Ripon Canal

The building of the Ripon Canal was authorised by an Act of Parliament passed on 15 April 1767, and the canal was the final part of a larger plan to upgrade the River Ure from its junction with the River Swale to Oxclose, where the canal would leave the river and head for Ripon, some 2.3 mi away. Below the Swale the Ure becomes the River Ouse, and so carriage of goods to and from York and Hull would be possible. The estimated cost of the whole project was £9,000, and the Act established Commissioners, who could borrow money in order to fund the development although the total amount of money to be borrowed was not regulated by the Act. The works were designed to allow the passage of keels,…

Ripon was said to be the most northerly point of the connected British canal system, a claim that was affected by the opening of the Ribble Link in 2002. The Lancaster Canal is now considered to be part of the connected canal system and Tewitfield, at its northern end, now qualifies for this accolade. There are no moorings in the terminal basin itself but short-term mooring is available just to the south. There is also a marina near Ripon Racecourse. The canal is only 2.3 mi long, and the entire length has a canalside walk, which utilises the towpath from Rhodesfield Lock to Oxclose Lock, although the towpath cannot be used by cyclists.