Somerset Coal Canal: 1 - to the beginning

I make a first visit to the Somerset Coal Canal near the villages of Paulton and Timsbury in Bath & North East Somerset.
Somerset Coal Canal Trust:
www.coalcanal.org/
#canals #Bathandnortheastsomerset #somersetcoalcanal

[@TheWrightLifeTravelChannel]

We love these canal tours, there something about them that just transports you to another time!

[@westcountrywanderings]

Yes! That's exactly why I enjoy them! You can imagine the barges transporting the coal from the collieries when they were operating. I find them fascinating, and glad my viewers do too. Thanks again, Paul

[@amandapryar4675]

Hello Paul! Thank for telling me about the history of Paulton; I've lived in Paulton for most of my life, moving here at 14 then leaving after I got married in 1983 I came back in the 90s ! It's amazing how much more interesting Paulton is as I've gotten older, and I appreciate this village more now than ever before! Keep up with the good work this could be a great lesson for the children of the local school here. Thank you!👏👏👏👩‍🎓

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you - I hope to do another installment in this area again soon. So much history in the area. Thanks for watching and commenting. Cheers, Paul 🙂👍

[@abandonedrailwaya2470]

A very informative and enjoyable video, Paul. Thank you for sharing🙂

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Ron! Glad you enjoyed the canal tour here from North Somerset. There will be another looking at a different part of it soon. Take care, Paul.

[@DonnaTaibossigai]

Very neat to learn about the coal canal and how it was transported. The section with ice definitely helped give an idea of where the canal ran, and it was nice to see the restored areas. Great tour, Paul!

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Donna! Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, it is certainly a canal with great history - it was also very busy back when it was open too. Take care, Paul.

[@ParkinsonsWalks]

I had not heard of this canal before Paul, very interesting. Well shot with your usual comprehensive information. Keep them coming. Ron

[@westcountrywanderings]

I had only seen a bit of it before, when I was at Dundas Aqueduct on the K&A canal about 18 months ago. I then forgot about it completely until I was browsing another canal book recently then thought it might make an interesting video, as there is very little on KZbin about it. Thanks, Ron, take care, Paul 🙂👍

[@michaelpilling9659]

Hello Paul - greetings from Poland. What a fantastic video. Very iinteresting- full of loads of historical information, industrial archiology and gorgeous countryside. As usual, your research is faultless. The old photographs were a great help too. Your narration, camera work and still photographs were supeb. Congratulations - another winner in my opinion. Can't wait for the next part. See you again soon. Stay safe please

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Michael! Great to hear from you! Hope you are well! Glad you enjoyed my first adventure onto the Somerset Coal Canal. Thanks too for your very kind words. I was blessed with a super day to make this video. Thanks again, take care, Paul.

[@FXWalesAnnaAlf]

Hi Paul, really enjoyed this, you always do informative tours and we love canal walks . This was so good :) ~ Anna

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Anna! Glad you enjoyed the walk and the canal tour. Take care, Paul 👍🙂

[@Peter-MH]

Currently binge-watching your videos, & really enjoying them! Keep the great content coming!! 👍

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you! Glad you are enjoying them. Cheers, Paul

[@malcolmrichardson3881]

I really enjoyed your walk along this canal and it was good to see the restoration work going on, and sections in water, albeit frozen. And, what wonderful countryside! Given its economic importance,, it's surprising that there appears to be so little documentation.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Malcolm! Glad you enjoyed this canal walk and explore. Yes, my first visit here (well, apart from the little stub at Dundas Aqueduct) - much more to see! Thanks for watching and commenting. Another commentor has said that there is a book published by David & Charles a few years ago (but now out of print) - I will keep an eye out for it in the Cotswold Canal Trust's bookshops. Take care, Paul.

[@richardbradley961]

THANK YOU PAUL, VERY INTERSTING. REGARDS R.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Richard! Great to hear from you. Thanks for watching and commenting. Take care, Paul.

