I've never done the Liverpool Link by boat, although I'd walked to the publicly accessible places before. With no towpaths and no public access for much of the length it was going to be difficult to check the measurements and arrangements for our Leeds & Liverpool Canal map.

Canal Voyagers Hotel Boats were heading that way and kindly agreed to my request to join them for the trip through the link.

It was a great day out and one of the warmest and sunniest days for a long time.

The boats can go down the four locks of the Stanley Dock Branch breasted up. The short tunnel, or is it a large bridge, under Great Howard Street is narrow and the boats revert to single file as they leave the bottom lock.

Neil's careful steering takes the boats through the dogleg under the bridge while ensuring the butty stays close enough to pick up and attach the short straps from its bows as they pass.

They can breast up again the far side of the tunnel where Corinne and Hillary are ready with the bow ropes to pull them tightly together in Stanley Dock, the first of the docks.

Sarah steers the butty next to Neil on the motor as they pass through the wide docks with the narrow bridges and channels to challenge them.

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The route continues straight ahead through Collingwood Dock into Salisbury Dock where it turns left to run parallel with the River Mersey through Trafalgar Dock and along narrow channel to West Waterloo Dock.

Corinne appears from the bows to sit on the roof and admire the views of modern Liverpool as we make our way along the link.

The Royal Liver Buildings, topped by the mythical Liver Birds is the first of the "Three Graces" on the Liverpool Waterfront. The Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building sit just beyond.

Nearby is the first of the two new locks on the Liverpool Link, lowering us to pass under the roads in front of the buildings. A second lock will lower us a little further into Canning Dock.

Continuing through Canning Half Tide Dock and Albert Dock brings us to the moorings in Salthouse Dock.

Many of the boats had bunting out and we wondered if it was for us. Soon we discovered it was ready for the Queen who was visiting Liverpool the following day and would be visiting the docks too.

I had a great day out and took all the photos and measurements for the maps thanks toCanal Voyagers Hotel Boats.

Saturday was a busy day, especailly for two people.

Our son, Andrew, and Megan were married in Manchester, with our daughter, Susan, being one of the bridesmaids.

My brother, Keith, has already made his great photos available.

The recent release of the England & Wales Cruising Maps, including all our maps in one package has an unusual feature

All the maps are available as individual sheets in Acrobat (pdf) Format. As expected, grid lines on those run horizontally and vertically.

The maps are also available in Memory-Map (qct) Format, joined into a single map where you can scroll around as you please. This extends from Llangollen in the West to Bishop's Stortford in the East, and from Worsley in the North to Trowbridge in the south.

Clicking on the map on the right reveals an enlargement which shows the grid lines are no longer horizontal and vertical. The maps are now so large that the curvature of the earth comes into play. The horizontal grid lines at Llangollen at the western edge of the map slope downhill to the left, while those at Bishop's Stortford at the eastern edge slope downhill to the right.

The reason is to ensure the GPS tracking works. When you use the Memory-Map version of the maps on a GPS enabled device it plots your position in real-time, rather like a car sat-nav. If we didn't curve the maps to follow the curvature of the earth then the GPS tracking would get out of step with the maps. In the centre of the map, near Birmingham for example, everything is true horizontal and vertical.

The Individual mapsare still available for each canal or river, but the curving of these maps is barely noticeable because of the smaller area covered.

Now you can get all the Cruising Maps of England & Wales published by Waterway Routes on a data DVD. With a total download size over 2GB it is impracticable for most customers (and our website) to manage downloads of this size.

You can still buy the Cruising Maps individually but It would cost over £100 to cover England & Wales when buying the maps or canals and rivers individually in Acrobat (pdf) format and over £160 in Memory-Map format.

Now you can buy the Cruising Maps of England & Wales as a set in either format. See our map and listing to see which ones you get in the set.

