Your floating hotel on the Canals and Rivers of the UK

Our guide to the waterways of the UK in detail.

Pictures of the Bridgewater Canal,

Preston Brook to Waters Meeting.

The Bridgewater canal was the first true canal to be built in the UK. It is still unique today it's generous dimensions, wide and deep built for Mersey flats, broad beam working boats. It's straight or gently curving route and, now, a total absence of locks and tunnels. It does however have one of the impassive aqueducts.

The canal now starts right in the city centre of Manchester after three miles it arrives at the junction of Waters Meeting. Here, one branch takes you off to the north. The present main line however continues straight on at Waters Meeting and after another half a dozen miles works its way out into the countryside.

It then stays in the country just passing through through the attractive town of Lymm. Finally after a total run of twenty two mils from Waters Meeting it terminates at entrance to the Preston Brook tunnel in an end on junction with the Trent and Mersey.

For much of this stretch of fifteen miles it is a rural canal while even the first few miles through the suburbs of Sale have many buildings of interest.

A rural canal.	The canalside town of Lymn.	Cut hole aqueduct.
Modern housing.	A canal side pub.	19th century factories.

If you have any questions then do ring us on 07977 229103
or email us at martinreed@reedboats.co.uk