Moorings on the Pocklington Canal

The Pocklington Canal runs 15.3 kilometres through the Vale of York from the River Derwent at East Cottingwith to Canal Head just outside Pocklington. Opened in 1818 to carry corn, coal and lime, it closed commercially in the 1930s and has been under gradual restoration by the Pocklington Canal Amenity Society and the Canal & River Trust ever since, with navigation currently possible over roughly the lower two-thirds.

It is one of the most ecologically important canals in Britain. Much of its length lies within Sites of Special Scientific Interest and the Lower Derwent Valley National Nature Reserve, and it supports rare aquatic plants, otters, water voles and exceptional birdlife. Cruising here is slow, shallow and quiet — this is not a through-route, and there is very little traffic.

Practical long-stay mooring on the canal itself is minimal; most boaters visiting come from the Derwent or the Yorkshire Ouse. Boat owners seeking a berth in this part of Yorkshire generally look to the Derwent at Bubwith and Breighton, or to marinas on the Ouse and the Selby Canal, using the Pocklington as a destination cruise rather than a base. Access is from the A1079 York–Hull road, with York and Hull both within half an hour by car.