Just £49 buys you a data DVD containing the maps in
Acrobat (pdf) format
>      1 large Acrobat (pdf) file containing all the listed maps
>   39 smal Acrobat(pdf) files containing each listed map
> 360 different A4 pages of mapping

£79 buys you a data DVD containing the maps in both
Memory-Map (qct) and Acrobat (pdf) formats
>      1 large Memory-Map (qct) file containing all the listed maps
>   39 smal Memory-Map (qct) files containing each listed map
>      1 large Acrobat (pdf) file containing all the listed maps
>   39 smal Acrobat(pdf) files containing each listed map
> 360 different A4 pages of mapping

See our Upgrade Offer if you have puchased Cruising Maps from us during the past 12 months to obtain the England & Wales maps for just the difference in price.

You can see an example of our Cruising Maps with the
free Droitwich Canals Cruising Maps.

Memory-Map works on most computers, laptops, Androids and iPhones - BUT NOT ALL. Please test Memory-Map works on your device(s) with our free Droitwich Canals Cruising Maps
BEFORE purchasing this map.

The maps will be available at these introductory prices until the end of June so buy them online soon, or from our stand at the Crick Boat Show.

We've just released the next map in our Cruising Maps series.

As with all the others, it is available in two formats - both for download.

The Acrobat (pdf) format for viewing and printing as individual pages, and the Memory Map (qct) format for seamless mapping on your computer, Andorid, iPhone or PDA.

The new release is
> Kennet & Avon Canal – Cruising Map

No need to keep turning from one page to another in canal guide books to trace your way along the Kennet & Avon Canal as the seamless Memory Map format is just what you have been waiting for.

The first map on the right shows the area covered by the Cruising Maps (click to enlarge)

The second map on the right shows an extract from the Cruising Map (click to enlarge)

If you are not how sure what these maps are like then take a look at our Free Droitwich Canals Map to see just how good these are.

I'm working on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal next.

I've just received the latest monthly newsletter from Neil at The Canal Shop Company.

This is a great company which Neil has run since November 1999, that's an established business with a twelve year record. Like all good canal shops, Neil stocks our Waterway Routes DVDs and, judging by the number he orders from us he must be doing well.

Neil's newsletter says he is thinking of selling the business giving you a wonderful opportunity to buy an established business. As a mail order business it can probably be run from almost anywhere.

Have a good think, and I'm sure Neil would like to hear from you to discuss selling this wonderful business.

Tony Blews runs the wonderful UK Waterways Ranking Site which shows the hits, totalled over seven days, for those sites which have joined the ranking system.

Tony has been running this for over three years now and sites move up and down the ranking depending on their popularity.

Taking a shnapshot at the end of the quarter, on 31st March, shows the top ten ranked sites and their scores in the table on the right.

The popularity changes, with some sites, such as forums, remaing fairly level with their scores during the year, while others have clear seaonal variations.

The graphs below show how each of the top ten have varied over time.

Rank	Website	Score
01	CWDF	20575
02	Pennine Waters	14877
03	CanalPlanAC	10644
04	Jim Shead	8968
05	No Problem	4718
06	Waterway Routes	2961
07	Granny Buttons	2917
08	UK Canals Network	2915
09	Towpath Treks	2773
10	Water Explorer	2416

Canal World Dicussion Forum (CWDF).

No obvious seasonal variations, with a recent drop, possibly caused by amendments to comply with the UKWRS Rules.

Pennine Waters

The leading site to be run by just one individual,

Seasonal variations show in the scores.

I suspect the recent peak in scores was caused by the British Waterways open day at Bingley which cause many people to Google for terms like "Bingley Locks" when Pennine Waterways would have been one of the highest ranked sites returned.

CanalPlanAC

I believe the hard work of masterminding the site comes from one individual, with some help in maintaining the date from others.

Once again their are clear seasonal variations.

Jim Shead

Another site run by one individual which, for a long time, was number one in the rankings.

No Problem

The leading blog site, run by one individual.

The gap in the scores is when the site left the UKWRS ranking system for a while.

Waterway Routes

Our own site, with clear seasonal variations last year, and this.

Granny Buttons

Once the leading blog site, until overtaken by No Probem.

