Nottingham Canal
South of Cossall
March 2010
This next section is about a mile long, spanning the gap between the car park at the end of the infilled Trowell section to the entrance to the curiously named Robinettes Branch.
Winding nature of the Nottingham Canal
The car park marks the start of the main watered section.
The surprising thing about the watered section is the quality of the restoration. The weed which clogged it in the 1980's is all gone and in its place is a broad and deep waterway. The margins are all reedy it is true, but as a canal it appears to offer more scope for cruising than the north of the remaindered canals in Birmingham.
Footbridge over flood gates nr Robinettes Arm
The canal winds a graceful coutoured route, curve blending into curve. This is a delight to the walker and the photographer as there are always a new view just round the corner, and very few long straights.
Remains of floodgates
One drawback of this canal is the pausity of structures. The locks were all on the initial section near Woolaton and this is a flat canal all the way through to Langley Mill. Not only is it flat but few roads cross its path and hence few bridges.
Footbridge on site of swingbridge
Here and there there are the remains of swing bridges, their recesses still very apparent but now used as a ledge to support one end of wooden footbridges which give access to the many circular walks which are possible in the area.
Robinettes Junction
The length ends with the Robinettes Junction, an attractive wide with big signs proclaiming "no fishing" which must frustrate or inspire the local lads.
More of the Robinettes Arm on our way back.
3 comments:
No locks, few bridges - surely an advantage for restoration, not a drawback?
Halfie
you are right, given the obstacles overcome elsewhere around the country, a restoration of the Nottingham Canal, at least as far as Trowell, looks to be fairly simple task. The issue is the bit lost to opencast mining at Awsworth, but that dosnt sound insurmountable to me, any more than the opencast section above Langley Mill is impassable.
Andy
I think we ow it to all the men who built the canals in the first place to keep them servicable. I am only 23 and would like to think that this important piece of history is there for my grandkids when they are 23!!
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