Routes

One Week Cruises

Sheffield and Keadby

The cruise to Sheffield takes in the Selby Canal, the Aire & Calder Navigation, the New Junction Canal and the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Canal. On your return from Sheffield, you should have time to venture along the Stainforth & Keadby Canal to Keadby Lock at the confluence with the River Trent.

The locks and swing bridges to Mexborough and Keadby are mechanised and operated by the boater when not manned by British Waterways staff. The locks into Sheffield are boater operated but assistance in navigating the Tinsly Flight is available.

This cruise offers some fine boating with excellent views and is suited to both experiences and inexperienced crews.

Sowerby Bridge

Sowerby Bridge is the head of the Calder & Hebble Navigation on the eastern side of the Pennines. Besides the Calder & Hebble, the cruise includes the Dewbury and Halifax arms of the canal and the Huddersfield Broad Canal, in addition to the Selby Canal and the Western part of the Aire & Calder.

There are a number of interesting canal features along this route including the Ferrybridge power station coal lift (where barges filled with 175 tons of coal are lifted out of the water and tipped upside down to empty the coal), the Stanley Ferry Aqueduct, the Guillotine Lock, the Calder & Hebble paddle mechanism and a number of lock configurations.

This route, which provides some excellent scenic cruising together with glimpses of our historical past, is suited to the novice boater as well as the experienced crews.

Skipton

Skipton lies towards the summit of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal - the longest canal in England.

Special features include the Bingley Three- and Five-Rise staircase locks. The Bingley Five-Rise, where the canal level is raised 60 feet in 300 feet, is one of the 7 wonders of the canal system. The cruise to Skipton gives a variety of scenic features and landscapes including the coal lift at Ferry Bridge, the commercial traffic on the Aire & Calder, the renovated heartland of Leeds and the rural views as the canal climbs up the Dales towards the Pennine range.

This cruise is suitable for all boaters.

York and Ripon

Ripon is the furthest point north you can cruise on a canal connected to the English inland waterway network.

This cruise is an excellent and economical way of visiting York, where you can moor in the centre of the city.

However because of the need to navigate tidal waters to York, pilotage (which can be arranged) would be needed by inexperienced crews.

River Derwent and Pocklington Canal

The River Derwent is navigable to Stamford bridge, scene of one of the greatest battles in England. The Pocklington Canal is undergoing restoration and is open to Melbourne.

The water in this canal is crystal clear. This cruise is for the experienced crew looking for 'off the beaten track' cruising and is for the adventurous only.

Two Week Cruises

With 2 week cruising, most of the canals within the central area can be covered. For instance, it should be possible to combine the Sheffield and Sowerby Bridge cruises and still have time to explore towards Bingley. You might prefer to combine the Sowerby Bridge and the Skipton cruise, or, for experienced boaters, the Ouse routes.

Blackburn

A two week cruise along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal should take you within the vicinity of Blackburn.

On this cruise, besides the attractions you will find along the canal, you will cross the Pennines, navigate the Bingley Three- and Five-Rise locks, go through the Foulridge Tunnel and cross over the Burnley Aqueduct. All these are classic features of the canal system.

Three Week Cruises

The Northern Ring

If you are feeling energetic, you can cruise the 'Northern Ring'.

Cross the Pennines to Leigh on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, join either the Bridgewater Canal to Northwich and then the Trent & Mersey Canal to Trent Junction, or the Ashton Canal and the Macclesfield Canal to Kidsgrove where you once again connect with the Trent and Mersey Canal.

From Trent junction you follow the Trent Navigation and the River Trent to Keadby junction where you join the Stainforth & Keadby Canal which leads you back to Selby via the New Junction Canal, the Aire & Calder Navigation and the Selby Canal.

This cruise is not for the faint hearted.