canal boat trips ashton under lyne

Tameside Canal Boat Trust – boat trips from Portland Basin

Still Waters trip boat, Portland Basin, Ashton under Lyne, near Manchester

Please help to keep us afloat!

Most of our income comes from providing public trips, but we have not been able run these for most of the past year. However, we still have bills to pay – insurance, licence, safety inspections, etc, even when there is no money coming in!

You can help to keep Still Waters afloat so that we will still be here in the future to offer trips to the public, schools, disadvantaged groups, etc.

If you would like to help us, please see the next post for our new GoFundMe link .

Lockdown Again

Sorry, but we are unable to offer boat trips during the lockdown period.We look forward to seeing you all again before too long. Stay safe!

Half Term Week Boat Trips!

Wed 28th, Thur 29th & Fri 30th Oct 12:30, 1.30 & 2.30 pm (40 min trip) From Portland Basin (side gate entrance) Adults: £5 Child: £3 Pre-booking is essential, please use the following link: http://tameside-canal-boat-trust.sumup.link

Short Sunday trips are back!

We are open for our normal Sunday public boat trips again! (Please check our social media for our latest departure information.)

To get to the boat, please use the gate at the side of the museum. Parking is available near the gate.

We depart on Sundays at 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30 pm. (Fares: £5 adults and £3 child).

Please pre-book your tickets online for all cruises if you can. See https://tameside-canal-boat-trust.sumup.link

Health & Hygiene We’ve implemented a lot of changes, most notably we will be operating at a reduced capacity, were we can ensure we are following social distancing guidelines at all times, we have access to the LATEST DEFRA & MCA approved guidelines. 

1) We will be conducting disinfection of all touchpoints including handrails, door handles,  and seats, before, and after each trip. 

2)  We have hand sanitiser dispensers at the entrance to the  boat for our passengers to use as they board and disembark. 

3)  At this moment in time, Government advice does not require you to wear a face mask whilst travelling with us but please feel free to do so. 

4) There are currently no toilet facilities available on board the boat or at Portland Basin Museum.

We thank you in advance for your continued cooperation and support.

New Extended Trips

Sunday 20th september.

Join us aboard Narrow Boat Still Waters, for a 1 hour 30 minute relaxing cruise, along the Historic Ashton Canal from Portland Basin to Lumb lane Basin in Audenshaw, including return to Portland Basin.

Sit back relax, and enjoy the  tranquil setting of one England’s Historic Inland Waterways.  12.00 noon to 1.30 pm and 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm  

Adults £10 Children £6

Click on the link to book your places and pay securely by card.  https://tameside-canal-boat-trust.sumup.link

Please note UK Government legislation effective 14th September 2020 states that groups / social bubbles must not exceed six individuals. Availability of places on board is reduced to ensure social distancing.

Please don’t forget to wear your face covering.

We’re back!

From 12th July we are running our Sunday public boat trips again!

While Portland Basin Museum remains closed at the moment, please use the gate at the side of the museum to get to the boat. Parking is available near the gate.

We depart at 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30pm.

Please note the following guidelines and changes:-

1) All seats and handrails will be sanitised between trips.

2) You must bring and wear a face covering (as with all current public transport journeys).

3) There are currently no toilet facilities available on board the boat or at Portland Basin Museum.

4) Payment preferred via contactless card (£5 adults and £3 child).

5) We are reducing our current passenger capacity from 50 to a max of 12 persons per trip (excluding Crew) so there will be plenty of room for social distancing in accordance with current Government recommendations.

If you would like to reserve a space on one of the three Sunday trips please send us an email ( [email protected] ) or message via Facebook with the number of people you wish reserve for and the time slot, we will then confirm by return message.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation and support.

Sorry – no boat trips at the moment

September & October 2019

During September and October boat trips from Portland Basin Museum will run on Sundays . at 12.30 , 1.30 & 2.30 pm Adult £5, Child £3. Pay on board.

Last Week of School Holidays

We are running public boat trips from Portland Basin Museum, Ashton under Lyne, on: Sunday 25th; Bank Holiday Monday 26th; Tuesday 27th & Thursday 29th August, at 12.30 , 1.30 and 2.30 pm . £5 adult, £3 child. No need to book – pay on the boat.

School Summer Holidays!

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Portland Basin Museum

Portland basin museum is open tuesdays to sundays 10am-4pm and entry is free. there is no need to book to visit. we look forward to welcoming you on your visit., unfortunately, the lift is currently out of order. we are working to get this resolved and we apologise for the inconvenience caused. .

