Moorings on the Shropshire Union Canal

The Shropshire Union Canal is one of the last great canals to be built in England, engineered by Thomas Telford in the early 19th century with his characteristic straight cuts and deep rock cuttings rather than the contour-hugging approach of earlier engineers. The main line runs 106 kilometres from Wolverhampton northward to Ellesmere Port on the Mersey, passing through Telford's spectacular Tyrley Cutting, the market town of Market Drayton, the county town of Shrewsbury (via a branch), and the Cheshire plains. The canal is renowned for its beautiful rural character, with long pound stretches through remote countryside that are particularly popular with liveaboards seeking tranquillity. Marinas at Norbury Junction, Market Drayton, and Chester provide full facilities, while the canal's connection to Chester and the River Dee offers onward access to North Wales and the Mersey.