Usually one of the highlights of the year for RNR members is the annual rally.
The rally takes place in a different location each year. In the past this followed a four year cycle of
Midlands, South, Midlands, North. However with very few (almost none) suitable venues in the south of England, this pattern is not guarenteed. See below.
2025 Rally
Thank you to the Register members who responded to our autumn 2024 request for their preferences regarding future Rally locations.
Extra thanks to the members who undertook detailed research into the two 'new' locations of Lymm and Stalybridge.
Using a weighted scoring system, the three Cheshire locations achieved very similar scores which were a little way ahead of Titford. Just taking the first place preferences, Lymm came out in top spot.
Investigations at Lymm resulted in a generous offer from
Lymm Cruising Club to host our Rally at their main site in the town.
However, due to clashes with other committed events they are not able to accommodate us in June or July next year.
Consequently we have agreed in principle that they will host our 2027 Rally.
In light of the breach on the Bridgewater Canal at Little Bollington that occured on 1st January 2025, this has been a wise decision!
Hence the 2025 Rally location is Stalybridge.
All the town and canal organisations we have contacted are very keen to see a boating event in the town. No large boat gatherings have taken place there since the reopening of the Huddersfield Narrow canal in 2001.
In fact, it is unusual to see more than a couple of boats moored in the town.
Following a generous offer from the priest of the Catholic church of
St. Peter and St. Raphael; their fabulous church hall is the main location for Rally events.
This hall ranks amongst the best Rally facilities we have used; it has a large kitchen and very importantly a separate bar. It is a 7 minute walk of less than half a mile from the canal. Dogs are permitted in the hall.
Completing the advanced planning is the 2029 Rally, this will be a return to Audlem. By then there should be a longer section of the Montgomery Canal to explore as a post-Rally cruise.
Provisionally the 2026 and 2028 Rallies will be in the Midlands, most probably on the BCN or in the Black Country.
The 2025 Rally dates are Wednesday 25th to Sunday 29th June. We choose this to enable Rally attendees to also attend the
Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival between 13th and 15th June and the
Lymm Festival which starts on 19th June and features the Lymm Historic Transport Day on Sunday 22nd June.
However, the Little Bollington Breach on the Bridgewater Canal now makes it impossible to navigate a boat from Lymm to Stalybridge in three days!
Our mooring plan for Stalybridge has most boats moored in the pound between locks 6W and 7W; with two abreast on the offside and single mooring on the towing path side.
As usual, mooring spots are allocated in strict order of receipt of booking.
Provisional Rally Activity Plan
Wednesday 25th June
Evening Welcome reception at Bridge Beers. Evening free to sample the some of the town's pubs and restaurants. One not to be missed is the world
famous Station Buffet Bar.
Thursday 26th June
Morning / afternoon Day out by train/tram/bus; Option 1 – East Lancashire Railway ;
Option 2 – RHS Garden Bridgewater at Worsley;
Option 3 – some of the numerous museums and attractions in Central Manchester.
Evening Rally bar open in the Church Hall; games session.
Friday 27th June
Morning Quilling craft session (the use of strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to create decorative designs.) Technical session.
Lunchtime Rally bar open in the Church Hall.
Afternoon Register AGM. [There is no charge if you are just attending for the AGM.] Demonstration of Clog Dancing, with an opportunity to try your hand (or rather your feet) afterwards.
Evening Rally bar open in the Church Hall. Presentation by the
Huddersfield Canal Society on the restoration of the Narrow Canal.
Saturday 28th June
Morning Greeting card and present box craft session (a chance to use the designs created in the Quilling craft session. Technical session - probably cylinder heads.
Lunchtime Rally bar open in the Church Hall.
Afternoon A history talk or tour.
Evening Rally bar open in the Church Hall. Evening meal, £10 per person.
The choices for the main course of the meal are meat & potato pie; cheese & onion pie and vegan vegetable hot-pot. All served with salads or mushy peas and a choice of sweets to follow.
Evening entertainment: Where There’s Brass, in words and song, author and musician Tom Kitching recounts
making the long journey from Manchester to London on a traditional narrowboat built in 1937, and the following six months living in the London waterways community -
a floating slum at worst, a bohemian, alternative, vibrant community at best.
It is a love letter to the waterways, and a rallying cry for what they can be in the future.
Sunday 29th June
Morning Technical forum.
Lunchtime Rally bar open in the Church Hall.
Evening The RNR Ensemble band of staggering musicians and singers provide the musical finale to the Rally in
Ol's Bier & More
Booking process
This year there is a simple charge of £20 per adult; there are no separate charges for boat or motor-home entries, or for accompanied childeren (under age of 18).
The only additional charges are for Rally plaques (£8 each) and for a Saturday evening meal (£10 per person).
One of your party must be a Register Member - otherwise we will add £18 to the cost of the booking and enrol you as a member (or you can submit an
application to join the Register with a directdebit instruction for £15.)
Travel for all the Rally day out options on Thursday is by public transport - trains, buses and trams.
Participants will need to pay separately for any fares; similarly for the attraction entrance fees. Depending on numbers, we may be able to arrange for some discounted entrance rates.
There is no formal booking form. To make a Rally booking, send an email to
rally@rnregister.org.uk
or a text message to 07870 294580. Include all of the following information (hint - copy and paste from here):
Your name and Register membership number
Names of other adults in your party
Names and ages of any children in your party
Quantity of Rally plaques required
If attending by boat: boat name and length, planned arrival and departure dates
If attending by motor home: length and width, planned arrival and departure dates (there is limited parking places near the church hall)
Quantity of Saturday evening meat meals (meat and potatoe pie)
Quantity of Saturday evening vegetarian meals (cheese and potatoe pie)
Quantity of Saturday evening vegan meals (vegetable hot-pot)
List any allergies or special diet requirements of any person in your party
Number of dogs you are bringing
Number of cats you are bringing (only if coming by boat)
Any special requests
Your contact email address for Rally communictions
Your contact phone number for Rally communications
You will receive an an acknowledgement containing the instructions on how to pay the correct amount. If you are ordering Rally plaques, the deadline for booking is 6th May.
Submission of a Rally entry implies compliance of these
conditions of entry.
We look forward to seeing plenty of members at what will be our most northerly Rally yet.
Water supply issues on the Huddersfield Narrow and at Marple on the Peak Forest may require us to request staggered boat arrivals and departures.
Previous Rallies
Follow these links for reports of previous rallies.
2024 Rally |
2023 Rally |
2022 Rally |
2021 Summer Gathering |
2019 Rally |
2018 Rally |
2017 Rally |
2016 Rally |
2015 Rally |
2014 Rally |
2013 Rally |
2012 Rally |
2011 Rally |
2010 Rally |
2009 Rally |
2008 Rally |
2007 Rally |
2006 Rally |
2005 Rally |
2004 Rally |
2003 Rally |
2002 Rally |
2001 Rally |
2000 Rally |
1999 Rally |
1998 Rally
Due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) epidemic we cancelled the 2020 rally which was to be held at
Circus Field Basin, Aylesbury - home of the Aylesbury Canal Society.
Autumn Gathering
In addition to the main rally, the Register organises an informal gathering usually in mid September.
Members and guests can arrive by boat or any other means for a weekend of relaxation, eating and drinking.
The 2024 Autumn Gathering took place at the Lichfield Cruising Club between 19th and 22nd September.
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