Portland Basin Museum is housed within the restored nineteenth century Ashton Canal Warehouse in Ashton-under-Lyne. The museum combines a lively modern interior with a peaceful canal side setting. It is an exciting family friendly museum, with something for all the family.

Enjoy our temporary exhibition, and step back in time on our 1920s street, as the sights and sounds of bygone Tameside are brought to life. Take a look into our kitchen and parlour to find out how we used to live. Visitors can explore the area's industrial heritage and discover what life was like down the mines, or on the farm. Find out more about local crafts and industries and marvel at our historic machines. Younger children will love our 'Nuts and Bolts' educational play area, suitable for children under 5.  

Planning a Visit

Portland Basin Museum is situated just outside of Manchester, accessible by car, bus and train. There is a free car park with disabled parking spaces. The museum is free to enter and is fully accessible. The car park is laid with cobbles, wheelchair users may require support to transfer from the car to the museum. Please contact the museum for more information. We offer lots of activities suitable for all ages, please see our What’s On pages for full details .

Let's Go...

Portland Basin Museum has always been a great place to visit, but now there are  walking and cycling routes starting from the museum, showing you what great countryside and heritage there is to discover on your doorstep.  

Accessibility at Portland Basin Museum

You can find information about accessibility at Portland Basin Museum here.

Our Social Story highlights some of the things you can see and do at the museum so you can prepare for your visit.

Our Access Policy states how we make our collections and information accessible across our museums and galleries. 

Download the Floor plan of Portland Basin Museum

Facilities:

• Planning your Visit
• Museum shop
• Baby changing
• Free car park
• Trails and activities for children
• School workshops
• Picnic tables
• For Boat Trip information please contact Tameside Canal Boat Trust on 07914815636 and for up to date information please follow them on   Facebook and Twitter
• Boat trips are also available aboard ‘Community Spirit 2’ which is run by East Manchester Community Boat Project. For enquiries and to make a booking, please telephone 07503 145146 or email [email protected]

The Portland Basin Museum is part of the Quality Assured Visitor Attraction Scheme.

If you would like your details to be added to our database to be kept informed of future events, activities and exhibitions happening within our cultural services department,  please click on the following link https://tameside.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=3e71db3e647f69ddef599a026&id=3ed418ce46    

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• About Ashton
• Places to visit

Portland Basin Museum

After a major refurbishment and enlargement, the Portland Basin Heritage Centre re-opened in March 1999 as the Portland Basin Museum. Housed in the former Ashton Canal Warehouse, the Museum is situated alongside the Ashton Canal at Portland Basin, Ashton under Lyne, opposite the junction with the Peak Forest Canal.

The Museum takes full advantage of its position, with boat trips starting from the Museum waterfront, and mooring for visiting boats. including restored wooden narrow boats.

The new Museum is on two levels. Visitors enter on the upper level on which there is a representation of a 1920's street, featuring the furnished downstairs rooms of a typical terraced house, a school room, fish and chip shop, grocer's shop, pub and other settings.

The lower floor has a display about the production of goods that have been "Made in Tameside" including hats, coal and textiles. There are also displays and models showing the development of transport in the area.

The Museum is open daily (except Mondays other than Bank Holidays) from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm . Admission is Free. Telephone number is 0161 342 5480 There is plenty of parking space in front of the entrance. By car, there are signs from A635 Ashton By-pass (Park Parade). There are signposts for pedestrians from the centre of Ashton or the Museum can be reached via the canal towpath. Nearest bus stops are at Chester Square (Stockport Road and Manchester Road) or Cavendish Street (outside Asda).

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Visit the Places of Interest index page to find out about more about places to visit around Ashton.

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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Fantastic Canal Boat Trip - Portland Basin Museum

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• Portland Basin Museum

Absolutely fantastic visit with my Grandchildren today. I was amazed at how big it is - we spent... read more

We've been meaning to go for years, me and my wife and it was well worth the wait. Easy free... read more

Fantastic Canal Boat Trip

We have just visited Portland Basin and been on a short canal boat trip. It was something my 3 year old wanted to do and, to be honest, I didn’t think I’d enjoy it as much as I did but it was just brilliant. The guide was fantastic. He made the short journey very informative, humorous and entertaining for adults and children alike. He included elements of local history and even had a donkey stone in his pocket to make the tour more interactive. Well worth the small fee!

