Kettleshulme
and Whaley Bridge - Part II
Return
to Part I
Lower down the valley, where
it starts to open out again, the rush of the Todbrook is stilled
in the penned waters of the reservoir perched above Whaley Bridge
that was built early in the 19th century to help regulate the
canal water levels.
It is a very pleasant walk
along the reservoir bank ...
... with views that bear
comparison with more famous locations.
Lucky the householders,
here on the reservoir bank, with views like those.
There is no settlement located
higher up the valley of the River Goyt and Whaley Bridge grew
over the 19th century as the canal terminus on the Manchester-Derby
trade route. Goods arriving by barge on the Peak
Forest Canal from Manchester were offloaded into this warehouse
and goods that had arrived by rail from Derby were loaded onto
the barges.
This steel railway bridge,
still bearing its railway lines, and the straight incline ascending
through the trees beyond are all that remain in the town centre
of that railway
connection (but see also my earlier
views up the line).
The Winch House and Cottage,
another remnant of the railway, which housed the machinery that
helped move loaded railway wagons up and down the incline. An
incline which was too steep to allow locomotives to work efficiently.
Pleasure narrowboats moored
alongside the towpath ...
... but there are still
commercial boats at work; here the blue barge's owner negotiates
with the coalman on the nearest boat for coal supplies for her
heating stove.
Not all transport through
here was connected with canal or railway. Until a few years ago
this road was the A6; the major trunk-road, prior to motorways,
between London and Carlisle, via Derby and Manchester as wel as
other cities. The White Hart, here on the right, in pre-motor-car
times was a coaching inn.
Back at the junction with
the B5470, it is time, now, to be turning for home ...
... that's according to
the clock set in the wall of the White Horse - and it is a quartz
clock!
From Charles Head looking
back down the Todbrook valley and across to Kinder ...
... while on the road below
the evening rush hour has already started.
Return
to Top
Collections
Home