Stretches of Rivers and Canals I've Walked Along

Stretches of Rivers and Canals I've Walked Along

First the rivers -

AIRE: Only two short sections - I walked through the 'Dark Arches' where the river flows underneath Leeds City Railway Station and several years earlier crossed over the river at Castleford towards the end of a walk along the Aire and Calder Navigation with Chris, my friend from Leeds. The Dark Arches is a unique location, not as busy as it used to be a few years ago when there were several independent artisan shops and a craft market down there...but the area is now illuminated with multicoloured lighting.

ALPORT: A tributary of the River Ashop rising on Bleaklow. I needed to ford it when walking down to the road after visiting Alport 

Castles.

AMBER: I've crossed this river in its upper reaches near Kelstedge between Chesterfield and Matlock, and then again as I walked along a short stretch at Ashover a few miles downstream. 

ASHOP: This short river flows into Ladybower Reservoir from the west. I've crossed over it a couple of times in the Woodlands Valley...although one of the crossings is actually a ford. Fortunately it isn't very deep.

BRADFORD: A very scenic river in the Peak District. It's only short but forms a charming, peaceful dale, Bradford Dale, near Youlgreave.

CALDER: Several stretches of my walk with Chris from Leeds when we walked along the Aire and Calder Navigation from Wakefield to Castleford. It's all quite industrial and derelict along here in places and so this wasn't one of my favourite walks.

CHESWOLD: This 'river' only about a mile from Doncaster town centre is claimed to be the shortest river in the United Kingdom. It's only about eight hundred yards long, but it's not really a river, it's just an outflow of the River Don which rejoins the main route a few hundred yards further downstream. You cross the Cheswold as it breaks away from the Don when walking along the river to Sprotbrough. A geographical curiousity...but nothing more.

DEARNE: One of the two main tributaries of the Don. I've walked along several sections between Monk Bretton near Barnsley and where it joins the Don at Conisbrough. Parts of the TransPennine Trail go along here.

DERWENT: There are several rivers named Derwent in England, I'm obviously referring to the one in Derbyshire though. I've walked along its course from where it emerges from Ladybower Reservoir at Yorkshire Bridge down to Cromford. I've also walked along the riverside at Derby. The Derwent Flows through Chatsworth Park, right next to the House...and also Matlock Bath. One of the more interesting places is walking across the stepping stones at Bamford Mill.

DON: My local river here in Doncaster. I've regularly walked upstream along its banks to Sprotbrough and further afield, and downstream in a few areas as it flows in a north easterly direction towards Goole. The Don Gorge at Sprotbrough is very scenic. I've also encountered the river in its upper reaches near Oughtibridge to the north west of Sheffield.

HULL: This river flows into the Humber estuary at Hull [Officilaay called Kingston-upon-Hull.] I've walked along a short section near the city centre at the rear of the transport museum.

HUMBER: When travelling to either Hull or Beverley in the car with my support worker we will usually stop at Hessle Foreshore to eat our sandwiches and then take a short walk to get a good close up view of the Humber Bridge.

IDLE: I only crossed over the road bridge right at the Idle's confluence with the River Trent at West Stockwith but further upstream I've walked along several stretches to the north of Retford. It's very pretty as it flows through King's Park in the town.

LATHKILL: A charming river that flows into the Wye near to Haddon Hall. Claimed to have the clearest water in the Peak District. I've walked from its source in Lathkill Dale to Alport, for the rest of its course it flows alongside a busy road. The old bridge at Raper Lodge is one of my favourite spots.

LIMB BROOK: As with the Porter Brook there's a lovely walk that can be had by starting at Ringinglow and walking back towards Sheffield city centre passing through Whirlowbrook Park and Ecclesall Woods. It joins the Sheaf at Abbeydale.

LOXLEY: Flows into the Don at Hillsborough, a northern suburb of Sheffield. I'm not sure where its most distant source is up on the moors but I've walked along this river for several miles from its outflow at Damflask Reservoir to the tram terminus at Malin Bridge.

NOE: The river that flows through the Vale of Edale. There's only a short section of footpath that goes alongside the river. There is some spectacular walking country in this area.

OUSE: The river that flows through York, where I've crossed over it many times and walked along short sections. I've also stood next to the Ouse on a viewing platform at Selby.

PEAKSHOLE WATER: The river that flows through Castleton in the Peak District after emerging from the Devil's Arse Cavern in the village. There's a gentle walk along the river to Hope, the next village.

PORTER BROOK: Walking along the River Porter from Ringinglow to Endcliffe Park is my favourite walk in Sheffield.

POULTER: The Poulter is the river that flows through Clumber Park. On one of my walks I found a lovely spot down by the river to eat my sandwiches, much further downstream to the south of Retford.