Thank you for leaving a great review. The canal boat rides are run by Tameside Canal Boat Trust and go from outside the museum. I will make sure I pass on this feedback to them. We hope you visit us again soon.

I visited Portland Basin today with my three year old son. It is within easy walking distance of the town centre although I did get lost on the way. Once there we spent a couple of hours exploring the museum and playing in the children's area. My son particularly loved the chip shop asking to go back several times. There is also a reasonably priced cafe and gift shop on site. Overall a great day out. Will return again now I know where it is.

Thank you for the great review. We are adding some new bits and pieces to our play are over the next few weeks, we also have some different trails available in the reception area which we hope you try out on your next visit. It sounds like you had a great time and we hope to see you again soon.

What a great museum! Visited yesterday with my two kids who are 10 and 8. On arrival we were greeted by a man dressed as a world war 1 soldier who told us all about the kit the soldiers had to carry. It was really interesting and he really brought the subject to life. My son loved it and even got to try on the full kit! The rest of the museum was also really interesting especially the 1920s street. Would thoroughly recommend!

Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. It sounds like you had a lovely experience. It is great to hear you enjoyed meeting Tommy Atkins Our first world war soldier, he is here every Wednesday in the school holidays. We hope you come and visit us again soon.

Not just the canal industry but also the industrial industry of Thameside.Lots of interesting things to see including a street of bygone shops.All topped off with the beautiful canal walks and a very good cafe.Entry is free.

Thank you for leaving such a great review. We hope to see you again soon.

We visited 1/8/19..easy to find.. cobbled road leading to warehouse.. free entry.. small gift shop..nice cafe.. clean toilets.. bigger than we thought.. history of Ashton and surroundings.. reconstructions of shops and school room.. right next to Peak Canal where boat trips start and finish on certain days.. don’t feed the Canada Geese that are nearby.. staff were friendly.. free cobbled car park.. exhibit of the Peterloo Massacre on the lower floor...

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a great review. We hope you come back and visit us again soon.

Visited on Friday 14th June. It is situated at the junction of the Peak Forest Canal with the Ashton Canal which we passed as we did the Cheshire Ring on our canal boat.

Thank you for your review. We hope that you will visit us again soon.

East Manchester Community Boat Project

Community spirit 2 .

We were awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Service on the 2nd June 2018. A great achievement by all our volunteers.

Group photo taken at the Community Spirit II Launch.

Our specially designed narrowboat “Community Spirit 2” was delivered in November 2016. Through hard work and generous support, almost £100,000 was raised in two years – a magnificent achievement! With our new state-of-the-art narrowboat we continue to help those who may be disabled or disadvantaged, by providing a free day out on the canal.

The diesel engine on “Community Spirit 2” was recently replaced with an electric motor powered by batteries.  The smooth and silent running is very calming and our passenger groups have unanimously endorsed the changes.

Download our flyer: May 2023 Leaflet

Take a, virtual trip along the Ashton Canal:

Portland Basin to Droylsden Droylsden to Portland Basin

Jigsaw Foundation funds canal boat experience opportunity

We're all connected by a love of water!

East Manchester Community Boat Project is happy to be affilliated to The Canal and River Trust

We are based at Portland Basin in Ashton-under-Lyne,

Welbeck Street South, OL7 0QA

behind Portland Basin Museum . 

Our shortest return trips, to Droylsden along the Ashton Canal, or Hyde on the Peak Forest Canal, take about two hours.

A return trip to Marple will take about six hours.

The route to Stalybridge gives passengers an opportunity to experience locks – and get some exercise too!

All trips are crewed and supervised by volunteers who are trained and qualified to nationally recognised standards.

Download our Current Information Leaflet by clicking here

© 2024  emcbp.org.uk

Registered Charity No 1155976

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26th January 2022

Cruise guide: Peak Forest and Ashton canals

A 20-mile cruise on the narrow Peak Forest and Ashton canals will take you from the centre of Manchester to the fringes of the Peak District

We begin our journey at the western end of the Ashton-under-Lyne Canal (to give it its seldom-used full name) at Ducie Street Basin in central Manchester, but in all probability those boating it in this direction will have arrived from further afield.

