An introduction to the Pocklington Canal

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The Pocklington Canal is a delightful rural waterway in East Yorkshire. It is nine and a half miles long (15 km), flowing from Canal Head near Pocklington to the River Derwent at East Cottingwith. The canal was completed in 1818 and is part of the inland waterways network of England and Wales.

 

Like many canals it became derelict with the coming of the railways. Considerable restoration work has been done by the Pocklington Canal Amenity Society volunteers with the help of others.   With the completion of restoration of Thornton and Walbut locks in 2018 and dredging, seven miles of the canal is now open to navigation.  The entire canal has a towpath.

 

The Pocklington Canal has retained natural banking and is one of our finest canals for wildlife, with both national and international protection. The four road bridges and nine locks are important heritage features and all of them are Grade II Listed.  The canal is owned by the Canal & River Trust.