The Market Weighton Canal Trail: Discover 18th century locks, wildlife and the Land of Nod

Now decades after boats stopped using the waterway, which links the market town to the Humber, it has been relaunched as a walking trail.

There are brass rubbing posts for children; places to picnic, including at Weighton Lock which has wonderful views over the estuary.

The project grew from a consultant's report a decade ago which suggested developing a walking trail linking up with Market Weighton, said former Newport parish council chairman Gordon Shield.

A large village in the middle of the 11.5 mile canal, Newport has a pub, chip shop and a Chinese takeaway and can be used as a starting off point for walkers. The new trail links up with the Yorkshire Wolds Way, which comes through Market Weighton; and also with the Trans Pennine Trail where the canal feeds into the Humber.

Historians, archaeologists and wildlife enthusiasts have all contributed to a new website.

Mr Shield said: "There's very little between here and Market Weighton and nothing from Newport to the lock; you have wide open areas alongside the canal and some rather beautiful, quiet areas.

"You will see quite a lot in the water and alongside the canal; anything from otters to swans, a wide variety of birdlife especially looking over towards the RSPB site at Blacktoft and Whitton Sands.

"Then there's Broomfleet Washlands which have a rare damselfly.

"It's very much a hidden gem. We want to promote it, but not too much because one of the benefits is peace and tranquillity."

The canal was authorised by an Act of Parliament in 1772 and opened in 1782, and is partly the canalised river Foulness. Because most of the area is below sea level, it was virtually impassable in winter. It wasn't until the canal was constructed that the vast tracts of marsh and carr were drained.

The good quality clay discovered during its excavation founded a brick-making industry. At its height there were 22 brickyards along the canal - turning out, it was said, the bricks which built Hull.

But the canal never actually reached Market Weighton, running out of money about two miles short of the town. The cost of constructing six more locks on the rising ground proved prohibitive.

Weighton Lock is still navigable; the other three are derelict. Further up some sections are once again under the plough. Historian Dr Robb Robinson writes: “Even here in this seemingly rural backdrop of flat open fields...some signs of former maritime commerce can also still be defined, be it the warehouse amongst the trees at Canal Head or the stark remains of old stone lock pits and former landings, all hints of the waterborne traffic of old.”