When I was a kid growing up in the area,the canal was a silted up swamp. I never thought I'd see narrowboats on it - but here they are on a cold December day in 2009. This section isn't too far from the Old Station pub and railway signal box. It's along this bit of canal where the limestone quarried in North Anston and destined to be used to build the Palace of Westminster (aka Houses of Parliament) was loaded. Narrowboats would have taken the stone to West Stockwith on the trent, from where it was carried by sea to London.

Moored up narrowboat on the Chesterfield Canal

Albert's Dock, Old Station, Chesterfield Canal

Chesterfield Canal Bridge, where the footpath from South Anston meet the canal

Cuckoo Way sign, South Anston footpath bridge

Today, the canal towpath forms part of the Cuckoo Way walk. As the sign says it's about 30 miles to east to the Trent, and 15 miles south-west to Chesterfield. It was cold winters day when this pic was taken though, so no walkers in sight.

See also Chesterfield canal restoration page.

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