Guide To Tapton Lock Visitor Centre

Tapton lock was closed which is a shame don’t know if it’s permanent or not this was good place for a drink and a break

A fantastic last minute trip to Tapton Lock. Perfect family day out, as it was the 2024 festival also. So we enjoyed arts and crafts, a boat trip and kayaking too. Thank you to all who made today possible.

Great wee visitors centre right on the canal in Chesterfield. We’ll worth a visit for a nice walk along the canal and maybe stay for a cuppa or ice cream.

Also Toilets.

The Centre is one of the bases for the Derbyshire Countryside Ranger Service and the embarkation point for the John Varley ll, one of the Chesterfield Canal Trust’s passenger trip boats.

The visitor centre, its gardens and its facilities are fully accessible and we now have a ‘tramper’ mobility scooter available to help you explore further. The towpath is accessible for everyone from Tapton Lock to Staveley. The visitor centre is a great place to start exploring the Chesterfield Canal and Trans Pennine Trail southern link.

We have a small shop with a good selection of gifts, maps and books. We have a display about the canal and its history, plus free self-guided walking, cycling and horse riding leaflets and information about places to visit in the area. If you’ve been to visit us, please take a little time to complete our survey.

Chesterfield Canal Trust volunteers run regular boat trips from the visitor centre on Sundays and bank holiday Mondays through the summer months. Look out for the summer evening specials and Santa trips at weekends in December.

Wildlife

The canal is a great place for spotting all sorts of wildlife. Spring wild flowers, birds and small mammals are all seen close the visitor centre.

The Bluebank Pools section of the canal is a local nature reserve and is one of the best places to look. Call in at the visitor centre and let us know what you’ve seen.

Parking

On-street parking is available outside the visitor centre.

Education visits

Do you want your class or group to learn more about the Chesterfield Canal and Tapton Lock? Please see our free self-guided learning resources pack attached to this page.

Activities include:

exploring the canal

classification, habitats and food chains

design and engineering

canal art

Rangers from the visitor centre are happy to advise on the best times to visit, just give us a call,

Nice place to walk. Little visitor’s centre and shop. Good walks both ways along the canal and great views of the river. Sculptures and art installations around and under the bridge. On road parking. Toilet facilities available