We’ve not been out for a walk for a while, with the recent weather, so it made a nice change to get out yesterday, up the canal to Chasewater.
Chasewater is an odd place. It’s practically in Brownhills, but is controlled by Lichfield council. It’s original function was a canal reservior- indeed the Anglesey Branch canal was at first just a feeder channel, but now it’s home to watersports, a heritage railway, a park/nature reserve, and a small play area, as well as some small industrial units- one of which contains Beowulf Brewery.
The walk up what was the W+E mainline, but is now a dead end (until LHCRT restore the canal from Ogley Junction) and then onwards up the Anglesey Branch canal shows just how much Brownhills really is on the edge of the conurbation: as you pass under Anchor Bridge the right-hand side becomes fields for a while, so it makes for a nice walk out.
We’re a bit out of shape, so the return journey was by bus…
I love the journey to Chasewater, there’s so much history along the way. As you say, you do see how we’re on the very frontier of urban and rural. It’s the stuff you pass; the old Smith’s flour mill at Millfield; Ogley Junction; The Chemical; the view over the fields to Hammerwich and Lichfield Cathederal http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/12843056.jpg. The old railway Aqueduct and former Wharf.
Chasewater Wildlife Group – http://chasewater.org.uk/ – are worth a read. They’re a bit grumpy but it’s a fascinating document of both the history of the place and the current wildlife sightings.
Oh, and well done with irritating the scrotes. You know what I mean ;o)
Bob