Where is Merry?

Merry is based at New Mills Marina, a working boatyard located on the edge of the Peak District, north of Buxton.  The marina is on the Peak Forest Canal, which runs into the Macclesfield Canal.  The helpful staff at New Mills look after Merry for us and make sure she is ready for your visit.

When you book Merry, we provide a canal map that’s helpful for week-long trips.  For longer holidays, you can plan your route using the British Waterways Waterscape website.

Once on board, the only decisions are whether to stop at the pub, and which view you want to wake up to.  The Ship’s Log on board the boat gives details from other hirers, such as where they have been in Merry and their recommendations for moorings, restaurants etc.

This map shows the area where Merry is based and may give you an idea of some places that you can visit.
 

From New Mills you can experience breathtaking scenery.  If you have time, journey round the Cheshire Ring (10-14 days) or tackle the more ambitious Pennine Circuit with 213 locks! (3-4 weeks). For shorter holidays, take a trip out and back, you will be amazed how different the same stretch looks on the return journey.  Head west to Llangollen, north through the Yorkshire Dales to Skipton, or south to Stoke and the potteries.

You can design a route for exercise with lots of locks, for a relaxing cruising, or both. Of course, this partly depends on whether there are 2 or 4 of you on this 4-berth boat. Click here for booking information and prices.

The Peak Forest Canal

The Waterscape website says "The Peak Forest Canal is without doubt one of Britain's most scenic waterways.  It utilises ruggedly impressive engineering to run for 15 miles through magnificent scenery to an enchanting basin at Bugsworth, accompanied by strident birdsong and the burbling of the River Goyt.

The Macclesfield Canal

The Waterscape website describes the adjoining Macclesfield Canal with the following words, "The Macclesfield Canal runs for 26 miles from Marple to the Trent & Mersey Canal. Its engineering is elegant and its views are spectacular.

The Macclesfield is part of the "Cheshire Ring", a popular cruising circuit.  The only locks on the canal are at Bosley, grouped together in a flight for efficiency of operation - so boaters can enjoy several hours' lock-free cruising either side of the flight.  Within a short distance of the line are several curious architectural follies, built to satisfy the whims of local Victorian landowners.

As with so many of Telford's canals, the Macclesfield follows a level course for many miles.  The canal mostly avoids built-up areas. Its northern section grazes the edge of the Manchester conurbation, while Congleton and Macclesfield are the only two settlements of consequence after Marple. All this combines to make the canal the most attractive part of the Cheshire Ring, a boaters favourite.

Note that the features that make the canal so attractive - the tree-lined aspect and the way it clings to the hillside - can also make it difficult to see round corners!  You should take extra care at such locations."