The Regeneration of Ashby Canal, with members of The Ashby Canal Association

The audio clips were recorded by Dave Kitto in July 2005. To listen to them you will need Windows Media Player 9 or 10, or similar software such as Winamp or Real Player. Audio clips are accompanied by the icon

As mining progressed coal was dug from beneath the canal and gradually caused it to subside, particularly at the northern end. Coal eventually became more valuable than the transport route over top…

…and in the late 1990s some 25,000 tons of material was brought in from a local open-cast pit to restore the vertical alignment of the route from the Snarestone terminus for 2/3 mile to the Gilwiskaw Brook. The level is now close to its historic alignment.

From this viewpoint north of Snarestone we can see the route the contour canal once took, delineated by an undulating hedge line. The flat area of land around has ‘sunk’ several feet due to extensive coal mining.

 

Geoff Pursglove talks about the canal restoration...

The canal terminus in 2005.
The ACA, in the 1960s, were foresighted enough to buy the first ¾ mile section of the dry-bed, to keep it for preservation. At the canal terminus they installed a slipway.

Geoff Pursglove is proud of the restoration of 1 ½ miles of canal at Moira and looks forward to progressing with the next section of 2 ½ miles between Snarestone and Measham by 2010. Once complete the final section between Measham and Donisthorpe will finalise the re-opening of the last 8 miles of Ashby Canal.

Several millions of pounds will be needed to fund the restoration of the canal through regional development grants, coalfield regeneration funds, lottery aid and the European Union.

 

 

We reach the Gilwiskaw Brook, which marks the start of The National Forest area. Hydrologists are being employed to consider the various options for the re-watering of the canal. One option is to extract water from the Gilwiskaw during winter months, and feed a 9 acre winter storage lake. Summer feeds may come from 200m deep bore holes.