Since the author joined the editorial team at Waterway World there have been very few blog posts leading to a gradual decline in the rankings.

UK Canals Network

A recent increase in popularity has brought this site into the top ten, although I'm not sure what caused that increase.

Topwath Treks

Clear seasonal vatiations show in this and, I expect the site will climb through the rankings again this summer.

Water Explorer

Once again some seasonal variations, although not such an obvious climb yet this year.

I have scores recorded daily for all UKWRS sites - just let me know if you would like the data for your site.

We've just released the next maps in our Cruising Maps series.

As with all the others, they are available in two formats - both for download.

The Acrobat (pdf) format for viewing and printing as individual pages, and the Memory Map (qct) format for seamless mapping on your computer, Andorid, iPhone or PDA.

The new releases cover the River Thames, as two sections, or as the complete river
> Upper
> Lower
> All

No need to keep turning from one page to another in canal guide books to trace your way along the River Thames as the seamless Memory Map format is just what you have been waiting for.

The first map on the right shows the area covered by the Cruising Maps (click to enlarge)

The second map on the right shows an extract from the Cruising Map (click to enlarge)

If you are not how sure what these maps are like then take a look at our Free Droitwich Canals Map to see just how good these are.

Another great pair of canal DVDs are released from Waterway Routes covering the East Midlands (Leicester) Ring, clockwise from Norton Junction.

From Norton Junction we'll cruise clockwise around the enticing East Midlands Ring.

First the tunnel and broad locks at Braunston, then onto the narrow Oxford Canal to Hawkesbury Junction. The Coventry Canal will take us to Fazeley Junction and, with a little help from the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, on to Fradley Junction. The Trent & Mersey Canal lowers us to Trent Junction.

The River Soar and the Leicester Section of the Grand Union Canal raise us past Loughborough and Leicester to reach Market Harborough.

The fantastic staircase locks at Foxton and Watford return us to Norton Junction.

These are 1 hour DVDs retailing at £12.95 for the Popular version (rather like a television programme) and £7.95 for the Bowcam version (a speeded up forward facing camera for a little fun).

There’s also a Combined version at £19.90, with both Popular and Bowcam in one box saving £1 on the separate prices (and at least 90p postage).

They are in stock now, just waiting for you to order them, or any from our great range of canal DVDs.

We've just released the next map in our Cruising Maps series.

As with all the others, it is available in two formats - both for download.

The Acrobat (pdf) format for viewing and printing as individual pages, and the Memory Map (qct) format for seamless mapping on your computer, Andorid, iPhone or PDA.

The new release is
> East Midlands (Leicester) Ring – Cruising Map

No need to keep turning from one page to another in canal guide books to trace your way around the East Midlands (Leicester) Ring as the seamless Memory Map format is just what you have been waiting for.

The first map on the right shows the area covered by the Cruising Maps (click to enlarge)

The second map on the right shows an extract from the Cruising Map (click to enlarge)

If you are not how sure what these maps are like then take a look at our Free Droitwich Canals Map to see just how good these are.

I'm working on the River Thames and the Kennet & Avon Canal next.

Our last release of maps was a set covering the Grand Union Canal, both as individual sections, or as a complete canal. These include all the branches and constituent canals, from the Hertford Union Canal to the Erewash Canal.

That's a total of 434 kilometers which is an awful lot of cycling to ensure the maps are completely up to date when published by covering the entire route. As with all the maps published so far the entire route has been visited, mostly by me but with occasional help from other family members. Several bloggers have been surprised by a knock on the side of the boat as I stopped to say hello on the way past.

A GPS trace is recorded and everything is logged and photographed before being added to the master map which shows the whole country. The individual canals are then published from this.

Out of interest I've just done a rough count of what I found along the Grand Union Canal which makes for some interesting statistics.

If you get a different answer then it's probably my rough count and it's unlikely to be the maps that are wrong. As the maps are for electronic download we can keep them up to date. Any updates we hear about are added to the master map and the appropriate downloadable maps updated within 7 days, often less. That way we ensure the maps you download are kept up to date.

