The Chesterfield Canal was engineered by John Varley, starting plans and surveys in 1768. It was officially opened in 1777 and its main cargo was coal. Over the years it has been also used to carry stone, corn, timber and iron. As usual the downfall of the trade on the canal came with competition from the railway, combined with subsidence in Norwood tunnel which closed in 1907. Some trade continued into the 50’s. The wooden boats employed were called cuckoos and were peculiar to the Chesterfield and always horse-drawn.
Today the journey from West Stockwith to Kiveton Park and the closed Norwood tunnel is 31.5 miles long, with 45 locks and 1 short tunnel at Drakeholes.
It is a really pretty canal especially above Shireoaks and makes a lovely diversion off the Trent.
Lovely waterside homes.
Fields ripe for harvest.
Blue skies everyday.
Hedgerows bursting with fruit.
Wildlife to capture on camera.
Great countryside moorings (as long as you’ve got a plank!)
We’ve had a lovely week, so glad we came back.
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