They may have come from the south west, arriving via the Bridgewater coming up from the Runcorn direction (perhaps as part of a Cheshire Ring cruise); they may have arrived from the north west, reaching Manchester on the Bridgewater Canal’s Stretford and Leigh Branch which links to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal; or they may have arrived from the north east on the Rochdale Canal , crossing the Pennines from Yorkshire. And the reason I mention all these canals is because of the one feature they have in common, and in which they differ from the Ashton Canal. Like most northern canals they were all built for wide-beam boats of around 14ft wide, based on the local river craft from the pre-canal era; the Ashton, by contrast, was (at the time of its opening) the odd one out, having been built for 7ft beam narrowboats more common on the Midlands canals.

This may seem like an inconvenience and a piece of bad planning, but in 1792 when the Ashton’s first Act of Parliament was passed, the Rochdale Canal had yet to be authorised. The Ashton was to be a short (around six miles) isolated line of canal serving a local function carrying coal from around the Ashton-under-Lyne and (via a branch canal) Oldham areas to Manchester – so presumably there wasn’t seen to be any reason to make it wide-beam. And once the Ashton had been built narrow, so too were its connected waterways (with many of the same shareholders) the Peak Forest and Huddersfield canals, creating a small narrow system in a land of wide canals.

Beswick Locks begin the climb out of Manchester on the Ashton Canal

This change may not be immediately obvious as you leave the Rochdale Canal via a long and tunnel-like bridge, turn sharp left at a small basin which was once much larger and served the Ashton Canal’s various warehouses, pass through what has been regenerated in recent years as the Piccadilly Village development, and cross the substantial Store Street Aqueduct. But soon after that, the first of 18 narrow locks makes it clear that you’re on a canal built for narrowboats.

Yes, that’s right: 18 locks, on a main line that’s only a little over six miles long. In terms of locks per mile it’s one of our steepest waterways (albeit rather overshadowed by the 74 locks in 20 miles of the trans-Pennine Huddersfield Narrow Canal), and they start with the three Ancoats Locks. Surroundings are mixed, with some striking modern developments including the curious ‘Chips’ building – inspired by three French fries on a plate, apparently – as well as older industrial premises. An old arm on the left, reopened as a mooring basin, is one of many arms and branches which formerly linked the canal to the industries it served – including a couple of rather longer branches (see later) they once totalled more than double the length of the canal’s main line.

The modern regeneration schemes are left behind as the canal passes through industrial east Manchester, interrupted for a while by Sportcity, a former colliery site which boasts that it is now Europe’s largest concentration of sporting venues: site of the 2002 Commonwealth Games and including the National Cycling Centre and BMX indoor arena, the National Squash Centre,  Manchester City’s football ground and the regional athletics stadium.

Descending the flight of nine Clayton Locks

Meanwhile the locks continue with the Beswick four, followed by the Clayton nine. The former coal mining has left its mark, with ground level subsidence leading to some wildly varying lock heights: lock 6 rises just 3ft 6in, while lock 10 is almost exactly four times as deep, with the biggest rise of any narrow lock in Britain at 13ft 10in.

Surroundings remain industrial, but there is plenty to see: look out for Clayton Junction, the start of one of the longer branches, the Stockport Arm which departed under a surviving towpath bridge between locks 10 and 11. It was only abandoned in the 1960s, and although the far end approaching Stockport has largely disappeared, the infilled line first couple of miles to Debdale survive as a footpath, and there is an active canal restoration group the Manchester & Stockport Canal Society. Look out also for the remains of the swingbridge (they were a feature of the canal and a couple have survived) which once crossed Lock 12 – and the useful pub by this lock.

The top two locks on the Ashton Canal used to be duplicated – you can see on the left in this picture where the second lock used to be

The final two Fairfield Locks were once busy enough to be duplicated, and the remains of the second chambers can still be seen. They bring us to the summit, and to another former junction. Here the Hollinwood Branch headed north, climbing eight locks to the edge of Oldham. Although it’s suffered since abandonment in the 1960s, it too is subject to restoration proposals by the Hollinwood Canal Society – and the first short section has been reopened as access to a new mooring basin.

If the 1960s seems surprisingly recent for canal branches still to have been closing down, bear in mind that the Ashton itself was under serious threat at the time, having been allowed to fall derelict (along with the lower Peak Forest from Dukinfield to Marple and the connecting length of the Rochdale through central Manchester) despite being officially still open. Stopping it from being abandoned and filled in was a major victory for the waterways revival campaign, while clearing it and reopening it to navigation involved a massive effort by volunteers. This included two ‘Big Dig’ major working parties attracting hundreds of supporters, ‘Operation Ashton’ in 1968 followed by ‘Ashtac’ four years later, which removed vast quantities of mud and rubbish from the canal.

