12
THE COAL CANAL WAY A WALKER’S GUIDE by http://www.coalcanal.org 1.5k 9 8 4 3 2 1 Dundas Monkton Combe Midford Combe Hay Tunnel Dunkerton Camerton Radford Paulton 7 6 5 Bridge Farm Rowley Farm Upper Locks Lower Locks Aqueducts 10 Bath Carlingcott 11 THE COAL CANAL WAY The Coal Canal Way is a series of walks which, when taken together, cover the entire length of the Northern Branch of the disused Somersetshire Coal Canal. The walks are described in both directions for people who want a short exploration which returns to its starting point. The individual short walks can be linked to those on adjacent pages to form a longer walk for those who prefer greater distances. Each page includes a map at an appropriate scale for that section and a description of the interesting things to be seen on the walk, with a summary of their history. The Somersetshire Coal Canal was built in the early 1800s to bring coal from the mines in the Timsbury, Paulton and Radstock areas to the Kennet & Avon Canal for distribution across southern England. The Southern Branch was sold to the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway after 40 years, but the Northern Branch to Paulton survived for nearly 100 years and was one of the most profitable canals in England. This booklet was produced by the Somersetshire Coal Canal Society. © 2018 S.C.C.S. PLEASE STAY ON PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY AND DO NOT TRESPASS

THE COAL CANAL WAY A ALKER’SW GUIDE

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Page 1: THE COAL CANAL WAY A ALKER’SW GUIDE

TH

EC

OA

L C

AN

AL

WA

Y

AW

ALK

ER

’SG

UID

Eby

http

://w

ww

.co

alc

an

al.o

rg

1.5k

98

43

21

Dundas

MonktonCombe

Midford

Combe HayTunnel

Dunkerton

Camerton

Radford

Paulton

76

5

Bridge Farm

Rowley FarmUpper Locks

Lower Locks

Aqueducts

10

Bath

Carlingcott

11

TH

E C

OA

L C

AN

AL

WA

YT

he C

oal C

anal

Way

is a

ser

ies

of w

alks

whi

ch,

whe

n ta

ken

toge

ther

,co

ver

the

en

tire

le

ng

th o

f th

e N

ort

he

rn B

ran

ch o

f th

e d

isu

sed

Som

erse

tshi

re C

oal C

anal

. T

he w

alks

are

des

crib

ed in

bot

h di

rect

ions

for

peop

le w

ho w

ant

a sh

ort

expl

orat

ion

whi

ch r

etur

ns t

o its

sta

rtin

gpo

int.

The

ind

ivid

ual

shor

t w

alks

can

be

linke

d to

tho

se o

n ad

jace

ntpa

ges

to fo

rm a

long

er w

alk

for t

hose

who

pre

fer g

reat

er d

ista

nces

. E

ach

pa

ge

in

clu

de

s a

ma

p a

t a

n a

pp

rop

ria

te s

cale

fo

r th

at

sect

ion

an

d a

de

scri

ptio

n o

f th

e i

nte

rest

ing

th

ing

s to

be

se

en

on

th

e w

alk

, w

ith a

sum

mar

y of

thei

r hi

stor

y.

The

Som

erse

tshi

re C

oal C

anal w

as b

uilt

in t

he e

arly

180

0s t

o br

ing

coal

from

the

min

es in

the

Tim

sbur

y, P

aulto

n an

d R

adst

ock

area

s to

the

Ken

net

& A

von

Can

al f

or d

istr

ibut

ion

acro

ss s

outh

ern

Eng

land

. T

heS

outh

ern

Bra

nch

was

sol

d to

the

Som

erse

t & D

orse

t Joi

nt R

ailw

ay a

fter

40 y

ears

, bu

t th

e N

orth

ern

Bra

nch

to P

aulto

n su

rviv

ed f

or n

early

100

year

s an

d w

as o

ne o

f the

mos

t pro

fitab

le c

anal

s in

Eng

land

.T

his

bo

okl

et w

as

pro

du

ced

by

the

So

me

rse

tsh

ire C

oa

l Ca

na

l So

cie

ty.

© 2

018

S.C

.C.S

.

PLEA

SE S

TAY

ON

PU

BLIC

RIG

HTS

OF

WAY

AN

D D

O N

OT

TRES

PASS

Page 2: THE COAL CANAL WAY A ALKER’SW GUIDE

PA

ULT

ON

RA

DF

OR

D1

Pau

lton

to R

adfo

rd

Fro

m G

oosa

rd B

ridge

A a

pub

lic r

ight

of

way

run

s al

ong

the

sew

age

wor

ks a

cces

s ro

ad.

At

the

natu

re r

eser

ve b

atch

, ta

ke t

he f

irst

left

turn

B

whi

ch b

rings

you

over

the

Cam

Bro

ok a

nd in

to a

mea

dow

adj

acen

t to

Tim

sbur

y B

asin

C

and

the

term

inus

of t

he c

anal

.F

ollo

w th

e to

wpa

th to

the

right

, kee

ping

the

cana

l on

your

left.

Go

thro

ugh

a ga

te p

ast P

aulto

n B

asin

D

and

the

Dry

Doc

k B

ridge

, the

ndo

wn

the

right

han

d si

de o

f the

Dry

Doc

k.

Rad

ford

to P

aulto

n

Fro

m R

adfo

rd B

ridge

N t

ake

the

road

ste

eply

uph

ill a

nd t

ake

the

first

left

turn

M.

At t

he b

otto

m o

f the

dip

, tak

e th

e fo

otpa

th o

n th

e le

ft L

.F

ollo

w t

he f

ootp

ath

until

it

is j

oine

d by

a l

ane

com

ing

from

und

er a

railw

ay b

ridge

K o

n th

e rig

ht, k

eep

stra

ight

on

up th

e sl

ope.

At t

he to

p of

the

slop

e tu

rn le

ft do

wnh

ill a

nd th

en th

roug

h a

gate

on

the

right

J, t

o jo

in th

e ca

nal t

owpa

th.

Fol

low

the

tow

path

with

the

cana

l on

your

rig

ht.

2 km

or

1.2

mile

s

11

dire

ctio

n of

Bat

ham

pton

.B

to

C P

ass

th

rou

gh

th

e c

utt

ing

in

Syd

ne

yG

arde

ns a

nd th

e tu

nnel

und

er th

e A

36 W

arm

inst

erR

oad.

Con

tinue

alo

ng th

e to

wpa

th to

Bat

ham

pton

and

the

Geo

rge

Inn D

.T

he t

owpa

th l

eads

on

past

Cla

vert

on P

umpi

ngS

tatio

n E to

Dun

das

Aqu

educ

t Bas

in.

F C

ross

ove

r th

e de

cora

tive

brid

ge t

o th

e w

harf

with

the

cran

eG

and

look

for

the

entr

ance

to th

e S

omer

sets

hire

Coa

l Can

al u

nder

the

met

al li

fting

brid

geH

.(C

on

tinu

ed

as

Wa

lk 1

0

)

Fol

low

the

wha

rfsi

de p

ast

the

cran

e G

and

tur

nrig

ht o

ver

the

deco

rativ

e br

idge

F

, th

en le

ft on

toth

e to

wpa

th.

The

tow

path

lead

s pa

st C

lave

rton

Pum

ping

Sta

tion

E t

o th

e G

eorg

e In

n D a

t Bat

ham

pton

.D

Con

tinue

pas

t th

e G

eorg

e In

n un

til y

ou r

each

the

tunn

el u

nder

the

A36

War

min

ster

Roa

d C

.G

o t

hro

ug

h t

he

tu

nn

el

into

a c

utt

ing

th

rou

gh

Syd

ney

Gar

dens

.B

Con

tinue

fol

low

ing

the

tow

path

unt

il it

brin

gsyo

u to

the

top

lock

of t

he B

ath

Lock

Flig

ht

A.

Thi

ngs

to s

ee o

n W

alk

11

A T

here

wer

e se

vera

l priv

atel

y-ow

ned

coal

wha

rves

alo

ngsi

de th

e K

&A

Can

al in

Bat

h, b

ut th

e S

omer

sets

hire

Coa

l Can

al C

ompa

ny h

ad it

s ow

nw

harf

at t

he to

p of

the

lock

flig

ht.

An

old

phot

grap

h sh

ows

the

com

pany

’sna

me

bold

ly p

aint

ed o

n th

e bu

ildin

g an

d co

al s

tock

pile

d on

the

wha

rfsi

de.

B T

he to

wpa

th c

hang

es to

the

uphi

ll si

de o

f the

can

al fo

r a s

hort

dis

tanc

e,th

is p

ract

ice

wa

s u

sua

lly a

void

ed

be

cau

se i

t m

ad

e t

he

ca

na

l m

ore

expe

nsiv

e to

con

stru

ct.

Whe

n th

is o

ccur

s it

is s

omet

imes

driv

en b

yge

ogra

phy

but m

ore

ofte

n it

is th

e re

sult

of a

land

ow

ners

hip

diffi

culty

.C

A

bo

ve t

he

tu

nn

el

po

rta

ls a

re c

arv

ing

s o

f N

ep

tun

e,

rep

rese

ntin

gw

ater

way

s in

gen

eral

and

Sab

rina

repr

esen

ting

the

Sev

ern.

Sim

ilar s

tatu

esca

n be

foun

d at

Sap

pert

on T

unne

l on

the

Cot

swol

d C

anal

s.D

to

E

The

qua

rry

at B

atha

mpt

on D

own

was

con

nect

ed t

o th

e K

&A

Can

al b

y an

Inc

lined

Pla

ne g

ravi

ty-p

ower

ed t

ram

way

. T

he d

istin

ctiv

esl

opin

g br

idge

whi

ch c

arrie

d it

over

the

A36

road

was

inco

rrec

tly k

now

nlo

cally

as

the

‘Dry

Arc

h’;

it w

as d

emol

ishe

d m

any

year

s ag

o. T

he r

eal

furt

her

up th

e pl

ane

from

the

site

of t

he r

oad

brid

ge.

E C

lave

rton

has

one

of t

he tw

o pu

mpi

ng s

tatio

ns th

at s

uppl

ied

wat

er to

the

K&

A C

anal

, th

e ot

her

was

at

Cro

fton.

