Bunbury to Chester

[Pete of Ebor]

Starting to plan our 2016 trip and one possible route is Bunbury > Ellesmere Port > Norbury Jn or Autherly Jn > Bunbury.

I'm struggling to find any pub stops between Bunbury and Chester.

Canalplan seems to suggest over 5 hrs for Bunbury > Chester even with our tweaked figures for speed & locks. Does anyone know :

1) How long it actually may take to get from Bunbury to Chester

2) Depending on the time we pickup the boat, if we can't make Chester, are there any other decent pubs on the stretch.

3) Has that long stretch of moored boats gone (- it was there in 1994 !)

 

Thanks.

Edited November 8, 2015 by Pete of Ebor

[Paul C]

Golden Nook, and the 130 or so boats, are still there.

 

Yeah there's not many pubs. Not sure what's in Waverton but there's the Cheshire Cat at Christleton. If you can't make Chester due to time constraints (which would be a shame) you can turn at Christleton and this would also save the time of the 5x broad locks into Chester. You could go on and also do the staircase, then moor by Telford's Warehouse. Once you get into Chester there's tons of pubs obviously.

[Pete of Ebor]

Thanks Paul. We have been to Chester before, but as we did it as part of the Four Counties Ring, it seemed like (.. well it was..) a long slog 'off-route'. We did have a very early start from Audlem, had no lunchtime stop and got to Chester quite late. Obviously, if we're picking up the boat at Bunbury, it really depends what time we finally get away as to whether we can make Chester on the Sat evening. We also want to visit The Boat Museum, probably Sunday, then back to Chester for Sunday night.

[Paul C]

If you're picking the boat up from Bunbury then aim for Waverton or Christleton depending on the time of year (vis a vis length of day).

[Paul C]

There's Shady Oak too (just past Wharton lock) and its about half a day away from Bunbury too. Depending on the time you finally got away on the boat, it would make a reasonable stop too.

[Corixa]

We did this section, Bunbury to Chester, as part of our 2 weeks out from Preston Brook in June. The Shady Oak was our intended food stop for the evening. But despite being open for drinks the chef did not work on a Monday evening. We had tried phoning ahead but there was no answer, we suspect the phone number in the Nicholson Guide is not current.

 

So a quick pint was consumed then a 2.5 hour schlep to the Cheshire Cat - and yes there are what seems like miles of online moored boats on this section.

 

Cheshire Cat was good too.

[Mac of Cygnet]

You'll find quite a few pubs on your route covered in my 2015 Pub Cruise , including the Shady Oak and the Cheshire Cat. Be aware that there is no longer a pub at Calverley.

[ditchcrawler]

There is also this web site http://www.canalandriversidepubs.co.uk/

[andyb116]

If your doing that trip, the shady oak is now open and doing food every night, sometimes worth a call to check, especially if there fully booked, also Tattenhall marina do food fri,sat sun afternoon's, worth a phone call to check as major alterations are taking place early on in the new year and if your going to the boat museum, it's closed from next Sunday till mid February for refurbishment.

[Señor Chris]

You'll find quite a few pubs on your route covered in my 2015 Pub Cruise

 

Surprised you missed the Dunham Massey Brewery Tap in Lymm. First class ale and 'real' pork pies from a nearby butcher.

[junior]

You'll find quite a few pubs on your route covered in my 2015 Pub Cruise , including the Shady Oak and the Cheshire Cat. Be aware that there is no longer a pub at Calverley.

Tollemarche (sp?) Arms is a few mins walk from Calverley moorings.

[DHutch]

The Dysart Arm is also a cracking pub, really great restaurant grade food and well worth the walk from Tilson Lock if your after a good evening meal. Else a very short taxis ride.

 

 

Daniel

[junior]

Starting to plan our 2016 trip and one possible route is Bunbury > Ellesmere Port > Norbury Jn or Autherly Jn > Bunbury.

I'm struggling to find any pub stops between Bunbury and Chester.

Canalplan seems to suggest over 5 hrs for Bunbury > Chester even with our tweaked figures for speed & locks. Does anyone know :

1) How long it actually may take to get from Bunbury to Chester

2) Depending on the time we pickup the boat, if we can't make Chester, are there any other decent pubs on the stretch.

3) Has that long stretch of moored boats gone (- it was there in 1994 !)

 

Thanks.

Do you have 1 week or 2? What time of year are you going? How much cruising do you like to do per day?

 

Bunbury - Ellesmere Port could be done in one summers day cruising, but depending on what time you set off from the hire base either Christleton on Chester might be more realistic options.

 

Chester is about 6-7 hours for me from Calverley/Bunbury. I reckon in a shallow draughted boat and with a good crew and locks in your favour you could probably shave a bit off that.

 

If you have time, please do go to Ellesmere Port. So many boaters only go as far as Chester/Christleton and then wind which is such a shame.

 

You could easily spend a day in Chester just walking around. If you've kids with you then the zoo is fantastic, and if you've got women with you the Cheshire Oaks is just before Ellesmere Port.

 

If you've got 1 week I'd go from Bunbury > Ellesmere Port > Audlem > Bunbury.

[metanoia]

Tollemarche (sp?) Arms is a few mins walk from Calverley moorings.

Are you one of those "power" walkers?

[Mac of Cygnet]

Tollemarche (sp?) Arms is a few mins walk from Calverley moorings.

 

Indeed. It's b*****y awful. But there used to be a pub at Calverley itself.

 

Surprised you missed the Dunham Massey Brewery Tap in Lymm. First class ale and 'real' pork pies from a nearby butcher.

 

I didn't stop overnight in Lymm. But I did visit the brewery and carried away several bottles of ale. Is that good enough?

Edited November 8, 2015 by Mac of Cygnet

[NB Alton]

Tollemarche (sp?) Arms is a few mins walk from Calverley moorings.

Ha, you're on my kind of pub walking times! Have you actually walked it?! It's got to be a similar distance to the one stop shop from Cheddleton top lock (i.e coming on for a mile ;-)) & the beer was undrinkable last time I waas there.

However the Dyesrt Arms is worth the mile or so walk from Bunbury Staircase. Maybe you can check them out tomorrow night?

 

Cheers, Brian

[colmac]

Last time we were in the Shady Oak which was, admittedly 2 yrs ago, we finished our meal only to be told they only accepted cash, no card payments. We had enough cash but did wonder what would happen if we hadn't. You can hardly return the goods. Presume they will have this sorted by now.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Last time we were in the Shady Oak which was, admittedly 2 yrs ago, we finished our meal only to be told they only accepted cash, no card payments. We had enough cash but did wonder what would happen if we hadn't. You can hardly return the goods. Presume they will have this sorted by now.

 

The Shady Oak has been closed, completely refurbished and re-opened under new management since then. Was OK this spring.

[Señor Chris]

 

I didn't stop overnight in Lymm. But I did visit the brewery and carried away several bottles of ale. Is that good enough?

 

Dunno - you drank the stuff.