Dukinfield Junction with the Peak Forest Canal leading off on the left

Both of these had a major impact on the final sections of canal that we are now following, but as the summit level heads eastwards past Droylsden, Audenshaw and Guide Bridge there’s no indication that it was ever anything other than a fully navigable (albeit heavily built-up) waterway. The canal accompanies a railway embankment, then veers away to run alongside the River Tame: look out for a glimpse through the undergrowth of Dukinfield Aqueduct as the canal approaches Dukinfield Junction.

It’s tempting to describe the junction, with its splendid towpath bridge, Portland Basin, and fine warehouse (rebuilt after a disastrous fire in the 1960s) as “where three canals meet” – but that’s not strictly accurate. Straight ahead does indeed lead to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, but it’s still the Ashton for another half mile first before the two meet end-to-end at a small basin. This half mile includes ‘Asda Tunnel’, a length covered over during the 1980s to build a supermarket on top. I can’t help wondering if the tunnel will still bear that name if the supermarket chain ceases to be?

I was going to continue with “A sharp right at the junction turn takes us under the towpath bridge and into the Peak Forest Canal” – but that’s not strictly true either. The towpath bridge and the sturdy stone aqueduct just beyond which crosses the River Tame are also still part of the Ashton Canal, and the start of the Peak Forest is indicated by the ‘zero’ milestone by the far end of the aqueduct.

As we mentioned earlier the Peak Forest was built to narrow-beam dimensions to match the Ashton, and it opened in 1804 with its main purpose being to transport lime from the limestone quarries of the Peak District to serve the industries of Manchester and surrounding towns.

Old industrial buildings in Hyde

So we’re still on a narrow canal, and we’re still passing through largely built up and ex-industrial areas on the eastern fringes of Manchester, but I feel that the Peak Forest has a different atmosphere to it. I think it’s the way it winds a little as it follows the contour along the side of the Tame Valley, the resulting lack of locks (there aren’t any for almost eight miles), and the fact that the industry has retreated just a little way from the canal, allowing some more semblance of a rural waterway after the almost continuously urban Ashton.

There may be no locks, but not far from the junction we meet the first of a new navigation feature – a lift bridge. The meandering course leads southwards to Hyde, an industrial town with a couple of historic canalside warehouse buildings and a rare example of a pub with a canal-related name from the modern era: the Cheshire Ring. Although the idea of cruising rings is a modern concept that might not always find favour with all waterways enthusiasts, saving the 97-mile Cheshire Ring (the name was coined in 1965) was certainly an idea that caught the imagination and focused support for restoring and reopening these canals.

The short Woodley Tunnel, complete with towpath

Continuing south from Hyde we reach the first genuinely rural length so far, as the canal passes through Haughton Vale Nature Reserve before approaching Woodley, where we meet the first of two tunnels. Woodley Tunnel, the shorter at at 167 yards, has a towpath, but a couple of miles further on at the 308 yard Hyde Bank Tunnel towpath walkers will need to follow a series of paths over the top to rejoin the canal at the far end. The River Tame has left us but the canal is still running along a valley side, with the River Goyt below on our right. A third tunnel at Rose Hill has long since been opened out, but a narrow cutting shows where it once was, as we approach the canal’s two most impressive engineering works.

Marple Aqueduct, the highest in England, strides across the Goyt Valley on three arches almost 100ft above the river, in a splendid wooded setting (albeit slightly less so thanks to some thinning-out of vegetation which has served to provide a better view of the structure from paths leading down from the towpath) and paralleled by an even higher railway viaduct. This was the scene of another episode in the battle to save the canals, when a section of the outer face collapsed in 1962, leading to suggestions that demolishing the aqueduct and abandoning the canal would be a better use of money than funding repairs. Four years later it had not only been saved, but scheduled as an ancient monument.

Looking down the steep Marple Locks flight

There’s little gap between the aqueduct and the start of the canal’s second major feature: Marple Locks. Unlike the Ashton Canal with its subsidence-affected locks of various depth, Marple are a pretty even flight. All 16 chambers are the same depth within a few inches, and they’re all extremely deep. At around 13ft each they raise the canal an impressive 209ft in a mile, the locks constructed from massive stone blocks. It’s tempting to add “…and looking like they were built to last for ever”, but a couple of locks have unexpectedly needed complete chamber wall rebuilds in recent years after they showed signs of movement. Hopefully there won’t be too many more nasty surprises.