[@IamaDutch-Kiwi]

You could almost classify this as a documentary with all the valuable information and visuals. The historical aspects are very valuable. This wouldn't be on everyone's wishlist of planning list but it sure if a hidden jewel. Walking on the slushy once frozen ground is indeed a bit of a challenge. Hard frozen ground does travel easier. A lovely blue sky is wonderful company on a walk on a winter's day. Just lovely Paul. Looking forward to part 2. 💖👌🇳🇿🙋‍♀🇳🇱

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you so much - that is very kind of you to say so. Yes, I was blessed with super weather to make this video. The hard frozen ground was a bonus! Thanks so much for watching and commenting. Cheers, Paul.

[@SouthWestSundays]

This was a really interesting video. I had never heard of the Somerset Coal Canal before. There are lots of good things about your videos and one is that you often tell people about the lesser known places in our wonderful region of the UK which absolutely brilliant! Fabulous filming and narration as always! I had frozen mud in parts of my Bridgwater and Taunton canal tow path while filming the other day and it was so much easier to walk on than the squelchy mud of late!

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thanks Louise! Yes, I had 'stumbled' across it when I made the Dundas Aqueduct video 18 months ago - I had seen the short restored section there, but I did not realise that there was so much else to see. I was completely unaware of this area up until very recently. Yes, it is so much easier to walk on the towpath when the mud has frozen! Thank you for your kind comments. Take care, Paul.

[@faithg9766]

What a brilliant walk & the plentiful information was fascinating. Thanks for sharing all this industrial archeology & your sleuthing of ex railway lines.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Faith! Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I enjoyed making this - as I do all of my videos. Even better to know that people enjoy watching them too. Take care, Paul.

[@NaomisAdventures]

Beautiful place

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Naomi!

[@meichong8278]

1.3k Hi Paul as usual of great interest and well researched in my opinion , must say I was most surprised at the original treasures still there with that small bridge a particular joy .It very much looked like you picked the perfect day to go with that sheet of ice in the bed of the canal caught in all its glory .It may be lesser known but seeing the various restoration work is reassuring that behind the scenes the tough process of full restoration with land buys , feasibility studies , various grants , water considerations etc etc etc will be coming together .... however slowly that might be .... as I've seen with other restorations of this nature even with good funding and the best will in the world it can literally take decades for progress to be made .

[@westcountrywanderings]

Yes, it certainly was a rather lovely day for filming, that's for sure! Glad you enjoyed the video, and my first look at part of the Somerset Coal Canal. There will be more canal adventures again soon. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🙂 Cheers, Paul

[@athircanada]

Hello, my friend 👋 hope you are well 🌹Happy New Year 🌲 wish you all the best 🙏 It's a pleasure to visit such gorgeous sharing 👍excellent, entertaining videos. Your video is so impressive! I'm happy to be here! Thanks for showing us these fabulous views 😊 much appreciated 💯 Have a pleasant day ahead 🌹 God bless you and your family 🙏 See you again! Here is your friend Athir from Canada 😊 🇨🇦

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed the video. Regards, Paul.

[@rventures1021]

Such a cool place to tour!!

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the tour 👍🙂

[@leswallace2426]

Brilliant video about an under exposed canal restoration! Cheers.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you! Yes, it doesn't seem to get much coverage - not sure why. Hope to do Part Two in a couple of months time. Thanks for watching and commenting, Cheers, Paul.

[@chrisdavis4285]

Major reference for the coal canal is Kenneth Clew 'The Somersetshire Coal Canal and Railways' (David and Charles) - sadly out of print,but still obtainable.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Chris! Thanks for the information about that book. Yes, sadly David & Charles publishers from Newton Abbot in Devon folded a while ago, though some of their books have been reprinted by Amberley Publications in Stroud, Gloucestershire. This one hasn't (yet!). I will keep my eyes peeled for this one in local second hand bookshops. Cheers, Paul.

[@royedwards8713]

hi Paul great video as usual 😊😊😊

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Roy! Lovely light there - and the fact that the towpath was solidily frozen ground made it a lot less muddier than usual! Thanks for watching and commenting. Cheers, Paul.

[@topgermany1]

Excellent sharing

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you!

