The Canal
"The Pocklington Canal runs for 9.5 miles between East Cottingwith and Canal Head at Pocklington. The Pocklington Canal Amenity Society have restored the section from the River Derwent to the Melbourne Arm back to navigation, approximately half the length of the canal. Together with the Amenity Society, we're currently working to extend the navigation to Bielby Arm, which will increase the navigable section by around two miles.
The majority of the canal is designated as SSSI for its wildlife value, with the lower reaches lying within the Lower Derwent Valley National Nature Reserve. The towpath that runs along the canal is a great place for spotting the brilliant blue flash of a kingfisher or dragonflies darting above the reeds.
The canal architecture also adds interest to the scenery, with distinctive swing bridges, classic hump-backed bridges and restored and unrestored locks.
The Pocklington Canal history
The canal was one of the last to be built, and was promoted by prosperous local farmers who sought more effective means of transporting their goods to the fast-growing towns of West Yorkshire. Its Act was passed in 1815, and it opened three years later.
The Pocklington is one of the few canals in Britain that were completed for less than the original estimated cost, costing only £32,695. Coal, lime, fertiliser and industrial goods were carried to Pocklington, and agricultural produce was sent out to the West Riding.
It was taken over by the York & North Midlands Railway in 1848, after just thirty years of operation. During the middle part of the last century the canal fell into disuse and became unnavigable. Despite plans in the 1950s to turn it into a dumping ground for chalk sludge, the canal survived, thanks to an active restoration group."
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The Bridge
The canal was built with two different types of bridge. Brick arch bridges were constructed where there was an existing road and it needed to carry traffic over the canal.
In other cases the canal cut across farmland and a bridge was required to give the farmer access to both sides of the canal. A swing bridge was a cheaper alternative than an arch bridge and were built with a pintle that allowed them to swing to let boats pass.
These bridges were originally made of wood and after the canal closed were replaced with fixed bridges.
When the canal reopened new swing bridges were constructed from steel.
They are normally left across the canal to give the farmers easy access to their fields. They are locked and boatowners carry a key to allow them to open the bridge to let the boat pass, they then swing the bridge back and relock it.
The bridge has to be strong enough to allow farm equipment such as tractors across but has a maxim load of 10 Tons.
This bridge was rebuilt in 2018 when a small section of the canal was opened from the Melbourne Arm to here where there was a short arm of the canal to a mill at the village of Bielby. This work coincided with the 200th anniversary of the opening of the canal.
This bridge can also be used by walkers and cyclists to access the village of Bielby and to walk along the opposite side of the canal to Coates arch bridge.
Most of the swing bridges are restricted to use by farmers and not open to the public and this is the only part of the canal where it's possible to walk on both sides of the canal.