U

nlik

e th

e st

eam

-pow

ered

pum

ps a

t Cro

fton,

this

one

dre

w it

s po

wer

from

the

river

by

mea

ns o

f ave

ry l

arg

e w

ate

rwh

ee

l; it

wa

s co

mp

lete

ly p

ollu

tion

-fre

e.

Th

e s

low

rota

tion

of t

he w

ater

whe

el is

gea

red

up t

o a

fast

er s

peed

to

oper

ate

the

pum

ps m

ore

effe

ctiv

ely

and

a la

rge

flyw

heel

eve

ns-o

ut t

he p

ulsa

ting

load

of t

he p

umps

whi

ch w

ould

oth

erw

ise

put a

str

ain

on th

e ge

arin

g.I

The

ent

ranc

e to

the

Som

erse

tshi

re C

oal C

anal

is u

nder

the

alum

iniu

mlif

ting

brid

ge.

The

tow

path

of

the

K&

A C

anal

tow

ards

Bra

dfor

d on

Avo

n cr

osse

d th

e sp

ecta

cula

r Dun

das

Aqu

educ

t, de

sign

ed b

y Jo

hn R

enni

e,w

hich

is w

orth

a v

isit

befo

re c

ontin

uing

on

your

jour

ney.

Dry

Arc

h c

an

stil

l b

efo

un

d

in

the

un

de

rgro

wth

a l

ittl

e

Page 3: THE COAL CANAL WAY A ALKER’SW GUIDE

1

Thi

ngs

to s

ee o

n W

alk

1

A T

he s

ewag

e w

orks

has

bee

n bu

ilt o

n th

e si

te o

f th

e P

aulto

n U

pper

Eng

ine

Pit

colli

ery.

B T

he tr

ack

was

a tr

amw

ay ta

king

coa

l fro

m th

e pi

t to

the

cana

l.C

Thi

s is

the

term

inus

of t

he S

.C.C

., co

al b

roug

ht b

y tr

amw

ay fr

om p

itsin

th

e T

imsb

ury

are

a w

as

loa

de

d i

nto

bo

ats

on

th

e n

ort

he

rn s

ide

of

Tim

sbur

y B

asin

whe

re th

ere

was

a c

ompl

ex o

f tra

mw

ays

and

build

ings

incl

udin

g a

Wha

rfin

ger’s

hou

se a

nd s

tabl

es.

D C

oal

brou

ght

by t

ram

way

fro

m p

its i

n th

e P

aulto

n ar

ea w

as l

oade

din

to b

oats

at

a w

harf

on

the

sout

hern

sid

e of

Pau

lton

Bas

in.

The

Dry

Doc

k w

as t

he l

arge

st o

n an

y ca

nal

in E

ngla

nd a

nd c

ould

rep

air

thre

ebo

ats

at a

tim

e.

The

brid

ge o

ver

the

Dry

Doc

k en

tran

ce h

as r

ecen

tlyb

ee

n r

eb

uilt

bu

t a

ll th

e o

the

r ca

na

l b

rid

ge

s in

th

is a

rea

ha

ve b

ee

nde

mol

ishe

d.

Whe

n th

e to

wpa

th e

nds I, c

arry

str

aigh

t on

in th

e sa

me

dire

ctio

n ac

ross

a m

eado

w a

nd u

p a

slop

e to

join

the

cana

l tow

path

aga

in

H.

Con

tinue

inth

e sa

me

dire

ctio

n as

bef

ore.

Just

bef

ore

Pau

lton

Bas

in t

he p

ath

goes

dow

n th

roug

h a

kiss

ing

gate

E

on th

e le

ft, th

en tu

rns

right

.G

o to

the

left

of th

e D

ry D

ock,

Dry

Doc

k B

ridge

and

Pau

lton

Bas

in

D.

Con

tinue

thro

ugh

the

gate

, kee

ping

the

cana

l on

your

rig

htF

ollo

w t

he p

ath

with

the

can

al o

n yo

ur r

ight

unt

il yo

u re

ach

Tim

sbur

yB

asin

and

the

end

of th

e ca

nal.

Leav

e by

the

gat

eway

C

on

your

left

lead

ing

to a

brid

ge o

ver

the

Cam

Bro

ok.

Tur

n rig

ht a

t th

e se

wag

e w

orks

B

and

mee

t th

e ro

ad a

t G

oosa

rd B

ridge

A.

Look

for

a g

ate E

in t

he le

ft ha

nd h

edge

. T

his

brin

gs y

ou u

p on

to t

heca

nal t

owpa

th a

t the

site

of t

he n

ow-d

emol

ishe

d Te

rmin

us B

ridge

.F

ollo

w th

e to

wpa

th w

ith th

e ca

nal o

n yo

ur le

ft.A

t the

Dun

ford

Brid

ge s

ite H, c

ross

the

trac

k an

d w

alk

to a

gat

eway

I

onth

e fa

r si

de o

f the

mea

dow

.G

o th

roug

h th

e ga

te a

nd th

en c

ontin

ue a

long

the

tow

path

to M

ill L

ane

J.T

urn

left

up M

ill L

ane,

then

imm

edia

tely

righ

t dow

n a

slop

e. G

o st

raig

hton

thro

ugh

a ga

te

K a

nd fo

llow

the

foot

path

unt

il it

emer

ges

onto

a r

oad

L.

Tur

n rig

ht o

n th

e ro

ad,

then

rig

ht a

gain

M

dow

nhill

to

Rad

ford

Brid

geN

.(C

on

tinu

ed

as

Wa

lk 2 )

E H

orse

s to

win

g bo

ats

to a

nd fr

om th

e no

rthe

rn w

harv

es c

ross

ed o

ver t

oth

e n

ort

he

rn t

ow

pa

th a

t T

erm

inu

s B

rid

ge

, th

ose

usi

ng

th

e s

ou

the

rnw

harv

es s

taye

d on

the

tow

path

and

cro

ssed

ove

r th

e D

ry D

ock

brid

ge.

F

Thi

s st

onew

ork

is t

he r

emai

ns o

f a

stop

-pla

nk p

oint

for

med

in

the

foot

ings

of a

sw

ivel

brid

ge a

djac

ent t

o G th

e w

harf

wal

l of W

ithy

Mill

sco

llier

y, w

hich

car

ried

a tr

amw

ay.

H A

tram

way

bro

ught

coa

l fro

m R

adfo

rd C

ollie

ry to

a w

harf

adj

acen

t to

the

cana

l tow

path

.J

A le

vel c

ross

ing

took

Mill

Lan

e ov

er th

e ra

ilway

em

bank

men

t, w

ith a

dive

rsio

n to

a b

ridge

und

er th

e tr

ack

for

pede

stria

ns.

K

Thi

s w

as t

he s

ite o

f R

adfo

rd h

alt

on t

he B

risto

l and

Nor

th S

omer

set

Rai

lway

.

BA

TH

DU

ND

AS

11

Dun

das

to B

ath

H S

tart

at t

he e

ntra

nce

to th

e S

omer

sets

hire

Coa

lC

anal

by

the

met

al li

fting

brid

ge.

Bat

h to

Dun

das

A S

tart

at

the

top

lock

of

the

Ken

net

& A

von

Can

al.

Wal

k aw

ay f

rom

the

loc

k fli

ght

in t

he

8 km

or

5 m

iles

Page 4: THE COAL CANAL WAY A ALKER’SW GUIDE

RA

DF

OR

DC

AM

ER

TO

N

2

Rad

ford

to C

amer

ton

Fro

m R

adfo

rd B

ridge

A,

oppo

site

a h

ouse

tak

e th

e ro

ad

whi

ch s

lope

sge

ntly

upw

ards

.W

here

the

road

cur

ves

to th

e le

ft, it

was

bui

lt on

the

cana

l tow

path

. T

heca

nal w

as in

the

field

on

the

left

of th

e ro

ad.

B.

On

the

left

side

, tak

e th

e pu

blic

foot

path

C

whi

ch r

ises

to jo

in th

e ca

nal

Cam

erto

n to

Rad

ford

Fro

m C

amer

ton

Bat

ch N

atur

e R

eser

ve

G, c

ross

the

road

and

ent

er C

anal

Vie

w, l

ook

for

a fo

otpa

th F d

esce

ndin

g on

the

left.

Wal

k al

ong

the

tow

path

with

the

inf

illed

can

al o

n yo

ur r

ight

unt

il th

epu

blic

foot

path

goe

s in

to th

e ga

rden

of a

hou

se

D.

In th

e ga

rden

, loo

k fo

r a le

ft tu

rn w

hich

will

brin

g yo

u ou

t ont

o a

road

way

1 km

or

0.62

mile

s

tree

-line

d cu

tting

.Ta

ke th

e fo

otpa

th D o

n th

e le

ft, w

hich

run

s pa

ralle

l to

the

road

.C

The

pat

h go

es d

own

step

s an

d up

the

oth

er s

ide

of t

he c

uttin

g, t

hen

stee

ply

uphi

ll be

twee

n th

e sc

hool

bui

ldin

gs u

ntil

it re

ache

s th

e ro

ad

Bth

roug

h M

onkt

on C

ombe

vill

age.

Tur

n le

ft an

d w

alk

alon

g th

e ro

ad to

St.

Mic

hael

’s C

hurc

h A

.(C

on

tinu

ed

as

Wa

lk 9 )

pitc

hes

can

be s

een

on th

e rig

ht.

Wal

k al

ong

the

road

, thr

ough

the

old

railw

ay b

ridge

E

ben

eath

the

A36

road

, and

left

tow

ards

the

Can

al V

isito

r C

entr

e ca

r pa

rk.

F T

ake

the

path

whi

ch s

lope

s up

war

ds o

n th

e le

ft of

the

car

par

k, t

his

will

brin

g yo

u on

to th

e to

wpa

th a

t Bra

sskn

ocke

r bo

at m

oorin

gs.

Tur

n rig

ht a

nd f

ollo

w t

he t

owpa

th u

ntil

you

are

dive

rted

dow

n to

the

right

G; c

ontin

ue a

long

that

pat

h un

til it

em

erge

s on

to th

e K

&A

Can

al.

