Let's start at the very beginning

Thursday, 04 February 2010 09:00

Doe a deer a female deer, Ray a drop of golden sun, Me a name I call myself, Fah, a long long way to run ......

A long way to run ..... well, the Wyrley and Essington Canal (opened fully in 1797) once enabled a "run" of a long way! It connected to the Coventry Canal at Huddlesford. Branches of a later date led to the Staffs and Worcs Canal and the Tame Valley Canal. It has other secrets that we hope to discover as we explore!

There is a fair bit to say about this contour canal, its history and future prospects. However I shall leave that alone in this blog and return at a later date!

Junction signpost

We turned under the railway bridge and Junction Bridge

There are the remains of a stop lock and wharves

Immediately there was a different feel to this canal - somehow it felt rural despite the presence of industry and housing. We encountered a number of bridges in the short trip up to the site of the Old Bentley Arm, as we passed through the suburbs of Wolverhampton.

The lovely named Swan Garden Bridge

This is sad - the remains of an impressive railway bridge

Heath Town Bridge and the following New Bentley Bridge were of a type

Then I had a surprise - a lovely old bridge, New Cross Bridge which led us to the pleasant surroundings of Wednesfield Junction and the entrance to the Old Bentley Arm.

New Cross Bridge

Wednesfield Junction

The Bentley Arm (off to the right), now very truncated and ending in a retail park, was closed in 1961. The Bentley Canal was opened in 1843 and ran for just over three miles, through 10 locks, connecting to the Anson Branch (now un-navigable) and thence to the Walsall Canal.

So here we are, moored outside the pub in the arm. The mooring is only just about long enough for us and the end of the arm is at our bow. We are within reach of some amenities, even a large supermarket. We wait to see what the weather does now before making further plans!

BCN Old Main Line, Wolverhampton Level, Horseley Fields Junction to Wyrley and Essington Canal, Old Bentley Arm

31 minutes, 0.93 miles, 0 locks