RIVELIN: It's a lovely walk from the bus stop just before the waterworks buildings all the way down the river to Malin Bridge. There are a lot of ruins of old mills to see, with detailed information boards as you walk along the Rivelin Valley Heritage Trail.

ROTHER: I've crossed over the river many times when leaving the railway station at Rotherham. More recently when I completed the final four and a half miles of my walk along the Chesterfield Canal I was walking alongside the river as I approached Chesterfield. 

RYTON: This is the river that flows through Worksop although it's not easy to see it in the town centre. Further downstream I've crossed over it at Bilby and when I was walking from Blyth to Hodsock Priory. Finally I've walked over the road bridge crossing approaching Scrooby from the north. 

SHEAF: The river from which Sheffield takes its name. I've crossed over and walked along several of its headstreams to the south of Totley.

SKELL: A short local river to the north of Doncaster. I've crossed over this river in the village of Skelbrooke. The river that flows through Ripon is also called the Skell - I walked along its bank for a short stretch on my recent visit to the city.  

TORNE: I've walked alongside this local river to the south of Old Rossington and then further downstream between Branton and Torne 

Bridge. The Torne is the only Yorkshire river that flows into the Trent, however the River Idle, which briefly forms the county boundary with Nottinghamshire at Bawtry also flows into the Trent.

TRENT: My only encounter with this river when walking is at West Stockwith; it's tidal and very wide here. I've walked along the waterfront at Newark-on-Trent - there are the ruins of the castle, some nice gardens and a lock on the canalised section of the river.  

WENT: Forms most of the boundary between South Yorkshire and North Yorkshire. Before it forms the boundary I've walked through Brockadale, or the 'Went Gorge' between Wentbridge and Kirk Smeaton and subsequently a short section towards Norton where it does form the county boundary. Further upstream, nearer to its source at Featherstone I've walked along its bank between Low Ackworth and Thorpe Audlin.

WHARFE: Briefly walking along the riverside at Ilkley and Wetherby on days out with my support worker.

WITHAM: the river that flows through Lincoln. I've only walked along a short stretch in the city centre when visiting.

WYE: I've walked along long stretches of the River Wye between the Pavilion Gardens at Buxton to its confluence with the Derwent at Rowsley. Particularly attractive sections are Cheedale, Monsal Dale and the much gentler countrtyside between Ashford-in-the-Water and Bakewell. The riverside at Bakewell is charming. 

Now...the canals.

AIRE AND CALDER NAVIGATION: Short stretches of the River Calder have been canalised - I would have walked along these sections on my walk along the river from Wakefield to Castleford. I also crossed over the canal at Whitley Lock on my most recent walk - the waterway is also known as the Knottingley and Goole Canal here.

BARNSLEY CANAL: Now totally disused and dry in several places. I walked along the towpath, and sometimes on the bottom of the trough where there's no water, on my walk from Sandal and Agbrigg railway station to Stairfoot near Barnsley.

CHESTERFIELD CANAL: My favourite canal for walking - it passes through some lovely countryside and pretty villages. Over the course of several walks I've covered the entire length from West Stockwith on the Trent to Chesterfield...there's a short section that's blocked, but local volunteers are hoping to eventually have it cleared. My favourite sections are between Gringley-on-the-Hill and Retford and the stretch from just west of Worksop to Thorpe Salvin.

CROMFORD CANAL: I've walked along the towpath from Cromford Wharf to High Peak Junction. I'm hoping to do the area further south later this year.

NEW JUNCTION CANAL: Runs dead straight for five and a half miles to the north east of Doncaster linking the Stainforth and Keadby Canal and the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation with the Aire and Calder Navigation. I've walked along the towpath on the southern section and crossed over the road bridges...however my highlight was travelling the entire length by barge about twelve years ago, piloting the vessel for part of the trip - and being in command as we crossed over the Don Aqueduct. This canal was built as recently as 1905.

RIVER DON NAVIGATION/SHEFFIELD AND SOUTH YORKSHIRE NAVIGATION/SHEFFIELD AND TINSLEY CANAL: I'm confused about the exact terminology 

when it comes to the River Don and the various canalised sections. Nontheless I've walked along much of the length up to the canal basin in Sheffield apart from the section from Tinsley to Conisbrough and the lower reaches upstream of Goole. I even enjoyed a short cruise at Sprotbrough a couple of years ago.

STAINFORTH AND KEADBY CANAL: Flows between Kirk Bramwith to Keadby on the Trent. I've walked along the western section of this canal and at the time, about twelve years ago, piloted a large eighty ton barge along the stretch from Kirk Bramwith to Thorne. This was our regular trip taking groups of schoolchildren and members of local community groups.