Peak Forest Canal

The Peak Forest Canal is part of the British Inland Waterways network. Its course begins in Ashton-under-Lyne in Lancashire to two separate branches at Whaley Bridge and Bugsworth Canal Basin in Derbyshire.

The canal was built in the early eighteenth century. It was financed by Samuel Oldknow and engineered by James Outram.

The two southern arms of the canal meet near Bridgmont and continue north through Furness Vale, New Mills and Strines. The Canal then reaches Marple where at "Top Lock" it has a junction with the Macclesfield Canal.

From Top Lock at Marple the canal then descends through 16 locks. After this, the canal crosses the Goyt valley on Outram's aqueduct. It then continues through Romiley via Hyde Bank Tunnel to Woodley and a second tunnel to Hyde. From Hyde the Canal continues north through Dukinfield to the Portland Basin at Ashton-under-Lyne.

The canal was built to bring limestone from the Derbyshire quarries to industrial Lancashire and Cheshire. The canal fell into disuse with the advent of the railways.

The canal was restored by volunteers in the 1960's.