The Secrets of the Cromford Abandoned Canal

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We had a huge amount of fun this week walking from Cromford to Butterley. It has so much to offer, from abandoned tunnels, and Aqueducts, to hidden trap Doors and Reservoirs.
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Credit:
Music: Epidemicsound and Artlist.

[@pwhitewick]

Sign up to Readly using our special link: readly.me/paulandrebecca_whitewick and receive two months FREE of Charge.

[@michaelcampin1464]

Love the banana reference

[@michaelcampin1464]

Rebecca looks good . Mxxx

[@hughjones4060]

Think people are looking to save money not spend on something like this

[@pwhitewick]

@@hughjones4060 you know this costs nothing right?

[@waynegray2284]

Have you done around medway in Kent they lots of old rivers and railways around here

[@MartinZero]

A wharf in a tunnel !! Love it

[@stephenkey3879]

I have photos of the Condor Park end of the tunnel. One of my ancestors was killed at that end in 1852 at the age of 15 after crewing a boat through the tunnel. While fixing a rope to the towing post he got his head jammed between the post and one of the cross pieces that supported the tunnel roof. His head was badly crushed and he died shortly after.

[@dannyg2360]

Me and a couple of my friends used to swim in the Erewash canal when we were young just by the locks adjacent to the Stanton and Staveley Ironworks. The lock keepers cottage was deserted, almost derelict, and we used cook baked beans in their tin in the cottage fireplace after our swim. The lock keepers cottage has long gone and so have those years as I am almost 67 now. There were some old and damp air raid shelters nearby. Great videos you guys - well done.

[@roamingthepaths7363]

As a young child I probably saw you having that swim.when out walking with me gran - down ghost passage, past cardboard hill and back along the canal (with some train spotting along the way).

[@dannyg2360]

@@roamingthepaths7363 I remember cardboard Hill 😂 Also remember coming down a Stanton slagheap on a scrap car door and shredding the back of my short trousers in the process. Then another time we sailed an old tin bath on a flooded pasture down Moorbridge Lane. Hey, who needs a PlayStation to have fun 😁

[@MrJimbaloid]

I Don't believe you.

[@dannyg2360]

@@MrJimbaloid - Believe what you like. I was there so my recollection is far more reliable than your disbelief. 😉

[@kevanparker908]

I am 72 lived in Ripley all my life, I went to Benjamin Outram secondary school. We used to play round the Butterley reservoir in the days before the A38 road was built. can remember looking into both portals of the canal tunnels Butterley and Golden Valley. in the days when the Iron Works were in production. we very often walked the canal from Ripley through to Cromford or cycled it.

[@webrarian]

I loved the "Earwash Canal", Paul. But the locals pronounce it "Errywash".

[@gary96397]

Erewash

[@terryansell6641]

We are in lockdown in New Zealand and videos are breath of fresh air thank you for such interesting videos thank you.

[@andykopgod]

Great video, and rebecca looks amazing 😚❤

[@darrenfranklin3569]

Great video, There is a book about Butterly tunnel which shows photos from inside, About 15 years ago I did manage to get right up to the eastern portal of the tunnel and get some photos. I will try and find them.

[@showman1955]

The Leawood pump house was also used to fill the canal (under the same rules as mentioned in the video to avoid disrupting the mills). It was basically only allowed to operate on Sundays, the water from the river ran in to a chamber in the basement and was lifted by the pump at the rate of around 4 tons of water with each stroke giving a high hourly rate. The pumping station is still operated by volunteers as a heritage attraction around once a month. I was lucky to see it in action, the steam is provided by 2 ex locomotive boilers (replacements installed when the railway were involved with the canal) and although the beam engine was only running slowly when I stood on the towpath opposite the old transfer shed it was possible to pick out where the water was being discharged in to the canal. The transfer shed was where goods would have been transferred from barges to the railway or vice versa for onward delivery.

