We've had endless discussions about what where we would like to cruise this year, it's one of the pleasures of long winter evenings. We seem to have come down in favour of The Cheshire Ring. So, when we leave Llangollen at the end of March, we shall go to the junction of the Llangollen and The Shropshire Union Canals at Hurleston, turn left for a few miles and then right, onto the Middlewich Branch. This is ten and a half miles long and forms the link between The Shroppie and the Trent and Mersey canals. At the end we shall turn left onto the Trent and Mersey Canal and go north, through Northwich, past the Anderton Boat Lift and through several tunnels to the junction with the Bridgewater Canal.

This will be new territory for us. The Bridgewater Canal is one of the oldest canals in the country and was built by the Earl of Bridgewater to transport coal from his mines. It was opened in 1765. It goes into the centre of Manchester and is twenty-five miles long. We hope to moor up in Manchester and "do the sights", especially Salford Quays and the Lowry Museum. There is also a National Trust property on the way, Dunham Massey, which I would like to visit as long as we can find a mooring nearby.

After Manchester, we join the Ashton Canal, which has earned itself a reputation for problems, so we're keeping our fingers crsoosed that we escape unscathed. Often these stories of vandalism, etc., are somewhat exaggerated; let's hope this is the case. Whatever, we shall have a long day to get through the Ashton Canal and onto the Peak Forest Canal. It is one and a half miles and nine locks from where we hope to moor up in the centre of Mnachester to the start of the Ashton Canal and the Ashton Canal is six and a half miles long and has eighteen locks.

At Duckinfield Junction, we shall turn right on to the Peak Forest Canal, where things will hopefully quieten down and we can take our time. The Peak Forest Canal is fourteen and a half miles long and has sixteen locks. At its furthermost end it divides into two, one branch leading to Bugsworth Basin, the other to Whalley Bridge. Both of these branches are cul-de-sacs, so we shall explore them and then turn round, back up to Marple Junction and turn left onto the Macclesfield canal. The Maccie is twenty-seven and three-quarter miles long and has thirteen locks. Eventually it joins the Trent & Mersey Canal at Hardings Wood Junction.

After that, who knows! We'll see how long it's taken us and what we feel like doing next...........

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