Our first outing of 2024 was to Anderton Boat Lift in Northwich, Cheshire on 17th April. It is the only working boat lift in the England and is affectionately known as the Cathedral of the Canals. The boat lift was designed by Edwin Clark in 1875 to transfer boats between the River Weaver and the Trent & Mersey canal across a height of 50 feet. It was in operation for over 100 years until it closed in 1983 due to corrosion. After a huge renovation project which cost over £7 million, it opened to the public again in 2002.
Our members all enjoyed the opportunity to have a boat trip along the River Weaver with excellent commentary by an expert guide. We learned about salt making in Cheshire which was originally extracted from the ground by a series of brine pits. The production of salt really put Northwich on the map and saw the creation of the Brunner Mond Plant. Producing Soda Ash, the plant went on to be called Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) and is now known as Tata Chemicals Europe.
Our boat then moved into the boat lift which is a two caisson lift lock for our ascent up from the River Weaver to the Trent & Mersey canal. There is about a 15 metre drop between the canal and the river. Our guide continued his knowledgable and witty explanation of how the boat lift works whilst we were moved vertically between the two navigable waterways. The structure which is around 25 metres tall is designated as a scheduled monument and is included in the National Heritage List for England. It is also known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways.
After our boat trip we disembarked at the Trent & Mersey canal and at the visitor centre we enjoyed a delicious cream tea in the cafe. We all appreciated the sunshine and fresh air and agreed that the outing was relaxed and very enjoyable. Our next trip is to the National Trust property Erdigg near Wrexham with a coffee stop at Cheshire Oaks on the outward journey. This outing will take place on Tuesday 14th May.
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Article and photographs by Lois Hughes.