Well, it has been a while. Life has largely prevented me from doing much in the way of exploring, but this summer I have managed to get to look at two small but marginally interesting features local to me.
Feature 1, the River Lostock Culvert.
When the M65 was built a lot of farmland was purchased up and built over to put the motorways in - you can still see the remains of one of the farms driveway and the old Cinder Path that used to run from the farmyard to Cureden Hall. The Lostock ended up being crossed thrice within a couple of hundred metres - once by the M65, once downstream by the M6, and once again by the A-road that feeds both. All the culverts are double-tunnelled with one deep tunnel and one "passable" tunnel - and I use this word lightly - the lowest culverts pass tunnel is so full of silt and stone that its just a tunnel now, used by many locals, whilst the M6's pass tunnel actually has a crawlway of duckboards that I do not advise, unless you love a face full of spiders and a far too long crawl with barely enough clearance. A flood took the ramp away that gave easier access and I have not bothered to check up on the rest of the crawlway, it is honestly not worth it.
The uppermost culvert is what interests us today. This one was built with a concrete walkway along one side, which for some reason has ceramic pipes embedded in it. Walking along this is easier than the duckboards but the flow is shallow and I honestly recommend it, theres less spiders over the water too.
As can be seen, the culverts where constructed out of prefabricated concrete sections that where set in place.
The ceramic pipes at both ends are smashed, but they are whole in the middle. At the end the outflow drops into a surprisingly deep section of the river, more a pool really. Its been over a decade since I ventured down here last (it used to be a favourite quick getaway place to relax when I was in college) and I cant say I remember this, but it must have been there. The wall to the side is easily scaleable but a tree has rather inconveniently sprouted at the top, making further progress into the rather nice little meadow difficult.
2 tow-er, 2 tunnels!
Part way along I noticed this thing flapping in the current and investigated. It appears to be part of the original silicon sealant that has come loose
A small gulley that takes drainage from uphill to the Lostock. As a word to the wise, if you are approaching here during the summer time then find this gulley and follow it, the undergrowth, particularly the Himalayan Bolsom, is incredibly thick and difficult to penetrate in summer. Following this will bring you right out next to the culvert and save you a lot of time and effort.
There is another culvert just upriver, the Victorian overflow from the pond/reservoir in Cureden, but it is small, narrow, steep, and filled with spiders - I did consider it earlier this year but rejected it. Also, there is a grate at the bottom, or was at the time of inspection, and the brickwork is very slippery. Given the whole thing is just a single straight tunnel, and there is a none-zero chance of being stuck at the bottom, I decided to reject exploring it.
And for the next report. Higher Wheelton Aqueduct
Built around 1900, this is actually a tiny part of a near 100 mile long aqueduct system that brings water from Thirlmere in the lake district to Manchester, that was constructed by the Manchester Water Company between 1890 and 1920. This section is entirely accessible and can be found by walking along the Leeds Liverpool Canal in a Northerly direction from Top Lock. Just keep and eye to your right. Sadly, the actual aqueduct tunnel itself is not accessible without digging up a farmers field, so this isnt much to look at.
As an interesting note, if you cross the Canal you will find the headwaters of the River Lostock in the field below.
On the approach, the ground here is very boggy.
Looking North
And South
Squeezing through the hole in the Northern fence let me climb this backfill. Theres nothing here really though I didnt bother reaching the top. Interestingly, some burrowing animal, rabbits I believe, have made their home here.
And crossing the brook lets you access the Southern side and its open gate. The concrete steps go to nowhere, though there is a pipe happily jutting through all of this, I think it is for drainage.
So there you have it. Two rather unremarkable but also probably never before reported sites.
Feature 1, the River Lostock Culvert.
When the M65 was built a lot of farmland was purchased up and built over to put the motorways in - you can still see the remains of one of the farms driveway and the old Cinder Path that used to run from the farmyard to Cureden Hall. The Lostock ended up being crossed thrice within a couple of hundred metres - once by the M65, once downstream by the M6, and once again by the A-road that feeds both. All the culverts are double-tunnelled with one deep tunnel and one "passable" tunnel - and I use this word lightly - the lowest culverts pass tunnel is so full of silt and stone that its just a tunnel now, used by many locals, whilst the M6's pass tunnel actually has a crawlway of duckboards that I do not advise, unless you love a face full of spiders and a far too long crawl with barely enough clearance. A flood took the ramp away that gave easier access and I have not bothered to check up on the rest of the crawlway, it is honestly not worth it.
The uppermost culvert is what interests us today. This one was built with a concrete walkway along one side, which for some reason has ceramic pipes embedded in it. Walking along this is easier than the duckboards but the flow is shallow and I honestly recommend it, theres less spiders over the water too.
As can be seen, the culverts where constructed out of prefabricated concrete sections that where set in place.
The ceramic pipes at both ends are smashed, but they are whole in the middle. At the end the outflow drops into a surprisingly deep section of the river, more a pool really. Its been over a decade since I ventured down here last (it used to be a favourite quick getaway place to relax when I was in college) and I cant say I remember this, but it must have been there. The wall to the side is easily scaleable but a tree has rather inconveniently sprouted at the top, making further progress into the rather nice little meadow difficult.
2 tow-er, 2 tunnels!
Part way along I noticed this thing flapping in the current and investigated. It appears to be part of the original silicon sealant that has come loose
A small gulley that takes drainage from uphill to the Lostock. As a word to the wise, if you are approaching here during the summer time then find this gulley and follow it, the undergrowth, particularly the Himalayan Bolsom, is incredibly thick and difficult to penetrate in summer. Following this will bring you right out next to the culvert and save you a lot of time and effort.
There is another culvert just upriver, the Victorian overflow from the pond/reservoir in Cureden, but it is small, narrow, steep, and filled with spiders - I did consider it earlier this year but rejected it. Also, there is a grate at the bottom, or was at the time of inspection, and the brickwork is very slippery. Given the whole thing is just a single straight tunnel, and there is a none-zero chance of being stuck at the bottom, I decided to reject exploring it.
And for the next report. Higher Wheelton Aqueduct
Built around 1900, this is actually a tiny part of a near 100 mile long aqueduct system that brings water from Thirlmere in the lake district to Manchester, that was constructed by the Manchester Water Company between 1890 and 1920. This section is entirely accessible and can be found by walking along the Leeds Liverpool Canal in a Northerly direction from Top Lock. Just keep and eye to your right. Sadly, the actual aqueduct tunnel itself is not accessible without digging up a farmers field, so this isnt much to look at.
As an interesting note, if you cross the Canal you will find the headwaters of the River Lostock in the field below.
On the approach, the ground here is very boggy.
And South
Squeezing through the hole in the Northern fence let me climb this backfill. Theres nothing here really though I didnt bother reaching the top. Interestingly, some burrowing animal, rabbits I believe, have made their home here.
And crossing the brook lets you access the Southern side and its open gate. The concrete steps go to nowhere, though there is a pipe happily jutting through all of this, I think it is for drainage.
So there you have it. Two rather unremarkable but also probably never before reported sites.
