Main menu
Awsworth to Balloon Woods
From the Shilo Way culvert, just inside the "11 miles from the Trent" milepost and 3½ from Langley Mill, is a very attractive length of canal.
There is a winding hole and small basin -
Almost immediately, the canal then passes over significant former aqueduct which has now been reduced to two large pipes.
Restoration would probably see a new steel trough fitted to the same concrete abutments and ought to be a relatively straight forward job.
The next few miles would make the effort worthwhile because the canal, fully in water again, now passes through a short cutting before passing by the village of Cossall. This featured in a number of D H Lawrences stories and remains a very attractive place. A couple of footbridges provide minimal problems for restoration as the canal winds towards Trowell. This section is promoted by the council as a ‘local nature reserve’ and a couple of car parks and simple bridge crossings provide access to the towing path.
Another branch, the Robinetts Cut, leaves the main line near Cossall but progress along that route is almost immediately stopped by another culverted former swing bridge. It is however a very pleasant walk. The overflow weir along here is quite new and shows someone cares enough to keep it in water. It would be an excellent site for some off-
From this junction, the canal continues in water for a good way until, shortly after the second car park, the canal has been infilled again for about ¾ mile -
Trowell Bridge itself is a substantial concrete structure which has obviously been strengthened by reducing its original inner dimensions. Even so, I think there is still a large enough aperture for the original navigation dimensions to be reconstructed. Beyond here, the canal bed is empty -
From the M1, the canal bed is again empty - |
|||||
Immediately beyond this bridge, however, is a garden centre. This began life in an old canalside stone quarry but has migrated from the quarry right onto the canal line. This is a shame, because immediately beyond the garden centre the empty canal bed resumes. Of course the garden centre might like the idea of a rebuilt canal through their premises - |
|||||
|
|||||
For another mile or so the empty canal bed, occasionally with some water, winds towards Nottingham. It passes under another original stone bridge and arrives near the city boundary at Coventry Lane - |
|||||