Canals & Waterways

Heavily Locked Sections

U.K.

"Giant's Staircase" - Thorpe and Turnerwood flights on Chesterfield Canal:
22 locks in 1 mile; includes two double staircases and two triple staircases. The newest addition to this list, since restoration was completed in 2003.
Devizes (Caen Hill) flight on the Kennet and Avon Canal:
29 locks within 2 miles..
Tardebigge flight on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal:
30 locks in just over 2 miles.
Wigan Locks on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal:
21 locks within 2 miles.
Marple Locks on the Lower Peak Forest Canal:
16 locks in 1 1/2 miles.
Wolverhampton Locks on the main line of the Birmingham Canal Navigations:
21 locks in 2 miles.
Hatton Locks on the Grand Union Canal:
21 locks in 2 1/4 miles.
Not quite so heavy (in terms of locks per mile) but still daunting: (suggested by Martin Purbook)
Heartbreak Hill (Kidsgrove to Wheelock) on the Trent & Mersey canal:
26 locks in 6 1/2 miles.
Stourbridge sixteen:
16 locks in 2 miles.
or, Stourbridge 16 + Delph locks:
24 locks in 3 1/2 miles.

Europe

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Text and photos Copyright © 1995-2004 by George Pearson.
Last Modified: Monday, 31-May-04 11:00 pm EDT