Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
41
Aire
&
Calder
Navigation,
Wakefield
Section
Distance
12km from Wakefield to Castleford
Highlights
River Calder aqueduct, the largest cast-iron aqueduct in the world (better viewed from the
newer concrete aqueduct alongside)
Navigation Authority
Canal & River Trust
OS 1:50,000 Sheets
104 Leeds & Bradford
105 York & Selby
110 Sheffield & Huddersfield
(111 Sheffield & Doncaster)
The Wakefield Section of the Aire & Calder Navigation runs north-east across West Yorkshire
from Wakefield to Castleford. It links the Calder & Hebble Navigation with the main line of
the Aire & Calder Navigation, part of the trans-Pennine route to the Humber. The Calder &
Hebble Navigation ends at Fall Ing Lock at Belle Vue. The Wakefield Section uses the River
Calder at first. On the opposite side is Wakefield Old Lock at the end of the short Old Wharf
branch.
High ground on the right, topped by the hall at Heath, pulls back. A railway bridge crosses.
The Southern Washlands Nature Reserve is located in a former opencast colliery. The naviga-
tion carries on as the river bends right.
Broadreach Flood Lock protects the navigation as the river begins several kilometres of me-
anders. The navigation then runs straight for over 2km.
The hamlet of Stanley Ferry is the major point of interest on this canal. The Stanley Ferry
inn, positioned next to a spur that acts as a marina, is popular.
The jewel in the crown, however, is the arched aqueduct over the River Calder. The original
design of six arches was rejected because of spate flow volumes in the river. Instead, George
Leather (with assistance from Thomas Telford) came up with this design, one of the most in-
