Body

Macclesfield Canal

(all locations are listed as though travelling from Hardings Wood to Marple)

Pubs & Restaurants

Location What's there Comments Date

Scholar Green - Bridge 87

Rising Sun Recommended. It is a clean traditional pub with a separate dining area which serves very good food. The beer is Marston's Burton Bitter and Pedigree and also Banks. April 06 (JM)

We had a very pleasant dinner. Mike had a smashing Liver & Bacon Casserole and Jenny had a Chicken Tika Massala. Beer wasn't bad either. Be aware that this pub does not accept plastic cards. May 2006 (MB)

Congleton Wharf - Dog Lane Aqueduct

The Wharf
NOTE: Pub closed in November 2007 (lack of profits)
Smoky, big-screen football pub full of big lads cheering at the screen. Food is cheap (four meals £25). April 06 (JM)

Clean and tidy but lacks any character (perhaps should have waited for a football match !) - beer is OK
February 2007 (CA)

The Moss The pub was not tried but it is a smart Marston's place which serves food. April 06 (JM)

'Taste of Raj' Indian Restaurant Although it wasn't cheap, the food was first class (the best Indian meals we have had for a long time). If you go into Congleton from Congleton Wharf, turn right at the Town Hall and the restaurant is on the left. December 06 (PB)

Oakgrove, Bridge 49 Fools Nook Recently reopened after a major refurbishment. Fine beer and good looking menu but pub now lacks any character (except for landlady !) December 06 (CA)

Bollington Aqueduct

Holly Bush (Palmerston Street) Closest pub to aqueduct - excellent friendly pub selling Robinsons beers, including Old Tom in winter - no food. December 06 (CA)

Spinners Arms (Palmerston Street) Virtually across road from Holly Bush - young persons pub selling poor quality ales. December 06 (CA)

Church House Inn (Chapel Street) Somewhat pretentious pub with expensive looking menu - popular though. December 06 (CA)

Cotton Tree (Ingersley Rd) Friendly local with live bands. December 06 (CA)

Poachers (Ingersley Road) Best choice of beers in town - food available December 06 (CA)

Higher Poynton Boars Head We were served some very nice Haddock fillets, not the sort that come frozen and pre-battered, but the sort where they're dipped into locally mixed batter and fried until they're nice and crisp. July 06 (MB)

Marple Indian Restaurant Can't remember its name, but it's directly opposite Marple Station - very good and highly recommended by the locals December 06 (CA)

Shopping & Facilities

Congleton Wharf

There is a Spar shop opposite The Moss pub. April 06 (JM)

Plenty of decent shops in Congleton. Bus service 92 runs every 30 minutes to save the uphill walk back to the Wharf. February 07 (CA)

Macclesfield, Bridge 37 Good small Co-op a couple of minutes walk from bridge 37. September 06 (CH)

Bollington - aqueduct just north of Adelphi Mill Excellent bakery on main street - they are very proud of their pies ! There's a newsagents, takeaway, launderette and off licence - not much else though. December 06 (CA)

High Lane, Bridge 11 convenient for CostCutter September 06 (CH)

Good & Bad Moorings

Ramsdell Hall - Bridge 86 Views There are only four spaces on rings against concrete. An exposed and breezy spot. Stupendous views across Cheshire. No TV reception. April 06 (JM)

Congleton Wharf Pubs, shop The moorings have rings on steel pilings and a muddy towpath. There is room for about five boats. The place is overlooked by the re-developed mill opposite and there are houses close by on the towpath side. It is, however, very quiet at night. There are two pubs close by: The Wharf Inn which is just down the road to the left under the aqueduct and The Moss which is up the road to the right about three hundred yards.
The moorings have a quiet side road up to them, so they are ideal for picking up or letting off passengers.
April 06 (JM)

Congleton - Bridge 75

Shops Plenty of spaces in a factory canyon close to the main shops in Hightown. Good for shopping, but would be very noisy and insalubrious for an overnight stay. April 06 (JM)

Bridge 72, north of Congleton Former Canal / Rail interchange Quiet spot, just off main line, plenty of deep water to reverse into. December 06 (CA)

Dane Aqueduct, Bosley bottom lock

Peaceful These moorings at the bottom of the Bosley flight have plenty of spaces and are ideal for gathering your strength before the locks or for resting afterwards. They are very peaceful apart from the noise of trains in the distance. April 06 (JM)

Bridges 52 - 53, near Bosley top lock

Quiet Beyond the long-term moorings at the top of Bosley Locks are steel pilings on a quiet country spot. Trains can be heard in the distance, but they do not really intrude. April 06 (JM)

Macclesfield Forget it!
The moorings are very poor and there are no facilities for passing boats.
April 06 (JM)

Bollington Excellent moorings in the shadow of Adelphi Mill but the moorings just further north at the aqueduct are better for the shops. June 06 (CA)

Navigation Notes

TV Reception

General No TV reception and in some places no radio either. We could only get Radio 3 one evening and were almost converted! April 06 (JM)

Bridge 72, north of Congleton Reasonable reception December 06 (CA)

Oakgrove, Bridge 49 Reasonable reception December 06 (CA)

Bollington aqueduct Reasonable reception December 06 (CA)

