Britain's Waterways - A Unique Insight (2nd Edition) - GEOprojects

This book is a 136 page (slightly shorter than A4) directory of ALL Britain's navigable waterways, including those no longer navigable.  As you might expect from GEOprojects, it is in full colour throughout with many maps and photographs (189kb)

Britain's Waterways - Cruising Rings and Other Things - GEOprojects

This book, the second in the "Britains Waterways" series, is an 80 page (slightly shorter than A4) directory of suggested waterway holiday cruising routes.  As you might expect from GEOprojects, it is in full colour throughout with many maps and photographs (56kb)

Inland Waterways of Ireland - Imray, Laurie Norie and Wilson

This 156 page book is a companion to Jane Cumberlidge's directory of British waterways. It follows the same A4 format with histories, distance tables, many maps and photographs, and navigation notes.(52kb)

Ashby Canal - Inland Waterways Books

A 40 page staple-bound, A5 sized, guide, with full colour cover and additional colour photographs inside.  "The Locals' Guide to the Ashby Canal and its surroundings" does what it says on the cover! Features hand-drawn mapping and many sponsors advertisements. (121kb)

Caldon Canal - Caldon Canal Society

A 28 page, A5 sized, guide, with full colour cover.  Inside there are many black and white photographs and three hand drawn maps covering the canal. (133kb)

Erewash Canal - Erewash Canal Preservation & Development Association

A 20 page A5 glossy cover book, with all the maps in colour (from GEO Projects) and fully illustrated mainly in colour.  Chapters also cover the history of the canal. (45kb)

Fen Waterways - Fens Tourism Group

A Free 28 page A4 sized glossy full colour publication from the local tourism office.  Aimed at both boaters and anglers it provides more detail of mooring and marina facilities and lock dimensions than Imrays.  Although containing some errors, it's a "must have" addition to any other local guide. (112kb)

Grand Union Canal - First Mate Guides

This guide, published in November 2000, is compiled by Carole Sampson.  It has 124, A5 sized, pages and is plastic comb bound.  First Mate Guides specialise in off-canal detail and are particularly useful to those looking not just for groceries and pubs, but take-aways, buses, petrol, banks, health services etc.  They list everything you may need within a 20 minute walk as well as those you'll hope you never will, e.g. how to get to the local A & E Department, dentist or Veterinary Surgery. (108kb)

Grand Union Canal (Northampton-Thames) - Waterways World

This is Number 5 in a series of guides published by "the" Waterways magazine. Reviewed here is the third edition, published in 2004. A companion volume covers Birmingham to Northampton.  It is A5 sized and ring bound, with 112 glossy pages with many excellent photographs.  (112kb)

Huddersfield Narrow Canal - British Waterways

"A Guide to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal" is a 32 page A5 booklet published "on behalf" of British Waterways. Eight of those pages are filled with the advertisements that have financed the publication which contains maps and many colour photographs. (92kb)

Llangollen and Mongomery Canals - Waterways World

This is Number 2 in a series of guides published by "the" Waterways magazine. Reviewed here is the seventh edition, published in 2005. It is A5 sized and ring bound, with 72 glossy pages with many excellent photographs.  (88kb)

Leicester Ring - First Mate Guides

The fourth of Carole Sampson's "First Mate Guides" series and published in 1999. It is A5 sized, plastic comb bound and contains 92 pages.  It covers the River Soar and the Grand Union Canal from Kegworth to Braunston, the North Oxford to Hawkesbury Junction, the Coventry Canal from Coventry to Fradley Junction, taking in the Ashby, the Trent and Mersey through to Shardlow, and then via the Trent and Erewash to Langley Mill.  Nottingham is covered for those departing or approaching from the Trent. (98kb)

Macclesfield and Upper Peak Forest Canals - Macclesfield Canal Society

This guide is written by Tim Boddington and members of the Macclesfield Canal Society.  It has 44 pages with a full colour cover and is A5 sized.  Inside there are many black and white photographs and glued to the back cover a large fold-out hand-drawn map of the canals. (120kb)

Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal - John Norris

A 82 spiral bound page, A5 sized, guide, with full colour cover, written and published by John Norris in 2007 - and supplied with the author's update sheet.  There are a lot of pages, much of it in smaller print than other guides.  The 17 colour "strip" maps and very full commentary cover the main navigable part of the canal.  A further four maps and similar detailed commentary cover the section still to be restored.  This edition has new colour photographs.  It retains the many photographs, line drawings and additional maps to illustrate the history, sections on how to use locks, safety tips, local wildlife and industrial archeology, local walks, and canalside furniture.
Forget Nicholson!  This labour of love is all you'll need. (95kb)

The North East Waterways - Ripon Motorboat Club

A 120 page A4 format book with a colour cover, 59 pages of maps and a limited number of photographs etc.  It covers the Ripon Canal, Market Weighton Canal and the Driffield Navigation and the Rivers Ure, Swale, Ouse, Derwent, Wharfe, Trent, Hull, Ancholme and the Humber, and as been described as a labour of love!. (93kb)

Sankey Canal - Sankey Canal Restoration Society

This 40 page, A5 sized, "towpath guide" was written by Colin Greenall and Peter G. Keen and completely revised in 1999.  In style it is reminiscent of the early BWB guides, having simple strip maps with the sections of the canal in water picked out in blue.  An excellent guide for the 16 mile walk along line of the canal. (116kb)

Shropshire Union Canal - First Mate Guides

A 69 page staple bound guide which was the third in the growing (in numbers and size) First Mate series.  First Mate Guides concentrate on off-canal facilities, useful to those searching for supplies and services for their crew. (98k)

Shropshire Union Canal - Waterways World

This is Number 1 in a series of guides published by "the" Waterways magazine. Reviewed here is the fifth edition, published in 2004. It is A5 sized and ring bound, with 70 glossy pages with many excellent photographs.  (88kb)

Staffordshire and Worcester Canal - First Mate Guides

An A5 sized, 40 page, staple bound guide.  This was the first in the First Mate series, which has become famous for it simple sketch maps and concentration on off-canal facilities rather than the waterways themselves. (99k)

Thames (Non-Tidal) and Southern Waterways - First Mate Guides

This First Mate Guide was published in November 2001 covers the Rivers Thames and Wey and the Basingstoke, South Oxford and Kennet and Avon (including Bristol) canals.  Like others in the series it is A5 sized and specialises in off-canal detail showing town plans for all centres of population near the waterways covered.

Trent and Mersey Canal - First Mate Guides

A 52 page staple bound guide which was the second in the First Mate series.  As with other First Mate Guides, this one concentrates on off-canal facilities, useful to those searching for supplies and services for their crew. (98k)

Wey Navigations - National Trust

An A5 staple-bound 32 page guide, with a glossy cover. Contains pleasing draghtsman-style maping with highly detailed lock insets. However, although still being sold in 2003, has a 1990 publication date! (102kb)

Wisbech Yacht Harbour - Fenland District Council

A free full colour A5 booklet of 24 pages, sponsored by advertising.  Aimed at both the coastal and inland boater, this booklet offers information on arrival and departure from this tidal port, lists of attractions to visit in this historic town, and a full tide table for 2004. (126kb)

Shannon and Erne Waterways - Gifford's Guides

A substantial letter sized (similar to A4) book with glossy covers, with a colour photograph on the front. 325 pages with masses of monochrome photographs, maps, plans and diagrams. Written by an American for an American audience, it comprehensively covers the 200 and more miles of waterway many square miles of Loughs. (143kb)