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The UK canal system has literally hundreds of canal aqueducts, commonly misspelled as aquaduct.

Just like bridges for roads and railways, some canals need to cross over obstacles too. In the UK there are opportunities to cross over rivers, other canals, railway tracks, roads and motorways.

Major aqueducts are fantastic engineering feats, older ones bring the relationship of the sets of arches running parallel with one another to conjures up images of Roman grandeur.

Here are some of the better known examples of UK canal aqueducts:

Almond Aqueduct on the Union Canal, Scotland over the River Almond

Avon Aqueduct on the Union Canal is Scotland's longest and tallest aqueduct

Avoncliff Aqueduct on the Kennet and Avon Canal by John Rennie

Barton Swing Aqueduct on the Bridgewater Canal by Sir Edward Leader Williams carries the Bridgewater Canal over the Manchester Ship Canal. This aqueduct swings to let large vessels pass below.

Bonnington Aqueduct on the Union Canal, near the M8

Chirk Aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal adjacent to the Chirk Railway Viaduct

Clifton Aqueduct on the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal now a Grade II listed building adjacent to the Clifton Viaduct

Cosgrove Aqueduct on the Grand Union Canal by Benjamin Bevan built to replace an earlier aqueduct which collapsed.

Dundas Aqueduct on the Kennet and Avon Canal by John Rennie in a classical style, now a Scheduled Ancient Monument

Engine Arm Aqueduct on the Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) Cast by the Horseley Ironworks

Ewood Aqueduct on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal

Greenbank Aqueduct on the Union Canal near the Falkirk Wheel, Scotland

Lichfield Canal Aqueduct over the M6 Toll Road on the Lichfield Canal is a modern construction for the canal under restoration; not yet 'in water' (2009)

Nantwich Aqueduct on the Shropshire Union Canal over the A534, Chester Road, just south of Nantwich Basin. - MAP

New Semington Aqueduct is a modern concrete structure that carries the Kennet and Avon Canal over the new bypass carriageway of A350 road, at Semington in west Wiltshire, England. It has two channels of 5m with a 3.5m towpath and a 3.5m maintenance access path on either side.

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal, Trevor, Wales by Thomas Telford a cast iron trough 1,007 feet long supported 126 feet above the river by 19 masonry piers. See our page - Construction of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - MAP

Prestolee Aqueduct on the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal, now a Grade II listed building

Scott Russell Aqueduct on the Union Canal, Scotland, passes over the A720 Edinburgh Bypass

Slateford Aqueduct on the Union Canal, Scotland

Stanley Ferry Aqueduct on the Aire and Calder Navigation by George Leather is one of the earliest compression arch suspended-deck bridges in the world

Store Street Aqueduct on the Ashton Canal by Benjamin Outram was built on a skew of 45 degrees across the highway, and believed to be the first of its kind in Great Britain.

Stretton Aqueduct is close to Stretton Wharf on the Shropshire Union Canal over the A5 Trunk Road by Thomas Telford one of his last aqueducts and grade II listed since 1985. The inscription in the centre panel reads: "Birmingham and Liverpool Canal Thos. Telford F.R.S.I.& E. Engineer 1832" - MAP

Tividale Canal Aqueduct on the Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) Old Main Line is also the Netherton Tunnel northern portal on the Netherton Tunnel Branch Canal, in the West Midlands, is also part of the BCN. - MAP

We will add photos and details as we come across more canal aqueducts on our cruises.