Heritage Narrowboats

Heritage Narrowboats is easy to find, once you find the turning off the A34! On your map look for the A34 between Congleton and Kidsgrove, just north of Stoke.

If you are heading north, stay on the A34 keeping an eye out for an interesting looking thatched pub called The Bleeding Wolf on your left-hand side. After passing this pub, a short distance along the road is another pub on the left called The Travellers Rest. Once you pass this pub, keep a look out on your right for a small shop called The Village Store.

On the brow of the next rise is a turning to the right, sign-posted 'Mow Cop one and three quarter miles'.  Turn right here into Station Road.Stay on this road for approx. half a mile, past The Rising Sun and cross the Macclesfield Canal.  Take the next turning left, by Wharf Plumbing.  The entrance to Heritage is about 100m on your left. Keep an eye out for some

blue gates.                               

(At the time of typing I do not really have a landmark for the turn off coming south, you might like to try the above or....)

Coming from the north on the A34 keep an eye open on your left for a car dealership with a restaurant located just after it, turn left immediately  after this restaurant. Once on this road keep straight ahead for around 2 miles, the road will then enter a series of bends and cross the canal. Once across the canal there is a sign indicating a level crossing at a turn to your left, DO NOT TURN HERE, but keep an eye out for some blue gates soon after it on your right, this is Heritage Narrowboats.

The yard is owned by Sherbourne Street Wharf and the manager on site is Mike Dowse. The house on site is let as a holiday home and not where the staff live! The basin itself is not large and mooring space is limited. The hire fleet run from here turns around on both Friday and Saturday although most on Saturday. Therefore on the day that your boat will turn around there tends to be more space. You will probably find your boat tied up in the marina just to the right of the main building. When you have unloaded, if it is your first time out, ask where you should park your car. The space you will be directed to is probably on the grass just inside the gates.

If you are not planning to collect your boat on the Friday please advise the yard on 01782 785700 and they can arrange it to be moved across the marina so as not to be in the way of the hire fleet turnaround on the Saturday. Similarly if you are arriving late please call them for advice as the gates to the yard are locked overnight.

If when you depart you are planning to head towards the Trent and Mersey and through Harecastle tunnel on your first day ensure that you are away by 1.30 in the “spring”  or 2.30 in the “summer”, (summer being mid May to mid September) this is because the tunnel is operated on a one way system with timed passages controlled by operators. Just south of the tunnel is the turning to the Caldon Canal, I know from my own experiences that this is quite the best canal on the system (well in my opinion, on a par with the Llangollen, but with less traffic) and I would recommend a trip down there to anyone. Please be aware that you will NOT get your boat through the tunnel at Froghall and around that area you will be lucky to get any reception on the radio let alone the TV! A pack of cards should be carried at all times.

Most services are available at the yard including gas pump out and diesel, furthermore there is a small shop running during the summer which sells bread and milk etc. Should you need coal please ask and this could also be available. There are shops in the village of Kent Green which is only 5 minutes walk away and in Scholar Green there is a late night supermarket, please ask Mike should you need directions. There is also a pub at Kent Green called the Rising Sun which is recommended.

Should you need a taxi then please ring Mike for the telephone number as a lot depends on where you need to go to and from as to which firm to use. Also I understand that if he is not busy the local undertaker offers this service! (choice of vehicles?!)

When you return from your holiday before entering the marina moor up on the front near the shop where servicing the boat is easier and seek instructions. Turning off the canal into the yard is tight and help may be offered/available. Please try to use the yard for the normal “end of trip” facilities as the income from them goes some way to covering the costs incurred when Mike and his team inevitably do work on your boat and forget to charge!

The yard is situated in a lovely rural setting spoiled only by the occasional train passing nearby.

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NB Details of the opening hours for Harecastle Tunnel may be found at by clicking here