Monday 14th
October 2019
It had been a wonderful, clear night with a full moon and the morning,
although cold, was clear and bright.
We passed through the interesting village of Cheddleton, leaving our
exploration until the return journey when the trains of the restored Churnet
Valley Line and the Water-Powered Flint Mill will be open.
From the canal, Cheddleton is a village of parts. One end has the
Flint Mill, the busy road with an accompanying house that straddles the canal,
and two locks. The canal then curves around the village, which keeps its
distance, with woods on one side and industrial sites on the other, then the
far side has the Boat Inn right beside the navigation and the Cheddleton
Railway Station with many locos, carriages and wagons sitting on the tracks.
The canal at this end of the village, and all the way to Wood’s Lock ½
mile away, is very narrow. The River Churnet flows through the fields on our
left with evidence of a lot of recent flooding. Between Wood’s and
Oakmeadowford Locks, the canal passes through some beautiful countryside.
Oakmeadowford Lock is lonely and very isolated, peaceful and quiet.
However, the canal joins the river after this lock, the two sharing a common
course for over a mile until reaching Consall. The River Churnet is quite
narrow after the lock to begin with and consequently, flows fast. The river
also has a reputation and rising and falling quickly after rain. The level
indicator was just below the red warning section, so we decided to go for it.
Normally, these markers have green, amber and red sections but the marker at
Oakmeadowford was unusual in passing directly from green to red.
Leaving the lock, although only with just enough speed to maintain
steerage, we shot along through the numerous, sharp 90˚ bends, seeming to slalom along.
After a while, the river widened and the flow slowed. The countryside was
idyllic with lots of encroaching trees and steep sided banks on one side and
reed beds on the other. We saw many pheasant along this section, jays and the
odd woodpecker.
The confusing Bridge 49
There was some confusion at the end of the river section. Our guide
showed the navigation passing beneath bridge 49 and then turning left off the
river. However, approaching the bridge, there appeared to be barriers across it
preventing boats from passing beneath. It wasn’t until we reached the bridge
that it became clear the guide is incorrect and the turn off the river is
actually before the bridge.
Turning off the river, we realised we would not get beneath bridge 50
with the chimney and Red Ensign flying and so came alongside the bank to remove
them, only to realise we had happened upon a 48-hour mooring.
Fantastic. We couldn’t believe our luck, moored right opposite the
well-known Black Lion Inn at Consall.
Once moored, we walked around the area. This end of the Caldon Canal
was where the industry for which the canal was built existed, and Consall,
although very quiet, tranquil and isolated today, was no exception and the area
must have provided employment for a sizeable population.
Consall Lime Kilns with Draw-off
Points for Quicklime
As well as the railway and canal, there is a set of four huge Lime
Kilns beside the river. Lime kilns are used to produce Quicklime from
Limestone. Quicklime was a valuable commodity in the early days of the
Industrial Revolution, being used to make mortar and plaster for the building
trades and the pottery industry, and also by farmers as a fertiliser. The kiln
was loaded from above, with alternate layers of coke and limestone and then
fired, the resultant quicklime being drawn off from the bottom of the kiln.
Quicklime is a dangerous substance that reacts badly with the carbon dioxide in
air and therefore, before it was used, had to be mixed with water to produce
Slaked Lime.
Copious amounts of coal, used to produce coke, and limestone, would
have been used in these kilns and these, along with the finished products,
would all have been transported along the canal before the advent of the
railway.
We walked along the canal as far as the next lock, Flint Mill Lock,
passing the mid-point marker between Etruria and Uttoxeter. The mileposts give
the distance to Uttoxeter in deference to the long disappeared Uttoxeter Canal.
There is yet another Flint Mill beside the lock, but it is a private residence
with no access. The canal becomes even narrower beyond the Black Lion with passing
places for boats.
The Churnet Valley Railway Line, although never far from the canal and
river, is actually right next to the canal with the platform and waiting room
of Consall Station actually protruding out over the canal.
On our return we called into the Black Lion and had a few pints,
talking to a group of local old boys, and our lunch, huge meat filled ‘Bossing’
Baps and chips.
The Black Lion is well known in canal circles, sitting in a very
remote setting with the train track and canal alongside, and is very popular in
the summer despite its isolation. There is no direct vehicular access. A track
leads some miles from the nearest country lane to the pub, train station and
the few nearby houses. All goods, beer included, have to be carried about 100
yards from the car park, across the river bridge, canal bridge and rail track.
We found it a friendly, welcoming place and the landlord even offered
to arrange a shopping delivery for us. Doesn’t come much better.
Weather: a nice day, although it came on to rain late afternoon.
Day Total: 4 locks; 3 miles; 0 Tunnel; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Lift Bridges;
0 Boat Lift; Day’s running hours 2.2
Overall Total: 763 locks; 1338 miles; 52 tunnels; 61 Swing Bridges; 14
Lift Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; total engine running hours 841.4hrs
Really loved it there.
ReplyDeleteWe were moored just up from the water point as no room where you are. Walked to Froghall & back with Milo great walk if a little muddy. Hope you're all well xxx