the Canal Guide, Britain's 55 Best Canals

353 Pages·2021·111.297 MB·English

by  Stuart Fisher

the
Canal
Guide
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000011__333366__CCAANNAALLGGUUIIDDEE__22002200..iinndddd 22 0077//1100//22002200 1166::5599
U P D AT E D & E X PA N D E D
the
Canal
Guide
BRITAIN’S 55 BEST CANALS
S T U A R T F I S H E R
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7
ADLARD COLES BASINGSTOKE
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc CONTENTS
50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP, UK CANAL 124
8
BLOOMSBURY, ADLARD COLES and the Adlard Coles logo KENNET & AVON
are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
CANAL 128
C3rodn teadinitsio mn,a t2e0r1i7a l ©pr Setvuioaurts lFyi sphuebrlished in Canals of Britain INTRODUCTION 6 9 GRAND WESTERN
The Canal Guide first published in Great Britain 2015 01 BIRMINGHAM CANAL CANAL 150
This edition published 2021
NAVIGATIONS: OLD BRIDGWATER & TAUNTON
This electronic edition published in 2021 by Bloomsbury MAIN LOOP LINE 8 CANAL 154
Publishing Plc 02 1
BIRMINGHAM CANAL GLOUCESTER & SHARPNESS
Copyright © Stuart Fisher 2015, 2021 NAVIGATIONS: CANAL 158
Stuart Fisher has asserted his right under the Copyright, NEW MAIN LINE 12 MONMOUTHSHIRE
Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author
03
of this work WYRLEY & ESSINGTON & BRECON CANAL 162
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be CANAL 16 STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, 04
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, WALSALL CANAL 168
recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, CANAL 20 WORCESTER & BIRMINGHAM
without prior permission in writing from the publishers
05
DAW END CANAL 172
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc does not have any control over,
or responsibility for, any third-party websites referred to BRANCH 24 DROITWICH BARGE
or in this book. All internet addresses given in this book 06
were correct at the time of going to press. The author and TAME VALLEY CANAL 176
publisher regret any inconvenience caused if addresses CANAL 28 STAFFORDSHIRE &
have changed or sites have ceased to exist, but can
accept no responsibility for any such changes 07 B IRMINGHAM & WORCESTERSHIRE CANAL 180
7
A catalogue record for this book is available from the FAZELEY CANAL 32 STOURBRIDGE
British Library 08 COVENTRY CANAL 186
Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication data
has been applied for CANAL 36 SHROPSHIRE UNION
ISBN 978-1-4729-7405-1 09 ASHBY-DE-LA-ZOUCH CANAL 190
ePUB 978-1-4729-7407-5
ePDF 978-1-4729-7406-8 CANAL 42 LLANGOLLEN
10 OXFORD CANAL 204
CANAL 48 MONTGOMERY
1 1 CANAL 212
GRAND UNION
1
To find out more about our authors and books visit CANAL 58 SHROPSHIRE UNION CANAL:
www.bloomsbury.com and sign up for our newsletters
12 MIDDLEWICH BRANCH 216
GRAND UNION CANAL:
LEICESTER LINE 88 TRENT & MERSEY
LEGEND FOR MAPS
13 CANAL 218
CROMFORD
Featured canal
CANAL 102 MACCLESFIELD
Other canal or river
14 CANAL 230
Motorway EREWASH
Other road CANAL 106 CALDON
Railway 15 CANAL 234
GRAND UNION CANAL:
Open water or sea
AYLESBURY ARM 110 ST HELENS
Inter-tidal zone 16 CANAL 238
GRAND UNION CANAL:
Built-up area PADDINGTON ARM BRIDGEWATER
AND REGENT’S CANAL 114 CANAL 242
Woodland
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17 37
BASINGSTOKE LEEDS & LIVERPOOL
CONTENTS
CANAL 124 CANAL: LEIGH BRANCH
18 AND BRIDGEWATER CANAL:
KENNET & AVON
STRETFORD & LEIGH BRANCH 250
CANAL 128
38
19 ROCHDALE
GRAND WESTERN
CANAL 256
CANAL 150
39
20 ASHTON
BRIDGWATER & TAUNTON
CANAL 262
CANAL 154
40
21 PEAK FOREST
GLOUCESTER & SHARPNESS
CANAL 158 CANAL 266
41
22 HUDDERSFIELD
MONMOUTHSHIRE
& BRECON CANAL 162 NARROW CANAL 270
42
23 CALDER & HEBBLE
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
CANAL 168 NAVIGATION 274
43
24 LEEDS & LIVERPOOL
WORCESTER & BIRMINGHAM
CANAL 172 CANAL 278
25 44
DROITWICH BARGE AIRE & CALDER
CANAL 176 NAVIGATION 296
26 45
STAFFORDSHIRE & AIRE & CALDER NAVIGATION:
WORCESTERSHIRE CANAL 180 WAKEFIELD SECTION 300