H T

urn

left

and

follo

w t

he t

owpa

th t

o th

e m

etal

lift

ing

brid

ge a

t th

een

tran

ce to

the

Som

erse

tshi

re C

oal C

anal

I.

(Co

ntin

ue

d a

s W

alk

11 )

10

Thi

ngs

to s

ee o

n W

alk

10

C

The

roa

d w

as m

ade

alon

g th

e tr

ackb

ed o

f th

e Li

mpl

ey S

toke

to

Cam

erto

n R

ailw

ay, w

hich

was

dem

olis

hed

in 1

958.

At t

his

site

it w

assp

anne

d by

a h

ands

ome

cast

iron

brid

ge,

whi

ch t

he r

ailw

ay c

ompa

nyha

d in

herit

ed f

rom

the

can

al c

ompa

ny a

nd r

aise

d on

bric

k pi

llars

to

obta

in th

e ne

cess

ary

clea

ranc

e ab

ove

thei

r lo

com

otiv

es.

A s

mal

l pie

ceof

the

cen

tral

por

tion

of t

he b

ridge

has

sur

vive

d an

d is

sto

red

at t

heC

anal

Vis

itors

’ Cen

tre

at B

rass

knoc

ker

as p

art

of t

he S

omer

sets

hire

Coa

l Can

al e

xhib

ition

.C

to D

Thi

s pa

th r

uns

alon

g th

e be

d of

the

cana

l, w

ith th

e to

wpa

th o

nth

e si

de fu

rthe

st fr

om th

e ro

ad.

D to

E T

he c

anal

cro

sses

the

road

at D

, the

n lo

ops

away

alo

ng th

e ba

seof

the

hills

ide,

follo

win

g th

e co

ntou

r. N

ear

E, t

he r

ailw

ay a

nd r

oad

cut

thro

ugh

a lo

op o

f ca

nal b

elow

bed

leve

l and

the

sec

tione

d be

d of

the

cana

l can

be

seen

in tw

o pl

aces

by

look

ing

up th

e em

bank

men

t.A

t th

e C

anal

Vis

itors

’ Cen

tre,

the

can

al c

an b

e se

en in

a t

unne

l und

er

the

A36

roa

d, b

ut t

he f

ar e

nd o

f th

e tu

nnel

is b

lock

ed o

ff to

pre

vent

itdr

aini

ng in

to th

e ra

ilway

cut

ting

on th

e fa

r si

de o

f the

roa

d. T

he p

rese

ntbr

idge

has

bee

n w

iden

ed f

rom

the

orig

inal

str

uctu

re t

o al

low

for

the

incr

ease

d w

idth

of t

he m

oder

n ro

ad.

F to

I

Thi

s is

the

onl

y le

ngth

of

the

Som

erse

tshi

re C

oal C

anal

tha

t is

used

by

boat

s, it

ser

ves

as m

oorin

gs.

I T

he e

ntra

nce

lock

is u

nusu

al b

ecau

se it

is a

t the

junc

tion

of tw

o ca

nals

and

has

thre

e se

ts o

f gat

es, t

wo

faci

ng o

ne w

ay a

nd o

ne fa

cing

the

othe

r.T

hey

are

arra

nged

to

clos

e au

tom

atic

ally

in

the

even

t of

rap

id w

ater

flow

, so

as to

pre

vent

a b

reac

h in

one

can

al fr

om d

rain

ing

the

othe

r. T

heun

ique

des

ign

of li

fting

brid

ge w

as o

rigin

ally

con

stru

cted

as

a te

st p

iece

for

the

co

rro

sio

n-r

esi

sta

nce

of

alu

min

ium

allo

ys.

Wh

en

it

be

cam

ere

dund

ant,

it w

as in

stal

led

at th

e en

tran

ce to

the

S.C

.C..

On

the

wha

rfsi

deca

n be

see

n th

e cr

ane

and

ston

e bl

ocks

that

wer

e us

ed a

s te

st w

eigh

ts in

the

‘gau

ging

’ pro

cess

to a

llow

the

load

ing

of b

oats

to b

e ch

ecke

d..

Page 5: THE COAL CANAL WAY A ALKER’SW GUIDE

2

alig

nmen

t in

the

gar

den

of a

hou

se

D.

Tur

n rig

ht a

nd f

ollo

w t

he p

ath

until

it m

eets

the

mai

n ro

ad

F o

ppos

ite C

amer

ton

Bat

ch N

atur

e R

eser

veG

.

(Co

ntin

ue

d a

s W

alk

3 )

C.

Tur

n rig

ht a

nd fo

llow

the

road

.W

hen

you

reac

h a

swee

ping

cur

ve

B th

is s

ectio

n of

roa

d ha

s be

en b

uilt

on th

e to

wpa

th a

nd th

e ca

nal w

as to

the

right

of i

t.D

esce

nd to

mee

t the

mai

n ro

ad b

y R

adfo

rd B

ridge

A

(Co

ntin

ue

d a

s W

alk

1 )

Thi

ngs

to s

ee o

n W

alk

2

Bet

wee

n B a

nd D

, no

t vi

sibl

e fr

om t

he w

alk,

was

a w

harf

whe

re c

oal

from

Con

ygre

Low

er P

it w

as lo

aded

ont

o ca

nal b

oats

. A

tra

mw

ay r

ando

wn

the

hill

from

the

pit,

cro

ssin

g un

der

the

Rad

ford

to

Tun

ley

road

.La

ter

the

cana

l tr

amw

ay w

as r

epla

ced

by a

rai

lway

con

nect

ion

on t

heR

adfo

rd s

ide

of th

e pi

t.F

rom

D to

F th

e w

alk

follo

ws

the

cana

l tow

path

; the

can

al d

itch

is v

isib

lein

the

field

on

the

uphi

ll si

de o

f the

pat

h.E

The

Jol

ly C

ollie

r pu

blic

hou

se w

as o

rigin

ally

bui

lt as

a c

anal

side

pub

whi

ch a

lso

offe

red

food

and

lodg

ings

to th

e bo

atm

en.

Orig

inal

ly it

face

dth

e ca

nal t

owpa

th,

but

afte

r th

e ca

nal c

lose

d, a

cces

s w

as t

rans

ferr

ed t

oth

e si

de o

f the

bui

ldin

g w

hich

face

d th

e ro

ad.

F

Cok

e O

ven

Cop

se w

as t

he s

ite o

f a

grou

p of

ove

ns w

hich

too

k th

eco

al

fro

m C

am

ert

on

Old

Pit

an

d h

ea

ted

it

to d

rive

off

the

vo

latil

eim

purit

ies

to le

ave

coke

. C

oke

was

a p

urer

form

of c

arbo

n th

an c

oal a

ndbu

rned

with

a h

otte

r fla

me

and

less

sm

oke,

whi

ch m

ade

it su

itabl

e fo

riro

n-m

eltin

g fu

rnac

es a

nd o

ther

bla

cksm

ithin

g w

ork

whe

re g

reat

er h

eat

was

nee

ded

with

few

er im

purit

ies.

Lat

er, t

he c

oke-

mak

ing

proc

ess

was

tran

sfer

red

to g

as w

orks

, w

here

the

vol

atile

im

purit

ies

wer

e co

llect

eda

nd

tre

ate

d t

o g

ive

‘To

wn

Ga

s’ (

a m

ixtu

re o

f ca

rbo

n m

on

oxi

de

an

dh

ydro

ge

n)

an

d m

an

y u

sefu

l ch

em

ica

ls -

th

e c

oke

th

en

be

ing

a l

ess

-va

luab

le b

y-pr

oduc

t.G

T

his

was

the

site

of

Cam

erto

n O

ld P

it, t

he p

it sh

aft

is n

ow s

eale

d to

prev

ent

acci

dent

s, b

ut it

s lo

catio

n an

d th

e hi

stor

y of

the

pit

are

mar

ked

by d

ispl

ay b

oard

s.

The

‘ba

tch’

or

was

te t

ip i

s m

aint

aine

d as

a n

atur

ere

serv

e; it

is lo

ng a

nd lo

w, s

how

ing

that

it w

as ti

pped

by

hors

e an

d ca

rtas

opp

osed

to th

e la

ter c

onic

al b

atch

es w

hich

resu

lt fr

om fr

om m

echa

nica

ltip

ping

. T

he fi

breg

lass

sta

tue

of a

min

er w

as a

n ex

hibi

t at t

he F

estiv

al o

fB

ritai

n in

195

1, w

hich

was

pur

chas

ed b

y T

he J

olly

Col

lier a

nd d

ispl

ayed

in th

e ca

r pa

rk u

ntil

the

pub

clos

ed, t

hen

mov

ed to

its

pres

ent s

ite.

The

cana

l ran

ver

y cl

ose

to th

e no

rthe

rn s

ide

of th

e pi

t; th

is is

the

only

pit

inS

omer

set w

hich

was

so

clos

e to

the

cana

l tha

t is

didn

’t ne

ed a

ny s

ort o

fin

terv

enin

g tr

amw

ay o

r ot

her

tran

spor

t.

MO

NK

TO

N C

OM

BE

DU

ND

AS

10

Dun

das

to M

onkt

on C

ombe

I S

tart

at D

unda

s A

qued

uct B

asin

by

the

met

al li

fting

brid

ge.

Wal

k to

war

ds D

unda

s A

qued

uct

and

turn

rig

ht

H a

long

the

pat

h to

the

boat

moo

rings

.Ta

ke th

e rig

ht fo

rk G u

p to

the

cana

l tow

path

.F

ollo

w th

e to

wpa

th to

war

ds th

e V

isito

r Cen

tre

but j

ust b

efor

e th

e C

entr

e,ta

ke th

e pa

th F w

hich

des

cend

s on

the

left.

Wal

k ou

t of t

he th

e ex

it ga

tew

ay a

nd tu

rn r

ight

ont

o th

e ro

ad w

hich

goe

sun

der

the

old

railw

ay b

ridge

E

car

ryin

g th

e A

36 r

oad.

