Fordbury Bottom

Egford Hill

Downhill towards Frome.

Lower Whatley

Isolated dwelling at Lower Whatley.

Whatley Church

Church at Whatley.

Cottages in Selwood Street

Vieve Forward

Course of the Dorset and Somerset Canal

Looking west along the bed of the abandoned Dorset and Somerset Canal, constructed in about 1798, but never completed or opened. This section of the canal was intended to form part of a branch extending to Nettlebridge for the purpose of transporting coal from the Somerset coal field.

Remains of a balance lock on the Dorset and Somerset Canal

In 1798 the Somerset ironmaster James Fussell patented a "Balance Lock for Raising or Lowering Boats, &c.". A canal lift to his design was built and demonstrated at this site in 1800, when it successfully raised boats by about 20 feet up to the summit level of the Nettlebridge branch of the Dorset and Somerset Canal. Following the trial, construction of several more balance locks was begun at nearby Barrow Hill, but work on the canal was abandoned when funds ran out, and the locks were never completed. This balance lock was the subject of an archaeological excavation in about 2005, but nature is now taking over the site again.

Brick Kiln Farm Bridge

Bridge carrying Wanwards Lane across the Frome to Radstock railway (closed to passenger traffic in 1959, and to goods in 1968). It now crosses The Colliers Way (part of National Cycle Network Route 24), though the overgrown railway tracks are still in place.

Bed of the abandoned Dorset and Somerset Canal

The Dorset and Somerset canal was intended to ascend Barrow Hill using a flight of five boat lifts. Counting from the bottom, there is no evidence that work ever commenced on the first lift. The other four were never completed, and their chambers, set into the hillside, are overgrown and in various states of dereliction. This image was taken in the short section of canal above the third lift and looks northwest towards the chamber of the fourth.

Flowers Farm Bridge

Another small pedestrian bridge over the old railway bridge. Today it's Route 24 on the National Cycle Network, but it was originally a GWR branch line from Radstock to Frome, built in 1854 to Brunel's Broad Gauge initially, and carried coal from the local mines. A year later it began carrying passengers too. But as the viability declined passengers were stopped in 1958; freight soldiered on until the line closed completely in 1988. It made a natural cyclepath which has a tarmac surface only recently completed, but the old rails remain for much of its length. An old fashioned benchmark still exists at the foot of the arch - see ST7450 : Projecting Bracket at Barrow Hill.

Projecting Bracket at Barrow Hill

The old Radstock-Frome railway line was opened in the mid-1850s, but this Ordnance Survey benchmark was installed in the early part of the 1900s. It is fairly common on the railways of the area but the type itself was replaced by the Flush Bracket shortly after the start of the Second Geodetic Levelling. Indeed, it appears to be a collector's item as the Conduit Bridge item (some 1.5Km to the west) has been removed. See ST7450 : Flowers Farm Bridge a wider location view, ST7350 : Lost! for the missing mark and Link

for the entry in the Benchmark Database.

Any which way

More old-time enamel pointing fingers, adorning the undersides of bridges along the Colliers' Way. This one is Flowers Farm Bridge, with more to be enjoyed at ST7151 : Is it me?.

Gate to the field

A simple gate opposite Flowers Farm Bridge - see [[[3329125]] - that allows non-motorised passage to the other field on the other side of the railway. See also ST7450 : For all travellers for the cattle grid here.

For all travellers

Despite a simple cyclepath running alongside the old railway line, these gates are clearly designed to control a variety of wheeled, two-legged and four-legged users through. The adjoining bridge crossing the line is not one for motorised traffic as it leads to a field. See ST7450 : Gate to the field for the gate and [[[3329125]] for the little bridge.

Onwards to Bucklands Bridge

National Route 24, leading eventually to Frome. Permission is granted to travel along it!

Course of the Dorset and Somerset Canal

Looking along the bed of the abandoned canal when the wild garlic was in full bloom. This section of the Dorset and Somerset Canal was constructed in about 1798, but the canal was never completed or opened.

Murtry Aqueduct across the Mells River

Murtry Aqueduct was built in about 1798 to carry the Dorset and Somerset Canal across the Mells River. However, the canal was never completed or opened.

Murtry Aqueduct across the Mells River

North side of the three arched Murtry Aqueduct, which was built in about 1798 to carry the Dorset and Somerset Canal across the Mells River. However, the canal was never completed or opened.