27 46
STOURBRIDGE LEEDS & LIVERPOOL CANAL:
CANAL 186 RUFFORD BRANCH 302
28 47
SHROPSHIRE UNION LANCASTER
CANAL 190 CANAL 304
29 48
LLANGOLLEN POCKLINGTON
CANAL 204 CANAL 312
30 49
MONTGOMERY STAINFORTH &
CANAL 212 KEADBY CANAL 316
31 50
SHROPSHIRE UNION CANAL: CHESTERFIELD
MIDDLEWICH BRANCH 216 CANAL 318
32 51
TRENT & MERSEY FOSSDYKE
CANAL 218 NAVIGATION 322
33 52
MACCLESFIELD UNION
CANAL 230 CANAL 326
34 53
CALDON FORTH & CLYDE
CANAL 234 CANAL 330
35 54
ST HELENS CRINAN
CANAL 238 CANAL 336
36 55
BRIDGEWATER CALEDONIAN
CANAL 242 CANAL 340
INDEX 348
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6 INTRODUCTION ● 7
INTRODUCTION
WE ARE FORTUNATE to have, will be run down by something the size of an
in this country, a canal network like office block. In this country the biggest risk
no other in the world. It was the is running aground and you can usually wade
first commercial canal system, leading the way through the mud to either bank; a canal is
for the Industrial Revolution, but has remained a safe environment in which there is limited
largely as it was originally built. The canals are scope for getting into serious trouble. For the
mostly small and intimate. Restoration in recent walker and cyclist, canals provide routes that
years, supported by lottery and other funding, are mostly flat. As far as possible, descriptions
has outstripped the pace of construction even are given downhill and with the flow for those
during the ‘canal mania’ years. who have a choice of direction.
Overseas, where canals have been enlarged We have canals with scenery that changes
to take modern commercial craft, you can look frequently: open countryside, wildlife, heritage
at the distant bank and wonder whether you industrial buildings, canalside public houses,
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6 INTRODUCTION ● 7
modern city centres, wild moorland and families busy in the summer sunshine. In
coastal harbours, all mixed up. Anywhere on practice, you may find the picture rather
the system fantastic engineering structures different. Often the canals are deserted,
can be found. except for wildlife that finds them an ideal
For those with suitable boats there are environment, without needing all humans
65,000km of physically navigable river in and boats to be banned.
England and Wales alone (although subject to The intention is that this book should
contradictory statements from Defra on its be engaging to all who travel the canals.
permissible use), scope for a whole library of I do not usually give navigation instructions,
books, but in this one I have concentrated depths and headrooms, portage routes or
on Britain’s 55 best canals. Not all of them are what to do when the towpath runs out. If
linked to the rest of the system and not all the present state of a canal is such that it is
are physically passable for many boats or have limited to one kind of user, usually someone
useable towpaths. You may need a spirit of able to undertake portages, I may refer to
adventure, like the earlier recreational boaters. that category of user, otherwise I talk more
Who uses the canals? If you look at canal generally. I draw attention to features near
magazines you will see smiling couples or the canal, especially in heritage cities such
as Bath and Chester, because most canal
travellers will not want to pass through
these without stopping.
Much in the future will depend on
volunteers. As walkers and cyclists are often
the major users of canal routes the Canal &
River Trust (CRT) will need to have a more
positive approach towards them, including
signposting routes at tunnels and other
places where towpaths do not follow the
canal, removing barriers from towpaths and
ensuring routes connect rather than making
just token sections available.
Along the canals there are some consistent
trends. Heavy industry is evaporating. Public
houses across the country are closing at a
rapid rate, canalside pubs included, although
a number have been converted to restaurants.
