Description
A charming and characterful guidebook to the best of Britain’s diverse and fascinating canal network for all waterway enthusiasts.
Beautifully illustrated, this compendium uncovers the many extraordinary, notable and surprising places to be found on Britain’s waterways. Our canals and rivers link into a diverse 3,000-mile-long network, and 101 Wonders of the Waterways shows you that wherever you find yourself in the country, there will be something nearby to give you a taste of this beautiful and nostalgia-infused world.
Canal cruising experts Steve Haywood and Moira Haynes bring our waterways to life with their witty and lyrical prose, including many lesser-known and often ignored places – the best-kept secrets of Britain’s canals and rivers. Some examples of wonders include:
· Historic Hungerford in Berkshire, where William of Orange was staying when he was offered the crown after the Glorious Revolution
· The world famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, soaring spectacularly on slender tapered columns 126 feet over the River Dee below
· Hest Bank, with its stunning views and the only place where a canal runs so close to the seashore that you can smell the seaweed from the back of your boat
As well as lively personal anecdotes, and insightful commentary on Britain’s heritage and history, this guide includes handy recommendations to help you make the most of your visit to each wonder. This is the book you will want to have in the back of your car, or stuffed into your backpack, so you can find an idyllic place for a picnic, or the perfect day trip for a long weekend.
Table of Contents
Introduction and Dedication
Some Basics
The Inland Waterways Association
Locks
Distance and Mile Posts
1. The Midlands
Bancroft Basin, Stratford-upon-Avon
Barrel-roofed Lock Cottages, South Stratford Canal
The Birmingham Canal Navigations
BCN Challenge
Braunston
Charity Dock
The Chesterfield Canal
Cosgrove to Grafton Regis, Grand Union Canal
Cromford Mills and the Cromford Canal
Fotheringhay
Foxton Locks and Inclined Plane
The Great Northern Basin
The Harecastle Tunnels
Hatton Locks
Lichfield Canal Aqueduct
Napton and the Oxford Summit
Royal Ordnance Depot, Weedon
Shardlow
Stoke Bruerne and Blisworth Tunnel
Stourport-on-Severn
South Stratford Split Bridges
Tixall Wide
Toll Islands, Birmingham
Arts and Crafts
Roses and Castles
Towpath Art
2. The North
The Anderton Boat Lift and The River Weaver
The Barton Swing Aqueduct
Bingley Five Rise Locks
Bugsworth Basin
Burnley Embankment
Chester
Ellesmere Port
Gargrave
Glasson Dock and Basin
Hebden Bridge and the Rochdale Summit
Hest Bank
The Liverpool Link
Naburn Lock
The Ribble Link
The Rochdale 9
Saltaire
The Springs Branch
Standedge Tunnel
Wardle Canal
Wigan Pier
Worsley Delph
Canal Curiosities
Roving Bridges
Tow Rope Grooves
Hobbit Houses
3. The South
Blow-up Bridge (Macclesfield Bridge), Regent’s Canal
Camden Lock
Little Venice
The Thames Tunnel
Maritime Greenwich
The Thames Barrier
Three Mills Island
The Royal Gunpowder Mills
The River Thames between Goring and Windsor
Swan-upping
The Wey Navigation
Port Meadow and Oxford
Cropredy Festival
Southern Oxford and Llangollen Lift Bridges
Tooley’s Boatyard
Travelling Players
Mikron Theatre
Tim and Pru
4. The East
The Broads
The Cambridge Backs
Denver Sluice
Ely
The Glory Hole, Lincoln
Reed Cutters
Wicken Fen
Tributaries of the Great Ouse
The Wash
Waterways Wildlife
Water Voles
Water Birds
5. Wales and the West
Bridge-keepers’ Cottages, Gloucester & Sharpness Canal Bristol Floating Harbour
Caen Hill Lock Flight
The Ellesmere Lake District
Gloucester Docks
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Pulteney Bridge, Bath
Horseshoe Falls
Ironbridge
The Rennie Aqueducts
Sapperton Tunnel and the Cotswold Canals
The Severn Bore
Whixall Moss
Woodseaves Cutting
A Water Way of Life
Waterways Pubs
Traditional Boatman’s Cabin
6. Scotland
Caledonian Canal
Crinan Canal
The Falkirk Wheel
The Kelpies
Neptune’s Staircase
Index
Acknowledgements
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