A Canal Walk Through Marple

The Peak Forest Canal runs through the middle of Marple, with a flight of 16 locks followed by the highest masonry aqueduct in England. The canal was built to provide an outlet for limestone quarries at Doveholes. The transhipment basin at Bugsworth was connected to the quarries by the Peak Forest Tramway. The first part of the tramway is now under the bypass, but it can be followed in separate stretches from the outskirts of Chapel-en-le-Frith to Barmoor Clough, and then into Dove Holes quarry. A short branch leads to the canal basin in Whaley Bridge, which was the transhipment point for the Cromford and High Peak Railway, which is another interesting story.

My walk began at the juction with the Macclesfield Canal at the top of the flight of locks. The total fall is 209 feet in one mile, and the deepest lock has a drop of about 16 feet.

Macclesfield Canal Bridge 1 at the junction with the Peak Forest Canal, with the top of the lock flight along to the right.


The top three locks have large side pounds. They are surrounded by houses, and a road runs immediately to the left of the canal with terraced houses facing the canal.


Lock 13 with Oldknow Road crossing the bridge just below the lock gates. Down the slope on the left is the horse tunnel under the road.


The horse tunnel beneath Oldknow Road, looking up the lock flight.


Samuel Oldknow’s warehouse between locks 9 and 10.


A work boat exiting lock 9, and about to pass under Station Road. Samuel Oldknow’s warehouse is in the background.


The single top gate of lock 6. All of the locks have a single gate at the top and a pair of mitre gates at the bottom. The top gates have inset paving blocks to push against when opening the gate.


The lower gates at lock 6, with lock 5 visible in the distance.


The bridge below the lower gates at lock 6. There are no inset paving blocks to push against at the lower gates, because the beams overhang the bridge and you walk across the bridge to push the gates open – very neat.


The paddle mechanism by the upper gate at lock 5.


The stonework is very well executed, and in good condition after 230 years wear.


The full extent of lock 4.


The lower gates of lock 4, renewed in 1997.


The cottage by lock 1. Below the lock, the canal passes under the railway and then over Marple Aqueduct.


Marple Aqueduct over the River Goyt, looking towards Rosehill Cutting.


The aqueduct with the later Marple Viaduct on the Hope Valley Line.


The aqueduct and viaduct from the level of the River Goyt.


Rosehill Cutting, an opened-out tunnel, just beyond the aqueduct.


The aqueduct from Rosehill Cutting.


A View from the Water

The Peak Forest Canal has two long levels separated by the Marple flight of locks. I have paddled a sea kayak from Bugsworth via Whaley Bridge to the top of the lock flight. Canals are not very exciting by kayak, and you do get a duck’s-eye view of the world. The biggest challenge on this stretch of canal is passing the accommodation bridges, which are lifting bridges at towpath level – you need to be able to do the kayak-equivalent of limbo dancing to pass underneath them.

However, you do get a view of the structures that you cannot get from the towpath – these are the duck’s-eye view of Bridge 1 on the Macclesfield Canal.

Macclesfield Canal Bridge 1 from the Peak Forest Canal.


Bridge 1 is a roving bridge – this is the ramp on the Macclesfield Canal side of the bridge. A roving bridge allows the towing horse to move from the towpath on one side of the canal to the opposite side without untying the rope.


Peak Forest Canal seen from the Macclesfield Canal.


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