Virtually anything that can be converted to
housing, including warehouses and other
former industrial premises, is now packed
with residential occupants.
The canals may be ever-changing but
there’s a sign that more and more people are
rediscovering them and taking them to their
hearts – in recent years canal holiday bookings
have shot up, particularly with restrictions on
overseas travel.
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8 01 • BIRMINGHAM CANAL NAVIGATIONS: OLD MAIN LOOP LINE ● 9
01
BIRMINGHAM CANAL
NAVIGATIONS: OLD
MAIN LOOP LINE
POSSIBLY BECAUSE BIRMINGHAM is the only major city
not located on a large river, it has had to rely on its man-made
waterways, having more canals than Venice. The whole canal
network spreads out from Birmingham and it is to the Birmingham
Canal Navigations (BCN) that all the loose ends connect. It is, therefore,
intensely complex, completely built-up and industrial. Its commercial
influence has declined, resulting in lighter traffic.
Of Britain’s operational canals, only the Fossdyke and the Bridgewater
pre-date the Birmingham. The Birmingham Canal Company were
authorized to build their line in 1768 and the following year Brindley
opened it as far as Wednesbury. The whole 36km course was completed
in 1772 and, because of the minerals and industry along its route, it
was immediately highly successful.
Many of the loops of the old line have since been cut off or filled
in, but the section between Tipton and Smethwick remains, and is a
contour canal with more features of interest than are found along the
more efficient New Main Line. The old line divides from the new at
Tipton Factory Junction, just a stone’s throw from the top lock on
The Malthouse Stables
the New Main Line.
centre at Tipton Factory
Tipton Green has been pleasantly landscaped to make the most of
Junction. Only the
two-storey part is the canal, with assorted new housing standing around the Fountain Inn.
original. This was formerly the home of 19th century canalman and prize fighter
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8 01 • BIRMINGHAM CANAL NAVIGATIONS: OLD MAIN LOOP LINE ● 9
is wider here as it approaches Dudley Port.
BIRMINGHAM CANAL
DISTANCE A container yard on the left is an update of
10km from Tipton Factory Junction to the area’s former purpose.
NAVIGATIONS: OLD Smethwick Junction The canal crosses the Netherton Tunnel
NAVIGATION AUTHORITY Branch Canal on an aqueduct and it is worth
Canal & River Trust looking over the parapet at the imposing
MAIN LOOP LINE
CANAL SOCIETY cutting leading to the mouth of this 3km
Birmingham Canal Navigations Society long tunnel.
www.bcnsociety.co.uk
At Brades Hall Junction there are two
OS 1:50,000 MAP arches on the left, the first abandoned but
139 Birmingham & Wolverhampton
the second leading past an ivy-covered wall
to the first of the Brades Locks on the Gower
William Perry, known as the Tipton Slasher, Branch Canal. This drops down as a midway
and his statue stands on the green. The connection to the New Main Line. It is an area
Malthouse Stables at Tipton have been of industry, with factories alongside the canal.
restored as an outdoor activity centre. From The character of the canal changes abruptly
Tipton Junction there is a spur – the Dudley at Oldbury as the M5 is in close proximity to
Canal No 1 Line – that leads to the Black the canal for the next 2km, mostly overhead.
Country Museum and the Dudley Tunnel. As with the River Tame in Birmingham, an
The houses, with their gardens hiding elevated route over a waterway has proved
behind greater reedmace, give way to old brick to be the most acceptable line for a motorway
factories. The view opens out at Burnt Tree to be squeezed through the city.
with new housing around a marina, and the North Junction and South Junction of the
Silurian limestone ridge behind it. The canal closed Oldbury Loop Line are still visible and
P L AC E S T O V I S I T
NEAR THE CANAL
• Black Country Living Museum, tells the
story of the world’s first industrial landscape
• Spon Lane Locks, probably the oldest
working locks in Britain
• Galton Valley Pumping Station, serves
as a small museum
FURTHER AWAY
• Dudley Zoological Gardens, within
the grounds of Dudley Castle, which was
founded in 1070 but now ruined
• Dudley Limestone Caverns, boat trips
from the museum
• Smethwick Heritage Centre, features
the history of Smethwick
The Gower Branch Canal drops away from Brades Hall
Junction through the Brades Locks.
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