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.