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47-637: The North Pennine Ring is a canal ring which crosses the Pennines between Manchester , Leeds and Castleford . It follows parts of five canals, and shares much of its route with the Outer Pennine Ring , which uses a different route for the southern crossing of the Pennines. The concept of a canal ring was created in 1965, as part of a campaign by the Inland Waterways Association to prevent

94-555: A fair with an ox-roast and sports to take place, as described by Ralph Thoresby . An Act of Parliament was passed in 1699 to make the river downstream of Leeds navigable (the Aire and Calder Navigation) and a second act extended the navigable river upstream to Bingley. The second act formed the basis of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal . Between the mid 19th century and the late 20th, the River Aire

141-569: A recent addition, as it was only with the restoration of the Rochdale Canal in 2002 that the ring became a possibility. The term was coined by enthusiasts as an adjunct to the South Pennine Ring , devised as a marketing tool by British Waterways . The North Pennine Ring follows parts of the following canals starting from Castlefield Junction in Manchester , and proceeding clockwise around

188-566: A ring for more than 200 years, but the term was unknown before the 1960s, when the Inland Waterways Association coined Cheshire Ring as part of its campaign to save the Ashton Canal and Peak Forest Canal from closure. Working boatmen were concerned with getting from A to B as fast as possible, or for the lowest toll, rather than in visiting more of the system, and what are now known as rings were simply alternative routes to them, but circular routes allow leisure boaters to see twice as much of

235-602: A size which was originally dictated by the dimensions of keel boats in use on the Humber waterways. Commercial traffic ceased to use the waterway in 1981, with the demise of coal deliveries to Thornhill power station. To the west of Wakefield, the waterway passes under the M1 motorway , after which the scenery is dominated by the Elmley Moor television transmitter. At Dewsbury there is a short branch to Saville Town Basin. A little further to

282-609: A through route until 1816. The locks on the section to the east of Wigan are 60 by 14.25 feet (18.29 by 4.34 m) and the North Pennine Ring climbs the top 21 locks of the 23-lock Wigan flight immediately. At the top of the flight, it joins what was once the southern part of the Lancaster Canal , which continues for 10.2 miles (16.4 km) on the level. The Walton Summit Branch of the Lancaster Canal turned off just before

329-488: A viewing platform. It is 253 feet (77 m) tall and known as the Wainhouse Tower . From Fall Ings, the distance covered is 21.5 miles (34.6 km), and the navigation has risen through 26 locks, six flood locks and 2 sets of flood gates. Sowerby Bridge was a transshipment point for the longer boats of the Rochdale Canal . The Rochdale Canal forms the final part of the North Pennine Ring. It opened in 1804, and most of

376-691: Is again restricted to four boats per day. Below lock 83 at Ducie Street Junction, the canal is joined by the Ashton Canal, and the Outer Pennine Ring rejoins the North Pennine Ring. Nine locks, surrounded by urban Manchester, descend to Castlefield Junction, to complete the ring. The Rochdale Canal has 91 locks, reduced by one from the original total by Tuel Lane Lock, which replaced locks 3 and 4. 53°28′28″N 2°15′24″W  /  53.47444°N 2.25667°W  / 53.47444; -2.25667 Canal ring There have been canals which formed

423-612: Is only 6 miles (9.7 km) long, before the descent to Leeds begins. As on the western section, the route consists of relatively long level stretches, with groups of locks at intervals. It follows the valley of the River Aire , to arrive at Leeds and the Aire and Calder Navigation . The ring has covered 92 miles (148 km) since leaving Wigan, and has passed through 85 locks. The ring now follows an active commercial waterway, where narrowboats may meet 600-tonne oil tankers and sand barges. Most of

470-639: Is only possible when the Wilts and Berks Canal is fully restored. This ring is only possible when the Thames and Severn Canal, North Wilts Canal and Wilts and Berks Canal are fully restored. This ring is only possible when the Thames and Severn Canal and the Stroudwater Navigation are fully restored. This ring is only possible when the Montgomery Canal and River Severn are fully restored. This ring

517-529: Is possible only when the Barnsley and Dearne and Dove Canals are fully restored. River Aire The River Aire is a major river in Yorkshire , England, 92 miles (148 km) in length. Part of the river below Leeds is canalised , and is known as the Aire and Calder Navigation . The Handbook for Leeds and Airedale (1890) notes that the distance from Malham to Howden is 58 miles (93 km) direct, but