Con

tinue

with

the

spo

rts

pitc

hes

on y

our

left

until

the

roa

d re

ache

s a

Mon

kton

Com

be to

Dun

das

A W

ith y

our

back

to

the

mai

n ga

te o

f S

t. M

icha

el’s

Chu

rch,

Mon

kton

Com

be,

wal

k di

rect

ly a

head

with

the

Vill

age

Hal

l up

on y

our

left

and

Mon

kton

Com

be S

choo

l bui

ldin

gs o

n yo

ur r

ight

.B

Ta

ke a

pu

blic

fo

otp

ath

on

th

e r

igh

t w

hic

h l

ea

ds

ste

ep

ly d

ow

nh

illbe

twee

n sc

hool

bui

ldin

gs a

nd e

vent

ually

reac

hes

a su

nken

road

way

by

afli

ght o

f ste

ps.

C D

esce

nd t

he s

teps

and

the

n as

cend

the

ste

ps o

ppos

ite;

turn

lef

t to

follo

w th

e pa

th p

aral

lel t

o th

e ro

ad.

D T

he p

ath

emer

ges

from

the

tre

es a

nd j

oins

the

roa

d; s

choo

l sp

orts

1.5

km o

r 0.

9 m

iles

Page 6: THE COAL CANAL WAY A ALKER’SW GUIDE

CA

ME

RT

ON

CA

RLI

NG

CO

TT

3

Cam

erto

n to

Car

lingc

ott

Fro

m C

amer

ton

Bat

ch N

atur

e R

eser

ve

A g

o up

the

roa

d an

d ta

ke t

hefir

st tu

rnin

g on

the

right

B.

Go

stra

ight

on

thro

ugh

the

alle

yway

and

alo

ng t

he t

rack

to

Cam

erto

nN

ew P

it C.

The

pub

lic f

ootp

ath

cont

inue

s st

raig

ht a

head

thr

ough

the

gar

den

of a

hous

e an

d th

roug

h a

gate

way

to th

e le

ft of

the

pit b

atch

.

Car

lngc

ott t

o C

amer

ton

Fro

m th

e br

idge

ove

r th

e C

am B

rook

at S

tone

age

Lane

M

wal

k to

war

dsT

unle

y an

d th

en tu

rn le

ft th

roug

h a

gate

L

opp

osite

the

first

hou

se in

to a

field

.Lo

ok fo

r a

gate

way

K in

the

hedg

erow

of t

he e

mba

nkm

ent u

p th

e sl

ope

on y

our

right

.

1.6

km o

r 1

mile

9

F o

f St.

Mic

hael

’s C

hurc

h, M

onkt

on C

ombe

.A

t the

top

of th

e sl

ope,

take

the

road

to th

e rig

ht, t

hen

a rig

ht tu

rn b

rings

you

dow

n a

shor

t hill

to th

e C

hurc

h G.

(Co

ntin

ue

d a

s W

alk

10 )

Thi

ngs

to s

ee o

n W

alk

9

B

Beh

ind

the

Hop

e &

Anc

hor

pub,

the

foot

path

div

erts

aro

und

the

site

of th

e W

eigh

-Hou

se C, a

boa

t wei

ghin

g m

achi

ne th

at w

as u

sed

to m

easu

reth

e w

eigh

t of

car

go c

arrie

d on

eac

h bo

at a

nd c

alcu

late

the

pay

men

ts t

obe

mad

e to

the

can

al c

ompa

ny.

It

was

one

of

only

thr

ee in

the

cou

ntry

.T

he b

oat

was

flo

ated

into

a lo

ck w

ith a

cra

dle

at t

he b

otto

m;

whe

n th

elo

ck w

as e

mpt

ied,

the

boa

t se

ttled

on

the

crad

le a

nd c

ould

be

wei

ghed

Cam

Bro

ok to

the

edge

of C

ombe

Dow

n. H

e re

-sol

d so

me

of th

e gr

ound

to th

e S

omer

sets

hire

Coa

l Can

al C

ompa

ny a

nd th

en e

stab

lishe

d a

num

ber

of e

nter

pris

es o

n th

e re

mai

nder

. F

rom

a q

uarr

y at

Com

be D

own,

he

built

a t

ram

way

to

brin

g th

e st

one

dow

n to

the

can

al,

from

whe

re i

tco

uld

be d

ispa

tche

d to

buy

ers

anyw

here

in t

he S

outh

of

Eng

land

. F

orac

cess

to

his

land

, an

d po

ssib

ly t

o ex

tend

the

tra

mw

ay,

he b

uilt

a st

one

arch

ed b

ridge

ove

r th

e ca

nal.

He

desi

gned

a w

ater

mill

-pow

er s

awin

gm

achi

ne f

or c

uttin

g an

d fa

cing

the

sto

ne t

o in

crea

se i

ts v

alue

, bu

ilt a

hand

som

e co

ttage

for

the

mill

er to

live

in a

nd a

hou

se fo

r hi

mse

lf, b

oth

of w

hich

stil

l sur

vive

. T

he m

ill w

as la

ter

conv

erte

d to

man

y ot

her

uses

tha

t re

qu

ire

d a

so

urc

e o

f p

ow

er

an

d w

as

on

ly d

em

olis

he

d r

ela

tive

lyre

cent

ly.

Sm

ith’s

mai

n co

ntrib

utio

n to

com

mer

cial

geo

logy

was

the

rea

lisat

ion

that

diff

eren

t st

rata

and

roc

k ty

pes

whi

ch h

ad p

revi

ousl

y be

en g

iven

age

nera

l cla

ssifi

catio

n co

uld

be m

ore

accu

rate

ly d

escr

ibed

by

the

foss

ilsth

ey c

onta

ined

. O

nce

they

wer

e m

ore

prec

isel

y cl

assi

fied,

he

coul

d se

eth

at th

ey u

sual

ly fo

llow

ed a

set

ord

er a

nd it

was

pos

sibl

e to

pre

dict

whi

chm

iner

als

mig

ht b

e fo

und

at d

epth

by

mea

ns o

f sh

allo

wer

tes

t bo

rings

.(S

ee

Wa

lk 5

fo

r m

ore

de

tails

)

F T

he g

rave

of H

arry

Pat

ch, t

he la

st s

urvi

vor

of th

e F

irst W

orld

War

, is

to b

e fo

und

in M

onkt

on C

ombe

gra

veya

rd.

by

ba

lan

cin

g i

ts w

eig

ht

ag

ain

st w

eig

hts

in

a p

an

hu

ng

fro

m a

co

mp

ou

nd

lev

er

sy

ste

m i

ns

ide

an

offic

e be

side

the

loc

k.

Tow

ithst

an

d t

he

we

igh

t o

f a

bo

at,

th

e m

ac

hin

e w

as

supp

orte

d on

the

tops

of s

ixpi

llars

whi

ch w

ere

roof

ed-

over

in th

e st

yle

of a

Gre

ekte

mp

le (

Se

e l

og

o o

n f

ron

tco

ver)

.D

W

illia

m ‘

Str

ata’

Sm

ith,

the

“F

ath

er

of

En

gli

sh

Ge

olo

gy”

b

ou

gh

t a

la

rge

plo

t o

f g

rou

nd

at

Tu

ckin

gM

ill,

stre

tch

ing

fro

m t

he

Will

iam

Sm

ith’s

Hou

seat

Tuc

king

Mill

Page 7: THE COAL CANAL WAY A ALKER’SW GUIDE

3

Clim

b th

e st

eps

thro

ugh

the

gate

way

, tur

n le

ft an

d fo

llow

the

leve

l tra

ck.

At

the

end

of t

he t

rack

J tu

rn l

eft

dow

n st

eps

thro

ugh

a ga

te o

nto

afo

otpa

th I.

Fol

low

the

foot

path

dow

n to

the

right

unt

il it

emer

ges

onto

a la

ne

H.

Tur

n rig

ht a

nd f

ollo

w t

he la

ne u

ntil

it tu

rns

a le

ft co

rner

; go

aro

und

the

corn

er a

nd th

roug

h a

gate

G

on

the

right

.F

ollo

w t

he f

ence

on

your

left

up a

slo

pe a

nd d

own

agai

n to

a g

ate

F o

nth

e le

ft.T

hro

ug

h t

he

ga

te f

ollo

w t

he

fe

nce

on

yo

ur

rig

ht

up

hill

to

Ca

me

rto

nco

llier

y ba

tch E

.F

ollo

w t

he f

ence

on

your

left

arou

nd t

he b

atch

, co

ntin

ue f

ollo

win

g th

efe

nce

thro

ugh

a ga

te

D u

ntil

you

com

e to

a g

atew

ay in

to a

gar

den

C.

The

pub

lic fo

otpa

th ru

ns th

roug

h th

e ga

rden

and

out

of t

he d

rive

gate

way

.G

o st

raig

ht a

head

alo

ng th

e tr

ack;

whe

re it

turn

s rig

ht, c

arry

str

aigh

t on

thro

ugh

an a

lley

and

emer

ge o

nto

the

road

B

.T

urn

left

to th

e C

amer

ton

Bat

ch N

atur

e R

eser

ve

A.

(Co

ntin

ue

d a

s W

alk

2 )

Thi

ngs

to s

ee o

n W

alk

3

B t

o C

T

he

tra

ck r

un

s a

lon

g t

he

alig

nm

en

t o

f a

tra

mw

ay

wh

ich

conn

nect

ed C

amer

ton

Old

and

New

pits

.C

T

he b

uild

ings

aro

und

the

pit

head

hav

e be

en d

emol

ishe

d, a

lthou

ghth

e fo

unda

tion

ston

ewor

k fo

r the

pith

ead

gear

is s

till i

n pl

ace.

The

pith

ead

bath

s an

d ca

ntee

n al

ongs

ide

the

trac

k ha

ve b

een

conv

erte

d in

to a

hou

se.

A t

ram

way

too

k co

al u

p th

e hi

ll to

war

ds T

unle

y, w

here

a d

epôt

was

esta

blis

hed

for

loca

l sal

es.

D T

he c

onic

al b

atch

of N

ew P

it ha

s sp

illed

ove

r th

e ca

nal,

oblit

erat

ing

it co

mpl

etel

y.

