2026 Cruise Diary
AS per usual, I'm being a bit rubbish at getting the website updated - I DID have a plan to do it but became ill and pretty much spent 6 days in bed trying not to die (bit melodramatic ?) ERGO, I'm only just getting around to it in mid January.
I'm also a bit miffed as I'd had it in my head to head to Liverpool for my first trip via Manchester the easy way on the Bridgewater... Sadly due to the massive breach (which I very much doubt will be repaired by April 26), I'll have to go up the Macclesfield and down the lower Peak forest , Ashton canals to get to Manchester... and what with the un reliability of the Macclesfield AND Peak forest at the best of times who knows?
Moaning aside, watch this space and I'll put up 2026 routes when I've worked them out - I do intend doing things I like, so expect the Llangollen canal and Liverpool link to feature a few times!
Cruise 1
1st to 7th April 2026 (6 nights)
Etruria Return – Caldon canal.
Cruise 2
10th – 16th April 2026 (6 nights)
West Port Lake to Bugsworth Basin – Trent & Mersey, Macclesfield and Upper Peak forest Canals.
Cruise 3
19th – 24th April 2026 (5 nights)
Whaley Bridge to Manchester – Upper Peak Forest, Lower Peak Forest, Asthon and Rochdale Canals.
Cruise 4
27th April – 4th May 2026 (7 nights)
Manchester to Liverpool – Bridgewater and Leeds & Liverpool canals Liverpool Link…2 night stay in Liverpool centre.
Cruise 5
8th – 15th May 2026 (7 nights)
Liverpool to Manchester – Leeds& Liverpool Liverpool Link and Bridgewater Canals.
Cruise 6
18th – 23rd May 2026 (5 nights)
Manchester to Marple – Bridgewater, Rochdale, Ashton and Lower Peal Forest Canals.
Cruise 7
27th May -2nd June 2026 (6 nights)
Marple to Middlewich – Macclesfield and Trent & Mersey Canals.
Cruise 8
6th – 9th June 2026 (3 nights)
Middlewich to Northwich – Trent & Mersey Canal, Anderton Boat Lift and River Weaver.
Cruise 9
12th – 16th June 2026 (4 nights)
Northwich to Nantwich – River Weaver, Anderton Boat lift, Trent & Mersey and Shropshire Union Canals.
Cruise 10
20th -27th June 2026 (7 nights)
Nantwich to Llangollen – Shropshire Union and Llangollen Canals. Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Cruise 11
30th June – 3rd July 2026 (3 nights)
Chirk to Chirk VIA Llangollen and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct – Llangollen Canal.
Cruise 12
6th – 9th July 2026
Chirk to Chirk VIA Llangollen and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct – Llangollen Canal
Cruise 13
12th – 17th July 2026 (5 nights)
Chirk to Llangollen VIA Ellesmere and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct – Llangollen Canal.
Cruise 14
20th – 27th July 2026 (7 nights)
Llangollen to Nantwich. Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Llangollen and Shropshire Union Canals.
Cruise 15
31st July – 6th August 2026 (6 nights)
Nantwich to Stone (Half 4 Counties Ring south) – Shropshire Union, Staffs & Worcestershire and Trent & Mersey Canals.
Cruise 16
10th – 13th August 2026 (3 nights)
Stone to Kidsgrove – Trent & Mersey Canal inc. Harecastle Tunnel.
Cruise 17
16th – 19th August (3 nights)
Kidsgrove to Etruria VIA Congleton – Trent & Mersey and Macclesfield Canals. Harecastle Tunnnel.
Cruise 18
22nd – 26th August (4 nights)
Etruria to Stone VIA Harecastle Tunnel – Potteries Cruise on Trent and Mersey Canal.