I have split this walk into two posts, because of the number of photos. This post covers the section from Burton on Trent to Shardlow.
Burton is famous as a brewery town. It is a strange place to outsiders, being divided in two by the broad flood plain of the River Trent and the railway line that runs alongside. From the railway station, I headed west past the ornate Town Hall.
I was heading for the Trent & Mersey Canal, which runs from Preston Brook to Shardlow. I was covering the section from Burton on Trent, north east to Shardlow, then onto the River Trent and beyond. The canal runs to the west of the town. My first view of canal life was the Shobnall Marina. Brewery structures loom large in the background.
The canal runs right past the marina. Here is the view southbound. The canal takes a huge change of direction from here, turning west and then north to Stone and Stoke on Trent. By then, it is heading north to its final destination at Preston Brook near the River Mersey - around 80 miles by canal. I covered the section from Kidsgrove to Stoke on Trent in an earlier walk this year.
Here is an early map on Wikepedia
Trent_and_Mersey_Canal_plan
Looking north from the same point is the start of my walk alongside the canal.
There were cast iron mileposts all along the canal, making it easy to judge my progress.
For a short distance, the canal is paralleled by a walking/cycling route called the Kingfisher Trail. This is the southern end of it. I stuck to the canal towpath.
There was plenty of bird life all along the canal, including this heron on the opposite bank. I also saw swans and quick glimpses of other birds - many of which I did not know the species, due to ignorance! I definitely saw at least one kingfisher, but it was far too quick for the camera.
The first lock on my journey was here, on the northern outskirts of Burton. There are only 7 locks all the way from Burton to Shardlow - indicative of the flat nature of the Trent Valley. The canal more or less follows the western bank of the River Trent all the way to Shardlow. The canal is a narrow canal for most of its length, but changes onto a wider canal just north of Burton - presumably to accommodate Trent river boats, in the old days.
Talking of birds, these geese tried their best to ignore me as I walked past.
They were at Horninglow Basin, which had some colourful murals to brighten up the scene.
After Horninglow, the canal leaves the urban sprawl behind and heads into open countryside. Glancing back to the south east, the large water tower overlooking Burton on Trent was faintly visible on the horison. Unfortunately, it was a damp, slightly misty morning, so shots of anything in the far distance were pretty futile.
As I reached the aqueduct over the River Dove, the fields around were flooded after the recent heavy rain.
To my left, I could see that the aqueduct had been fortified in WW2. In the distance is the old Egginton Bridge, carrying the original road from Burton to Derby - now replaced by the A38 bridge.
Here is the road bridge again. For some distance north of Burton, the canal is squeezed between the A38 to the west and the railway to the east.
Here is the view from the same point, looking east. The River Dove was flowing very strongly. In the distance, the railway line is hidden in the trees. Just beyond that is the River Trent.
Soon after, I got a glimpse of the distinctive, narrow steeple of Repton church, on the far side of the Trent.
The canal was very pretty as I headed north. Many canal boats were moored on the banks and more were passing along the waterway. The towpath had deteriorated quite a bit since leaving Burton though, making progress a little more awkward.
Willington is one of the few villages the canal passes through around here. The waterway was very busy.
Just beyond Willington, the railway line from Stoke to Derby spans the canal - with a far more direct route than the canal takes! It joins the Burton to Derby line just north of here at Willington Junction.
A rare footbridge over the canal. By now, the A38 has left us far to the west, as it heads round the western side of Derby. The railway line is very close by on our right.
Between the railway and the canal is Ballast Hole Pond. According to the sign, ballast for the railway track was dug from pits next to the line when it was built. Most have since been filled in.
By now, the canal has turned east. The next busy spot was Stenson Marina. Apart from the marina itself, there is a pub and a very nice-looking tearoom here.
This is a view of the tearoom, which looked very busy. Unfortunately, I had a long way to go, so avoided the temptation to try it - but only with great difficulty.
For a short while, the minor road from Derby to Barrow-on-Trent runs alongside the canal, before crossing on a bridge.
The canal then passes through another length lined with trees. Along here, I managed to overtake several canal boats heading east. All boats are subject to a strict speed limit on the canal, so it wasn't really a contest.
Swarkestone retains some old canal buildings.
Just beyond is the old junction with the southern branch of the Derby Canal - long abandoned. This canal joined up to the River Derwent next to what is now Alvaston Park.The route is preserved as a footpath. The Trent & Mersey Canal continues to the right.
Across the fields to the south, this building was visible for a while. It is the back of a 17th Century Pavilion, once belonging to Swarkestone Old Hall. It now belongs to the Landmark Trust and has been converted into holiday accommodation. The other side of the building is far more decorative, judging by photos on the Internet.
The canal enters a long stretch of wooded countryside just before Weston on Trent. The hillside is quite steep here. The River Trent is only a very short distance away to the right, well below the level of the canal.
Weston Locks are just past the village of Weston on Trent, which the canal passes at a distance.
The eastern gates are alive with greenery!
Weston Grange looks very impressive.
Aston Lock comes next - the last before Shardlow. This is a very remote and lonely spot.
The canal then passes under the A50 road bridge. Shardlow is not far beyond - a huge contrast to Aston Lock. This is a view from the lock.
There is a large basin here. Shardlow was once a large inland port. It is Britain's best surviving example of a canal village, with warehouses and other buildings dating back to the heyday of the canals. It is a conservation area, with over 50 listed buildings. It was positioned at the end of the Trent & Mersey Canal and the start of the navigable section of the River Trent, which is navigable all the way north to the Humber estuary and the North Sea. Goods were exchanged here between the river craft and canal boats.
This is a view looking back from the road bridge.
This is the old salt store, next to the bridge.
This is a view east from the road bridge, towards the junction with the River Trent at Derwent Mouth.
The remainder of the walk is described in my next post.
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