F to

G T

he li

ne o

f the

can

al r

an a

long

a h

illsi

de c

onto

ur, b

ut it

has

bee

nin

fille

d an

d no

thin

g of

it is

vis

ible

toda

y.G

T

he c

anal

in

Ben

grov

e W

ood

form

ed a

nat

ural

tria

ngul

ar l

ake

in a

smal

l val

ley

that

ran

dow

n th

e hi

llsid

e; th

e la

ke s

till a

ppea

rs a

fter

heav

yra

in.

J T

his

trac

k co

ntin

ues

uphi

ll to

the

site

of

“Cuc

koo

Pit”

, bu

t th

e w

alk

runs

alo

ng th

e hi

llsid

e on

the

line

of th

e ol

d ra

ilway

just

bel

ow th

e ca

nal

emba

nkm

ent.

Fol

low

the

fen

ce o

n yo

ur r

ight

alo

ng t

he e

dge

of t

he b

atch

, th

roug

h a

gate

way

D a

nd o

nto

a tr

ack E

.G

o do

wn

the

trac

k, fo

llow

ing

the

fenc

e on

you

r le

ft to

a g

ate

F.

Thr

ough

the

gate

con

tinue

in th

e sa

me

dire

ctio

n as

bef

ore,

follo

win

g th

efe

nce

on y

our

right

to a

gat

eway

ont

o a

trac

k G

.F

ollo

w t

he t

rack

to

the

left,

aro

und

a rig

ht-h

and

bend

and

str

aigh

t on

tow

ards

a b

ridge

acr

oss

the

Cam

Bro

ok

H.

Just

bef

ore

the

brid

ge t

ake

the

foot

path

to

the

left.

U

p th

e sl

ope

I, t

ake

the

step

s up

thro

ugh

a ga

tew

ay o

n th

e le

ft J.

Tur

n rig

ht a

nd fo

llow

the

trac

k al

ong

the

hedg

erow

unt

il it

reac

hes

step

sK

lead

ing

dow

n to

a k

issi

ng g

ate.

In t

he f

ield

bel

ow t

he g

ate,

vee

r le

ftwar

ds a

nd d

own

to a

gat

eway

L

lead

ing

onto

Sto

neag

e La

ne.

Tur

n rig

ht to

war

ds th

e br

idge

M

ove

r th

e C

am B

rook

.(C

on

tinu

ed

as

Wa

lk 4 )

9M

IDF

OR

DM

ON

KT

ON

CO

MB

E

1.9

km o

r 1.

2 m

iles

Mid

ford

to M

onkt

on C

ombe

A F

rom

the

Hop

e &

Anc

hor p

ub in

Mid

ford

, wal

k do

wn

the

road

, not

ing

the

para

pets

of t

he c

anal

brid

ge.

Just

bel

ow th

e br

idge

turn

left

onto

a fo

otpa

th w

hich

eve

ntua

lly b

ecom

esth

e ca

nal t

owpa

th B.

Fol

low

the

tow

path

as

far

as T

ucki

ng M

ill w

here

it jo

ins

the

road

D

.C

ontin

ue u

p th

e ro

ad in

the

sam

e di

rect

ion

as b

efor

e.T

he ro

ad c

ontin

ues

to a

sha

rp le

ft tu

rn w

hich

uph

ill le

ads

past

the

cem

eter

y

Mon

kton

Com

be to

Mid

ford

G G

o up

hill

from

the

chu

rch

mai

n ga

tes,

the

n, a

fter

a le

ft co

rner

, ta

keth

e do

wnh

ill la

ne o

n th

e le

ft, w

hich

goe

s pa

st th

e ce

met

ery

F.

At t

he b

otto

m o

f the

slo

pe, t

he r

oad

turn

s rig

ht a

nd c

ontin

ues

to T

ucki

ngM

ill D

.E

Opp

osite

Will

iam

Sm

ith’s

hou

se a

t Tuc

king

Mill

, tak

e th

e fo

otpa

th to

the

left.

Con

tinue

to fo

llow

the

path

unt

il yo

u ge

t to

the

B31

10 a

t Mid

ford

A

.(C

on

tinu

ed

as

Wa

lk 8 )

Page 8: THE COAL CANAL WAY A ALKER’SW GUIDE

CA

RLI

NG

CO

TT

DU

NK

ER

TO

N

4

Car

lingc

ott t

o D

unke

rton

Fro

m t

he b

ridge

A o

ver

the

Cam

Bro

ok a

t S

tone

age

Lane

wal

k in

the

dire

ctio

n of

Tun

ley

and

take

the

foo

path

im

med

iate

ly o

n th

e rig

ht

B.

Fol

low

this

pat

h al

ongs

ide

the

Cam

Bro

ok to

a r

oad

C.

Go

left

over

a h

ump-

back

ed s

tone

brid

ge,

past

the

sew

age

wor

ks

D o

nth

e rig

ht a

nd ta

ke th

e le

ft fo

rk u

p to

Eng

ine

Brid

ge

E.

Con

tinue

up

hill

Dun

kert

on to

Car

lingc

ott

N O

ppos

ite D

unke

rton

Chu

rch,

go

up th

e la

ne p

ast t

he P

aris

h H

all,

stop

imm

edia

tely

afte

r th

e fir

st h

ouse

on

the

right

at

the

site

of

Dun

kert

onLi

ttle

Aqu

educ

t M.

Ret

urn

dow

n th

e la

ne 5

0 m

etre

s an

d cl

imb

the

step

s an

d fo

otpa

th

L o

nth

e rig

ht.

At

the

top

of t

he f

ootp

ath,

tur

n rig

ht 3

0 m

etre

s to

the

site

of

a st

one

1.6

km o

r 1

mile

the

cana

l will

bec

ome

appa

rent

.D

At

the

po

int

wh

ere

th

e c

an

al

is b

lock

ed

by

a d

isu

sed

ra

ilwa

yem

bank

men

t, tu

rn r

ight

, th

en f

ollo

w t

he p

ath

left,

alo

ngsi

de t

he C

amB

rook

und

er th

e do

uble

rai

lway

arc

h.T

urn

left,

aw

ay f

rom

the

bro

ok,

then

tur

n rig

ht t

o pi

ck u

p th

e pr

evio

uslin

e of

the

cana

l E.

Fol

low

the

rai

sed

tow

path

, pa

ssin

g a

ston

e br

idge

F

on

your

lef

t an

dM

idfo

rd A

qued

uct G

on

your

rig

ht; f

ollo

w th

e to

wpa

th u

ntil

the

way

isbl

ocke

d by

a p

rivat

e ga

rden

H

.T

urn

left,

cro

ss t

he c

anal

bed

, th

en g

o rig

ht t

hrou

gh a

kis

sing

gat

e an

dco

ntin

ue a

long

the

tra

ck u

nder

a m

etal

brid

ge a

nd a

rai

lway

via

duct

, to

emer

ge o

n th

e B

3110

opp

osite

the

Hop

e &

Anc

hor

pub

in M

idfo

rd

I.(C

on

tinu

ed

as

Wa

lk 9 )

and

follo

w th

e fo

ot o

f the

em

bank

men

t bac

k to

the

cana

l tow

path

D

.C

ontin

ue a

long

the

tow

path

with

the

cana

l on

your

rig

ht u

ntil

you

have

pass

ed th

e de

relic

t cha

mbe

rs o

f loc

ks 2

2, 2

1 &

20,

then

clim

b st

eps

tore

ach

a ga

te le

adin

g in

to S

outh

stok

e La

ne

C, a

brid

lew

ay.

Tur

n rig

ht, u

p S

outh

stok

e La

ne, t

hen

imm

edia

tely

left

onto

a p

ath

alon

gth

e to

p of

a s

tone

wha

rf w

all w

ith t

he c

anal

on

your

left

and

a de

relic

tst

one

stru

ctur

e on

the

right

.B

At t

he e

nd o

f the

wal

l, fo

llow

the

path

left

and

then

righ

t; th

ree

infil

led

cana

l loc

ks, 1

9,18

& 1

7, a

re u

nder

the

padd

ock

on y

our

right

.C

ontin

ue u

p th

is p

ath

until

you

em

erge

thr

ough

a k

issi

ng g

ate

onto

aro

ad A

.(C

on

tinu

ed

as

Wa

lk 7 )

8

Thi

ngs

to s

ee o

n W

alk

8

A T

he ro

ad c

ross

ed o

ver t

he c

anal

at t

his

poin

t - a

nd th

e hu

mp

whi

ch th

ebr

idge

cre

ated

can

just

be

disc

erne

d in

the

road

sur

face

. T

here

is a

dip

inth

e p

ub

lic f

oo

tpa

th a

dja

cen

t to

th

e d

ow

nh

ill c

orn

er

of

the

ra

ilwa

yem

bank

men

t, w

hich

cor

resp

onds

to th

e ta

il of

Loc

k 16

. Lo

cks

17, 1

8 &

19 h

ave

been

fille

d in

, but

the

poun

d B

bel

ow L

ock

19 is

stil

l unt

ouch

ed.

The

Low

er L

eat

can

be s

een

lead

ing

off

belo

w t

he l

ocks

tow

ards

the

botto

m o

f the

Incl

ined

Pla

ne [se

e W

alk

7 ]

B T

he s

tone

str

uctu

re is

bel

ieve

d to

hav

e be

en a

sta

ithe

for

supp

ortin

g a

woo

den

chut

e w

hich

load

ed F

ulle

r’s E

arth

into

boa

ts w

aitin

g at

the

wha

rf.

