Along the Cromford Canal - Part 1

It was a cool, slightly damp morning as we set out along the Cromford Canal starting at Cromford Wharf.

It was quiet around the wharf and along the towpath, the car park was nearly empty.  We didn't see another soul for ages.

 

The Canada Geese decided they were going to make a fuss and palaver with much honking and low flying and skimming of the water until they had all settled their differences.

Calm returned for a short while

We spotted what we thought was a Whitethroat (John at By Stargoose and Hanglands has pointed out that it's actually a Stonechat) thank you John.  This isn't a good photo but I've used it to show the molehills behind.  Has anyone else noticed that there seems to be far more molehills around this year?  Everywhere we go when out walking we are seeing far more than normal.  Has the last year been good for moles?  The only time I've seen a live mole was, funnily enough, on Nefyn beach in Wales.  It was running along at the side of lumps of earth brought down by a landslide from the cliffs above. It disappeared very quickly.

We also spotted a couple of snoozing Dab Chicks or Little Grebes not far from where we first spotted Water Voles.  We didn't see any voles this time but we did see a few more Dab Chicks.  We could hear their distinctive whistle as they dived for food.

 

They were hunting and diving in pairs.  The male has a reddish throat.

 

We reached High Peak Junction where you can visit the oldest railway workshop and sit with a cup of coffee.  We decided to walk further along the canal and then come back for refreshments later.

 

The Leawood Pump House across the other side of the canal.

 

At the bridge we crossed the canal to look at the grade II listed 19th century Aqueduct Cottage.  There is a lot of repair and renovation work being done.  The old lock keeper's cottage fell into disrepair and developers wanted to purchase it but volunteers from the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust raised enough money to outbid them and for the last three years they have been working tirelessly to bring it back to it's former glory.

Work was going on as we paused to look at how the cottage had changed since we last saw it.  The cottage was built in 1802 by Peter Nightingale who was a great uncle of Florence Nightingale who grew up nearby.  He was the main financier for Richard Arkwright who built the mills at Cromford and later at Masson. 

 

The cottage as it looked when we photographed it back in September 2018.  It was described in 1884 by local author Alison Uttley.

 

'The cottage was the dividing place between work and play, between fairy tale and reality and we were bound for fairy tale'
 

Here is a - link - to much more about the cottage.  

 

We had crossed the canal and headed back towards High Peak junction for a warm drink where we were joined by a colourful little friend.

 

More in part two.

Here and There

Last Friday we ventured out to walk at RSPB Consall Nature Reserve.  It's one of our favourite walks.   We'd taken a flask of coffee with us which we drank in the car  as we sat and watched the birds - a tree creeper was spotted and nuthatch, robins and great tits were flitting on and off the top of fence posts where seeds had been left for them.  Then, wellingtons on, we set out for a walk down to the canal.

Down through the woods where the ground was covered in areas of Dog's Mercury, Wood Avens, Wood Anemone, Butterbur and Bluebells.

On our way we passed the two fishing pools each having seats on the paths nearby dedicated to those who used to love walking and fishing here.

Down by the wildlife pond we spotted Marsh Marigolds and a friendly frog or toad.

We crossed the bridge over the River Churnet and looked down from the bridge onto the silent railway lines of the Churnet Valley Railway  and the Caldon Canal.

Down the steps to the canal towpath and past Consall Station.

The Heritage steam railway has been closed for ages during the last year.  I think they are struggling to keep going.  We will travel the line from one end to the other when safter times allow, perhaps in the late Summer or Autumn.  I hope lots of people do the same as it would be a shame for the line to close.

 

Male Pheasant - there were a few female pheasants with him in the field.

Two herons flew in over the canal and railway. One landed at the side of the river the other up in a tree.  This one posed for a while before rising gracefully and flying further down the river.

Bridge number 50 0n the Caldon canal.

All for now.  Yesterday we walked at Westport Lake which will be my next post.  Take care.

Open Lock Day

It was bitterly cold on Sunday morning as we walked along the towpath of the Caldon Canal up in the city centre from Hanley Park to Etruria.

We passed one or two other walkers out and about,  muffled up in hats, scarves and gloves against the bitter cold.

The canal passes Stoke College and student accommodation along the way.

It took about 20 minutes to reach our destination which was the Bedford Street lock.

The open weekend had been organised by the Canal and River Trust on the last weekend of its closure for the replacement of its middle gates, the re-fitting of the top gate and brickwork.

