Friday 21 September 2012

The Wilts & Berks Canal


This was the first real Rural explore that I went on. I'd seen the place on a website called Dereliction in the Shires  so after contacting the owner we arranged a day and set off starting at East Hanney and walking the route to Wantage.  This stared off as a bit of an embarrassment due to us getting lost a bit and instead of following a footpath to the site we ended on the road but ended in the right place after following the footpath.

 

From the road this is where you start a bridleway with WIlts & Berks Canal on it

 
On the other side of the road a track which is the line of the old canal, follow the footpath and you should come to the A34 passing the remains of a lock, I'm not sure it runs under the A34 though as I have not been along this section

If you follow the footpath you should come to a bridge and see remnants of the canal

 
The footpath and track tell you it was the canal at one time


And this bridge is a big give away, the Great Western main line ran over it


Another footbridge will bring you to the first lock
 

Which looked in remarkably good condition considering it has been derelict for over 100 years, the lock gate hanging there I found amazing

 
Parts of the lock


I love the way nature takes over
 
 
Tree roots everywhere


And trees growing out of the lock itself


Onto the next one


Passing the remains of a lock side building
 
 
You will find the next lock not far away

 
And the remains of a building
 

The lock is covered in vegitation


going near the edge is dangerious near the ivy and trees block your path


The lock chamber


In the chamber


Chamber and lock gate


Unusual find is a milestone by the lock


The footpath will take you to the road from Lanes Barn to Grove and you will hav eto walk back along it to find the place a bridge would have been, its now culverted and the bridge removed.


From the top you can see where the canal used to be.


Parts where we followed the footpath

 
The next lock near grove

 
This one had water running through it


Which disappeared though the damaged brickwork
 
coming out in the main chamber


The chamber


Various parts of the lock


The lock

 
Last look at the lock


On to the next at Grove


This is one of the grove locks mostly filled in with rubbish and cable husks that have been dumped there

 
Trees have bee hard at work here as well


Doing there bit to demolish the lock

 
There is a bridge at the next lock

 
Which has been restored and is in use


Not sure there is much hope for the lock

 
Roots take hold in the walls
 
Holding cans in them

 
It looks in a  very sad state


As you walk towards Grove you will pass a section that has bee restored with a weir and dummy lock gate

 
After that section you come to the Wantage spur

 
Which may have been a basin as well for barges to turn

 
You will pass the remains of a bridge 

 
with old graffiti on it


You will eventually end up here where there were houses and building which may have been to do with the canal
 








 Which as you can see has been fully restored.
 
 
The reason for the spur ending here may have been for the flour mill which was in operation till 2022 when it closed and was taken over. I do not know what the places I visited are like now but if you want to find out it is and interesting explore
 
The last part of the Wilts and Berks canal. I'll post a part two at a later date.