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A winding hole (/ˈwɪndɪŋ/) is a widened area of a canal (usually in the United Kingdom), used for turning a canal boat such as a narrowboat.

Etymology

The word is commonly believed to derive from the practice of using the wind to assist with the turn.^[1] It is notable that the German term for turning a vehicle is "wenden". Much UK canal terminology comes from spoken rather than written tradition and from bargees who did not read or write.^[2] However, it is also possible that the word has a similar derivation to that of the windlass, which derives from the Old Norse "vinda" and "ás"—words currently used in Iceland—where the modern word for "windlass" is "vinda".^[3]

History

Because the average width of a canal channel (about 30' to 40' feet) is less than the length of a full-size narrow boat (72') it is not usually possible to turn a boat in the canal. Winding holes are typically indentations in the off-side (non-towpath side) of the canal, allowing sufficient space to turn the boat.

Use

A winding hole consists of a "notch" in the canal bank. A turning boat inserts its bow into the notch and swings the stern round. In the days of horse-drawn boats, this was accomplished using bargepoles.^[4]^[5]^[6]

References

^ Deuchar, Chris N. (1997). A boaters guide to boating. [S.l.]: C.N. Deuchar on behalf of the historic Narrow Boat Owners Club. p. 13. ISBN 0953151204.
^ Stewart, Shona (1994). Ramlin Rose: The Boatwoman's Story. Oxford, UK: Oxford Paperbacks. ISBN 8601416923604. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid prefix (help)
^ Hilbertsson, ritstjóri, Sævar (2000). Ensk íslensk orðabók og íslensk-ensk orðabók (2000 [2.] útg. ed.). [Reykjavík]: Orðabókaútgáfan. ISBN 9979835206.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ Hankinson, John (1967). Canal Cruising. Ward Lock. pp. 62–64.
^ Marsh, Bryan (1985). The Inland Navigator. Penguin. pp. 140–141. ISBN 0-14-046666-5.
^ Yorke, Stan (2003). English Canals Explained. p. 44. ISBN 1-85306-825-X. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)

[Deuchar_1997_13-1] Deuchar, Chris N. (1997). A boaters guide to boating. [S.l.]: C.N. Deuchar on behalf of the historic Narrow Boat Owners Club. p. 13. ISBN 0953151204.

[Stewart_1994-2] Stewart, Shona (1994). Ramlin Rose: The Boatwoman's Story. Oxford, UK: Oxford Paperbacks. ISBN 8601416923604. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid prefix (help)

[Hilbertsson_2000-3] Hilbertsson, ritstjóri, Sævar (2000). Ensk íslensk orðabók og íslensk-ensk orðabók (2000 [2.] útg. ed.). [Reykjavík]: Orðabókaútgáfan. ISBN 9979835206.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[4] Hankinson, John (1967). Canal Cruising. Ward Lock. pp. 62–64.

[5] Marsh, Bryan (1985). The Inland Navigator. Penguin. pp. 140–141. ISBN 0-14-046666-5.

[6] Yorke, Stan (2003). English Canals Explained. p. 44. ISBN 1-85306-825-X. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)