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564-612: Is the channel to the enormous Castleford weir. Immediately to the left is Castleford Flood Lock, and traffic lights must be observed to prevent a collision with a commercial boat emerging from the lock. The ring turns to the right to reach Wakefield , on its way passing the Stanley Ferry Aqueducts . The original one was opened in 1839, and uses the same principles as the Sydney Harbour Bridge . Its replacement opened in 1981, but both remain in water. From Leeds to Wakefield,

611-641: The Environment Agency said, "The scheme has reduced the risk of flooding to 3,000 homes, 500 business and 300 acres of development land south-east of Leeds Train Station to Woodlesford". Phase two will use natural flood management techniques to help slow the flow, helping to protect a further 1,048 homes and 474 businesses. Work on phase two, designed to provide a one-in-100 year level of protection, will take place on an 8 km stretch upstream of Leeds station starting in late 2019. A pilot scheme, costing £500,000

658-543: The Huddersfield Broad Canal , the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and the Ashton Canal to reach the same destination as the North Pennine Ring. The junction is overshadowed by a tall chimney belonging to Bottomley & Sons. The ring continues through Brighouse and past some worked-out gravel pits which are now flooded and used for water skiing. There are three locks at Salterhebble. The bottom gate of

705-568: The Stamford Canal , which opened in the 1670s. The length of this section is 13.6 miles (21.9 km), and it is operated by the Manchester Ship Canal, although there is no additional charge for boats with a current British Waterways licence for the first seven days of use. The Leigh Branch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal was originally planned in 1800, but a series of disagreements with

752-470: The Aire and Calder began in 1699, and continued to be improved at intervals, with the construction of bigger locks and imaginative solutions such as the compartment boats, which resulted in it flourishing until the twenty-first century. Most of the coal traffic has now ceased, to be replaced by cargos of petroleum and sand. At Castleford, great care is needed, as the Leeds Arm arrives at a crossing. Straight ahead

799-752: The Aire is first attested as Yr in a charter from 959 AD (as edited in Gray's Cartularium Saxonicum ). The river is named as darcy and ðarcy (with the ancient eth ) in a thirteenth-century transcription of a charter of 963. It is Eyr’ in 1135 in The Coucher Book of Selby and other sources up to 1298. Eir is given in 1175–7 in one of the Dodsworth Manuscripts in Farrer's Early Yorkshire Charters . A range of other spellings are attested, among them Air from c. 1160 to 1577 and John Cossins ' 1775 Plan of

846-406: The Aire. The Aire is navigable upstream to Leeds and downstream has a navigable section into the Aire & Calder Navigation , with navigable access to other canals and waterways. Crown Point in Leeds is listed as the furthest west that can be reached by boat, though the limit is a headroom of 11 feet 11 inches (3.62 m). The weir that straddles Crown Point is a listed structure that

893-482: The Aire. Both of the latter plants stopped generating in 2016, with Eggborough being a stand-by for capacity problems until March 2017. A hydroelectric power station was installed on Brotherton Weir at Knottingley in November 2017. This £7.5 million project was expected to deliver 500 kilowatts and be operational for 100 years. Because the Aire flows through the former industrial landscape of West Yorkshire, it

940-477: The Town of Leedes , and Air’ from the thirteenth century to the fourteenth. The etymology of the name is obscure. Two Celtic etymologies have been proposed. In 1857 it was suggested that Aire may come from Common Brittonic * Isarā ('the strong one'), in which case Aire originally meant 'strong river'. An alternative Celtic etymology suggests that the word is related to Welsh aer ('slaughter'). However,

987-462: The boundary between North Yorkshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire . Tests have been conducted to authenticate the actual source of the Aire. The tarn at Malham was dammed and allowed to flood. Observers noted that whilst water surged at Aire Head, it also surged at the bottom of Malham Cove. A significant difference of 30 minutes was noted between the surges with Malham Cove being slower to react to

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1034-643: The coal mines at Worsley. One feature was a huge aqueduct, 38 feet (12 m) above the River Irwell , which allowed sailing ships to pass beneath it. It was demolished when the Manchester Ship Canal was built, and replaced by the famous Barton Swing Aqueduct . The canal opened in 1761, and is often thought to be the first canal in England, although it was preceded by the Sankey Canal , which opened in 1757, and

1081-399: The complete closure of the Rochdale Canal . Initially the canal was described as part of the "Cheshire Canal Ring", which was soon shortened to the "Cheshire Ring". It described a series of interconnecting canals which could be navigated, usually in a week or two, without having to cover any section twice, and has subsequently been applied to several other such routes. The North Pennine Ring is

