The Wyrley and Essington Canal

Virtual Walks Too far away to visit? Don't want to go out today? I've done it for you.

Warning! - The following access details were correct at the time of my walk - but may have now changed.

Virtual Walks-4 Daw End Branch and Rushall Canal leaves the Wyrley and Essington Canal at Catshill Junction and runs to Hay Head at Longwood Junction and then along the Rushall Canal to its junction with the Tame Valley Canal.
Visit the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust web site to find out about the Trust that was formed in 1988 and is a registered charity. It campaigns for the restoration of the "Lichfield Canal" (as the closed section of the W&E between Ogley and Huddlesford is now called) and also the Hatherton Canal through the Cannock / A5 area. It promotes the restoration as public amenities for boating, angling, walking, cycling etc. and raises funds to carry out physical restoration work.
------ (More Photos in my Flickr album - Daw End Branch Canal) ------
DR020 Catshill Junction Bridge. In the right foreground is the toll halt at the start of the branch. location - https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.64097&mlon=-1.92797#map=18/52.64097/-1.92797 Taken looking North. Access via towpath
DR030 Toll halt This divided the canal into two halfs with a centeral island. In this 1982 picture the left hand route is already overgrown through lack of use. ¼ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.64060&mlon=-1.92820#map=18/52.64060/-1.92819 Taken from Catshill Junction Bridge footbridge looking South. Access via towpath
DR040 Clayhanger Bridge (old) This 1993 view taken just before rebuilding of the bridge 1½ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.63951&mlon=-1.93121#map=18/52.63951/-1.93121 Left - Taken looking West toward Brownhills. Right - Taken looking east toward Walsall Wood. Access via Clayhanger Road
DR040 Clayhanger Bridge The new bridge is dated 1994. The overflow in right foreground ensures that the waterlevel of the canal does nor rise too high. 1½ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.63951&mlon=-1.93121#map=18/52.63951/-1.93121 Taken looking West. Access via Clayhanger Road
DR060 Blackcock Bridge (old span) This section of the canal does pass through an area of some subsidence resulting from the old workings of the Walsall Wood Collery. The roof of the "Black Cock Inn" pub (in the distance, on the right) is level with the towpath - once the front door step was level with the canal - so an urban myth says! 7 furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.63080&mlon=-1.93543#map=18/52.63080/-1.93543 what3words /// The simplest way to talk about location Photos taken - 1/12/2020. Access via Camden Street/Green Lane/Hall Lane.
DR060 Blackcock Bridge - new span 2022 Lefthand photo looking south righthand photo looking north 7 furlongs from Catshill Junction OpenStreetMap what3words /// The simplest way to talk about location Photos taken - 27/8/2022. Access via Camden Street/Green Lane/Hall Lane.
DR070 Walsall Wood Bridge 1 mile and 2½ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.62489&mlon=-1.93441#map=18/52.62489/-1.93441 Left photo taken looking South. Right photo taken looking North. Photo taken - 7/6/2022 Access via Walsall Road/High Street via steps.
DR080 Hollanders Bridge (old span) 1 mile and 3¾ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.62292&mlon=-1.93556#map=18/52.62292/-1.93556 what3words /// The simplest way to talk about location Taken looking South. Access to the towpath from the bridge - Bridge open to pedestrians only - Road access from Boatmans Lane or East end of Queen Street.
DR080 Hollanders Bridge (new span) 1 mile and 3¾ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.62292&mlon=-1.93556#map=18/52.62292/-1.93556 what3words /// The simplest way to talk about location Taken looking South. Photo taken - 7/6/2022 Access to the towpath from the bridge - Bridge open to pedestrians only - Road access from Boatmans Lane or East end of Queen Street.
DR090 Latham's Bridge dated 1982. 1 mile and 4¼ furlongs from Catshill Junction The new mural from October 2022 Taken looking West. Access from Boatmans Lane https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.6219&mlon=-1.9360#map=16/52.6219/-1.9360 what3words /// The simplest way to talk about location
DR100 Aldridge Marina - Brickyard Road, Aldridge, Walsall, WS9 1 mile and 6½ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.61833&mlon=-1.93431#map=17/52.61833/-1.93431 what3words /// The simplest way to talk about location Taken looking West - 8/10/2022. Access from Brickyard Road and via Northywood Bridge
DR110 Northywood Bridge - also known as Homers Bridge 1 mile and 6¾ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.61794&mlon=-1.93465#map=17/52.61794/-1.93464 what3words /// The simplest way to talk about location Taken looking south - 8/10/2022. Access from Brickyard Road and footpath from Stubbers Green Road
