Northern Portal - - Chesterfield Canal - Drakeholes, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 24.433 W 000° 56.350
30U E 636989 N 5919550
This is the north portal of Drakeholes tunnel.
Waymark Code: WM113N9
Location: East Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/10/2019
Views: 1
The Chesterfield Canal
"The canal was built to link Chesterfield, Worksop and Retford to the Trent and so gain access to more trade. Local Anston Stone was transported by the canal to the river Trent for the building of the new Houses of Parliament. During the 19th century the canal was a commercial success due to local coal. However, mining caused subsidence in the Norwood Tunnel, severing the top end of the canal.
The Chesterfield Canal runs from the river Trent at West Stockwith to Chesterfield. The Canal is 45.5 miles (73.3 km) long and has 65 locks, but only the section from West Stockwith to the eastern end of Norwood Tunnel is currently navigable. This navigable section is 31.6 miles (50.9 km) long and has 46 locks.
At the isolated western end of the canal, five miles and five locks have been restored. The new Staveley Town Basin opened in 2012. There are slipways at Tapton Lock in Chesterfield and Staveley Town Basin. There is also a craning pad at the basin. This leaves nine miles to be restored. There are detailed plans for the entire stretch, prepared by the Chesterfield Canal Partnership."
link The Tunnel
The tunnel was built to pass under a sandstone outcrop and is 154 yards long. It was built with no towpath. The boats were 'legged' through the tunnel whilst the horses that towed the canal boats were led over the top of the canal.
The towpath does not go right up to the tunnel and the nearest place to view the tunnel is the wharf where boats can stop before entering the tunnel.