type of boat). rural Cheshire Type of Trail: One Way along the first Waterways Travelled: Bridgewater Canal canal in England to Type of Water: Urban and Rural Canal be built under an Portages and Locks: None Act of Parliament. Nearest Town: Lymm, Cheshire The original Act Start: Ye Old No 3 Public House, Lymm Road, Little was dated 1759 but this section that joins the Trent and Mersey Bollington, Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 4TA Canal at Preston Brook was not completed until 1776. Finish: Keckwick Hill Bridge, Delph Lane, Daresbury, WA4 4AN map ref 572826. It is the small towns and villages bordering the canal where much of its beauty lies with Lymm and Grappenhall being particularly O.S. Sheets: OS Landranger Map 109 Manchester, and 108 Liverpool and surrounding attractive. After skirting the Stockton Heath area of Warrington areas. one heads off again into rural Cheshire, past the villages of Lower Licence Information: A licence is required to and Higher Walton a pretty late-Victorian estate and beyond paddle this waterway. See full details in Useful Moore where it passes the Daresbury Atomic energy tower. Information below. Daresbury half a mile from Keckwick was home to Lewis Carroll where his father was once the local vicar. Local Facilities: Lymm is a thriving village with many local shops and pubs next to the canal. At Moore the canal frontage is a mixture of house, Start Directions shops and colourful boats. There are several access points along the route providing a shorter or there and back paddles. Page 1 of 5 Park at a large lay-by by Ye Old No 3 Public House, Lymm Road, Little Bollington, Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 4TA on the A56 one and a half miles from J8 of M56 heading towards Lymm (map ref 722865). The pub provides excellent and reasonably priced meals and there is a large garden for use in the summer. Alternatively there are access points at: Lymm Village map ref 683875. There are 2 pay and display car parks (free on Sundays and Bank holidays) next to the canal on Bridgewater Street, Lymm, WA13 0AB so there is a lot of space. Stockton Heath the canal runs alongside the A56 map ref 636864.Grappenhall Road, Stockton Heath, WA4 2RX. Finish Directions Keckwick Hill Bridge, Delph Lane, Daresbury, WA4 4AN. Landranger 108 map ref 572826. There is free parking for six cars in a lay-by adjacent to the bridge and further parking 200 metres along the road. Or one may get out at either of the two alternative access points. Description Set off to your left, heading towards Lymm, past a number of moored boats. At this point the canal has a rural feel but very soon one passes under Agden Bridge. The pleasure boat moorings together with a busy boat yard line the route all the way to the village of Oughtrington situated just to the north. Here one passes under Lloyd Bridge dedicated to the Lloyd family who served the canal for more than 200 years. The moorings and new canal side dwellings continue all the way to Lymm, at 2.5 miles; a lovely Cheshire village where the streets come right down to the water’s edge. The navigation reached Lymm in 1766 and had a profound effect on commerce in the area with the introduction of the fustian (a type of cloth) cutting trade. If you stop for lunch or finish the trail here, spend a little time looking around this small town. There is a self-guided heritage trail, a pretty village pond and Lymm Cross which represents Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee in 1897. Half a mile further on there is a park. Boats can be moored and there are picnic benches, another good place to stop for lunch. Having left Lymm behind the canal then passes under the M6 motorway just south of the Thelwall Viaduct, which climbs laboriously over the Manchester Ship Canal and River Mersey. After a dog leg turn, at around 5.5 miles, you will see Grappenhall on your right, another pretty village where a fine group of buildings on cobbled streets survive. The trail continues around St. Wilfrid’s Church, where the village stocks Lymm Cross survive. On the canal side there are two excellent pubs. Page 2 of 5 The waterway continues to run by the side of the A56 as the houses of Grappenhall merge into those of Stockton Heath which provides easy access or get out points. Stockton Heath, at 7 miles, was the original canal terminus, until it was extended to Runcorn, so consequently it was a major transshipment point for passengers and freight before the railways came. Ice creams and snacks are available at Stockton Heath, from Thorn Marine. At just over 8 miles