If you are kind enough to tell us of a change to a map you have purchased then we'll update the map and let you have a new download. That way you get an up to date map, and the new download will also include any changes we have heard about from other boaters too.

Some printed guides from other suppliers have not been updated since 2009, with the 2012 updates merely being a new cover without updating the contents.

This week I'm cycling along the Kennet and Avon Canal so watch out for that map being released soon.

We've just released the next maps in our Cruising Maps series.

As with all the others, they are available in two formats - both for download.

The Acrobat (pdf) format for viewing and printing as individual pages, and the Memory Map (qct) format for seamless mapping on your computer, Andorid, iPhone or PDA.

The new releases cover the Grand Union Canal, as individual sections, or as the complete canal
> Leicester
> North
> Central
> South
> All

No need to keep turning from one page to another in canal guide books to trace your way along the Grand Union Canal as the seamless Memory Map format is just what you have been waiting for.

The first map on the right shows the area covered by the Cruising Maps (click to enlarge)

The second map on the right shows an extract from the Cruising Map (click to enlarge)

If you are not how sure what these maps are like then take a look at our Free Droitwich Canals Map to see just how good these are.

We've just released the next map in our Cruising Maps series.

As with all the others, it is available in two formats - both for download.

The Acrobat (pdf) format for viewing and printing as individual pages, and the Memory Map (qct) format for seamless mapping on your computer, Andorid, iPhone or PDA.

The new release is
> Lee & Stort Navigations – Cruising Map

No need to keep turning from one page to another in canal guide books to trace your way along the Lee & Stort Navigations as the seamless Memory Map format is just what you have been waiting for.

The first map on the right shows the area covered by the Cruising Maps (click to enlarge)

The second map on the right shows an extract from the Cruising Map (click to enlarge)

If you are not how sure what these maps are like then take a look at our Free Droitwich Canals Map to see just how good these are.

I'm working on the Grand Union Canal Main Lines next.

We've just released the next map in our Cruising Maps series.

As with all the others, it is available in two formats - both for download.

The Acrobat (pdf) format for viewing and printing as individual pages, and the Memory Map (qct) format for seamless mapping on your computer, Andorid, iPhone or PDA.

The new release is
> Oxford Canal – Cruising Map

No need to keep turning from one page to another in canal guide books to trace your way along the Oxford Canal as the seamless Memory Map format is just what you have been waiting for.

The first map on the right shows the area covered by the Cruising Maps (click to enlarge)

The second map on the right shows an extract from the Cruising Map (click to enlarge)

If you are not how sure what these maps are like then take a look at our Free Droitwich Canals Map to see just how good these are.

I'm working on the Grand Union Canal Main Lines next.

Heth, on Takey Tezey says she is having trouble finding her bearings. Perhaps our new series of Cruising Maps will, help - and there's more new maps being added each month as I cycle the canals to make sure everything is up to date.

Our maps are up to date and, being for electronic download, we can keep them up to date. I have personally verified almost all the information, with a few sections being kindly covered by other members of the family for me.

All the maps are up to date when published, and all within the last 9 months, and we keep track of changes that boaters are kind enough to email us with and which are published in the leading magazines or websites. If we hear of a change then the master map is usually updated within 7 days to ensure your downloads are up to date.

Neil, from The Canal Shop says, in his latest newsletter, "New Nicholson guides due out in March are numbers 2 (Severn & Avon) and 6 (North East), the remaining guides and map are just being reprinted, but with a new picture on the front cover." The existing Nicolson Guides were released in March 2009, and presumable were researched and printed well before that so they are at least 3-4 years out of date and simply putting a new cover on won't help much!

So here you are Heth, an extract showing where you are to get you started. And if you do spot a local change we don't know about we'll be very grateful to hear from you so we can keep the maps up to date.

Continuing along the Grand Union Canal Main Line, it was just a short section from Bull's Bridge Junction (with the Paddington Arm) and Cowley Peachey Junction (with the Slough Arm).