Location	What's there	Comments	Date
Scholar Green - Bridge 87	Rising Sun	Recommended. It is a clean traditional pub with a separate dining area which serves very good food. The beer is Marston's Burton Bitter and Pedigree and also Banks.	April 06 (JM)
Scholar Green - Bridge 87	Rising Sun	We had a very pleasant dinner. Mike had a smashing Liver & Bacon Casserole and Jenny had a Chicken Tika Massala. Beer wasn't bad either. Be aware that this pub does not accept plastic cards.	May 2006 (MB)
Congleton Wharf - Dog Lane Aqueduct	The Wharf NOTE: Pub closed in November 2007 (lack of profits)	Smoky, big-screen football pub full of big lads cheering at the screen. Food is cheap (four meals £25).	April 06 (JM)
		Clean and tidy but lacks any character (perhaps should have waited for a football match !) - beer is OK	February 2007 (CA)
	The Moss	The pub was not tried but it is a smart Marston's place which serves food.	April 06 (JM)
	'Taste of Raj' Indian Restaurant	Although it wasn't cheap, the food was first class (the best Indian meals we have had for a long time). If you go into Congleton from Congleton Wharf, turn right at the Town Hall and the restaurant is on the left.	December 06 (PB)
Oakgrove, Bridge 49	Fools Nook	Recently reopened after a major refurbishment. Fine beer and good looking menu but pub now lacks any character (except for landlady !)	December 06 (CA)
Bollington Aqueduct	Holly Bush (Palmerston Street)	Closest pub to aqueduct - excellent friendly pub selling Robinsons beers, including Old Tom in winter - no food.	December 06 (CA)
	Spinners Arms (Palmerston Street)	Virtually across road from Holly Bush - young persons pub selling poor quality ales.	December 06 (CA)
	Church House Inn (Chapel Street)	Somewhat pretentious pub with expensive looking menu - popular though.	December 06 (CA)
	Cotton Tree (Ingersley Rd)	Friendly local with live bands.	December 06 (CA)
	Poachers (Ingersley Road)	Best choice of beers in town - food available	December 06 (CA)
Higher Poynton	Boars Head	We were served some very nice Haddock fillets, not the sort that come frozen and pre-battered, but the sort where they're dipped into locally mixed batter and fried until they're nice and crisp.	July 06 (MB)
Marple	Indian Restaurant	Can't remember its name, but it's directly opposite Marple Station - very good and highly recommended by the locals	December 06 (CA)
Shopping & Facilities
Congleton Wharf		There is a Spar shop opposite The Moss pub.	April 06 (JM)
Congleton Wharf		Plenty of decent shops in Congleton. Bus service 92 runs every 30 minutes to save the uphill walk back to the Wharf.	February 07 (CA)
Macclesfield, Bridge 37		Good small Co-op a couple of minutes walk from bridge 37.	September 06 (CH)
Bollington - aqueduct just north of Adelphi Mill		Excellent bakery on main street - they are very proud of their pies ! There's a newsagents, takeaway, launderette and off licence - not much else though.	December 06 (CA)
High Lane, Bridge 11		convenient for CostCutter	September 06 (CH)
Good & Bad Moorings
Ramsdell Hall - Bridge 86	Views	There are only four spaces on rings against concrete. An exposed and breezy spot. Stupendous views across Cheshire. No TV reception.	April 06 (JM)
Congleton Wharf	Pubs, shop	The moorings have rings on steel pilings and a muddy towpath. There is room for about five boats. The place is overlooked by the re-developed mill opposite and there are houses close by on the towpath side. It is, however, very quiet at night. There are two pubs close by: The Wharf Inn which is just down the road to the left under the aqueduct and The Moss which is up the road to the right about three hundred yards. The moorings have a quiet side road up to them, so they are ideal for picking up or letting off passengers.	April 06 (JM)
Congleton - Bridge 75	Shops	Plenty of spaces in a factory canyon close to the main shops in Hightown. Good for shopping, but would be very noisy and insalubrious for an overnight stay.	April 06 (JM)
Bridge 72, north of Congleton	Former Canal / Rail interchange	Quiet spot, just off main line, plenty of deep water to reverse into.	December 06 (CA)
Dane Aqueduct, Bosley bottom lock	Peaceful	These moorings at the bottom of the Bosley flight have plenty of spaces and are ideal for gathering your strength before the locks or for resting afterwards. They are very peaceful apart from the noise of trains in the distance.	April 06 (JM)
Bridges 52 - 53, near Bosley top lock	Quiet	Beyond the long-term moorings at the top of Bosley Locks are steel pilings on a quiet country spot. Trains can be heard in the distance, but they do not really intrude.	April 06 (JM)
Macclesfield		Forget it! The moorings are very poor and there are no facilities for passing boats.	April 06 (JM)
Bollington		Excellent moorings in the shadow of Adelphi Mill but the moorings just further north at the aqueduct are better for the shops.	June 06 (CA)
Navigation Notes

TV Reception
General		No TV reception and in some places no radio either. We could only get Radio 3 one evening and were almost converted!	April 06 (JM)
Bridge 72, north of Congleton		Reasonable reception	December 06 (CA)
Oakgrove, Bridge 49		Reasonable reception	December 06 (CA)
Bollington aqueduct		Reasonable reception	December 06 (CA)