you will come to two bridges together; one brick and one metal. You are at Walton Hall and Gardens and can get out here to explore. Walton Hall is a Grade II listed building, owned by Warrington Borough Council. There are also public toilets here, next to the canal bridge. Continuing on past the estate village of Higher Walton and under the A56, the views open up on both sides. The distinctive tower of the atomic research facility at Daresbury is on your left, with the Mersey Estuary and arch of the Runcorn-Widnes Bridge to your right. Daresbury is the site of some pretty serious research into nuclear physics, particle acceleration and super computers. The levels of security and signage reflect this. Half a mile further is the get out at Keckwick Hill Canal at Keckwick Bridge with the atomic energy Bridge. buildings in the distance Useful Information The waterways in this trail are managed by Canal and Rivers Trust and require paddlers to hold a licence. If you are an existing British Canoeing member the good news is that your membership includes an annual licence for the waterways covered within this trail – please ensure you take your membership card with you on the water as this acts as your licence, if stopped with no licence, you will be at risk of being fined. You can buy a licence directly from Canal and Rivers Trust for this waterway or by becoming a British Canoeing member you’ll have a licence to cover you for a whole year. A British Canoeing membership gives you a whole range of benefits including licenses to paddle on 4500km of Britain's waterways and Civil Liability Insurance, worth up to £10 Million. If you are planning to paddle regularly this will save you great deal of money and hassle alongside having peace of mind. For more information on British Canoeing membership please click here. Thorn Marine Venture-Out, a Go Canoeing Tour Provider, have boat hire locally if you need more equipment: www.venture-out.co.uk Daresbury half-a-mile up the road from Keckwick Hill Bridge is the birthplace of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson better known as Lewis Carroll. All Saints church has a pretty memorial window in the Daniell Chapel where he is shown with the characters of Alice in Wonderland. The new Lewis Carroll Centre celebrating his life is now fully open. Page 3 of 5 Further useful information can be found on the following websites: http://www.lewiscarrollcentre.org.uk http://www.Lymm.com http://www.Bridgewatercanal.co.uk CANOEING SAFETY ADVICE Spending an afternoon or day canoeing on a Canoe Trail can be a fun way to experience nature, help you to stay fit and healthy and enjoy spending time with friends and family. It can also be a dangerous journey, if appropriate safety guidelines are overlooked. To help make sure you remain safe at all times, read on to see our canoeing safety advice guidelines. Wear appropriate clothing Always wear shoes. Rocks, rough terrain and river beds present serious hazards to boaters without the proper attire. Nearly 90% of all boating injuries are attributed to lack of proper footwear. Other canoe safe clothing includes hats, gloves, additional dry clothing, and layered items which can easily be removed. Take or wear a windproof top and course always wear a buoyancy aid - for children make sure the crotch straps are used. Be sure to: • Know the weather forecast and check the water conditions before you set out canoeing. There is an Environment Agency website where information concerning river levels can be found. We recommend checking this before heading out as the river levels can rise and fall quite quickly in wet or dry conditions. • Observe navigation rules for this waterway. • Check to see if there are any events on the waterways when you wish to travel. • Check that your equipment is well maintained and ready for the water. • Check that your boat has the required buoyancy to keep it afloat in the event of a capsize ALWAYS be certain to let others know where you’re going and when you’re expected to return. MAKE SURE that the journey you plan is within your capabilities. MAKE SURE you never paddle alone. Equipment Checklist Use the canoeing safety advice checklist below to make sure you have everything you need: Photo by James Carnegie • Boat • Paddle • Buoyancy Aid • Bailer/sponge • Small First Aid Kit • Phone (in a waterproof bag) • Drinking water and snacks • Suitable clothing for the weather Page 4 of 5 Environmental Good Practice One of the great things about paddling a canoe trail is enjoying the journey and different environments that you paddle through.