Page updated 9 July 2004 

The Peak Forest, Ashton and Huddersfield Narrow Canals

Ashton Canal

General

Handcuff Keys N97#5p147 N2k#5p147 N03#5p155

A handcuff (or anti-vandal) key is needed for all the locks and swing bridges on this canal. The reference in Navigational Note 1 to the Peak Forest Canal is incorrect - a handcuff key is needed only for bridge 1 of that canal, not for the locks.

Ducie Street Junction

Rochdale Canal

Ancoats Locks N97#5p146 N2k#5p146 N03#5p31p154p158

The side arm and Water Point are located between Locks 1 and 2, not below Lock 1.

Velodrome N97#5p146 N2k#5p146 N03#5p154

A shopping basket symbol (for local food shop) should be placed by the bridge between Bridges 9 and 10, opposite the Velodrome.

Bridge 11 N03#5p154

The shopping basket symbol should be removed.

Bridge 12 N97#5p146 N2k#5p146 N03#5p154

Crabtree Swing Bridge (un-named and un-numbered in the 97 and 2000 editions), which was positioned directly over the chamber of lock 13, has been replaced by a fixed footbridge of navigable height.

Bridge 13 N97#5p146 N2k#5p146 N03#5p154

The symbol, for the Friendship(?), by Edge Lane Bridge should be removed, as the pub has been demolished.

Fairfield Junction N97#5p146 N2k#5p146 N03#5p154

There are no sewage disposal facilities near Lock 18. The water point still exists (but may not be usable).

Bridge 24 N97#5p147 N2k#5p147 N03#5p155

A boatyard is situated between the bridge and the motorway. It is used as a winding point by Shire Cruisers.

NOTE: Due to the revised page layout, the 500yd length of the Ashton Canal between Bridges 24 and 26 has been lost in the join between p153-p155 in the 2003 edition, but it can be found on p52 (Huddersfield Narrow Canal).

Duckinfield Junction

Peak Forest Canal

Huddersfield Narrow Canal

Peak Forest Canal

General

Handcuff Keys N97#5p139 N2k#5p139 N03#5p147

A handcuff (or anti-vandal) key is needed only for Bridge 1 on this canal, but not for any of the locks (although it is required for the Ashton, Rochdale and Leeds and Liverpool). (See Navigational Note 1)

Duckinfield Junction

Ashton Canal

Huddersfield Narrow Canal

Portland Basin N97#5p145 N2k#5p145

There is a water point at Portland Basin Museum.

Bridge 3 N97#5p145 N2k#5p145 N03#5p153

The boatyard sign 300yds south of the bridge, only shown in the 2000 edition should be erased, but it does indicate the site of a small side arm.

Bridge 6 N97#5p145 N2k#5p145

The pipe bridge south of the footbridge south of Bridge 6 does not exist.

Captain Clarke's Bridge N97#5p145 N2k#5p145

This is the unlabelled bridge north of Bridge 7. It is here that the towpath changes sides.

Bridge 7 N97#5p145 N2k#5p145

This is a simple footbridge (as indicated in the 1997 edition). It is not Captain Clarke's Bridge nor does the towpath change sides here, remaining on the west side.

Bridge 8 N97#5p145

The bridge marked as 8 is an additional, un-numbered, bridge.  The real Bridge 8 is half-way between those marked 7 and 8.

Bridge 14 N97#5p142

The winding hole shown near the aqueduct south of the bridge is, in fact, immediately south of the bridge and there is a pipe bridge immediately south of it.

Bridge 14 N97#5p142 N2k#5p142

There is a footbridge a little to the north of the bridge.

Marple

Macclesfield Canal

Bridge 21 N97#5p142 N2k#5p142

There is a winding hole to the on the 90° bend, 500yds south of the bridge, where the green diamond of the Cown Edge Way leaves the canal northwards.

Bridge 22 N97#5p138 N2k#5p138

The bridge is 100m further north than shown, at the point where the green diamond indicating where the Cown Edge Way footpath leaves the canal westwards.

There is are winding holes to the south before Strines Aqueduct and to the north on the 90° bend, where the green diamond of the Cown Edge Way leaves the canal northwards.

Bridge 28 N97#5p139 N2k#5p139

There is a winding hole just south of New Mills Wharf by the bridge.

Bridge 29 N97#5p139 N2k#5p139

There is a winding hole on the sharp bend north of the bridge.

Bridge 30 N97#5p139 N2k#5p139 N03#5p147

The Carr Swing Bridge is secured by a padlock and chain for which a BW key is required.

Whaley Bridge Branch Junction

Whaley Bridge Branch

Bugsworth

Bugsworth Basin N97#5p139

The canal is now open to Bugsworth (Buxworth) Basin, following the line of the river and not the towpath line shown on the map.  It has excellent facilities, including Water, Refuse and Sewage Disposal Points.

Bugsworth Basin N2k#5p139

Bugsworth (Buxworth) Basin's facilities include a Refuse Disposal Point.

Head of Navigation

Whaley Bridge Branch

Whaley Bridge Branch Junction

Peak Forest Canal

New Bridge N97#5p139 N2k#5p139

There's a new bridge 100yds from the junction with the main line carrying the access road to a new Tesco in the area bounded by the stream which passes under the aqueduct on the main line.  (There is a filling station being built which should be useful for owners of petrol powered boats.)

Tesco have apparently spent £32,000 on preparing access from the towpath.  BW are playing it very slowly in giving them permission to cut through the towpath wall (see picture) and one currently has to jump over it. Tesco have undertaken to have contractors at the wall the day after BW give consent!

Head of Navigation

Huddersfield Narrow Canal

Dukinfield Junction

Peak Forest Canal

Ashton Canal

NOTE: The 1997 and 2000 guides indicate a Head of Navigation at the winding hole above Bridge 103 although the canal is open for through navigation to Huddersfield and beyond. No updates to any edition have yet been received.

A full guide to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal is available in a special section of this site. (The Stalybridge page covers the first section from Dukinfield Junction.)