TOWPATHS IN TUNNELS
This page is intended as a working document to detail the level of pedestrian access through canal tunnels, and where necessary to comment on the suitability of any overland routes. Many tunnels were not built with a through towpath - Standedge on the Huddersfield Narrow and Harecastle being obvious examples - some have had their towpaths removed or they have become unusable for other reasons. Where there was a horsepath over the top, this has often been developed as a waymarked footpath, but in many cases those horsepaths have been lost to development, and the pedestrian has to take a more tortured path to get from one end of the tunnel to the other.
Where the overland route is important (i.e. it is the only way of continuing the journey on foot) we intend to document on pages here, how to follow that route. In this regard, we welcome any input from visitors to the site - whether you can offer a commentary on a particular route, or maybe comment on what is already written here.
|
Canal |
Tunnel name |
Length (yds) |
Towpath |
Appropriate overland route |
|
Arun |
Hardham |
375 |
No |
Yes |
|
Ashby |
Snarestone
|
250 |
No |
Yes |
|
Ashton |
Ashton
(Asda) |
? |
No |
Yes (info) |
|
Basingstoke |
Greywell |
1230 |
No |
Yes |
|
BCN |
Ashted |
95 |
Yes |
- |
|
BCN |
Coseley
|
360 |
Yes |
- |
|
BCN |
Dudley
|
3172 |
No |
? |
|
BCN |
Galton
|
123 |
Yes |
- |
|
BCN |
Netherton
|
3027 |
Yes |
- |
|
BCN |
Summit
|
103 |
Yes |
- |
|
Birmingham
& Fazeley |
Curdworth
|
57 |
Yes |
- |
|
Caldon |
Froghall
|
76 |
No |
Yes |
|
Caldon |
Leek
|
130 |
No |
Yes |
|
Chard |
Crimson
Hill |
1800 |
not
now |
? |
|
Chard |
Ilminster/Herne
Hill |
300 |
? |
? |
|
Chard |
Lillesdon |
314 |
? |
? |
|
Chesterfield |
Drakeholes
|
154 |
No |
Yes |
|
Chesterfield |
Norwood |
2895 |
No |
Yes (info) |
|
Cromford |
Buckland
Hollow |
33 |
Yes |
- |
|
Cromford |
Butterley |
3063 |
No |
Yes |
|
Cromford |
Gregory |
76 |
Yes |
- |
|
Cromford |
Hag |
93 |
Yes |
- |
|
Dearne
& Dove |
Adwick |
472 |
? |
? |
|
Dorset
& Somerset |
Coleford |
? |
Unfinished |
? |
|
Dudley |
Brewin's |
75 |
Opened
out |
- |
|
Dudley
No 2 |
Gosty
Hill |
557 |
No |
? |
|
Dudley
No 2 |
Lapal |
3795 |
? |
No |
|
Eardington
Forge |
Eardington |
600 |
No |
No |
|
Glamorganshire |
Cardiff |
115 |
No |
? |
|
Grand
Union |
Blisworth |
3056 |
No |
Yes |
|
Grand
Union |
Braunston
|
2042 |
No |
Yes |
|
Grand
Union |
Saddington
|
880 |
No |
Yes |
|
Grand
Union |
Shrewley
|
433 |
No |
Yes |
|
Grand
Union (Leicester S.) |
Crick
|
1528 |
No |
No |
|
Grand
Union (Leicester S.) |
Husbands
Bosworth |
1166 |
No |
Yes |
|
Grand
Western |
Waytown |
? |
No |
Yes |
|
Hereford
& Gloucs |
Ayleston
Hill |
440 |
? |
? |
|
Hereford
& Gloucs |
Oxenhall |
2192 |
? |
? |
|
Hereford
& Gloucs |
Walsopthorne/Ashperton |
400 |
? |
? |
|
Hollinwood |
Waterhouses |
110 |
Opened
out |
- |
|
Huddersfield
Narrow |
Bates
Mill/Sellars |
? |
No |
No |
|
Huddersfield
Narrow |
Scout |
220 |
Yes |
- |
|
Huddersfield
Narrow |
Standedge |
5698 |
No |
Yes |
|
Kennet
& Avon |
Bath
(Cleveland Ho) No 1 |
59 |
Yes |
- |
|
Kennet
& Avon |
Bath
(Sydney Gdns) No 2 |
55 |
Yes |
- |
|
Kennet
& Avon |
Bruce/Savernake |
502 |
No |
Yes |
|
Ketley |
Ketley |
20 |
? |
No |
|
Lancaster |
Hincaster |
378 |
No |
Yes |
|
Lancaster |
Whittle
Hills |
259 |
? |