What is "haarlemmertrekvaart"

The Haarlemmertrekvaart [ˌhaːrlɛmərˈtrɛkfaːrt] (Haarlem's Tow-Canal) is a canal between Amsterdam and Haarlem in the province of North Holland, the Netherlands. It was dug in 1631, making it the oldest tow-canal in Holland. Travel on such canals was historically done by barges (or trekschuit in Dutch) which were towed by animals (and sometimes by man-power) on a path along the canal's edge ( towpath).