Three canals cross the Pennines, each with its own character, but all showing the determination of two centuries ago to get goods moving across the hills and build prosperity. Today on your narrowboat holiday you can see history all around as you travel, but also how the West Riding is adapting to 21st century life.

To the north, the Leeds and Liverpool Canal passes through grand unspoilt Pennine scenery, and many waterway marvels such as the Bingley Five Rise locks.

The Rochdale Canal, in the middle, makes boaters marvel at its romantic scenery and stone-built towns as they climb towards the summit. At the far end is Manchester, with its busy new canalside life.

The Huddersfield Narrow Canal, to the south, mixes wooded countryside, moorland views, and reminders of the textile industry, from weavers' cottages to giant mills reused for today's needs. It climbs towards the longest and highest canal tunnel in Britain.

These three canals are linked on the Yorkshire side by river navigations. The Calder & Hebble is an old navigation, hidden in the trees. The Aire & Calder is a modern waterway which mixes growing pleasure traffic with environmentally friendly bulk transport. .

Drifters bases at restored wharves in Sowerby Bridge and Foulridge give you ideal start points for exploring all the Pennine canals

To see sample routes, click on the Drifters bases. You'll see more route information when you use the availability search.