The Bedford Street Lock is a staircase lock which was built in the late 18th century to a design by James Brindley.  It opened in 1778.  I say lock but there are actually two locks.  It is known as the Bedford Street double lock and is apparently the last of its kind in North Staffordshire.

The engineers and craftsmen who were working on the project were our guides for the tour of the lock.  When we arrived the first 18 people were down in the basin of the lock so we waited for the second tour. 

We then donned hard hats and descended into the lock.  Our guide was the joiner who had made the replacement gates from English Oak sourced in the West Midlands. 

Apparently the bottom gate of the top lock acts as the top gate of the bottom lock.  This form of lock is used for steep gradients in this case the rise if 19' 3" or 5.87metres.

It was quite a way down!  Underneath the wooden flooring there was another 6 or 7 feet down to the very bottom which was why they could only take about 18 people at a time.

One of the men in our group had taken his boat through the locks on a previous visit and had struggled with the system.  One of the other guides was the present lock keeper and he explained how to navigate through the locks and gave lots of other information but by this time I was so cold that I didn't take in some of the figures and dates with regards the building and history of the lock.

Time for a warming mug of hot chocolate and a flapjack at the nearby Etruria Industrial Museum which is the former works of the bone and flint mill belonging to Jesse Shirley.  It is here that the Trent and Mersey and Caldon Canals meet.

There is a modern visitor centre and lots of activities were being enjoyed.  According to the information given the bone and flint mill is the only steam driven potter's mill in the world! The Museum does have steam days usually  Here is a  link  to more history if you are interested.

The Museum and cafe are only open to the public during events weekends of which there are several through the year.  The museum which used to be administered by the City council is now run by volunteers.  They ask for a donation of £3 per person entry which is very reasonable and all for a good cause in keeping this site of such rich industrial heritage in good shape for future generations to enjoy.

As we passed the locks on our way back along the towpath to Hanley Park there were more and more people arriving to view the staricase lock.  According to the news section of the Industrial Museum's website 361 people were recorded as visiting the lock over the weekend most of whom also visited the Museum.

From Westport through Longport to Middleport (and back!)

What to do on a lovely sunny morning when you don't want to travel too far but don't want to stay indoors either was the question on our lips this morning - the answer was a visit to and a walk around the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust's reserve at Westport Lake.

After a stroll around the lake accompanied on occasion by noisy swans, honking geese and loads of plump coots - has anyone noticed that there seems to be lots of coots around this season?  We've seen far more than usual and they are less timid too coming right up, along with the mallards to ask for food.

Lots of plump squirrels too, living off the bird food placed around the lakeside for the smaller birds.  The ones in our garden are particularly well fed at the moment!

After coffee in the visitor centre and the purchase of some Christmas cards we walked along the canal towpath towards Longport.

Familiar sights in this area and throughout the city - bottle ovens (kilns), canals and narrow boats all harking back to the early days of the pottery industry when the kilns were fired each week and the pots distributed on the canal network.

We passed Longport Wharf

Then we passed the modern Steelite factory where pottery is manufactured mostly for the catering and hotel trade.  I would say that if you look at the bottom of a cup or saucer in a cafe or restaurant (as people from Stoke-on-Trent do) more often than not you will see the names Steelite or Dudson who along with Portmeirion and Bridgewater are the most successful potteries in this area at the moment.

We were headed though for a much older factory just a little further along the canal at Middleport. I've taken you here before but I'm sure you won't mind returning for a short while.

As you can see the sun was low in the sky making the taking of photos quite difficult so I apologise for the sometimes hazy quality of them.  Middleport Pottery is undergoing a huge regeneration programme at the moment and much restoration is taking place both inside and outside of this magnificent Victorian factory.

 

The factory shop is still open and I just love it inside here.

 Dressers and tables groaning with the most beautiful wares
and chintz patterns.

I think the blue Burleigh Pottery is the most famous 

 They do it in pink as well but I've always admired the blue.  Below are jugs in the iconic Blue Calico pattern.

We did make a few small purchases from the bargain baskets (who could resist?) but I won't say what they are as they will probably end up being presents.

Not only is the factory undergoing a regeneration with the help of The Prince's Regeneration Trust - the row of old factory workers' houses opposite the factory on Port Street also looked as if they had been refurbished and were looking very smart.  A new visitor and education centre is due to open at the factory next year. 

It was time to walk back along the towpath to Westport Lake just under a mile in distance and such a lot to see along the way.