1128-490: The distance by navigation is 17.5 miles (28.2 km) with 11 locks. The Calder and Hebble Navigation is another river navigation, although most river sections have been bypassed by cuts since its inception in the 1770s. The lower locks were enlarged when the waterway was leased to the Aire and Calder Navigation from 1855, enabling them to accommodate boats of 120 by 17.5 feet (36.6 by 5.3 m), but above Broad Cut Low Lock, they are still 57.5 by 14.2 feet (17.5 by 4.3 m),

1175-508: The first in the UK, were installed in the first phase of a two phase plan to reduce floods. Reducing the height of the weir, by deflating a 'bladder' has the potential to reduce flood levels by up to one metre upstream. The Knostrop weir was operated during the 2019 England floods . A 600m stretch of land, Knostrop Cut island, was removed allowing the river and canal to merge creating additional flood water capacity. Adrian Gill, area flood risk manager at

1222-579: The first time since the Industrial Revolution. The project will also benefit eels, lamprey and other coarse fish. The project is expected to be complete by early 2021. Castleford Wastewater Treatment Works has had £16 million of investment between 2013 and 2015. The improvements to this plant, which discharges water directly into the Aire, has improved water quality downstream. Rodley Nature Reserve , Kirkstall Valley Nature Reserve, St Aidans and Fairburn Ings RSPB reserve all lie alongside

1269-470: The first was replaced by a guillotine gate when the road was widened, and is electrically powered. Above the top lock is the Salterhabble Branch, which was once part of the heavily-locked branch into Halifax . The final section is narrow, and runs along the side of a wooded hill, to reach Sowerby Bridge . Nearby is another tall building, designed as a chimney for a dyeworks in 1875, but used instead as

1316-522: The floodwater. The section between Malham Tarn and the confluence of the becks at Aire Head is known as Malhamdale. Thereafter the valley is known as Airedale and encompasses Bradford, (even though the river bypasses the city) and by the time it reaches Leeds, the term Airedale is rarely applied. The River Aire empties into the River Ouse at Airmyn , 'myn' being an old English word for 'river mouth'. From source (Joins River Ouse ) The name of

1363-481: The locks are 72 by 14.2 feet (21.9 by 4.3 m), but locks 40, 41 and 47 are only 13.5 feet (4.1 m) wide, which restricts the size of boats that can use it. It is 32 miles (51 km) long, and most of it, except for the final nine locks at the far end, was closed for navigation in 1952. Restoration began in 1984 with the formation of the Rochdale Canal Trust Ltd, and a large section was reconnected to

1410-477: The locks on the River Aire section from Leeds to Castleford Junction are 200 by 20 feet (61.0 by 6.1 m), while those on the River Calder section from Castleford to Wakefield are 141 by 17.75 feet (42.98 by 5.41 m). The ring does not include the navigation below Castleford, where locks were 457 feet (139 m) long, to allow them to be used by a tug and 19 Tom Pudding compartment boats. Development of

1457-517: The name could also come from Old Norse eyjar ('islands'), which might in turn have been inspired by an earlier Old English name ēg ('island'). The deposit of silt by two tributaries close together, the Meanwood Beck from the north and the Hol Beck from the south, created a crossing place and a settlement that became the town of Leeds. The Romans forded the Aire by a paved way at Castleford on

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1504-568: The national waterways network in 1996 when Tuel Lane lock was built to replace locks 3 and 4, and a 114-yard (104 m) tunnel rejoined it to the Calder and Hebble. At 20 feet (6.1 m), the lock is the deepest on the English canal network. The final part of the restoration was partially funded by the Millennium Commission, and resulted in the canal being opened throughout in 2002. Water supply

1551-477: The owners of the Bridgewater Canal led to stalemate, and it was not until 1820 that the branch finally opened. A year later, there were requests to increase the length of the locks from 62 feet (19 m) to 72 feet (22 m), and this work was carried out in 1822. The route runs through a coal mining area, and has been severely affected by subsidence . It now sits on top of an embankment, made for waste from

1598-426: The pit tips, and the locks have been moved to Poolstock, just before the junction with the main line at Wigan . There are two locks, and the length of the section is 7.3 miles (11.7 km). Construction of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal was authorised in 1770, and although the section below Wigan was open by 1777, as was another section adjoining the Aire and Calder Navigation to the west of Leeds, it did not become

1645-462: The ring. From Castlefield Junction, the route follows the Bridgewater Canal to Waters Meeting, where the main line turns to the left to reach Runcorn and the ring follows the Stretford and Leigh Branch to an end-on junction with the Leeds and Liverpool Leigh Branch at Leigh. This was originally considered to be the main line, as the canal was connected to a series of underground levels which ran into