It;s not very far and there are no locks so it didn't take long to collect the data for our Cruising Maps.

For more information see

Grand Union Canal Photo Gallery for a virtual cruise along the canal
Grand Union Canal Route Information

The next section for data collection for our Cruising Maps was the Grand Union Canal Main Line between Brentford Junction (with the River Thames) and Bull's Bridge Junction (with the Paddington Arm).

A short section of the Thames Path from Kew Bridge station brought me to Brentford Junction. The tide was about half-way so there's some water visible in the photos for the tidal section below Thames Locks.

Then, noting the warning signs about variable headroom on the semi-tidal section from Thames Locks to Brentford Gauging Locks, it was time to head up the canal.

There were lots of people along the canal on this sunny afternoon, especially around Hanwell Locks, but not so many they caused problems. I was asked a few questions when people saw me stop to make notes and measure the lock depths, and I was please I could answer them all.

It wasn't long before I reached Bull's Bridge Junction with the Paddington Arm I've already covered.

For more information see

Grand Union Canal Photo Gallery for a virtual cruise along the canal
Grand Union Canal Route Information

Cycling the short Hertford Union Canal completed the data collection for the London sections of the Grand Union Canal cruising maps.

The Hertford Union Canal is part of the Grand Union Canal and runs from Hertford Union Junction with the Regents Canal to the junction with the River Lee Navigation.

It is 1.9 kilometers (1.2 miles) long with 3 broad locks.

Virtually straight from one end to the other the canal was constructed to provide a direct link between the Regents Canal and the River Lee Navigation which not only saved time but avoided the difficulties of a short trip along the tidal River Thames before the Limehouse Cut was dug.

The canal is surprisingly quiet, being bounded along its northern edge by Victoria Park. Many of the features date from the opening in 1830 and are now listed structures.

I'll be turning my attention to the main line next, heading northwards from Brentford Junction with the River Thames.

For more information see

Hertford Union Canal Photo Gallery for a virtual cruise along the canal
Hertford Union Canal Route Information

Continuing with the data collection for the Grand Union Cruising Maps I cycled the towpaths of the Regents Canal across the northern edge of central London. The Regents Canal runs from the junction with the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal at Little Venice to the junction with the tidal River Thames at Limehouse Basin.

That's a total of 14.2km (8.8 miles) long with 13 broad locks, including Limehouse Lock onto the River Thames.

Neither of the two tunnels - Maida Vale Tunnel at 249m (272 yards) and Islington Tunnel at 878m (960 yards) - have towpaths requiring walkers to take the marked route over the top of the hills.

The locks come one at a time as they are well spaced out lowering the canal from around 28.5m (94 feet) to reach sea level at the tidal River Thames.

The canal passes through London Zoo, with some of the animals visible briefly, next to the market at Camden, and close to the main line stations at Kings Cross and St. Pancras.

Hertford Union Junction, towards the eastern end of the canal, provides a link through the Hertford Union Canal to the River Lee Navigation, avoiding the route via Limehouse Basin which once required a short passage along the River Thames.

For more information see

Regents Canal Photo Gallery for a virtual cruise along the canal
Regents Canal Route Information

We've just released the next map in our Cruising Maps series.

As with all the others, it is available in two formats - both for download.

The Acrobat (pdf) format for viewing and printing as individual pages, and the Memory Map (qct) format for seamless mapping on your computer, Andorid, iPhone or PDA.

The new release is
> Warwickshire Ring – Cruising Map

No need to keep turning from one page to another in canal guide books to trace your way around the Cheshire Ring as the seamless Memory Map format is just what you have been waiting for.

The first map on the right shows the area covered by the Cruising Maps (click to enlarge)

The second map on the right shows an extract from the Cruising Map (click to enlarge)

If you are not how sure what these maps are like then take a look at our Free Droitwich Canals Map to see just how good these are.

We've just released the next map in our Cruising Maps series.

As with all the others, it is available in two formats - both for download.

