It runs for 46 miles from the River Trent to the middle of Chesterfield, linking Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and Derbyshire.Every yard of the canal can be walked on the towpath known as The Cuckoo Way.
It goes through tranquil countryside where scarcely a house can be seen; has some of the earliest staircase locks ever built 240 years ago and is hugely popular with walkers and has some of the best canal fishing in the country as well as featuring an underground canal at Hollingwood.
We have dug out some great pictures from the archive showing the people who give the canals its character.
A message from the Editor:
Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.
Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.
With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.
Thank you
Nancy Fielder, editor
1. Lock and quay
John Nutttall, Project Manager for British Waterways (left) and Chris Blankley, Senior Development Executive for English Partnerships (right) celebrate the completion of the first additional lock to be created on the Chesterfield Canal as part of its restoration in 1998 Photo: Submitted
2. Patrol officer
British Waterways patrol officer Allan Lindley on the Pudding Dyke bridge between Turnerwood and Thorpe Salvin on the Chesterfield Canal which was severely damaged with coping stones brickwork and granite paving blocks removed and dumped in the canal in 2000 Photo: Chris Lawton
3. First boat trip
Ernest Botham, 90, enjoyed the first canal boat trip with Anna Kielty, Chesterfield Canal Greenway Project Officer and Matt Taylor, the country council's principal engineer in 2001 Photo: Submitted
4. Trailboat Festival
Pictured on the Chesterfield Canal at Tapton Lock, where the 2005 IWA National Trailboat Festival was held. Seen on the Inland Waterways stand are, Madeline Dean, and Keith Midgley. Photo: Mike Waistell