Audlem Walks
This picturesque canalside village is a lovely place to explore on foot. The village is notable for its run of 15 locks, designed by Thomas Telford, which raise the canal from the Cheshire Plain to the higher Shropshire Plain. The settlement also includes the 17th century Moss Hall, the fine Audlem Mill, a popular waterside pub and views of the River Weaver on the western side.
This walk from the village takes you south to Adderley along a section of the Shropshire Union Canal. It's a lovely section of the canal with a series of locks and some attractive countryside to see.
The walk starts on the canal in the village near to the historic Audlem Mill which dates from 1916. You can pick up the towpath here and head south to Coxbank before coming to Adderley. Here you leave the canal to visit the village before retracing your steps to Audlem.
Audlem Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Audlem Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Audlem OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Audlem Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Walks near Audlem
- Nantwich - Nantwich is located in Cheshire, next to two branches of the Shropshire Union Canal
- Weaver Way - Follow the Weaver Way through Cheshire from Audlem to Frodsham on this delightful 40 mile walk
- Chester Canal Walk - Follow the route of the old Chester Canal on this waterside walk in Cheshire
- Market Drayton - This pleasant market town in north Shropshire has some nice waterside trails along the River Tern and the Shropshire Union Canal
- Frodsham Hill - Climb to this prominent hill on the Mid-Cheshire Ridge on this lovely walk in Cheshire
- Whitchurch Canal Walk - Enjoy an easy waterside walk along the Llangollen Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal, from Whitchurch to Marbury
- Brown Moss Nature Reserve - Enjoy a series of walking trails in this delightful nature reserve near Whitchurch
- Hawkstone Park - This spectacular park in Shropshire covers 100 acres and includes intricate pathways, ravines, arches, bridges, towering cliffs and follies
- Crewe and Nantwich Circular Walk - This circular walk takes you through the countryside and villages surrounding Crewe and Nantwich.
You start off at Coppenshall just north of Crewe and first head to Weston - Beeston Castle - Climb to the ruins of this 13th century castle and enjoy wonderful views over the Cheshire Plain on this short circular walk in the Peckforton Hills
- Comber Mere - Comber Mere Abbey is surrounded by some beautiful parkland, woodland, lakes and gardens
- South Cheshire Way - This is a splendid walk along canals and through wonderful Shropshire and Cheshire countryside from Grindley Brook, near Whitchurch, to Mow Cop near Congleton.
The walk starts on the Shropshire Union Canal at Grindley Brook and heads to Marbury - Hurleston Reservoir - This small reservoir sits in a lovely spot on the Llangollen branch of the Shropshire Union Canal near Nantwich.
- Wrenbury - This attractive village in Cheshire includes a conservation area with a number of historic properties including an early 16th century church overlooking the pretty village green
- Hodnet - This walk visits the pretty Shropshire village of Hodnet
Pubs/Cafes
The Shroppie Fly is in a great location next to the canal. The pub was converted from a canal warehouse, built in 1916, which was once owned by the Liverpool & Birmingham Canal Company. The distinctive crane outside the pub came from the former Audlem station goods-yard, on the Nantwich-Market Drayton-Wellington branch of the Great Western, which closed in 1967. At the inn you can sit outside with a drink and watch the boats going through Audlem locks. You can find them at Audlem Wharf, Shropshire Street with a postcode of CW3 0DX for your sat navs.
Dog Walking
The waterside paths make for a good dog walk and the Shroppie Fly mentioned above is also dog friendly.
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
To extend the walk continue south along the towpath to visit Market Drayton.
To the west there's the noteworthy Comber Mere. The 12th century abbey includes a large lake and bluebell woodland which is open to the public on certain open days. Near here you'll also find the worthy village of Wrenbury. The settlement is a conservation area with a number of historic properties including an early 16th century church overlooking the pretty village green. There's also a fine canalside pub with a lovely garden to visit.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Cheshire Walks page.
Photos
Audlem Locks No 4, Shropshire Union Canal, Cheshire. The concrete storage structure for stop-planks and the little building on the non towpath side of the lock are extra features
Audlem Mill. The Mill is known locally as Kingbur Mill and was built around 1916 (rather later than most early industrial buildings served by canal). It was always a corn and animal feed mill, and operated until the late 1960s or early 1970s. This red brick old building by the Shropshire Union Canal is now a craft studio and shop.
Audlem Methodist Church. There are three churches in the village: the Methodist Church (in the picture), Audlem Baptist Church and the Parish Church of St James the Great. The churches work together to serve the village. Audlem Methodist Church was built in 1863, and has had extensions built subsequently.
The Shroppie Fly at Audlem. This canalside "theme" pub, formerly a warehouse, is very popular for ale, food, and music, especially in the summer boating season.
Audlem Locks, Shropshire Union Canal. This image shows the pound below the ninth lock, looking towards Lock No 10. The fifteen locks at Audlem alter the water level by a total of 93 feet, (about 28.4 metres) in one and three quarter miles (or 2.8 kilometres). The canal was fully opened in 1835, engineered by Thomas Telford, and is 66.5 miles in length. It was originally called the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal.
Canalware sales boat. All sorts of things can be bought from licensed traders on the canal system. This was the spring bank holiday ad the Audlem Festival was on, so there were plenty of people about later in the day to enjoy live music in all the pubs (and outdoors too).
Pasture by Moss Hall at Audlem, Cheshire. Seen from the towpath side of the Shropshire Union Canal south of the Weaver Aqueduct, with telephoto assistance.
Narrowboat leaving Adderley Bottom Lock, Shropshire. On the Shropshire Union Canal, there are five locks in the flight at Adderley. These raise or lower the water level by thirty-one feet ( about nine and a half metres) within a distance of about five hundred metres.