Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal
The 15-mile Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal is a surprisingly green pathway through the north Manchester conurbation. It once linked the city centres of Manchester and Salford with the industrial towns of Bolton and Bury, crossing impressive aqueducts and flights of locks. Though the canal is still derelict, some of these structures survive, and restoration is now underway.
The Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal originally ran north from Salford, on the River Irwell near Manchester, to Prestolee, near the village of Little Lever. Here it split into two: the main line continued to Bury, while a branch headed north-west to Bolton. Now derelict, the canal is under active restoration.
As a green corridor through the sprawl of north Manchester, the restored canal promises to offer rewarding boating and good walking. The obstacles are many - infilled sections of the canal bed, demolished locks, and disparate ownership of the line - but plans are being formulated with a view to complete restoration of the canal within the next few years.
Until then, you can enjoy the well-preserved section of canal around Prestolee and Nob End. For the walker, this is a quiet pathway away from the bustle of Bury and Bolton's town centres; for the angler, the undisturbed waters provide good fishing; and for the student of industrial archaeology, there is a fascinating collection of original canal structures including an aqueduct, overgrown locks, canal cottages and a cobbled towpath.
Restoring the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal will act as a catalyst for urban and rural regeneration in the area, attracting investment and creating jobs as well as increased opportunities for local communities. The restored canal will link and form a spine to a large number of development, recreational, countryside, heritage and tourism initiatives, many already having secured government funding. The creation of this new and vibrant community resource will further enhance the status of Manchester as a visitor destination.
Find out about the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal Society, formed with the aim of restoring the canal.
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