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 ==Etymology==
 {{Wiktionary|winding}}
-The word is correctly pronounced 'win-ding', and although commonly believed to derive from the [known] practice of using wind to assist with the turn, no verifiable reference is currently available to support this contention. See "canalworld" <ref>http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7926</ref> for two entirely opposing lines of opinion, neither verifiable. It is notable that the German term for turning a vehicle is "wenden". Much UK canal terminology comes from spoken rather than written tradition and from bargees who did not read or write.<ref>Ramlin Rose. The boatwoman's story OUP Shiela Stewart</ref> The most likely explanation for the correct pronunciation may be found in another canal word "windlass" (win-dlass) which derives <ref>OED</ref> from Old Norse "vinda" and "ás",  words currently used <ref>ISBN 9979-835-20-6</ref> in Iceland, where the modern word for 'windlass' is "vinda".
+The word is commonly believed to derive from the practice of using the wind to assist with the turn.<ref name="Deuchar 1997 13">{{cite book|last1=Deuchar|first1=Chris N.|title=A boaters guide to boating|date=1997|publisher=C.N. Deuchar on behalf of the historic Narrow Boat Owners Club|location=[S.l.]|isbn=0953151204|page=13}}</ref> It is notable that the German term for turning a vehicle is "wenden". Much UK canal terminology comes from spoken rather than written tradition and from bargees who did not read or write.<ref name="Stewart 1994">{{cite book|last1=Stewart|first1=Shona|title=Ramlin Rose: The Boatwoman's Story|date=1994|publisher=Oxford Paperbacks|location=Oxford, UK|isbn=8601416923604}}</ref> However, it is also possible that the word has a similar derivation to that of the [[windlass]], which derives from the [[Old Norse]] "vinda" and "ás"—words currently used in Iceland—where the modern word for "windlass" is "vinda".<ref name="Hilbertsson 2000">{{cite book|last1=Hilbertsson|first1=ritstjóri, Sævar|title=Ensk íslensk orðabók og íslensk-ensk orðabók|date=2000|publisher=Orðabókaútgáfan|location=[Reykjavík]|isbn=9979835206|edition=2000 [2.] útg.}}</ref>
 ==History==
-Because the average width of a canal channel (about 30' to 40' feet) is less than the length of a full-size narrow boat (72') it is not usually possible to turn a boat in the canal. Winding holes are typically indentations in the off-side (non-[[towpath]] side) of the canal, allowing sufficient space to turn the boat. The picture above is a classic example but many winding holes are just dug-outs on the non-towpath side.
+Because the average width of a canal channel (about 30' to 40' feet) is less than the length of a full-size narrow boat (72') it is not usually possible to turn a boat in the canal. Winding holes are typically indentations in the off-side (non-[[towpath]] side) of the canal, allowing sufficient space to turn the boat.
-One unverified suggestion for the derivation of the name winding hole comes from the fact that the winding hole is on the off-side of the canal. When horses were used to pull the boats, it was not possible for them to assist with the turning of the boat, due to being on the wrong side of the canal. As a result, it was considered favourable to use the wind to assist in turning the boat, to reduce the amount of human power needed.
 ==Use==
-A winding hole consists of a "notch" in the canal bank opposite the towpath. A turning boat inserts its bow into the notch and swings the stern round. In the days of horse-drawn boats this was accomplished using bargepoles.<ref>{{cite book
+A winding hole consists of a "notch" in the canal bank. A turning boat inserts its bow into the notch and swings the stern round. In the days of horse-drawn boats, this was accomplished using bargepoles.<ref>{{cite book| last = Hankinson| first = John| title = Canal Cruising| publisher = Ward Lock| year = 1967| pages = 62–64}}</ref><ref>{{cite book| last = Marsh| first = Bryan| title = The Inland Navigator| publisher = Penguin| year = 1985| pages = 140–141| isbn = 0-14-046666-5}}</ref><Ref>{{cite book| last = Yorke| first = Stan| title = English Canals Explained| Publisher = Countryside Books| year = 2003| pages = 44| isbn = 1-85306-825-X}}</ref>
-  | last = Hankinson
-  | first = John
-  | title = Canal Cruising
-  | publisher = Ward Lock
-  | year = 1967
-  | pages = 62–64}}</ref>
-<ref>{{cite book
-  | last = Marsh
-  | first = Bryan
-  | title = The Inland Navigator
-  | publisher = Penguin
-  | year = 1985
-  | pages = 140–141
-  | isbn = 0-14-046666-5}}</ref>
-<ref>{{cite book
-  | last = Yorke
-  | first = Stan
-  | title = English Canals Explained
-  | publisher = Countryside Books
-  | year = 2003
-  | pages = 44
-  | isbn = 1-85306-825-X}}</ref>
-==Today==
-With the growth of pleasure traffic on the canals and the virtual disappearance of commercial craft the need for winding holes increased. Whereas commercial craft needed to turn at locations which were predictable and related to the goods carried, pleasure boats may wish to turn anywhere. As a result, the waterways authority have created, and sometimes maintain new winding holes in many locations. For example, three have been provided in the ten miles of [[Oxford Canal]] between Braunston Junction and the foot of Napton Locks.
 ==See also==

v t e Navigable canals of the United Kingdom
England	Aire and Calder¹ Ashby-de-la-Zouch² Ashton Basingstoke Canal Beverley Beck Birmingham Canal Navigations³ Bridgewater Bridgwater and Taunton Buckingham Arm² Bude² Calder and Hebble¹ Cambridgeshire Lodes³ Chelmer and Blackwater¹ Chesterfield² Chichester² Coventry Driffield Droitwich Erewash Foss Dyke Gloucester and Sharpness Grand Union³ Grand Western² Grantham² Herefordshire and Gloucestershire² Hollinwood Branch² Huddersfield Broad Huddersfield Narrow Ipswich and Stowmarket¹² Kennet and Avon¹ Lancaster² Leeds and Liverpool³ Lee Navigation¹ Limehouse Llangollen Lydney Macclesfield Maidenhead Waterways Manchester Bolton & Bury² Manchester Ship Canal Market Weighton² Middle Level Navigations³ Montgomery² North Walsham and Dilham¹² Nottingham² Oxford¹ Peak Forest Pocklington² Regent's Canal Ribble Link¹ Ripon Rochdale Royal Military Canal Sankey² Selby Sheffield and South Yorkshire¹³ Shropshire Union³ Sleaford¹² South Forty-Foot Drain Staffordshire and Worcestershire Stort¹ Stourbridge Stratford-upon-Avon Stroudwater² Thames and Medway² Thames and Severn² Trent and Mersey³ Weaver¹ Wardle Wey and Arun² Wey and Godalming¹ Wilts & Berks² Witham Navigable Drains³ Worcester and Birmingham Wyrley and Essington
Northern Ireland	Coalisland Canal Lagan Canal Newry Canal Shannon–Erne Waterway Strabane Canal Ulster Canal
Scotland	Caledonian Canal¹ Crinan Canal Forth and Clyde Union Canal
Wales	Llangollen Canal Monmouthshire and Brecon² Montgomery Canal² Neath and Tennant² Swansea Canal²
Features	Aqueducts (list) Basins Locks Rings Tunnels (list) Winding holes
Related topics	British Waterways Canal & River Trust Scottish Canals History of the British canal system London Canal Museum Manchester Pusher Narrowboats National Waterways Museum Navigable aqueduct Waterways Ireland
Notes: ¹ Contains canalised river. ² Partly or mostly navigable, and/or under restoration. ³ A system of canals. Canals which form part of this system are not listed here individually.