List of canal tunnels in the United Kingdom facts for kids
Canal tunnels are amazing underground passages that let boats travel through hills and mountains! Imagine digging a huge hole through solid rock just for boats – that's what engineers did many years ago to create the UK's incredible canal network. These tunnels helped connect towns and cities, making it easier and faster to move goods like coal and iron across the country. They are a big part of Britain's history and show how clever people were at solving tough problems.
Contents
- Famous Canal Tunnels in the UK
- Ashford Tunnel
- Berwick Tunnel
- Blisworth Tunnel
- Braunston Tunnel
- Bruce Tunnel
- Butterley Tunnel
- Chirk Tunnel
- Dudley Tunnel
- Foulridge Tunnel
- Greywell Tunnel
- Harecastle Tunnel
- Lapal Tunnel
- Netherton Tunnel
- Newbold Tunnel
- Norwood Tunnel
- Sapperton Canal Tunnel
- Scout Tunnel
- Standedge Tunnels
- Wast Hills Tunnel
- Other Types of Underground Waterways
- Tunnels by Canal Name
- See also
Famous Canal Tunnels in the UK
The United Kingdom has many canal tunnels, each with its own story. Here are some of the most interesting ones:
Ashford Tunnel
The Ashford Tunnel is found on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. It's about 375 yards (343 meters) long. What's special about it is that it gets quite narrow in the middle because of repairs. Even so, narrowboats can still pass through it easily.
Berwick Tunnel
The Berwick Tunnel on the Shrewsbury Canal is around 970 yards (887 meters) long. It's famous for being one of the first canal tunnels ever built that had a towpath running all the way through it. A towpath is a path next to the canal where horses or people would walk to pull the boats.
Blisworth Tunnel
One of the longest tunnels is the Blisworth Tunnel on the Grand Union Canal, stretching for about 3,056 yards (2,794 meters). It's a key part of the canal system in Northamptonshire.
Braunston Tunnel
Also on the Grand Union Canal, the Braunston Tunnel is about 2,042 yards (1,867 meters) long. It's another important tunnel in Northamptonshire, helping boats travel through the landscape.
Bruce Tunnel
The Bruce Tunnel is located on the Kennet and Avon Canal and is about 502 yards (459 meters) long. It's a well-known landmark for boaters on this historic canal.
Butterley Tunnel
The Butterley Tunnel on the Cromford Canal is a very long tunnel, about 3,063 yards (2,801 meters) in Derbyshire. It's a fascinating piece of engineering history.
Chirk Tunnel
Near the town of Chirk, the Chirk Tunnel is on the Llangollen Canal. It's about 459 yards (420 meters) long and is often seen by people visiting the famous Chirk Aqueduct nearby.
Dudley Tunnel
The Dudley Tunnel is part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations and is quite long at 3,172 yards (2,901 meters). It's a famous tunnel that is now mostly used for boat trips, letting visitors explore its dark, historic passages.
Foulridge Tunnel
On the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, the Foulridge Tunnel is about 1,630 yards (1,490 meters) long. It's also known as the Mile Tunnel because of its length.
Greywell Tunnel
The Greywell Tunnel on the Basingstoke Canal is about 1,200 yards (1,097 meters) long. It's no longer open for boats because part of it caved in. Today, it's famous for being home to Europe's largest colony of bats!
Harecastle Tunnel
The Harecastle Tunnel on the Trent & Mersey Canal is a very interesting place. It actually has two parallel tunnels! One was designed by James Brindley and the other by Thomas Telford. The Telford tunnel is about 2,926 yards (2,676 meters) long.
Lapal Tunnel
The Lapal Tunnel is another very long tunnel, about 3,795 yards (3,470 meters), and is part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations. However, it has been disused since 1907.
Netherton Tunnel
The Netherton Tunnel on the Birmingham Canal Navigations is about 3,027 yards (2,768 meters) long. It's special because it has two towpaths inside, one on each side, which was unusual for canal tunnels.
Newbold Tunnel
The Newbold Tunnel on the Oxford Canal is about 250 yards (229 meters) long. It's known for being illuminated, making the journey through it a bit brighter for boaters.
Norwood Tunnel
The Norwood Tunnel on the Chesterfield Canal is very long, at 2,884 yards (2,637 meters). It runs from Derbyshire into South Yorkshire. This tunnel is currently closed, but there are plans to restore parts of its eastern end.
Sapperton Canal Tunnel
The Sapperton Canal Tunnel on the Thames and Severn Canal is one of the longest at 3,817 yards (3,490 meters). It's a significant part of the canal system in Gloucestershire.
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Scout Tunnel
The Scout Tunnel on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal is a shorter tunnel, about 220 yards (201 meters) long. It's an unlined rock tunnel, meaning the natural rock forms the tunnel walls.
Standedge Tunnels
The Standedge Tunnels on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal are the longest canal tunnels in the UK, measuring an incredible 5,698 yards (5,209 meters)! They connect West Yorkshire to Greater Manchester and are a true engineering marvel.
Wast Hills Tunnel
The Wast Hills Tunnel on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal is about 2,726 yards (2,493 meters) long. It stretches from the West Midlands into Worcestershire.
Other Types of Underground Waterways
Sometimes, old mines or underground passages called adits were used for boats. An adit is a horizontal entrance to a mine.
- Hollingwood Common Tunnel on the Chesterfield Canal
- Worsley Navigable Levels on the Bridgewater Canal in Greater Manchester. These were a complex system of underground canals used to transport coal directly from the mines.
Tunnels by Canal Name
Here are some tunnels grouped by the canal they are on:
Grand Union Canal
- Blisworth Tunnel, Northamptonshire
- Braunston Tunnel, Northamptonshire
- Crick Tunnel, Northamptonshire
- Husbands Bosworth Tunnel, Leicestershire
- Saddington Tunnel, Leicestershire
- Shrewley Tunnel, Warwickshire
Peak Forest Canal
- Hyde Bank Tunnel
- Woodley Tunnel
Regent's Canal
- Islington Tunnel
- Lisson Grove Tunnel
- Maida Hill Tunnel
Union Canal (Scotland)
- Falkirk Tunnel, Falkirk
- Roughcastle Tunnel, Falkirk. This tunnel is part of the amazing Falkirk Wheel complex.
See also
- Canals of the United Kingdom
- History of the British canal system
- Legging (canals) (a way people used to push boats through tunnels without towpaths)
- List of tunnels in the United Kingdom
