Paddle along a stretch of the beautiful Chesterfield Canal. It’s a canal steeped in history, and dates back to 1777. The area is well preserved, nature-rich, and lovingly maintained by Chesterfield Canal Trust volunteers. (Waterways licence required, please inform Tapton Lock before you launch)
Distance: 8km (4.9 miles)
Time: 2-3 hours
Sat Nav: S43 2PF
What3Words: ///zeal.ozone.craft
Find out more about Chesterfield Canal on PaddlePoints >>
We parked at Hollingwood Hub Car Park, which is free, and has about 60 spaces.
Once we were ready, we walked over Works Road, and turned left to get to Hollingwood Lock, on the Chesterfield Canal (///jungle.aside.ruled).
There you’ll see Hollingwood Hub, which is the home of the Chesterfield Canal Trust.
In the building, you will find Katey’s Coffee Shop, an information centre, and toilet facilities – including two toilets for disabled people.
We were joined on the water by a dozen members of Pleasley Canoe Club, who were awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2024.
The club is inclusive and welcomes anyone regardless of their skill level. Find out more >>
In total, the Chesterfield Canal is about 46 miles long, stretching from the River Trent to the middle of Chesterfield.
Chesterfield Canal Trust have been working hard restoring locks and bridges.
The Trust is campaigning for the construction of the Rother Valley link.
This navigable waterway would join the Chesterfield Canal to the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation.
We started our trip from Hollingwood Lock and paddled for less than a kilometre until we reached Dixon’s Lock.
The canal banks at the lock are sloped, and they are fairly easy to portage.
The towpath is busy with walkers and cyclists, as it serves the Trans Pennine Trail and the Cuckoo Way
After getting back in the water, it was another 950m to Bluebank Lock (///arrow.speaks.drum).
The canal meanders snake-like through lush countryside, resembling a river at times.
At Wheeldon Mill Lock (///gross.dome.front), there’s simple portage and a small car park, you could start the trail at this point if you would prefer.
From Wheeldon Mill it’s just over a kilometre to Tapton Lock, where most of our guests left the water via an accessible slipway (///corner.resort.bets).
Pleasley Canoe Club is located off Lockoford Lane (///settle.jelly.super), and have access to the road which goes down to the slipway.
There are parking spaces along Lockoford Lane if you’d prefer to do the route in reverse (///fast.woof.frosted).
After waving off our new friends, we headed back the way we came, to enjoy a cuppa at Hollingwood Hub.
