Welcome

More than two centuries ago, the entrepreneurs of the industrial revolution saw the potential of inland waterways for transporting goods cheaply and efficiently throughout Britain. They developed an inland waterway network linking mines and quarries with factories, mills, markets and deepwater ports.

British Waterways is the organisation responsible for maintaining 2,200 miles (3,540km) of this inland waterway network today so that people can use it for a wide range of leisure activities.

This is British Waterways' website, explaining who we are and what we do. For more detailed information on the waterways themselves, and the many ways you can enjoy them, please visit our leisure website www.waterscape.com.