DR120 Barnfield Bridge - site of adjacent footbridge and rail bridge 2 miles and 1¼ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.61411&mlon=-1.93126#map=17/52.61411/-1.93126
DR130 Aldridge Wharf Bridge where Stubbers Green Road passes over the canal. 2 miles and 4½ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.60909&mlon=-1.92781#map=17/52.60910/-1.92782
DR140 Tongues Meadow Bridge Narrows - Site of Tongues Meadow Bridge 2 miles and 6 furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.60634&mlon=-1.92777#map=17/52.60634/-1.92777
DR150 Hopley's Bridge carries Dumblederry Lane over the canal 3 miles from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.60574&mlon=-1.93290#map=17/52.60575/-1.93290
DR160 Middlemore Lane Pipe Bridge 3 miles and 1 furlong from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.60388&mlon=-1.93435#map=17/52.60388/-1.93434
DR170 Linley Lodge Industrial Estate - Destination of oil from Ellesmere Port in the 1960s 3 miles and 2½ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.6044&mlon=-1.9368#map=16/52.6044/-1.9368
DR180 Brawn'sWorks Bridge carries Radley Road over the canal 3 miles and 6¾ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.60703&mlon=-1.94888#map=17/52.60703/-1.94888
DR190 Winterley Bridge carries Winterley Lane over the canal 4 miles and ¼ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.60571&mlon=-1.95265#map=17/52.60572/-1.95266
DR200 Daw End Bridge carries Daw End Lane/ Daw End/ Bosty Lane 4 miles and 2¼ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.60270&mlon=-1.95295#map=17/52.60271/-1.95296
DR210 The Boathouse Public House 4 miles and 2¼ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.60249&mlon=-1.95351#map=17/52.60250/-1.95350
DR220 Manor Arms Public House 4 miles and 2¾ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.60154&mlon=-1.95389#map=17/52.60155/-1.95389
DR230 Walsall to Sutton Coldfield Railway Aqueduct 4 miles and 4 furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.59984&mlon=-1.95304#map=17/52.59984/-1.95305
DR240 Riddian Bridge carries a farm lane over the canal 4 miles and 6½ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.59606&mlon=-1.94854#map=17/52.59606/-1.94854 Taken looking north-west. Photo taken - 29/7/2021
DR250 Longwood Bridge carries Aldridge Road over the canal. 5 miles and 2¼ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.59092&mlon=-1.94227#map=17/52.59092/-1.94228 Taken looking south. Photo taken - 29/7/2021
DR260 Longwood Junction. The meeting of the Daw End Branch with the Hay Head arm and the Rushall Canal (to the right). The Rushall Canal that runs 2 miles and 6½ furlongs down 9 locks to meet the the Tame Vally Canal under the M6/M5 motorway interchange at Ray Hall, Walsall. 5 miles and 2¾ furlongs from Catshill Junction https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.59047&mlon=-1.94235#map=17/52.59047/-1.94234 Taken looking south. Photo taken - 29/7/2021
DR270 Hay Head Wood (nature reserve) in Longwood Lane includes the remains of the canal. There is little sign of the removed Hay Head Bridge in Longwood Lane at https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.58883&mlon=-1.94099#map=17/52.58882/-1.94099 Taken looking east. Photo taken - 29/7/2021
The link then runs straight all the way to the Tame Vally Canal.
DR300 Lock 1 first of "the Mosses Two" Location - https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.58949&mlon=-1.94280#map=17/52.58949/-1.94282 Taken looking south. Photo taken - 29/7/2021
DR310 Canal cottage - BCN number 93 Location - https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.58949&mlon=-1.94299#map=18/52.58949/-1.94299 Taken looking west. Photo taken - 29/7/2021
DR320 Lock 2 – second of "the Mosses Two" with Moat Bridge in the distance. Location - https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=52.58832&mlon=-1.94331#map=17/52.58832/-1.94330 Taken looking south. Photo taken - 29/7/2021
DR330 - Moat Bridge
DR340 - Sutton Road Bridge.
DR350 - Gillity Bridge (carries a footpath over the canal?)
DR360 - Lock 3
DR370 - Fiveways Bridge carries Park Hall Road over the canal
DR380 - Lock 4
DR390 - the cannal then passes under Sargent's Hill/Birmingham Road
DR400 - Lock 5
DR410 - Lock 6
DR420 - Lock 7
DR430 - Bell Bridge carries WalsteadRoad over the canal
DR440 - Lock 8
DR450 - Lock 9
DR460 - Shustoke Bridge carries farm lanes/footpaths ? over the canal
DR470 - Hill Farm Bridge
DR480 - Biddleston Bridge
DR490 - M6 Motorway Bridge
DR500 - Rushall Junction Bridge
DR510 - and on the junction with the Tame Valley Canal.

------ (More Photos in my Flickr album - Daw End Branch Canal) ------

V1.8 - 11 October 2022 ---- recommended resolution (1366 x 768)