Peak Forest Canal

IWA Branch

Manchester Branch

Navigation Authority

British Waterways
Waterside House,  Waterside Drive, Wigan, WN3 5AZ
Tel:01942 405771
Fax:01942 405710

enquiries.hq@britishwaterways.co.uk
www.britishwaterways.co.uk

The canal forms part of the Cheshire Ring and runs from Dukinfield Junction with the Ashton Canal to Whaley Bridge.

The 'Main' line runs for 14.75 miles (23.7km) through 16 locks, whereas, the Whaley Bridge branch runs for just 0.5 miles (0.8Km) with no locks to navigate.

Main Line

Whaley Bridge Branch

Boaters’ Services

A slipway is available on the Upper Peak Forest Canal at New Mills Wharf.

Historical Information

This canal was built to ship Derbyshire limestone to Manchester. It reopened in 1974.

Bugsworth Basin was fully reopened at Easter 2005 following more than thirty years of work by The Inland Waterways Protection Society Ltd, who adopted the unique canal and tramway interchange complex at Bugsworth Basin as its major project.  The more important and larger of two southern terminals of the Peak Forest Canal, Bugsworth Basin had initially re-opened amid much celebration six years earlier.  Unfortunately, the Society and BW had no option but to close the Basin again the following autumn due to excessive leakage and unacceptable water loss to the adjoining river Blackbrook.  Substantial works to provide a long-term solution to leakage problem were undertaken in 2004.  The Society’s volunteers continue to maintain the non-water areas for the benefit of all visitors and local residents, with the co-operation with English Heritage.

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