The

re w

as a

Ful

ler’s

Ear

th m

ine

at H

odsh

ill n

earb

y.C

Sou

thst

oke

Brid

ge w

as d

emol

ishe

d in

the

1960

s, b

ut a

sm

all s

ectio

nof

the

N.E

win

g w

all s

tone

wor

k ca

n se

en f

rom

the

bot

tom

of

the

step

s.Lo

cks

20, 2

1 &

22

are

in v

ario

us s

tate

s of

dec

ay a

nd in

fillin

g, b

ut th

eir

outli

ne is

cle

arly

vis

ible

. T

he c

anal

em

bank

men

t al

ong

this

str

etch

has

an

un

usu

al

cro

ss-s

ect

ion

be

cau

se i

t w

as

rais

ed

to

fo

rm a

te

mp

ora

ryra

ilwa

y e

mb

an

kme

nt

for

the

co

ntr

act

or’

s lo

com

otiv

es

bri

ng

ing

in

mat

eria

ls to

bui

ld th

e C

amer

ton

to L

impl

ey S

toke

Rai

lway

.D

to E

The

rai

lway

cut

acr

oss

the

dere

lict c

anal

on

an e

mba

nkm

ent;

nopr

ovis

ion

was

mad

e fo

r ta

king

the

tow

path

thr

ough

the

em

bank

men

t, a

dive

rsio

n th

roug

h th

e ne

arby

brid

ge a

rch

bein

g co

nsid

ered

suf

ficie

nt..

F

Upp

er M

idfo

rd A

ccom

mod

atio

n B

ridge

is t

he o

nly

surv

ivin

g br

idge

on t

he c

anal

stil

l vis

ible

to

the

publ

ic.

It

carr

ied

the

road

fro

m C

ombe

Do

wn

to

Tw

inh

oe

acr

oss

th

e c

an

al

be

fore

th

e S

om

ers

et

an

d D

ors

et

Rai

lway

pro

vide

d an

alte

rnat

ive

rout

e ne

xt to

thei

r vi

aduc

t in

Mid

ford

.G

M

idfo

rd A

qued

uct

carr

ied

the

Sou

ther

n B

ranc

h of

the

can

al f

rom

Rad

stoc

k ac

ross

the

Cam

Bro

ok to

join

the

Nor

ther

n B

ranc

h. I

t bec

ame

disu

sed

whe

n th

e S

&D

Rai

lway

was

bui

lt ov

er t

he S

outh

ern

Bra

nch.

Rec

ently

rest

ored

, thi

s aq

uedu

ct is

one

of t

he fe

w a

rchi

tect

ural

ly p

leas

ing

stru

ctur

es o

n an

oth

erw

ise

utili

taria

n ca

nal.

Page 9: THE COAL CANAL WAY A ALKER’SW GUIDE

4

foot

brid

ge K

.

Ret

urn

dow

n th

e fo

otpa

th u

ntil

it be

com

es a

met

alle

d la

ne, g

o th

roug

h a

gate

J in

to th

e fie

ld o

n th

e rig

ht a

nd k

eep

to a

pat

h ju

st b

elow

but

alm

ost

para

llel t

o th

e ra

ilway

and

can

al e

mba

nkm

ent.

Fol

low

this

pat

h, g

radu

ally

dive

rgin

g fr

om t

he e

mba

nkm

ent,

dow

nhill

to

a ga

tew

ay

I in

to t

he la

ne

on y

our

left.

Thr

ough

the

gate

way

turn

righ

t alo

ng th

e la

ne 1

50 m

etre

s, th

en g

o th

roug

h

anot

her

gate

way

H o

n th

e rig

ht; w

alk

para

llel w

ith th

e ro

ad in

the

sam

e

dire

ctio

n as

bef

ore,

afte

r 10

0 m

etre

s ve

er r

ight

and

gra

dual

ly c

limb

the

hill

to a

gat

eway

G.

Cro

ss t

he li

ne o

f th

e ca

nal a

nd r

ailw

ay,

then

thr

ough

a s

econ

d ga

te a

nd

up th

e hi

ll to

With

yditc

h C

hape

l F, w

hich

is v

isib

le o

n th

e ho

rizon

. T

urn

left

dow

n th

e la

ne to

Eng

ine

Brid

ge

E, t

hen

cont

inue

dow

nhill

to a

roa

d

junc

tion,

vee

r rig

ht.

Fol

low

the

road

pas

t the

sew

age

wor

ks

D o

n th

e le

ft, a

nd c

ross

the

Cam

Bro

ok b

y a

hum

p-ba

cked

sto

ne b

ridge

C

. Ta

ke th

e fo

otpa

th o

n th

e rig

ht

and

follo

w t

he C

am B

rook

unt

il yo

u co

me

to S

tone

age

Lane

B

with

a

brid

ge o

n yo

ur le

ft A.

(Co

ntin

ue

d a

s W

alk

3 )

Thi

ngs

to s

ee o

n W

alk

4

B t

o C

T

he

str

ea

m w

as

div

ert

ed

to

flo

w a

rou

nd

th

e l

ow

er

ed

ge

of

Dun

kert

on C

ollie

ry b

atch

, th

e ca

nal

follo

wed

the

upp

er e

dge

and

was

part

ly c

over

ed b

y sp

ill fr

om th

e ba

tch.

Muc

h of

the

rest

of i

t was

des

troy

eddu

ring

the

build

ing

of th

e co

llier

y ra

ilway

sid

ings

.E

T

his

is t

he s

ite o

f th

e tw

o st

eam

-ope

rate

d be

am p

umpi

ng e

ngin

esw

hich

kep

t th

e ca

nal

supp

lied

with

wat

er f

rom

the

mill

pon

d be

low

.O

rigin

ally

one

of t

he e

ngin

es w

as lo

cate

d in

Eng

ine

Woo

d [

see

Wa

lk 7

]bu

t it

was

mov

ed h

ere

in t

he 1

840s

. I

t w

as t

he f

ailu

re o

f th

e bo

ilers

inth

e la

te 1

890s

whi

ch d

epriv

ed t

he c

anal

of

its m

ain

wat

er s

uppl

y an

d

seal

ed it

s cl

osur

e. T

he s

ite w

as c

lear

ed in

the

early

190

0s to

mak

e w

ayfo

r the

railw

ay to

Dun

kert

on C

ollie

ry a

nd th

e br

idge

was

rebu

ilt in

bric

k.K

The

foun

datio

ns a

nd p

art o

f the

par

apet

of a

foot

brid

ge c

an b

e fo

und

on

on

e s

ide

of

the

pa

th a

nd

th

e c

an

al

ap

pro

ach

to

Du

nke

rto

n L

ittle

Aqu

educ

t is

visi

ble

on th

e op

posi

te s

ide.

M D

unke

rton

Litt

le A

qued

uct c

arrie

d th

e ca

nal a

cros

s T

he H

ollo

w.

The

arch

way

was

dem

olis

hed

in th

e 19

60s

but s

ome

ston

ewor

k is

stil

l vis

ible

at o

ne s

ide

of th

e ro

ad a

nd th

e ca

nal b

ed is

hig

h up

on

the

othe

r.

to th

e rig

ht.

Opp

osite

With

yditc

h C

hape

l F g

o th

roug

h th

e ga

te o

n th

e rig

ht,

dow

nst

eps,

and

str

aigh

t dow

n th

e fie

ld to

ano

ther

gat

e G

.C

ross

the

old

rai

lway

alig

nmen

t an

d go

dia

gona

lly le

ftwar

ds d

own

the

emba

nkm

ent,

thro

ugh

a ga

te a

nd d

own

to a

gat

eway

in t

he b

otto

m le

ftco

rner

of t

he fi

eld H

. E

mer

ge o

nto

the

road

and

turn

left.

Go

thro

ugh

the

next

gat

eway

on

the

left

I an

d up

the

field

dia

gona

lly to

the

right

.T

hrou

gh t

he g

ate J

turn

left

up t

he la

ne.

30

met

res

beyo

nd t

he h

ouse

,co

me

to th

e si

te o

f a b

ridge

K

.R

etur

n do

wn

the

lane

and

tur

n le

ft do

wn

som

e st

eps

and

a fo

otpa

th

Lju

st b

efor

e th

e ho

use.

At t

he b

otto

m o

f the

foot

path

, em

erge

ont

o a

road

and

turn

left

to th

e si

teof

Dun

kert

on L

ittle

Aqu

educ

t M,

whi

ch i

s im

med

iate

ly a

fter

the

first

hous

e on

the

right

.T

urn

arou

nd a

nd g

o do

wn

the

road

to D

unke

rton

Chu

rch

N.

(Co

ntin

ue

d a

s W

alk

5 )

BR

IDG

E F

AR

MM

IDF

OR

D

8

Brid

ge F

arm

to M

idfo

rd

A F

rom

the

roa

d ou

tsid

e B

ridge

Far

m,

follo

w t

he d

ownh

ill f

ootp

ath

thro

ugh

a ki

ssin

g ga

te to

a c

ontin

uatio

n of

the

tow

path

with

infil

led

lock

s17

, 18

& 1

9 fo

rmin

g a

gras

sy p

addo

ck o

n yo

ur le

ft.B

The

pat

h tu

rns

shar

p le

ft an

d th

en r

ight

, th

en r

uns

alon

g th

e to

p of

ast

one

wha

rf w

ith a

der

elic

t sto

ne s

truc

ture

on

your

left.

C A

t Sou

thst

oke

Lane

, a b

ridle

way

, tur

n rig

ht d

ownh

ill a

nd im

med

iate

lyle

ft do

wn

step

s, to

con

tinue

in th

e sa

me

dire

ctio

n as

bef

ore

On

your

left

are

the

dere

lict

cham

bers

of

lock

s 20

, 21

& 2

2; g

radu

ally

Mid

ford

to B

ridge

Far

m

I F

rom

the

the

Hop

e &

Anc

hor

pub,

cro

ss t

he B

3110

and

des

cend

the

step

s di

rect

ly o

ppos

ite .

Fol

low

the

pat

h un

der

the

railw

ay v

iadu

ct a

nd m

etal

brid

ge,

afte

r 10

0m

etre

s go

thro

ugh

a ga

te

H to

the

cana

l bed

.Jo

in t

he c

anal

tow

path

and

fol

low

it

past

Mid

ford

Aqu

educ

t G

on

the

left

an

d a

sto

ne

bri

dg

e

F o

n t

he

rig

ht

un

til

you

re

ach

a r

ailw

ay

emba

nkm

ent.

