For a change, I decided to use the train to go further afield than normal. This gave me an opportunity to walk the eastern half of the Chesterfield Canal. The canal was built to link Chesterfield with the River Trent. There is a Canal Trust looking after the welfare of the waterway. Their site is here.
My journey began with a mile-long walk to the local station and a train ride to Gainsborough
, changing trains at Worksop. The canal begins a few miles north of the railway station, at a village called West Stockwith. After leaving the station, it was a short walk to the road bridge over the River Trent, enabling me to switch to the west bank of the river. A footpath begins immediately after the bridge, next to a pub. To be honest, the walk up the river was a bit disappointing. There were very few views of the river itself until I got very close to West Stockwith, as the river bank is thickly wooded. The thick, rough grass along most of the route made it hard going. There is a bus service from Gainsborough to West Stockwith if you wish to learn from my experience!
On the approach to West Stockwith, the view opens out to give this vista
The locks on the eastern part of the canal are broader than the rest, allowing 2 standard Chesterfield Canal boats to ascend or descend side by side. Here is the outfall into the River Trent.
Behind the lock is a large pool for boats to dock, but this is not accessible to the general public. Across the main road, you join the towpath, which generally runs on the north side of the canal all the way to Worksop and beyond. Apart from short sections, this is a grass path all the way. Stout shoes are recommended as it can be hard going in places. The grass was short, but quite stubbly.
The first part of the journey goes through some very flat scenery, particularly to the north. It was a very clear day, so I could see for miles.
Tere was some evidence of old industry along the way, including this old brickworks near Walkeringham.
The canal gradually rises through a series of locks. This is Shaw Lock, near Gringley-on-the-Hill.
There were few people on the towpath - just a few locals walking their dogs. There was bird life in abundance though - including this family of swans, neatly shepherded by the parents for my photo!
In places, the canal was quite wooded. This was Scotts Wood (I think)
At Drakeholes, the canal suddenly turns due south before passing through a short tunnel. This is the small basin on the south side of the tunnel, taken from the road above.
Drakeholes is also the home of this interesting pub, the White Swan. The top storey must give great views south over the countryside.
Here is a view of the tunnel mouth, looking north.
The canal generally follows the course of the River Idle in these parts, gradually climbing. It meanders quite a lot over the next few miles in order to keep to the high ground. There are some beautiful secluded sections, well away from civilisation, including this section near Wiseton.
One uniquely ornate bridge was this one, serving a private drive near Wiseton. I stopped here for a break, just to listen to all the fantastic birdsong and see the swifts darting under the bridge. I could have stayed all day, but had to move on...
At Clayworth, there is a canal club centre, with loads of barges moored alongside the canal, which eventually straightens out in a generally southerly direction as it approaches Retford. Not to be missed is the delightfully names Whitsunday Pie lock - though the name apparently has nothing to do with food.
This is the main mooring point in the centre of Retford - a complete contrast to the town above.
Just west of the town centre, the canal passes over the River Idle on an aqueduct, leaving the river and heading generally westwards towards Worksop.
Is this Venice......? No, sorry, we are still in Retford. ;)
The canal continues through farmland. The roughness of the towpath can be seen here.
In the middle of nowhere is a set of three locks called Forest Bottom, Middle and Top. This is the bottom lock. By now , the locks are narrower, so only one canal boat could go through at a time.
Near Blyth, we abruptly hit the busy A1 dual carriageway, running south for a short distance to the village of Ranby. This is where the old road crossed the canal.
We leave the A1 and follow the valley of the River Ryton on the approach to Worksop. The towpath changes briefly to the south side of the canal - presumably to keep the rif-raff away from the grounds of Osberton Hall, which is behind the trees on the right.......
This was the best view I could get of the Hall from the canal....
As you approach Worksop, the countryside rapidly disappears, degenerating into a series of eyesores - a disappointing end to what had otherwise been a very pleasant walk. The eyesores begin with the railway viaduct..........
Followed by a derelict waterworks in a sea of weeds and this bridge.
We go through an old industrial area, before arriving in the centre of Worksop, just a short walk from the railway station.
This walk was only about 30 miles, but the rough grass made it quite tiring. I made slightly slower progress than normal. I had previously walked the section from Worksop, westwards to Staveley at the end of January. The bit from Worksop to the eastern portal of the Norwood Tunnel is especially interesting and generally very beautiful - probably the best part of the canal to walk.
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