The locks begin on a wooded embankment (with a railway tunnel passing through it, although you wouldn’t know it from the canal), then continue climbing alongside a road running through the eastern fringe of Marple town, to end at a junction – and a convenient place to moor and visit the town. Here the Macclesfield Canal bears right through one of its distinctive ‘snake’ bridges carrying the towpath over and under the bridge, continuing the route of the Cheshire Ring southwards. Meanwhile the upper Peak Forest continues south eastwards as a dead-end, but one well worth a detour for its magnificent scenery on the fringes of the Peak District.

Passing the Swizzels sweets factory at New Mills

The canal hugs the valley side high above the River Goyt, clinging to the contour as it passes Strines and Disley. There are no more locks – the 16 at Marple have raised the canal to a level that will continue all the way to its terminus – but a handful of liftbridges and swingbridges provide some exercise. The course is almost entirely rural, and few busy roads come near – although for a mile or so from Disley to New Mills, the canal has the odd distinction of sharing its valley with three working railway lines.

New Mills is – you won’t be surprised to hear – a mill town. It’s also home to Swizzels sweet factory (as you can tell from the scent in the air, as well as the canalside building with its traditional tall mill chimney), a useful stopping point for boaters with a marina and shops, and also worth a visit for the Torrs riverside park and spectacular Millennium Walkway above the River Goyt.

Opening bridges are a feature of the Peak Forest Canal

On the final scenic length near the Whaley Bridge terminus

The final length of the canal is no less attractive as the valley narrows and the river climbs up towards the canal’s level. Passing Furness Vale, we reach a junction: straight on for Whaley Bridge, or left for Bugsworth. For many years the only option was to continue ahead, to reach the terminus basin with its transhipment warehouse (restored in recent years as a community space with all manner of events and activities taking place) and moorings to visit the attractive old town.

Entrance to the restored former industrial complex at Bugsworth Basin

The other branch, to Bugsworth Basin, was originally seen as more important than the Whaley Bridge line as it provided the main connection to the limestone quarries and developed as a major inland port and interchange complex. However it fell into disuse in the 1920s with the ending of the lime traffic – but now, thanks to a half-century of work by Bugsworth Basin Heritage Trust and its predecessors, the entire complex has been restored and makes a fine terminus and end to our journey from the heart of Manchester to the fringe of the Peak District.

Image(s) provided by:

Martin Ludgate

by Martin Ludgate

Our Deputy ed is a guru on all things to do with canals.

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Ashton Under Lyne Canal & Peak Forest Canal Guide and Map

Cruising guide including Ashton under Lyne, Portland Basin, Marple, Bugsworth Basin, Whaley Bridge

Ashton-under-Lyne Canal & Peak Forest Canal

The Ashton-under-Lyne Canal leaves the Rochdale Canal beneath modern apartments and converted mills and climbs out of Manchester passing housing developments and the sports facilities built for the 2002 Commonwealth games . This once was a very busy canal and as you climb out of Manchester you can see that many of the locks had been  doubled up to reduce delays, some have double top gates.

There is a surprising amount of greenery from Fairfield onwards, much enjoyed by locals. As you approach Ashton-under-Lyne the statuesque Junction Mill chimney comes into view, the long closed mill itself has now been replaced by apartments. There are good overnight moorings at either end of the canal, such as Castlefield Basin in Manchester and Portland Basin In Ashton-under-Lyne. There are not many safe recommended mooring places along the rest of the canal.

Bridgewater

Macclesfield

ON THESE CANALS…

•  Hire  boats
• Pubs & Eating
•  Days  Out
• Hotel boats

Three canals were opened in the same year (1800), the Ashton Canal, Peak Forest Canal and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal . Trade was boosted when the Cromford and High Peak Railway and the Macclesfield Canal  funnelled extra trade into the Peak Forest Canal (1831).

However, the coming of the railways reduced trade, with the canals falling into dereliction by the mid 20th century. The Ashton Under Lyne Canal was an early success for the canal restoration movement, reopening in 1974.

Portland Basin has a large canal warehouse, now housing a museum, opposite which the Peak Forest Canal heads south at a sharp right turn over Dukinfield Aqueduct. Send someone ahead before making the turn to make sure there isn’t a boat coming out!

Heading straight ahead takes you onto the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and the steep 32 lock climb up to the Pennine summit and the amazing Standedge Tunnel.