The Acrobat (pdf) format for viewing and printing as individual pages, and the Memory Map (qct) format for seamless mapping on your computer, Andorid, iPhone or PDA.

The new release is
> Grand Union Canal (Birmingham Section) – Cruising Map

No need to keep turning from one page to another in canal guide books to trace your way aalong the Grand Union Canal as the seamless Memory Map format is just what you have been waiting for.

The first map on the right shows the area covered by the Cruising Maps (click to enlarge)

The second map on the right shows an extract from the Cruising Map (click to enlarge)

If you are not how sure what these maps are like then take a look at our Free Droitwich Canals Map to see just how good these are.

Next I'll be issuing the remaining parts of the Warwickshire Ring.

Last month I cycled along the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal to collect data for the future releases of our Cruising Maps.

I was surprised at how muddy parts of the western end of the arm were, but it improved to a hard surface for the eastern half of the arm.

I headed east from Bull's Bridge Junction along the arm. Soon I discovered I wasn't cycling along the Paddington Arm, but along the Paddington Branch. So what is the difference?

It soon became apparent that all the older bridge number plates and canal side signs referred to it as the Paddington Arm, while all the newer signs referred to it as the Paddington Branch. I don't remember any formal renaming ceremony so which is right? And which name should I show on the maps?

There was nothing unexpected during the rest of the data collection ride. I now have all the water points, winding points, moorings etc. shown on the master map and ready for publication shortly.

For more information see

Paddington Arm Photo Gallery for a virtual cruise along the canal
Paddington Arm Route Information

We've just released the next map in our Cruising Maps series.

As with all the others, it is available in two formats - both for download.

The Acrobat (pdf) format for viewing and printing as individual pages, and the Memory Map (qct) format for seamless mapping on your computer, Andorid, iPhone or PDA.

The new release is
> Cheshire Ring – Cruising Map

No need to keep turning from one page to another in canal guide books to trace your way around the Cheshire Ring as the seamless Memory Map format is just what you have been waiting for.

The first map on the right shows the area covered by the Cruising Maps (click to enlarge)

The second map on the right shows an extract from the Cruising Map (click to enlarge)

If you are not how sure what these maps are like then take a look at our Free Droitwich Canals Map to see just how good these are.

Next I'll be issuing the remaining parts of the Warwickshire Ring.

We've just released the next map in our Cruising Maps series.

As with all the others, it is available in two formats - both for download.

The Acrobat (pdf) format for viewing and printing as individual pages, and the Memory Map (qct) format for seamless mapping on your computer, Andorid, iPhone or PDA.

The new release is
> Ashton Canal – Cruising Map

This includes the Rochdale Canal to Castlefield Junction.

No need to keep turning from one page to another in canal guide books to trace your way along the Ashton Canal as the seamless Memory Map format is just what you have been waiting for.

The first map on the right shows the area covered by the Cruising Maps (click to enlarge)

The second map on the right shows an extract from the Cruising Map (click to enlarge)

If you are not how sure what these maps are like then take a look at our Free Droitwich Canals Map to see just how good these are.

I now have the data to complete the Cheshire Ring, thanks to some help from our son, Andrew, so that will be coming soon.

We've just released the next map in our Cruising Maps series.

As with all the others, it is available in two formats - both for download.

The Acrobat (pdf) format for viewing and printing as individual pages, and the Memory Map (qct) format for seamless mapping on your computer, Andorid, iPhone or PDA.

The new release is
> Bridgewater Canal – Cruising Map

No need to keep turning from one page to another in canal guide books to trace your way along the Bridgewater Canal as the seamless Memory Map format is just what you have been waiting for.

The first map on the right shows the area covered by the Cruising Maps (click to enlarge)

The second map on the right shows an extract from the Cruising Map (click to enlarge)

If you are not how sure what these maps are like then take a look at our Free Droitwich Canals Map to see just how good these are.

I now have the data to complete the Cheshire Ring, thanks to some help from our son, Andrew, so that will be coming soon.