• HOME
• PUBLIC TRIPS
• PRIVATE CHARTERS
• SELF-DRIVE
• ABOUT THE CANAL
• TESTIMONIALS
• LINKS
• CONTACT

About the Canal

The history of the Leeds-Liverpool canal, the UK’s longest at 127 miles, is a fascinating tale.

The canal was first proposed in 1766, inspired by the success of the Bridgewater canal which was set up to fuel the Industrial Revolution’s ever-increasing appetite for coal. At the time, Yorkshire was an extremely prosperous area with booming industrial towns and rich mill owners – including Sir Titus Salt, owner of Salts Mill at Bingley, the world’s largest industrial building of the era. It seemed logical that a canal opening up the possibility of coast-to-coast trade would be very profitable.

An Act was passed in 1770, and construction began – in fact, the first stretch to be completed was from right here in Skipton to a few miles East in Shipley.

However, plans were never far from controversy, with different parties disagreeing on varying proposals. After running out of money in 1777, construction came to a standstill until, in 1790, a new plan was finally approved which saw the canal running further south through Lancashire, via important towns and coalfields, encouraging more investors to put forward funds.

The canal was finally opened in 1816, by which time other canals had already crossed the Pennines and connected East to West. However, the wise decision to build a wide canal with large locks to accommodate bigger barges meant that the Leeds-Liverpool canal remained open whilst others were forced to close.

During its heyday the Leeds-Liverpool transported over one million tons of coal, along with limestone, wool, machinery, groceries, almost anything! However, the spread of railways and their opportunities for cheap haulage meant that trade on the canal dwindled until, in 1960 it finally ceased.

Nowadays the canal is still enjoyed by thousands who come to explore the area from the unique vantage point of traditional boats, both privately owned or tour boats, floating on a waterway steeped in history and surrounded by natural beauty. The Leeds-Liverpool canal is one of the UK’s quietest and most peaceful, particularly in the stretch around Skipton where the Dales scenery is particularly stunning. It is also one of the most famous stretches of canal, with the infamous engineering marvel of the Bingley Five Rise Locks, the mile-long, perfectly straight Foulridge tunnel and the impressive Burnley Embankment.