Shardloes Wood

Part of Consall Woodlands, a 479 acre nature reserve.

A lone angler set up by the river

Early 19th Century lime kilns, set on the side of the Caldon Canal which used lime supplied from Caldon Low via the canal. They are Grade II listed

A muddy farm track leading to a group of buildings just beyond the white gate.

A hedge line with mature trees.

A mix of mature trees with post and wire fencing mark this field boundary.

A hard surfaced farm track to access the farmer's fields.

Park House Farm with the implements out in the field waiting to be sold.

Looking across the field from the rear of the farm.

A few cows in the barn at Park House Farm.

The Caldon Branch of the Trent and Mersey Canal was completed in December 1778, and opened in 1779, specifically as a transport facility for the limestone quarries at Cauldon, near Froghall. In 1797 a secondary branch was built from the original Hazelhurst Locks to Leek. By 1811 a further extension from Froghall led to Uttoxeter, a further 13 miles, but only lasted until 1845. By 1849 a railway had been built, some of the track using the former canal bed. This was also the fate of part of the original canal near Endon. A major rebuild and rerouting process near Endon resulted in the raising of the level, and three locks being replaced by the three chamber staircase at Hazelhurst Wood near Denford by 1800. A further major rebuild near Hazelhurst was completed by 1841. This included abandoning the troublesome staircase, and creating three single new locks on another new cut, which led to a reusing of part of the original 1778 route, which then passed under a new aqueduct to accommodate the Leek Branch. Thus Hazelhurst Junction was relocated. That is an awful lot of expensive rethinking within the short time frame of just 63 years! Due mainly to railways taking most of the trade, the canal became little used and almost unnavigable by the early 1960s. The canal was reopened in 1974 following enormous amounts of work instigated by the Caldon Canal Society, its volunteers, and the British Waterways Board. The current seventeen miles from Etruria to Froghall are a particularly attractive canal for cruising, despite the seventeen locks ... well that isn't too many, is it? ;-) Link Link

These early 19th-century lime kilns are Grade II listed, see Link

Consall Woods is an RSPB Nature Reserve in Staffordshire. 194ha in area, the site was formally an industrial valley, now occupied by mixed woodland and various water features. Link to RSPB website: Link

Consall Woods is an RSPB Nature Reserve in Staffordshire. 194ha in area, the site was formally an industrial valley, now occupied by mixed woodland and various water features. Link to RSPB website: Link

Part of Consall Woods RSPB reserve.