SWARKESTONE TRENT AND MERSEY CANAL WALK
THE WALK
Swarkestone Trent and Mersey Canal Walk is an easy, relaxing walk for the most part, following the banks of the River Trent and the Trent and Mersey Canal.
Leaving Swarkestone behind, the walk crosses fields before joining the Trent and Mersey Canal. James Brindley, who could neither read nor write, was responsible for the construction of the canal. At one time ridiculed by his contemporaries, this Derbyshire-born genius is remembered all over England for the 365 miles of inland waterways for which he was responsible.
At Swarkestone Lock, an arm of the canal used to branch off linking it with Derby. All that survives is about 50 yards of the canal and the former toll house converted into the headquarters of Swarkestone Boat Club. The walk continues along the banks of the canal before doubling back through fields to Barrow-on-Trent, returning by the side of the River Trent.
LOOK OUT FOR
Route Point 1 – Swarkestone Bridge and Causeway, at a length of three-quarters of a mile, is the longest stone bridge in England and is Grade I listed. There has been a bridge here for 800 years, and at one time, a bridge chapel. Also, a toll house once stood partway across the bridge. It is still an important crossing place and has become increasingly busy with traffic in recent years. The narrowness of the bridge has led to frequent accidents, often requiring repairs to the bridge wall.
Point 2 – The tiny Church of St James’ dates from the 12th and 16th centuries. It was heavily restored in 1874-76, with only the 14th-century tower and the 16th-century Harpur chapel, with its splendid alabaster monuments of the Harpur family, remaining intact. Sir Richard Harpur was one of Queen Elizabeth’s judges; he lies in his judge’s gown, on a fine alabaster tomb, with his wife Jane. They both lived at Swarkestone Hall.
Point 3 – The most unusual building in the village is the Summer House, sometimes called ‘The Grandstand,’ which has a grass-covered rectangular enclosure in front. No one is quite sure what its use was; bull-baiting and jousting are suggestions. More likely, the much gentler pursuit of bowling took place on the green. The building is now in the hands of Landmark Trust and let for holiday accommodation.
Point 6 – At Swarkestone Lock, a former arm of the Derby Canal used to branch off, linking it with Derby. All that survives is about 50 yards of the canal and the former toll house converted into the headquarters of Swarkestone Boat Club. Completed in 1796, the canal provided Derby with a reliable water transport system. The canal ran from the Trent and Mersey Canal at Swarkestone to Derby and Little Eaton, and the Erewash Canal at Sandiacre.
Point 9 – Barrow-on-Trent is a quiet, unspoilt South Derbyshire village that lies between the river and canal. Its location has much to do with the richness and fertility of the soil of the floodplain. There is widespread evidence of ancient occupation all along the banks of the River Trent, especially around Barrow-on-Trent and Swarkestone. Until the end of the Second World War, the village comprised mainly a few farms and cottages. The building of a bypass has kept the traffic away from the centre of the village, and has led to the building of several small housing developments and individual properties.
Point 10 – The medieval stone church of St Wilfrid’s has been a place of worship for over 1,000 years and is dedicated to the Anglo-Saxon Saint Wilfrid. In 1165, it was gifted to the Knights Hospitaller of St John together with the surrounding land. It has changed little over time and contains many interesting features.
WALK DETAILS
Length: 4.5 miles.
Start: Crewe and Harpur Public House (please ask first and return at the end of your walk for refreshment – park at the bottom end of the car park away from the pub). Alternatively, start from Barrow-on-Trent, where street parking is available (see Point 10).
Location: At the junction of the A5132 and A514 south of Derby.
Terrain: Level walking mostly by canal and river. Liable to flooding after heavy rainfall. Walkers have reported difficulties in finding the route to Massey’s Bridge and descending the flight of steps at route point 8. I have therefore provided alternative routes to try to make your walk trouble-free.
Refreshments: The Crewe and Harpur is a large, attractive redbrick pub, standing on the banks of the River Trent. The gardens run down to the river and provide a pleasant place to relax. – The Garden Restaurant at Swarkestone Nurseries won the Derby Telegraph Café of the Year award in 2012.
THE ROUTE
1. Walk to the right out of the car park entrance to the Crewe and Harpur Public House and continue a short distance down the pavement before crossing the A514, opposite the pub. Follow the footpath by the river for a few yards and take a look back at Swarkestone Bridge and Causeway, before going to the left along a path behind the houses facing the riverbank.
2. Cross the road into the village and walk to the left past Swarkestone Church. Immediately you have passed the church, go to the right by the churchyard wall to cross a stile into a field. {Alternative route; head diagonally to the right across the field to the farm drive entrance and turn right along the A5132. After a few yards, turn right to gain access to the canal and go under Cuttle Bridge.) To follow the main route, turn sharply right to follow the field boundary at first and then, where it bends to the right, keep straight on to cross the farm access track.
3. Continue straight on and walk alongside the wall on the southern side of the ‘Summer House.’ At the end of the wall, go through a gap into a field and continue straight ahead to go over another stile on the opposite side of the field. Continue in the same direction across a further field to cross a concrete access bridge into the next field.
4. Maintain the same direction for about 80 yards, before angling slightly to the left towards a solitary tree in the field boundary opposite. The tree is about 70 yards from the bottom right-hand corner of the field.
5. Go through the gap by the tree into the following field and head towards the top left-hand corner, as indicated by the waymarker post. Immediately you are through the gap in the top corner of the field, turn left to join the canal towpath – Massey’s Bridge (Bridge Number 12) is opposite.
6. Turn left along the canal towpath, soon passing under Cuttle Bridge and the A5132. Continue past Swarkestone Lock, and after approximately half a mile, go under Lowes Bridge. In about another two-thirds of a mile at Barrow Bridge, you have the choice of taking the alternative route or continuing with the main walk. {Alternative Route: Leave the canal and walk down the road to cross the A5132 into Barrow-on-Trent and go to route point 10}.
7. To continue the main walk, go under the road bridge and walk along the canal bank, with a road on the opposite side of the canal, for about 300 yards. Turn left at Deep Dale Bridge Number 17. The number indicator is on the western side of the bridge.
8. Cross a railway bridge and immediately turn left down a flight of steps into a field. Keep close to the left-hand side of the field until you reach a stile, and in the next field, go half-right.
9. Then, maintaining the same direction, continue through two fields, heading towards the near side of a white cottage. On reaching the road, go to the right and cross the A5132 to walk down the road into Barrow-on-Trent.
10. Keep straight on through the village, before turning left along Church Lane past St Wilfrid’s Church. At the end of the road, follow the footpath by the River Trent, go over a footbridge, and continue along the riverbank.
11. In the next field, head towards the far-left hand corner to cross a stile, through a short field to a gap in the fence and then, in about 75 yards, turn left to a stile by Meadow Farm (Alternatively: follow the route commonly used by fishermen and most walkers along the river bank around to Meadow Farm which is longer but much easier).
12. On leaving Meadow Farm, turn right into Woodshop Lane, passing in front of the Crewe and Harpur and turning left back to the start of the walk.
SWARKESTONE
