Tuesday 15th
October 2019
The locals in the pub yesterday, mentioned a walk over the hill behind
the pub through an RSPB reserve. While we thoroughly enjoyed the walk, the
uphill section was more akin to a Royal Marine assault course, it was so muddy
and slippery. They had spoken of the amount of deer in the woods and we saw
plenty of evidence with numerous hoof prints about.
Hidden Staffordshire Countryside behind Black Lion at Consall
After a pint in the Lion, we set off for Froghall. The channel from
Consall is very narrow and shallow in places and numerous times, we touched
bottom, at one point contacting a submerged obstruction that made the boat list
alarmingly and took some power to pass over. At one passing place, a hawthorn
bush overhung the canal, almost touching the water, so we stopped while I cut
it down and disposed of it on the bank.
Passing Consall Station is an experience as the platform and waiting
room overhang the canal. The valley is very narrow at this point and is shared
by the river, canal, railway and a small lane.
Passing Consall Station, with the
Platform and Waiting Room overhanging the Canal
At Flint Mill Lock there is a substantial Flint Mill complete with
workers cottages. However, the whole site is now renovated private housing with
no access. The bridge that accompanies the lock, has a gauge for Froghall
Tunnel. We already knew we would not fit through the tunnel but were surprised
to see by just how much. The height restriction is 5 foot, as is the width.
Reaching Froghall we winded and then reversed down to the tunnel, posing for
photographs for the IWA Silver Challenge and then moored just before the
winding hole.
Froghall Tunnel Gauge at Flint Mill
Lock
Froghall Tunnel
Neither of us had much of an impression of at least the part of
Froghall we had moored in. It felt like what it actually was, a dead end, at
least from the canal. Brenda stopped on the boat while I walked about the
place.
With there being no towpath, you have to follow the path over the
tunnel. The canal emerges followed by the branch off to the Uttoxeter Canal and
through a further bridge to reach the end of the canal at Froghall Basin. The
area around the basin is attractive and has picnic benches and a tea room.
There is a small wharf with the wharf building having been converted to use as
the tea room, there are also five big lime kilns. The Uttoxter Branch, although
long since abandoned, locks down from the junction to a mooring basin, the
canal channel leads off from the basin but ends at a footbridge.
From the basin, it is a short distance into the village of Froghall
itself, but there is little here. The dominant feature is the railway station
at the eastern terminal of the Churnet Valley Railway. There is a pub and a
terrace of railway workers cottages. Adjoining the village is all that remains
of the Bolton Copper Works, now home to a military spares business with lots of
military mini-containers and a Sea King Helicopter at the front of the
warehouse buildings. And that is it.
Weather: a nice day, although it rained in the evening.
Day Total: 1 lock; 2 miles; 0 Tunnel; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Lift Bridges;
0 Boat Lift; Day’s running hours 1.9
Overall Total: 764 locks; 1340 miles; 52 tunnels; 61 Swing Bridges; 14
Lift Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; total engine running hours 843.3hrs
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