Feature Spot – Portland Basin

Ashton-under-Lyne Canal  – Opened: 1796 Engineer: Brown, Dukinfield Junction with the Peak Forest Canal to Ducie Junction with the Rochdale Canal, 7 miles and 18 locks.

Peak Forest Canal  – Opened: 1800-1964, 1974 Engineers: Brown (surveyor), Outram (engineer) Dukinfield Junction to Bugsworth Interchange 14½ miles, 16 narrow locks at Marple 3½ mile branch to Whaley Bridge Interchange.

The Peak Forest Canal

Pleasant countryside with aqueducts, tunnels, lift bridges and Pennine views to lift the spirits! The towpath links with hundreds of miles of footpaths up the Goyt Valley, past reservoirs into the stunning scenery of the Peak National Park and the High Peak Trail. There are interesting mills on the way to Marple where 16 locks lift the canal 200 feet into the Pennines, Kinder Scout in the distance.

Bugsworth Basin  is an unique canal/tramway interchange where lime, limestone and gritstone arriving on tramways from Derbyshire quarries was transhipped to narrowboats to feed the demands of the Industrial Revolution. Closed in 1927 after a long decline losing traffic to the railways it was finally reopened after 30 years of hard volunteer labour.

Whaley Bridge  has a stone built warehouse and wharf with three arches, two for rail wagons either side of a covered wharf. Close by is the first incline on the rail line to Cromford up which for over 125 years waggons were hauled on chains powered by a horse capstan at the top of the Whaley Rise.

Imray - Inland Waterways of Great Britain Guide

Imray - Map Inland Waterways of Great Britain

Nicholson Inland Waterways Map of Great Britain

Nicholson Waterways Guide 5 – North West & The Pennines

Canal rings.

The Cheshire Ring  links to the  Trent & Mersey Canal ,  Bridgewater Canal  and  Macclesfield Canal . See our  Cheshire Ring Cruising Guide .

The Pennine Ring  links to the  Rochdale Canal  and to the  Huddersfield Narrow Canal . See our  Pennine Ring Cruising Guide .

''The Dog & Partridge, High Lane has friendly atmosphere, old world charm, good food. Well worth a visit for lunch.''

''The Portland Basin Museum at the junction with the H N C has lots to interest all the family & easy mooring.''

''The Navigation pub at Bugsworth Basin is well worth a visit. Interesting interior, dogs welcome, good food and beer!''

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Canal maps & guides >>.

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Guide Bridge to Ashton (2) - Virtual canal trip along the Ashton Canal

Day Boat Hire on the Peak Forest Canal

A day out with a difference in tameside, how to hire.

The day & holiday hire boats are now being operated by Portland Basin Activities . For more information on current prices you can visit https://www.portlandbasinactivities.com/ you can g ive us a call on 07552856211 or drop us an email at [email protected] Find us on social media. The are links on our website just click the icon at the bottom left.

We can’t wait to hear from you 

Many Thanks

Annmarie & Lee 

Portland Basin Activities

Gift Vouchers

An ideal present for family and friends, you purchase the type of hire you want (standard, extended or evening) then the recipient just has to book the date they want for their special day out.

Suggested options for your day

Picnic on board:.

During a standard hire, you have time to cruise to Marple Aqueduct and moor up for approx 20 to 30 minutes to enjoy your picnic, before returning to Portland Basin by 4:30 pm. During an extended hire, you have time to cruise at a more leisurely pace and moor for a longer period of time at Marple Aqueduct (or anywhere else en route) for your picnic. For a Winter hire you would probably reach the Woodley area of the canal, before starting on the return leg of your journey.

Pub/Restaurant lunch:

During a standard hire, you have time to reach Romiley where there is a choice of pubs nearby bridge 14. During an extended hire, you can have a more leisurely lunch in either Romiley or Marple. Marple has a variety of pubs and restaurants within a 10 minute walk from the bottom of Marple locks.

What is the canal like?

See a Virtual Cruise of Peak Forest Canal. (external link – use back button to return here)

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Services Offered

Droylsden marina.

Tameside Canal Boat Trust

• See all photos

Similar Experiences

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Tameside Canal Boat Trust - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Wooden Canal Boat Society

Bringing New Life to Old Wooden Boats

The Wooden Canal Boat Society (WCBS) was set up in 1996 to take over the work of the earlier Wooden Canal Craft Trust. It is a registered charity and a company Limited by guarantee.

