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,

the Runcorn branch.

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; the a total absence of locks and tunnels, all give it it's distinct character.

Just before the present southern end where the Bridgewater canal meets the Trent and Mersey. The Bridgewater canal goes off to the West to Runcorn. Here after a further run of five miles a, now closed, flight of locks used to provided connection to the River Mersey, to the docks which developed here and eventually to the Ship Canal.

Now it is a dead end branch of five miles While it is alongside the town of Runcorn and it's suburbs for all it's length, for the first three miles it does retain a fair degree of open country. For the last two miles it then goes into the heart of the town of Runcorn before finishing at Waterloo Bridge. Here originally the canal descended down to the level of the Mersey in a flight of locks now sadly filled in.

The pictures on this page are of this section.

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