Picture of a canal boat on a river with buildings in the background and purple flowers in the foreground

Fossdyke Navigation

The Fossdyke Navigation passes through mostly rural surroundings, affording spectacular views at sunrise and sunset, as well as the magnificent gothic Lincoln Cathedral.

The Fossdyke Navigation stretches for 11.3 miles across the East Midlands region, passing through mostly rural surroundings until it reaches Lincoln.

Walkers and cyclists can explore this rural navigation via the Fossdyke canal trail, which joins the National Cycle Route 64 shortly after Burton Waters. And with 10 miles of lock-free paddling, why not try the Fossdyke canoe trail?

The Fossdyke Navigation dates back to Roman times, giving it a strong claim to be Britain’s oldest canal.

Fossdyke Navigation courtesy of Marcus Hill-Jones

Boating the Fossdyke Navigation

All you need to know about boating the Fossdyke Navigation

Torksey to Lincoln paddle route

Enjoy a lock-free paddle through 10 miles of open countryside before finishing in Lincoln city centre.

Fishing

Find out more about fishing along this waterway

Wildlife spotting

From the common mallard to the elusive kingfisher, what wildlife will you see?

Torksey Lock trail

Download a fun interactive trail for the whole family to enjoy

The history of the Fossdyke

In around 120 AD, the Romans built the Fossdyke to connect the River Witham to the River Trent. After the departure of the Roman army the works decayed until the channel was scoured out in 1121, in the reign of Henry I. During the next few centuries it silted up several times, becoming almost unusable until cleansed again. It was not until 1744 that a reliable channel was created and maintained.

The canal was leased to the Great Northern Railway in 1846. Competition led to commercial decline, but agricultural produce was still being routinely carried by sailing keels and barges from the River Trent right up to the 1970s.