The society looks after 6 historic wooden narrow boats and is committed to restoring them all to good working condition and putting them to work on community projects.

The boats are based at Portland Basin Museum, Ashton under Lyne, OL7 0QA at the junction of the Ashton and Peak Forest canals.

The WCBS runs the biggest and most diverse charity shop in Ashton at 173 Stamford St, OL6 7PS 

A Heritage Boatyard in Stalybridge is a crucial resource for restoring and maintaining the boats and for preserving traditional boat building skills.

The society is run by volunteers carrying out a wide range of interesting tasks, from running the charity shop to restoring and operating the boats.

The main boating project at the moment is the “Hazel” wellbeing boat project. Built originally in 1913 to carry salt, derelict “Hazel” was rejuvenated at Stalybridge and now provides trips and holidays for people in need of a boost to their mental wellbeing.

Have a look at our photo albums here-  https://www.flickr.com/photos/40839614@N05/albums/with/72157622726397092

See what’s going on at the charity shop :-   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064570007449

Help breathe new life into our boats and the community.

You can make a single donation or a regular monthly payment.

Wooden Canal Boat Society,

173, Stamford St Central,

Ashton under Lyne

Shop only: 0161 330 8422

Boats: 07931 952037

Hazel Bookings: 07860 944969

       General enquiries:  [email protected]

        Hazel Bookings:  [email protected]

The charity making life better by water

Making life better by water

Ashton Canal

The Ashton Canal was saved from dereliction by hardworking volunteers in the 1970s. They cleared weeds and rubbish out of the canal, reopening the waterway into the heart of Manchester.

Maximum boat dimensions

Free guides for fun days out.

Looking for a perfect place to relax and unwind? Download your free regional guide today

Today, this Manchester canal is a green link from the city centre to Ashton-under-Lyne, bordered by an interesting mix of modern and industrial architecture. Improvements to the towpath have made it into a pleasant route, accessible to walkers , cyclists and wheelchair users.

The Ashton Canal spans a distance of almost seven miles and links the Rochdale , Peak Forest and Huddersfield Narrow canals.

Portland Basin Museum gives an insight into the heritage of the canal, with a reconstruction of a 1920s street, and information about the hat-making, textiles and coal industries in the area.

Days out on the Ashton Canal

A family day out at portland basin.

Enjoy a family day out on the Ashton Canal. You can take a picnic, go for a walk and explore the free (and child-friendly) Portland Basin Museum

Boating rings

The Ashton Canal is a critical part of our boating rings in the North West

Local to you

Show me places within...

Explore your nearest canals and ways to enjoy them Find walks, activities and more within:

...see our stoppages section here and check your route

Canal history

The Ashton Canal was originally built in 1792 to serve the coal industry around Oldham, Ashton and Hyde and in particular to compete with the Worsley mines. It worked closely with the Peak Forest Canal and they continued working together after being taken over by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway in 1848. The canal was an important link in the cross Pennine trade between the North West's industrial heartland and the quarries in the High Peak District until the 1950s. Originally the Ashton Canal had a network of wharves and more than 11 miles of branches; sadly, they are all now closed, although it is possible to walk along some of them.

By the 1950s, commercial traffic had deserted the canal, which fell derelict in the ensuing decade. Some local people campaigned for its closure on safety grounds, while its owners wanted to be rid of the expense of maintenance. It was threatened with abandonment and infilling in 1961, when a pioneering pleasure cruiser made a passage with great difficulty.

Attempts to save the canal were not helped by a leak in 1964 which rendered it impassable, or the somewhat unsavoury reputation it had gained from bisecting some of the less picturesque elements of a major conurbation. But volunteers had seen the canal's potential as a crucial link in the 'Cheshire Ring' , a boating circuit taking in six canals through beautiful countryside, bustling Manchester, and market towns like Congleton and Macclesfield. Hundreds of enthusiasts turned up to muddy gatherings in 1968 and 1972, carting away rubbish by the lorry-load and ensuring the survival of this neglected waterway.

The Ashton Canal reopened in 1974, and various branches such as Stockport are awaiting partial restoration.

For gym fans - and those who just like to stroll - the canal now has a reputation as an accessible blue/green space to enjoy a healthy slice of life, such as jogging , cycling and canoeing . In no small part due to the canalside Commonwealth Games of 2002.

Our work in the North West

See more news, events and wellbeing activities from our North West team

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