We had a lay in but were driven to get up by what I thought was a leaf blower but turned out to be a gardener using a chain saw to trim the pyracantha around the car park we were next to.
We dropped down Stret Lock which was very close by and at the bottom is the end of the Lady Lee Arm. This was built soon after the canal was completed, in 1778, to provide access to a lime stone quarry of that name about 3/4 of a mile away. Coal to fire the lime kilns at the quarry would come by boat from Shireoaks and other local pits and the finished product would then be transported to where it was needed, largely the Duke of Norfolk's local estate. It can be seen that there was a dock at the end, by 1890 at least and a weighing machine. The dock can still be made out. The quarries finished working in 1928 so t would have progressively fell into dereliction after that.
A little further on is a very large winding hole. The only remarkable thing about it is that it is on the towpath side. There aren't many that you have to walk round, are they?
Amy did the driving today and she had us down Town Lock in fine fashion.
Worksop Town Lock is a chasm with a pub at one end and often nefarious blokes under the bridge, whilst above happy shoppers and their children gaze down at the passing boats. It was quiet today, and I didn't see any needles but there were several little sachets of Citric Acid that is used to dissolve nuggets of crack cocaine so it can be injected. Memories of the top of the Rochdale Nine.
On the right, on Canal Street, are some lovelly old looking buildings, and a tower clothed in scaffold at the moment. This was built as a fire station, carriage works and stables, workshops, print works and an electricity works. In 2010 rather than flatten them it was deemed better to convert them for small business so that a hub of creative types could be made. It seems not to be quite so active as when we passed this way 6 years ago. I wonder why?
We chugged along slowly, mainly due to weed, and ticked of locks as we came across them. As we came close to the last of the day we could get a look at Osberton Hall, that we missed on the way up. It was covered in scaffold when we came last time, and there were craftsmen's vans all parked up. It had been recently purchased and was obviously being restored with no expense spared. It looks pretty good now doesn't it.
I had been up the bow for a short while and it was an unusual experience for me. This is Long Bridge just by Osberton Hall Stables.
We were going to stop just after Osberton Lock and take a walk along to Scofton Church, but where we tried to get in it was too shallow. Where we had moored before there was an angler so we had to carry on to the visitor mooring round a corner or two. It is too close to the A1 really but it was too hot and the crew had rebelled in going any further. The walk was abandoned in favour of reading a book under a tree, whilst I did some jobs. It was hot, but that will change soon enough I'm sure.
No comments:
Post a Comment