Macclesfield Canal – Bollington Stretch

The Macclesfield Canal slips through Bollington on its summit level, running between Marple and Macclesfield. This is a proper canal stretch rather than a neat commercial lake, so expect a different sort of day out. Towpath access, changing pegs and a fair bit of water to explore. Much more mooching than marching straight to a numbered swim with a wheelbarrow full of kit.

• 2 lakes: Macclesfield Canal – Bollington Stretch, Bollington Canal Section
• Fish: carp
• Find it: Bollington · SK10 5HG

Based on how each lake is set up — not a ranking.

The Macclesfield Canal slips through Bollington on its summit level, running between Marple and Macclesfield. This is a proper canal stretch rather than a neat commercial lake, so expect a different sort of day out. Towpath access, changing pegs and a fair bit of water to explore. Much more mooching than marching straight to a numbered swim with a wheelbarrow full of kit.

There are no published lake or pool dimensions here, which is hardly a shock on a canal. You’re fishing a length of water, not a fixed little bowl. Have a good wander first if you can. Look for changes in depth, cover, moored areas, overhanging features and quiet-looking margins. On a new canal, a few minutes watching the water can save a whole session of faffing about in the wrong swim.

There isn’t a verified species list for this exact Bollington stretch. The local Bollington and Royal Oak Angling Society reports roach, bream, tench, perch, pike, carp and gudgeon in its natural waters, but that shouldn’t be treated as a confirmed canal-stretch list. In other words, keep an open mind. A float outfit and light feeder tackle give you sensible options, with a few hook sizes, modest bait and enough terminal bits to adapt as the session unfolds.

Start simple and fish accurately. The margins, cover and any sheltered-looking water are well worth a careful look, while a mobile approach makes sense if the swim goes quiet. Don’t feel you have to clip up and batter one spot all day. On a canal, moving a short distance, changing depth or switching between float and feeder can be the difference between scratching around and getting on the munch.

The towpath is publicly accessible around Bollington, but parking and general facilities vary along the canal and aren’t fishery facilities. Clarence Mill and Bollington town centre provide nearby cafés, shops and other amenities, so a brew or bit of lunch is close at hand in the wider area. The supplied postcode is only an area postcode for the Bollington canal vicinity, not a confirmed entrance, so check your route and access point before loading the gear.

The main thing to sort before setting off is permission. No verified day-ticket price, booking system or canal-specific opening time was found for this named stretch. The local society publishes membership options — including senior membership at £30 a year and several £20 categories — but it does not list this canal among its named waters. Ask whoever controls the relevant section before fishing, and check the current rules, licence requirements and access position. If society rules apply, they include a valid rod licence, a maximum of two rods, returning all fish alive, no night fishing and no bivvies. Take a sensible day bag, keep the kit mobile and you’ll be bob on.

We're not sure on ticket prices for this one — check with the club or local regulations before you leave.

Good background reading. Most of it is a few years old, so treat it as a starting point and ask on the day.

Videos linked by the fishery

• Our read

  Checked Sept '26 — “A towpath-accessible Macclesfield Canal stretch through Bollington, sat on the summit level between Marple and Macclesfield. It looks like a proper canal angling wander, but access, species and fishing arrangements for this exact stretch need checking before you pack the gear.”

This is our own summary of recurring public feedback and the venue details we checked, not a copied customer review or a promise you’ll catch. Feedback changes, so we keep it separate from the Tackle Index score.