[@norriskiddle3434]

If your in the area of Avon cliff, part of the Somerset coal canal is used for moving narrow boats and other craft.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Hi Norris, I covered that in one of my K&A Canal videos (Part 2) - the one on Dundas Aqueduct. You can see some canoists going along it in it. I do hope I can make a Part Two of the Somerset Coal Canal, but access rights make it extremely difficult. Thank you for the comment. Cheers, Paul. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3-wiWeNibCaaNU

[@johntimbrell]

As usual Paul your videos stimulated my curiosity. This time it was the tower in the photo of the inclined plain. I discovered and listed two websites from which I got some information. I added the two links. Unfortunately KZbin deleted my comment.Now I cannot find the links. The links described the towers as chimneys which were castellated to comply with the wishes of Timbsbury House. After many previous small mines the two later ones were known as Upper and Lower Conygree - The Withymills name being, I assume, a collective name.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Yes, Upper and Lower Congrye Collieries were two of the biggest in the area. Congrye seems to be a common name too around Timsbury. Unfortunately you cannot access the site of the inclined plane nor the site of former Lower Congrye Colliery. I am unsure if that chimney still stands, or not, because the site is surrounded by trees. That photo of it was on a plaque by the towpath. Sorry KZbin deleted your original comment - I was hoping that that issue had been resolved! Thanks for watching and commenting John - good to hear from you. Regards, Paul

[@dreamy_renders]

You have a very pleasant voice, you can voice audiobooks!😅💓👍

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thanks so much - that is very kind of you. Yes, that has been said to me before. I am not sure how I would get into that. I had thought about doing podcasts, but, for the moment, doing this channel, and other life things, takes up all of my time. Thanks for commenting! Paul.

[@davidberlanny3308]

Hi Paul, there's a lot more there than I imagined there would be. I thought the railway was quite literally was built on top of it. Great to see the original stonework being restored. Well done for getting Strata Smith in the video, in the book about him and the origins of geology (The Map that changed the world) they talk about a parallel canal, part of the same. I'll have a look and see, I'm sure there was a map. How amazing to see those sections of canal all frozen over and the reflection of the sky. You certainly had a good day for it. Well done!! Been up near the snowline this afternoon, will put up a couple of photos later. Might get a little more in the next couple of days, it's going to be very cold Good luck from Spain!!

[@westcountrywanderings]

Yes, from what I have seen on Facebook, there is much, much more to see too! Hope to include that in a couple of future videos David. Yes, there is a branch/offshoot canal which runs a little further to the south. I hope to do a seperate video on that when time allows. I will draw up my own map on it as I can't see anything online at the moment. Thankd for watching David - yes, still very cold here too - having to clear the windscreen on my car every morning. Take care, Paul.

[@richardbird4702]

I do love your monochromes! Tonal range is excellent. Are you a Lightroom user.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Hello. Thank you for watching and commenting. No, I don't use Adobe Lightroom (or similar), or indeed I hardly do any editing of my photos. The highlights and shadows are adjusted slightly using Windows Photo Editor. I do, however, use digital colour filters inside my camera for monochrome shots, most commonly a yellow filter. Transition effects are done on my video editor;I use an editor called 'Lightworks' (independently made). I do however, do a lot of editing in post on the soundtrack. I spend more time editing the sound, than the visuals, because I always think that this is the most important part of the video. Hope this helps. Regards, Paul.

[@cathydyer3774]

Paul your canal fans may like to do a search for.. Life in a British Canal Boat - 1960s on KZbin. People transporting coal. What a dirty, hard life.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Yes, it certainly was! I picked up an excellent second hand book last year of canal photographs taken from the 1890s to the 1940s showing canal life around The Midlands. As you say, a very hard life. It is called 'A Canal Life - The Photographs of Robert Longden'. I have seen that video too Cathy - it is indeed most excellent. I will see what the copyright restrictions are for both, and, if possible, include some of the photos and clips in a future Cotswold Canals Update. I am currently working on the next one right now!

[@cathydyer3774]

@@westcountrywanderings that's great Paul. Thanks.

[@margaretrowe4261]

Ther is a coa cana cana socity

[@westcountrywanderings]

Yes, there is Margaret - they have been doing lots of sterling work. I do hope to come back to make a part two video. Thanks for the comment. Take care, Paul