Our mooring place has brought us approximately 2/3 of the way along the original Chesterfield canal and is as far as one can go at the moment.......there are great plans afoot, and some action, to restore the remaining 1/3.
For now Geoff wanted to say he had reached the end of the road so he decided to walk the 15 miles into Chesterfield. Barnaby was left behind much to his dismay because Geoff wanted to look over the town and he planned to return on the train.
He set off just before 8 and the first trick was to find the real way over the top of Norwood tunnel which we had failed to achieve last night. This time he managed it albeit with the help of a passer by...it is not clearly signposted.
As far as he could make out the Western Portal of Norwood Tunnel is in there somewhere
Soon after there is just a trickle of water
Soon after there is an area in water
And one of the old locks,
There were originally 13 Norwood locks. Now some rather nice house have been built there and what must have been the pounds between the locks have become water features in their gardens!!
Further on in Killemarsh the old canal bed has had houses built all over it.
A new section and bridge but not connected anywhere yet
More restoration work. Geoff couldn't decide if it was `in progress` or not
The first bridge of the approx 5 miles of canal in water starting in the Stavely area.
One of the locks in the watered section
One of only 2 boats on the watered section
Chesterfield Visitor centre
Closer to Chesterfield
What appears to be the stop lock at the Chesterfield end of the watered section
The tourist leaflet about the canal talks of a multi million canal development in the centre of Chesterfield but Geoff saw no sign.
All he saw was this!
He wasn't sure if this was canal or the river Rother.
This is the twisted tower of the church in Chesterfield.
An hours train ride, changing in Sheffield brought him home about 4 o'clock
Meanwhile back at the ranch, I had a very busy domestic day!!!! I painted one side of the gunnels, defrosted the fridge and had a good clean out of Petroc.........whose day would you choose. However I was finished by lunchtime and spent the afternoon relaxing in the sun.
With Geoff's return I was in action again.
I turned Petroc so I could paint the other side......I had contemplated turning her in Geoff's absence but decided to be sensible......I'm not sure what I would have done if I had picked up weed around the prop. There were the odd walkers passing by but not very often.
We were both exhausted at the end of the day!
1 comment:
Have often seen folks in long boats and wondered if it was more work than play. Been reading your Blog for awhile and I'm still not sute.
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