E T

urn

left

at th

e em

bank

men

t, th

en r

ight

und

er th

e do

uble

rai

lway

arc

h

LOW

ER

LO

CK

FLI

GH

T

2 km

or

1.2

mile

s

Page 10: THE COAL CANAL WAY A ALKER’SW GUIDE

DU

NK

ER

TO

NC

OM

BE

HA

Y T

UN

NE

L

5

Dun

kert

on to

Com

be H

ay T

unne

l

A W

ith y

our b

ack

to D

unke

rton

Chu

rch,

turn

righ

t and

go

alon

g th

e ro

adto

the

A36

7B

Tur

n le

ft up

hill

to th

e la

yby C

and

then

con

tinue

a fu

rthe

r 10

0 m

etre

sto

vie

w D

Dun

kert

on B

ig A

qued

uct i

n th

e va

lley

on y

our

left.

Ret

urn

dow

nhill

to

the

botto

m o

f th

e la

yby,

the

n cr

oss

the

A36

7 to

the

trac

k F

opp

osite

.

Com

be H

ay T

unne

l to

Dun

kert

onW

ith y

our b

ack

to th

e th

atch

ed c

otta

ge

K a

nd th

e gr

assy

tria

ngle

on

your

right

, go

up th

e la

ne w

hich

is in

fron

t of y

ou b

ut s

light

ly to

the

left.

Tur

n le

ft at

the

first

junc

tion J

.C

ontin

ue p

ast

a le

ft ha

nd b

end

and

a rig

ht h

and

bend

I,

afte

r w

hich

the

cana

l em

bank

men

t wal

l will

be

seen

gra

dual

ly e

mer

ging

abo

ve th

e rig

htha

nd s

ide

of th

e ro

ad.

At t

he ju

nctio

n H w

ith th

e A

367,

cro

ss th

e ro

ad a

nd tu

rn r

ight

uph

ill.

1.2

km o

r 0.

82 m

iles

Row

ley

Far

m to

Brid

ge F

arm

A T

he p

ublic

foo

tpat

h co

ntin

ues

stra

ight

thr

ough

Row

ley

Far

m,

then

follo

w th

e tr

ack

until

it r

each

es p

rivat

e pr

oper

ty.

B T

urn

right

dow

nhill

fol

low

ing

the

field

bou

ndar

y fe

nce

to m

eet

the

cana

l at t

he b

otto

m

C.

Tur

n le

ft an

d fo

llow

the

can

al t

owpa

th u

ntil

you

reac

h th

e si

te o

f th

epu

mpi

ng e

ngin

e D, t

he p

ath

veer

s to

the

right

of t

he e

ngin

e si

te a

nd th

ende

scen

ds v

ery

stee

ply.

E A

t the

bot

tom

of t

he s

lope

, cro

ss th

e sm

all w

oode

n pl

ank

brid

ge o

ver

“The

Bul

l’s N

ose”

str

eam

.T

urn

right

and

wal

k do

wn

the

path

pas

t the

lock

s.P

ass

lock

s 11

, 12

, 13

, 14

& 1

5 F o

n yo

ur r

ight

, th

en g

o th

roug

h th

era

ilway

arc

h G to

the

road

H.

(Co

ntin

ue

d a

s W

alk

8 )

Brid

ge F

arm

to R

owle

y F

arm

H F

rom

the

road

go

thro

ugh

the

rai

lway

arc

h G

to a

vie

w o

f Loc

k 15

.F

Tak

e th

e pa

th o

n th

e rig

ht o

f Loc

k 15

.P

ass

lock

s 15

, 14

, 13

, 12

& 1

1 on

you

r le

ft, t

hen

follo

w t

he p

ath

whi

chbr

anch

es to

the

left.

E C

ross

the

smal

l woo

den

plan

k br

idge

ove

r “T

he B

ull’s

Nos

e” s

trea

m.

Clim

b th

e st

eep

path

to E

ngin

e W

ood

D; a

t the

top,

the

site

of t

he p

umpi

ngen

gine

is o

n yo

ur r

ight

and

the

Upp

er R

each

of t

he c

anal

lead

s aw

ay to

the

left.

Fol

low

the

tow

path

alo

ng th

e U

pper

Rea

ch o

f the

can

al.

C W

hen

you

reac

h th

e en

d of

the

acc

essi

ble

tow

path

, tu

rn r

ight

and

follo

w th

e tr

ack

to th

e to

p of

the

field

.B

At t

he to

p of

the

field

, tur

n le

ft an

d ta

ke th

e tr

ack

to R

owle

y F

arm

A

.(C

on

tinu

ed

as

Wa

lk 6 )

7

Thi

ngs

to s

ee o

n W

alk

7T

he u

pper

and

low

er s

ectio

ns o

f th

e ca

nal d

iffer

ed in

hei

ght

by 1

35 f

t(4

1 m

etre

s) s

o a

lock

flig

ht w

as p

lann

ed to

car

ry b

oats

bet

wee

n th

e tw

ole

vels

. B

efo

re c

on

stru

ctio

n c

ou

ld b

eg

in,

a n

ew

ly-i

nve

nte

d b

oa

t lif

t,R

ob

ert

We

ldo

n’s

Hyd

rost

ati

ck C

ais

son

Lo

ck,

pro

mis

ed

a m

ore

econ

omic

al s

olut

ion.

One

Cai

sson

Loc

k w

as b

uilt

and

wor

k be

gun

on a

seco

nd w

hen

prob

lem

s ca

used

by

geol

ogy

and

the

avai

labl

e m

ater

ials

of

the

day

caus

ed a

cat

astr

ophi

c fa

ilure

. A

tem

pora

ry In

clin

ed P

lane

(gra

vity

-op

erat

ed fu

nicu

lar r

ailw

ay) w

as in

stal

led

to g

et th

e co

al tr

ade

goin

g w

hile

fund

s w

ere

rais

ed to

bui

ld th

e pr

evio

usly

-pla

nned

lock

flig

ht.

The

Low

erR

each

ext

ende

d th

e ca

nal t

o an

unl

oadi

ng p

latfo

rm a

t the

bot

tom

of t

hepl

ane

and

was

fed

with

wat

er b

y a

leat

from

the

Cam

Bro

ok.

The

lock

flig

ht n

eede

d a

wat

er s

uppl

y, s

o a

Bou

lton

& W

att b

eam

eng

ine

was

inst

alle

d to

rai

se w

ater

to th

e U

pper

Rea

ch, c

onst

antly

rep

leni

shin

gth

e to

p le

vel o

f the

can

al a

bove

Loc

k 1.

The

wat

er c

ame

from

the

Cam

Bro

ok L

eat,

with

a c

ut-o

ff se

ctio

n of

the

Low

er R

each

act

ing

as a

silt

settl

emen

t po

nd.

Fro

m t

here

it

was

con

veye

d by

a t

unne

l du

g de

epun

derg

roun

d to

the

botto

m o

f the

pum

pim

g en

gine

wel

l.W

hen

the

cana

l clo

sed,

a r

ailw

ay w

as b

uilt

alon

g th

e va

lley,

cut

ting

into

the

tow

path

bel

ow L

ocks

2 &

3 a

nd c

ross

ing

the

lock

flig

ht a

t Loc

k 16

,w

hich

has

bee

n lo

st u

nder

neat

h th

e em

bank

men

t G

.N

OT

E:

Wh

en

th

e C

ais

son

fa

iled

it

wa

s d

em

olis

he

d a

nd

th

e a

rea

lan

dsc

ap

ed

, th

ere

is n

oth

ing

left o

n th

e s

urf

ace

or f

or s

om

e c

on

sid

era

ble

de

pth

, so

ple

ase

do

no

t b

e t

em

pte

d t

o t

resp

ass

on

priva

te p

rop

ert

y in

sea

rch

of

an

y re

ma

ins.

Page 11: THE COAL CANAL WAY A ALKER’SW GUIDE

5

Fol

low

the

trac

k to

a la

new

ay

G a

nd tu

rn r

ight

, dow

nhill

.R

ejoi

n th

e A

367

and

cont

inue

dow

nhill

to

turn

left

H in

to t

he C

ombe

Hay

roa

d.F

ollo

w t

he r

oad

dow

n an

d th

en u

p to

a r

ight

han

d be

nd,

cont

inue

with

the

cana

l em

bank

men

t wal

l on

your

left

as fa

r as

the

first

left

corn

er

I.C

ontin

ue t

o fo

llow

the

roa

d th

roug

h a

right

han

d co

rner

and

the

n tu

rnrig

ht, d

ownh

ill, a

t the

‘T’ j

unct

ion J

.T

he ro

ad re

ache

s a

cros

sroa

ds

K, u

nder

neat

h w

hich

is C

ombe

Hay

Tun

nel.

(Co

ntin

ue

d a

s W

alk

6 )

Co

ntin

ue

up

hill

pa

st t

he

Du

nke

rto

n r

oa

d

B t

o t

he

la

yby C

an

d t

he

nco

ntin

ue a

furt

her

100

met

res D to

vie

w D

unke

rton

Big

Aqu

educ

t in

the

valle

y on

you

r le

ft.R

etur

n do

wnh

ill t

o th

e bo

ttom

of

the

layb

y, t

hen

cros

s th

e A

367

to t

hetr

ack

F o

ppos

ite.

Fol

low

the

trac

k to

a la

new

ay

G a

nd tu

rn r

ight

, dow

nhill

.R

ejoi

n th

e A

367.

C

ontin

ue d

ownh

ill t

o cr

oss

the

A36

7 at

B

int

o th

eD

unke

rton

Roa

d.W

alk

alon

g th

e ro

ad to

the

chur

ch

A.

(Co

ntin

ue

d a

s W

alk

4 )

Thi

ngs

to s

ee o

n W

alk

5

C

Orig

inal

ly t

he c

anal

ran

thr

ough

a b

ridge

und

er t

he o

ld r

oad,

one

para

pet

is s

till

visi

ble

in t

he g

rass

bet

wee

n th

e la

yby

and

the

mod

ern

road

, the

oth

er fo

rms

part

of t

he la

yby

wal

l.D

D

unke

rton

Big

Aqu

educ

t sp

anne

d th

e S

ever

com

be V

alle

y an

d th

ear

ch w

as b

ig e

noug

h to

tak

e la

den

farm

car

ts.

A s

trea

m w

hich

run

sdo

wn

the

valle

y w

as d

iver

ted

thro

ugh

the

arch

way

in

an u

nder

grou

ndst

one

cond

uit.

