The Wyrley and Essington Canal - more curls than wurls?

Thursday, 04 February 2010 18:02

The Wyrley and Essington Canal has a charm all of its own, and now began to live up to it's nickname

We spent a very quiet night moored in the remains of the Bentley Canal at Wednesfield. This was surprising as we were moored beside a pub restaurant and a cinema! Maybe it is noisier at the weekends.

This morning I did a quick trip to the nearby hospital for a blood test and John went to do a food shop. They we set off again along the "Curley Wurley".

Leaving the Bentley Canal behind

About a third of a mile further and we pulled in before Church Bridge, or at least tried to. It was sufficient for me to "jump ship" to go to the post office in the High Street whilst John minded Epiphany on the mid rope.

Approaching Church Bridge

When I returned John was over the other side of the canal and cleaning the bilge - he had decided to fill time usefully! Picking me up at Church Bridge, we carried on.

The very elegant footbridge looks a fairly recent addition between Church Bridge and Pinfold Bridge. After Pinfold Bridge are the "official" Wednesfield visitor moorings, just beside a green.

Footbridge and Visitor Moorings

The canal becomes lined by back gardens and reminded us of the Trent and Mersey canal in places. The attitude to the canal at the end of the back garden varied considerably! There was a bit of rubbish but we kept our prop clean!

We have developed the very wise habit of gliding through bridge holes - a bit of care seems to pay off, as we have "ridden" over a couple of things in bridge holes in the past. Even the few old bridges that are left are worth being cautious about.

Devil's Elbow Bridge is well named - on an elbow-like bend

The sign by it could do with a bit of TLC though

The Curly Wurley curls around and changes from a northern direction to a southern one, reaching Perry Hall Bridge. After this the eagle eye can spot a cobbled weir on the towpath side. The towpath is at water level, so if the canal floods it drains down into the weir, and you get your feet wet.

Old weir

Holly Bank Colliery was one of the South Staffordshire Collieries in this area, along with Pool Hayes Colliery. All that is left of Holly Bank Colliery, which employed 462 underground workers in 1862, is Holly Bank Basin.

Holly Bank Basin, before Lane Head

Lane Head has the remains of a Green, with terraced cottages around it

Past Lane Head Bridge are some secure visitor moorings, handy for the pub!

The canal now becomes much more rural as it passes through reclaimed colliery land and Rough Wood Country Park, disturbed by the M6 roaring alongside and eventually overhead as it crosses the canal.

Wide canal through Rough Wood

M6 overhead - we were moving faster that the Southbound lanes!

After Edward's Bridge we were welcomed by these four legged friends

Sneyd Junction was next - the Wyrley Canal used to continue here up five locks to meet the Essington Branch, which boasted another five locks. These canals connected with the coalfields.

Sneyd Junction

The canal now turns under Sneyd Junction Bridge and the moorings there. We were able to find a mooring too, and settled down in the warmth for our usual tea and cake followed later on by dinner and laptops!

Sneyd Junction Bridge and moorings

Wyrley and Essington Canal, Bentley Arm to Sneyd Junction

2 hours 20 minutes, 4.92 miles, 0 locks