Pocklington Canal

What to spot on the Pocklington Canal

Wildlife: Barn owl, sedge warblers, reed bunting, dragonflies and damselflies. The towpath is rich in wildflowers and butterflies.
Opening times: Open all year.
Access/Conditions: The towpath is suitable for walking. Wheelchair access is available to the picnic area at Canal Head.
Facilities: A picnic area and the Wellington Oak pub are located at Canal Head.
How to get there: From the A64 follow the A1079 towards Pocklington. Canal Head is located just off the A1079, ten miles east of York.
Parking: A car park is located at Canal Head.

Spend long summer days with the family exploring this vibrant site full of wildlife and waterways heritage. The canal is awash with dragonflies and damselflies that can often be seen resting on lilies. It also hosts a wide variety of aquatic plants, including water forget-me-not, reedmace and a number of sedges and rushes. Many birds are found here including tufted duck, kingfisher, grey and pied wagtail, sedge warbler and reed bunting. The rare bittern visits the canal in winter and the water vole and otter have been seen on these quiet waters.

Pocklington Canal is part of the Lower Derwent Valley – a National Nature Reserve, which floods in winter creating a blaze of colour from wildflowers in spring and summer.

For almost 200 years the canal has remained largely as it was built, with nine locks, four elegant road bridges and seven swing bridges. It is nine-and-a-half miles long, flowing from the foothills of the Yorkshire Wolds near Pocklington, through unspoilt countryside to join the River Derwent at East Cottingwith. The canal was completed in 1818 and carried coal, lime, fertiliser and roadstone for use in the market town of Pocklington.