F A

mile

ston

e (m

inus

its

plat

e) s

urvi

ves

on th

e ba

nk b

esid

e th

e ca

nal

G T

his

was

the

site

of F

osse

way

Brid

ge o

ver

the

cana

l.H

T

he r

ow o

f ho

uses

her

e w

as o

nce

The

Sw

an I

nn,

whe

re W

illia

mS

mith

lodg

ed w

hils

t sur

veyi

ng th

e ca

nal r

oute

and

one

eve

ning

wro

te in

his

diar

y a

note

abo

ut s

omet

hing

he

had

disc

over

ed d

urin

g hi

s w

ork

onth

e ca

nal t

hat d

ay.

He

wro

te th

at fo

ssils

wer

e la

id d

own

in a

con

sist

ent

orde

r an

d co

uld

be u

sed

to id

entif

y st

rata

in a

muc

h m

ore

accu

rate

way

than

the

prev

ious

app

roxi

mat

e cl

assi

fifca

tion.

Thi

s m

eant

that

he

coul

did

entif

y th

e po

sitio

n of

sam

ples

fro

m t

rial b

orin

gs in

the

suc

cess

ion

of

stra

ta a

nd p

redi

ct t

he p

roba

bilit

y of

str

ikin

g va

luab

le c

oal

seam

s an

dot

her

min

eral

s. T

his

disc

over

y fo

unde

d th

e m

oder

n sc

ienc

e of

Geo

logy

.[S

ee

Wa

lk 9

fo

r m

ore

de

tails ]

I T

his

was

the

site

of

a sw

ivel

brid

ge a

cros

s th

e ca

nal,

the

road

was

dive

rted

fro

m it

s or

igin

al s

trai

ght

line

so a

s to

cro

ss a

t rig

ht a

ngle

s.

Inth

e st

able

yar

d ne

arby

is a

mile

ston

e re

cove

red

from

the

cana

l.I t

o K

The

line

of t

he c

anal

was

obl

itera

ted

by th

e ra

ilway

, whi

ch h

as in

turn

bee

n ob

liter

ated

by

land

fill.

K C

ombe

Hay

Tun

nel,

whi

ch ru

ns d

iago

nally

und

erne

ath

the

cros

s ro

ads,

was

orig

inal

ly b

uilt

as a

can

al tu

nnel

, but

was

late

r dee

pene

d an

d w

iden

edto

tak

e th

e ra

ilway

lin

e.

Som

e of

the

can

al s

tone

wor

k is

stil

l vi

sibl

ebe

hind

the

east

ern

port

al a

nd fo

rmin

g th

e ba

ck w

all o

f the

tunn

el ’r

efug

es’.

Whe

n th

e ra

ilway

was

bei

ng b

uilt,

the

mai

n ‘b

ase

cam

p’ fo

r the

con

tact

ors

was

est

ablis

hed

in t

empo

rary

woo

den

huts

alo

ngsi

de t

he c

anal

on

the

Com

be H

ay s

ide

of th

e tu

nnel

.

RO

WLE

Y F

AR

MB

RID

GE

FA

RM

7U

PP

ER

LO

CK

FLI

GH

T

1.5

km o

r 0.

9 m

iles

Page 12: THE COAL CANAL WAY A ALKER’SW GUIDE

CO

MB

E H

AY T

UN

NE

LR

OW

LEY

FA

RM

6

Com

be H

ay T

unne

l to

Row

ley

Far

m

A W

ith th

e th

atch

ed c

otta

ge b

ehin

d yo

u an

d th

e gr

assy

tria

ngle

in fr

ont,

wal

k ac

ross

the

tria

ngle

and

up

the

road

, lo

ok f

or a

per

mis

sive

pat

h on

the

right

.B

Tak

e th

e pe

rmis

sive

pat

h, k

eepi

ng c

lose

to th

e bo

unda

ry fe

nce

on y

our

left

(thi

s di

verg

es fr

om th

e m

ade-

up d

rivew

ay).

The

pat

h sl

opes

dow

n th

e si

de o

f an

emba

nkm

ent

C th

en tu

rns

right

into

the

tunn

el o

f Com

be H

ay A

qued

uct,

whi

ch is

sha

red

with

a s

trea

m.

D E

mer

ging

fro

m t

he t

unne

l, tu

rn le

ft an

d fo

llow

the

woo

dlan

d pa

th t

oso

me

step

s.E

Clim

b th

e st

eps

and

turn

rig

ht, a

long

the

driv

e of

Rec

tory

Lod

ge.

F A

t th

e la

new

ay,

turn

rig

ht a

nd g

o do

wnh

ill t

o m

eet

the

road

at

The

Whe

atsh

eaf p

ub.

G T

urn

left

up th

e ro

ad, t

hen

take

the

next

left

fork

uph

ill to

H

, Loc

k 1,

and

Row

ley

Far

m I.

(Co

ntin

ue

d a

s W

alk

7 )

Row

ley

Far

m to

Com

be H

ay T

unne

l

I W

alk

dow

n th

e tr

ack

from

Row

ley

Far

m p

ast L

ock

1 H

and

bea

r rig

htat

the

road

junc

tion.

Con

tinue

dow

nhill

unt

il yo

u re

ach

The

Whe

atsh

eaf

pub

G,

turn

rig

htan

d w

alk

up th

e st

eep

lane

on

the

left

of th

e pu

b ca

r pa

rk a

cces

s ro

ad.

F A

t the

cem

eter

y ga

tes

turn

left

dow

n th

e dr

ive

of R

ecto

ry L

odge

.B

efor

e th

e Lo

dge

entr

ance

, go

dow

n st

eps

E o

n th

e le

ft an

d fo

llow

the

path

thro

ugh

woo

dlan

d.D

The

pat

h tu

rns

right

into

the

tunn

el o

f Com

be H

ay A

qued

uct,

whi

ch is

shar

ed w

ith a

str

eam

.C

At t

he fa

r en

d of

the

tunn

el, t

urn

shar

p le

ft an

d fo

llow

the

perm

issi

vepa

th u

p th

e em

bank

men

t slo

pe w

ith a

bou

ndar

y fe

nce

on y

our

right

.C

ontin

ue fo

llow

ing

the

boun

dary

fenc

e un

til y

ou r

each

the

road

B

.T

urn

left

dow

n th

e ro

ad to

Com

be H

ay T

unne

l A

.(C

on

tinu

ed

as

Wa

lk 5 )

1.3

km o

r 0.

8 m

iles

6

Thi

ngs

to s

ee o

n W

alk

6

B

The

per

mis

sive

pat

h ru

ns a

long

side

a d

rivew

ay w

hich

was

bui

lt on

the

cour

se o

f th

e ra

ilway

whi

ch,

in t

urn,

was

bui

lt on

the

cou

rse

of t

heca

nal.

C t

o D

T

he r

ailw

ay r

e-us

ed t

he a

lignm

ent

of t

he c

anal

, bu

t a

wid

erem

bank

men

t was

nee

ded

at th

is p

oint

for

grea

ter

stre

ngth

. T

he e

xist

ing

aque

duct

tun

nel w

as le

ft in

pla

ce,

but

leng

then

ed a

t ea

ch e

nd t

o al

low

for

the

wid

er b

ase

of t

he e

mba

nkm

ent.

Ins

ide

the

aque

duct

tun

nel t

hece

ntra

l se

ctio

n is

the

orig

inal

can

al s

truc

ture

whi

ch w

as a

rche

d w

ithst

one,

whi

lst

the

two

oute

r se

ctio

ns a

re m

ade

of b

rick

and

wer

e ad

ded

late

r du

ring

the

railw

ay c

onst

ruct

ion.

The

re is

evi

denc

e th

at p

art o

f the

cent

ral

ston

e se

ctio

n w

as s

tren

gthe

ned

at s

ome

time

by a

n ad

ditio

nal

ston

e rin

g.

The

rai

lway

eng

inee

ring

plan

s sh

ow t

hat

the

stre

am w

asin

tend

ed t

o ru

n in

a c

ondu

it un

dern

eath

the

sto

ne s

labs

, bu

t th

e co

ndui

tap

pear

s to

be

bloc

ked

and

the

slab

s br

oken

in p

lace

s.H

The

can

al s

plits

into

two

bran

ches

; the

Upp

er R

each

con

tinue

s al

ong

the

cont

our

lead

ing

ultim

atel

y to

the

pum

ping

eng

ine

site

, the

mai

n lin

ego

es d

own

the

lock

flig

ht, n

umbe

red

from

1 a

t the

top

to 2

2 at

the

botto

m.

The

Upp

er R

each

was

orig

inal

ly c

reat

ed to

feed

the

Cai

sson

Loc

ks [

see

Walk

7 ] b

ut w

as e

vent

ually

ext

ende

d to

form

a c

onve

nien

t way

of t

akin

gco

al s

uppl

ies

to th

e pu

mpi

ng e

ngin

e an

d re

turn

ing

wat

er fr

om th

e en

gine

into

the

high

est p

art o

f the

can

al a

bove

the

lock

flig

ht.

Whe

n th

e C

aiss

onLo

cks

faile

d, a

tem

pora

ry In

clin

ed P

lane

rai

lway

was

use

d to

car

ry c

oal

from

the

Upp

er R

each

to

the

Low

er R

each

to

get

the

trad

e go

ing

whi

leth

e lo

ck fl

ight

was

bei

ng c

onst

ruct

ed.

The

spi

llway

s bu

ilt in

to th

e to

p pa

ddle

sto

new

ork

of L

ock

1 se

t the

leve

lof

the

entir

e le

ngth

of c

anal

from

her

e to

Pau

lton.

The

sm

all w

harf

wal

lha

s m

oorin

g rin

gs s

et in

to th

e to

p of

it a

nd th

ese

wou

ld h

ave

been

to ti

eup

boa

ts w

aitin

g th

eir

turn

to g

o do

wn

the

lock

flig

ht; a

n ol

d ph

otog

raph

show

s th

at th

ere

was

a w

ell-b

eate

n tr

ack

from

her

e do

wn

to a

pub

in th

eva

lley.