Village of Lymm
Lymm Canal Boat Hire & Narrowboat Holidays
A perfect lock-light short break narrowboat holiday to the picturesque village of Lymm. Cruise the Trent & Mersey, experience three tunnels, and visit the Anderton Boat Lift.
A Relaxing Mini Adventure!
Route at a Glance
4 (Return) Locks
3 Subterranean Tunnels
4 Night Route
Featured Discovery
Wat Phra Singh Buddhist Temple (formerly the Waterloo Hotel).
Runcorn
This is a perfect short break route for anyone who wants a deeply relaxing holiday with minimal lock work, while still experiencing the thrill of waterway engineering.
With only 2 locks to negotiate on the entire journey (one of which only drops and rises a mere 6 inches) you can focus entirely on soaking in the beautiful countryside between the historic towns and villages.
Leaving our Middlewich base, steeped in history dating back to the Roman fort of Salinae, you start off heading northwards on the Trent & Mersey Canal. Despite being lock-light, this route is packed with variety, including subterranean tunnels, majestic historic boat lifts, and some of the best family-friendly mooring spots in Cheshire.
Salt Works & Historic Boat Lifts
The route glides peacefully past the shimmering lakes known as 'flashes' near Northwich, a dramatic landscape formed by the area's historic salt mining industry, before reaching the villages of Marston and Anderton. At Marston, you can stop and enjoy the fascinating and award-winning museum, The Lion Salt Works.
Following this, you will reach Anderton where you can make a spectacular detour by traveling on the Anderton Boat Lift. This historic and awe-inspiring Victorian structure, designed by Edwin Clark in 1875, lowers boats a dizzying 50 feet down to the River Weaver below.
As you carry on past the boat lift, the landscape transforms and you will experience over an hour's worth of exciting and atmospheric tunnel cruising. You will navigate the Barnton (572 yards) and Saltersford (424 yards) tunnels, separated by an idyllic leafy pool, before finally tackling the extensive Preston Brook tunnel (1,239 yards).
Through the Villages to Picturesque Lymm
Emerging from the tunnels into the daylight at Preston Brook, the Trent & Mersey meets the historic, lock-free Bridgewater Canal, one of the gems of the canal age. Continuing on, you will pass the Moore Nature Reserve and Daresbury, famous for its connections with Lewis Carroll. Walton Gardens is a fantastic stop, especially if you have children on board, offering a sprawling play area and a free children's petting zoo.
Whilst moored at Stockton Heath there is a welcoming pub right by the water, and on the outskirts lies Grappenhall, offering two traditional pubs near the canal. From there, we are plunged into lush countryside once again until reaching the impressive M6 viaduct, which we pass under just before it crosses the Manchester Ship Canal at Thelwall.
We now enter the highly picturesque village of Lymm. Here, you will find popular and scenic visitor moorings right in the centre. You can admire the 1824 Lymm Dam, an enigmatic sandstone cross, and historic fustian-cutting cottages. With artisan shops, bakeries, and fantastic pubs all close by, it makes the perfect turnaround point for your holiday.
Lymm Holiday Highlights:
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The Anderton Boat Lift: The world's first boat lift, designed by Edwin Clark in 1875 to lower boats 50ft to the River Weaver.
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Three Historic Tunnels: Experience over an hour of subterranean cruising through the Barnton, Saltersford, and extensive Preston Brook tunnels.
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Walton Gardens Petting Zoo: A perfect family stop offering a sprawling play area and a free children's zoo.
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The Bridgewater Canal: Enjoy miles of completely lock-free cruising along one of the gems of the waterway age.
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Village of Lymm: Discover the 1824 Lymm Dam, an enigmatic sandstone cross, and artisan bakeries in this picturesque Cheshire village.
Cruising Time
4 nights short break average cruising time per day:
Lymm: 6 hours
Explore More Canal Routes
Looking for a different direction? See where else you can travel from Middlewich.
Important Route Updates
While our Middlewich base offers incredible access to the network, please note the following updates to some of our famous routes.
Great news, there is still an abundance to explore! Even when a 'Ring' is temporarily closed, you can enjoy magnificent out-and-back journeys along the open sections. The UK canal network is over 200 years old, so occasional maintenance 'hiccups' are to be expected. Please contact us for expert advice on tailoring an amazing adventure around them!
The Cheshire Ring
Expected to open again as a full ring next year. However, much of the route remains open and makes for a wonderful out-and-back holiday.
The Llangollen Canal
Currently closed due to a major breach, as seen in the national news. It is expected to reopen as a route next year and cannot be explored past the breach.
Planning Your Trip
The journey to Lymm is an exceptionally relaxing out-and-back return route, allowing you to choose your own pace with virtually no locks. But if you feel a little more energetic for your next holiday, we can suggest some 'rings' where you travel around a circular route to arrive back with us: the Cheshire Ring or the Four Counties Ring.
Please Remember: if you're planning to spend a day out and about off your boat (such as visiting the petting zoo at Walton Gardens or experiencing the Anderton Boat Lift), please make sure you factor this into your plans when working out the amount of cruising hours required to complete your holiday route.
Choosing Your Perfect Pace
We want you to love every moment of your journey. While our route guides provide suggested times based on a steady pace and ideal conditions, we always encourage you to plan your trip around your crew's unique comfort and abilities.
Since everyone's energy levels are different, you may find that choosing a longer duration, such as 14 nights instead of 7, allows you to reach your goals while keeping the adventure inclusive, relaxed, and truly enjoyable for everyone on board. For more detailed advice on planning a journey that is safe and inclusive for everyone, please visit our Accessibility Statement.
Captain's Note: Your holiday should always feel like a break, never a task! If you are unsure about the best route and duration for your specific crew, please get in touch for friendly, honest advice.
Download Your Digital Map
We suggest downloading the free Open Canal Map while you plan. It is a fantastic interactive tool for exploring routes, finding visitor moorings, water points, and local pubs along the towpath.
Boatyard Bonus: It's incredibly helpful for pinpointing your exact location on the canal network. If you ever need to call our team for advice or assistance during your holiday, you can tell us exactly where you are!
* Disclaimer: Open Canal Map is a third-party application. It is not affiliated with Andersen Boats and is downloaded and used entirely at your own discretion.
Pearson's Canal Companions
For the ultimate captain's preparation, we highly recommend picking up a copy of Pearson's Canal Companions. These legendary guides are the gold standard for boaters, packed with beautifully illustrated mile-by-mile maps, fascinating local history, and invaluable reviews of towpath pubs and eateries.
Four Counties & Cheshire Rings
Perfect for navigating the Cheshire Ring, Four Counties Ring, and our local Trent & Mersey routes.
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Welsh Waters (featuring the Llangollen Canal)
The essential guide for anyone heading down the Llangollen Canal or exploring the Shropshire Union.
View on Amazon* Disclaimer: The links above direct to Amazon. Andersen Boats is not responsible for external content, pricing, or purchases made on third-party websites.
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