1692-480: The river as the water and food quality is far superior to that when the river was polluted. In the upper reaches of the river around Bell Busk and Malham, white-clawed crayfish are present in the tributaries. A joint project between the Environment Agency and The Aire Rivers Trust will instal four fish passes on the last four high weirs on the river, with the intent of allowing salmon to return to Skipton for

1739-549: The river enters West Yorkshire where it passes through the former industrial areas of Keighley , Bingley , Saltaire and Shipley . It then passes through Leeds and on to Swillington and Woodlesford . At Castleford is the confluence of the Aire and Calder ; just downstream of the confluence was the ford where the ancient British road, used by the Romans, crossed on its way north to York . The river re-enters North Yorkshire near Knottingley and in its lower reaches forms part of

1786-492: The river's meanderings extend that to 90 miles (140 km). Between Malham Tarn and Airmyn, the river drops 1,300 feet (400 m). The Aire starts at Malham Tarn and becomes a subterranean stream at 'Water Sinks' about one mile (1.6 km) before the top of Malham Cove , it then flows underground to Aire Head, just below Malham , in North Yorkshire , and then flows through Gargrave and Skipton . After Cononley ,

1833-652: The road connecting Doncaster with York, which went north through the town near to the church. At this time, the River Don emptied into the Aire at Snaith, but the Dutch engineer, Cornelius Vermuyden , changed the course of the Don in the 1630s so that it flows into the Ouse after its confluence with the Aire. During the Great Frost of 1683–84 the river froze solid for a month in Leeds allowing

1880-416: The seven locks at Johnson's Hillock. There are six more locks at Blackburn , a 559-yard (511 m) tunnel at Gannow and a final flight of seven locks at Barrowford to reach the summit, which is 487 feet (148 m) above sea level. Water supply on the summit was always a problem, despite the building of several reservoirs, and the summit level, which includes the 1,640-yard (1,500 m) Foulridge Tunnel,

1927-605: The system as is possible with an "out and back" cruise. Hire companies are keen to promote their proximity to popular cruising rings. Since the Cheshire Ring was born, more rings (and variants of them) have been named. The best-known are those that can be completed in one or two weeks, although some three-week rings (such as the Outer Pennine Ring ) have been given names, but there are many other unnamed rings. See also Canals of Great Britain Incompletely navigable: This ring

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1974-524: The west, the cut rejoins the river, and the next cut is to the north of the river, rather than the south. At Cooper Bridge, the Calder is joined by the River Colne . The navigation passes through Cooper Bridge Lock and Cooper Bridge Flood Gates, after which it continues straight ahead to Kirklees Cut. The Outer Pennine Ring makes a U-turn after the flood gates, to pass the Cooper Bridge weir and then follows

2021-407: Was always a problem, and eight reservoirs were built to provide the volumes required. All of the locks were built with the same drop, which ensured that equal volumes of water were used at each lock, and it also meant that only one size of gate needed to be manufactured. Much of the canal is remote, and water supply is still a problem, as the reservoirs were sold to water supply companies when the canal

2068-513: Was closed. Passage over the summit is restricted to four boats per day in each direction, is subject to water being available, and must be booked in advance. British Waterways staff assist boats between locks 36, the last one to the east of the summit, and 48, at Littleborough. The summit level is just on the Lancashire side of the border with Yorkshire, and is 601 feet (183 m) above sea level. Passage between locks 65 and 83 must also be booked, and

2115-597: Was constructed in medieval times and first documented in 1636. Canoeing and rowing are popular sports on the river with two clubs (the Bradford and Bingley Canoe Club and the Bradford Amateur Rowing Club ) having landings on the river. Canoeing can be carried out on most parts of the river, with the two clubs having navigable sections protected by weirs next to their landings. In October 2017 at Crown Point near Leeds city centre and Knostrop two movable weirs,

2162-487: Was devoid of fish life downstream of Shipley because of pollution. Efforts have been made to return the river to a good wildlife status and fish and other wildlife exist all along the course of the river. There are three thermal power stations alongside the River Aire east of Castleford : Ferrybridge C , Eggborough and Drax . Drax takes its cooling water from the Ouse , but both Ferrybridge and Eggborough drew their water from

2209-568: Was heavily polluted. In 2007, Yorkshire Water carried out improvements to Esholt Sewage Works at a cost of £110 million under the EU 's Fresh Water Fish Directive. Whilst Trout are prevalent above Keighley, the river is host to others such as Chub , Dace , Barbel & Grayling , whilst Sea Trout have been noted as far upriver as Shipley. Work is also being undertaken to make some weirs easier for fish to negotiate. Improvements have allowed Eurasian otters and European water voles to return to

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