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River Weaver - Frodsham Marsh
View looking towards the Mersey Estuary and Liverpool
A really nice swim here, although on a hot day it's a bit of a slog getting there. The wide part of the Weaver's estuary just before it joins the Manchester Ship Canal. However unlike a "normal" estuary there are no tides or strong currents so you can swim whenever you want. This was one of the few nice days we enjoyed in August 2004, and the water temperature was 25ºC (77ºF). The water quality is excellent and I understand has been tested and found to meet EU bathing water requirements. This part of the river has statutory navigation rights so you are legally entitled to swim. The only other people you are likely to meet on the water are the amiable chaps from the Weaver Sailing Club in their little sailing dinghies. Oh, and the joggers, runners, mountain bikers, wildfowlers and twitchers on the marsh itself. Frodsham Marsh is isolated, bleak and deserted, so you'll be really getting away from it all. If the weather's hot make sure you take enough to drink - the river water is brackish and certainly not drinkable. It can get very hot indeed down there, although there's often a cooling sea breeze blowing down the Mersey. Access is along the top of the river defences, which is a public right-of-way. There is but one fly in the ointment (isn't there always?) The channel is over towards the far side, so you've got fifty yards or so of dragging your belly in a couple of feet of water before reaching the deep stuff. It's well worth the effort though. Although I've not come across any, watch out for any submerged obstructions.
View looking back towards Sutton Weaver
If you fancy skinnydipping, watch out for the twitchers. These folks must have access to Startrek transporter technology! One sighting of the Greater Spotted Mud Gobbler and they're popping up out of nowhere ten to the dozen. I once climbed out of the river absolutely starkers (no - don't ask!) and had I been just minutes later would have done so in front of a battery of cameras and binocular lenses. Now that would have been something different for their notes!
Ineos Chlor and Rocksavage Power Station in the background
Looking at the map below, "X" marks the spot the above pics were taken from. Note that access is via a public right of way (for mountain bikes as well). From what was the Bridge Inn, go down Quay Lane (an unmade track) through the stile at the end by the side of the gate. Follow the track at the bottom of the sports field, under the motorway viaduct then take the path that runs behind the Environment Agency's pumping station. From then on you're on the top of the river defences. If travelling by car, turn down Ship Street (by the police station), keep going for about ¾ mile until you come to a school on the left. Just past it is the entrance to the Vale Royal Council playing fields (marked "PF") which has a small car park. Walk down the sports field towards the river and you'll come to the track mentioned above. Incidentally you can launch a kayak, inflatable or whatever under the motorway viaduct. If the Weaver Sailing Club's water skiers are out let them know so they can avoid you. Their slalom course finishes at the pipe bridge so just make your way past there. Incidentally, the pumping station is only putting fresh water into the river. Frodsham Marsh needs to be continually drained and the pumps empty the main drainage dyke. The outflow is not particularly fast and presents no significant hazard.
You can wade into the river under the motorway viaduct. It's not a very attractive entry point, and there is some debris left over from when the viaduct was built so you need to wear an old pair of trainers. However once in the water this is what you'll see looking downstream towards the Mersey:
And this is the view looking upstream towards Weaver Sailing Club's clubhouse and the railway viaduct:
Please bear in mind that Weaver SC's water skiers use this stretch of the river on Saturday afternoon. Other than on the odd evening this is generally the only time they are out so please don't "rain on their parade" - if you want to swim in the river on a Saturday please go further downstream past the old ICI pipe bridge. Sundays the sailing dinghies are out so if swimming just wave to let them know you are there. Remember that sailing dinghies are at the mercy of the strong, unpredictable cross-winds very common on the marshes, so take care to give them plenty of room to maneouvre.
Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.
