Wednesday 5th
September 2018
The Erewash Canal was completed in 1779 and was a commercial success
from the beginning. It connected the coal mines of Nottinghamshire and
Derbyshire to the Midlands andpasses between Deby and Nottingham. It runs for
11¾
miles and has 15 locks. Due to its enormous success, no fewer than four further
canals were built that linked into the Erewash Canal, the Cromford, Nottingham,
Derby and Nutbrook Canals. Unfortunately, none of these canals survive although
parts of the Derby Canal, last encountered in Swarkestone, are still in water
with plans afoot to restore it.
We left the mooring at 10am to start our exploration of the Erewash.
The first mile was solid, back to back boats on private moorings on the
offside, and thick reeds on the towpath side with a narrow channel between.
Very nice though.
Passing under two of the railway bridges, we entered Long Eaton with
housing on both sides of us. It is fascinating to see some houses make a lot of
their canal frontage or back gardens, while others just seem to turn their
backs on it.
We passed an awkward S-bend under a bridge and, although we were still
in Long Eaton, the whole character of the place changed. Strange. Druggies,
down and outs and cans of cider being drunk on the bank at 10:30. And yet many
other people wave and call good morning.
Then came our fist lock. We had been told that the locks were heavy,
and so it proved to be. Also, every one was a challenge as there were a lot of
anti-vandalism measures, all of which had to be solved before the paddles could
be opened.
At the second lock, Dockholme, we moored up and went to the local Spar
to top up. We also took the opportunity to walk over to see the River Erewash
which runs through a local nature trail. Beyond the river, shown on the map,
were masses of railway sidings. We walked up to look at these. It was a bit
surreal to come across many locomotives and wagons through the trees in such a
rural location.
The River
Erewash
The cottage at Sandiacre Lock is the last remaining toll house on the
Erewash Canal, also where the
Derby Canal emerges just beyond the lock.
We carried on through Sandiacre, nothing much to offer, but here, as
in Long Eaton, there were many old mills, some in use and some not. Nottingham
and its surrounds used to be well established in the Lace Making Industry.
Beyond Sandiacre we passed under the M1 again. I think on our journey
south from here we will see much of this motorway. The whole area, with
Sandiacre behind us, had become rural again.
Beyond Hallam Fields Lock, No 7, we moored. Brenda was not feeling too
good, she had slipped on a wet floor in the Clock Warehouse at Shardlow when we
went for our meal there and was feeling stiff and sore. The locks had been
heavy and the next four miles and five locks pass through Ilkeston and we
wanted peace and quiet. Today had become a much harder day than we have become
used to.
Weather: cool start to the day but, although it became hot and sunny,
the temperatures have definitely dropped off.
Day Total: 6 lock; 6 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Boat Lift; engine running
hours 6.7
Overall Total: 190 locks; 367 miles; 15 tunnels; 2 Boat Lifts; engine
running hours 211.3
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