Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead. |
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Introduction
This site contains about 47Mb of data, in over 1,000 pages, relating to canals and navigable rivers in the UK. Much of this is details of each individual waterway together with a table of distances for those waterways still in use. There is also a large waterways bibliography in both title and author order. Articles, glossary and over two hundred photographs are among some of the other things you can find here.
If you are interested in Waterways History there are pages covering each individual navigation, Engineers and Surveyors, and a large Chronology.
Check out the Features page for a variety of pages that don't fit under the other categories. I am also trying to maintain the most comprehensive set of links to other UK Waterways websites. The navigation bars on the bottom and/or top of each page lets you jump to any of the main subject pages from anywhere in the site.
The following pages are intended for the newcomer to the subject who would like to know more about the basics of various aspects of the waterways.
Introducing Canal History A short account of UK navigations from Roman Britain to the years of Canal Mania.
Introducing the Waterways System A description of UK canals and navigable rivers as they are today.
Introducing Canal Boating How to choose a boat, navigation basics, working locks.
Introducing Route Planning Which waterway, Canal Rings, making a timetable