[@twistagain1964]

Just looking through some of your back catalogue and found this video. I live in Ripley and regularly walk the routes you’ve shown with my dogs. The early part of this walk is part of the Derwent Valley Mills UNESCO World Heritage Site and you could walk the area for a year and not cover everything! Just one example, you walked past Aquaduct Cottage that was built by Florence Nightingale’s great uncle! Loving the videos thank you. 😊

[@kevinshort3483]

Great video. Lovely to see more of Rebecca ;0)

[@neilevans8940]

Loved the melons... 😉

[@varschnitzschnur8795]

I enjoy Rebecca's facial expressions.

[@66oggy]

I started cycling canals about 6 months ago, and now have about 600 miles worth under the belt. I was only here last week and it was fascinating, as is your video. I was born and brought up in the village of Buxworth, Derbyshire, and I think it would be well worth a visit from you both. Buxworth Basin was an interchange point between the Peak Forest Canal, and Peak Forest Tramway. Buggy Basin was the largest inland port in the country, and was unique in the fact it used so called wagon tipplers, and at the junction with the Whaley Bridge arm, the horses went under the canal, and not over it, which is unusual, if not also unique. The Whaley arm of the canal was linked to the Cromford Canal via the C & H P Railway. The Peak Forest Tramway has the second oldest tramway tunnel in the world, Stodhart Tunnel, and one entrance still remains to this day. Buggy also had a number of collieries and quarries, one of which the stone built Grimsby Docks. It also had a stone railway viaduct, which collapsed, and then a temporary timber one made while they built the present day embankment..... A lot going on in such a small village.

[@nesleinf]

In Britain you have a wonderfull industrial landscape from former times, that we completely lack here in Denmark, so for me your escursions out in this landscape has great value for entertainment. Thank you!

[@tinplategeek1058]

Given the Danish had a large impact on the UK (in the form of Viking ancestors), your country men and women helped to make us what we are. And William the Conqueror was also of Viking descent too so we're practically cousins.

[@seany84uk]

Check out 2 other channels called MartinZero and Trekking Exploration UK. They are great channels too :)

[@nesleinf]

@@seany84uk I alreaddy do watch both channels 🙂

[@seany84uk]

@@nesleinf Cool :) Also i forgot to mention Adventureme is good too

[@TheComputec]

Guys, I'm really impressed. The production quality, music and narrated content is pretty much broadcast quality. I could easily imagine this as a segment on a show like Coast, or Country File and just assume it was from a mainstream media production company. So glad people like you put this much effort into content that is available for free. I hope the hard work pays off and you can make some income from this... Your efforts deserve a fair reward for your efforts.

[@pjchosen]

Here here!

[@Sim0nTrains]

Lovely video , enjoyed the mixture of Railways and canals in this video and it was lovely for Rebecca to show off her Melons fingers during the Readly advert.... which reminds me, still need to have a look at Readly

[@6edTelevision]

You forgot to mention the 33 yard long Buckland Hollow Tunnel which is about a mile west of Butterley Tunnel. You can walk through that one like my namesake tunnel. It is next to the Excavator Pub's car park.

[@pwhitewick]

Ah haaaa.... First person to notice. Yup we cometely forgot about this one!

[@neilevans8940]

I suspect the pub's name was inspired by the adjacent canal navvies works so it's rather odd that the sign depicts a JCB... 🙄

[@stokes8626]

@@neilevans8940 The pub used to have a real excavator on the roof, now taken down.

[@kevanparker908]

@@neilevans8940 Pub formally a cafe, was owned by The J C Balls family who owned and ran a land scaping company using JCB excavators! established around 1970 or so.

[@maxdiamond55]

loved the pause for effect at 8.42 Great video guys, thanks.

[@rzholland]

WOW much prefer your walks in the hot weather. Of course, you cannot think why Rebecca

[@HenrysAdventures]

Brilliant video! I didn't realise the history of the Cromford Canal was so complex! At 16:16 is can see a narrow gauge railway which must be the Golden Valley Light Railway. I remember traveling on this railway years ago and looking down and wondering why the cutting below seemed to just end! Now I know!

[@kevanparker908]

I have lived in Ripley all my life (Besides two years in Kenya), I went to Benjamin Outram school. Visited the spooky door by the Butterley reservoir many times before the steps and hand rail was built, it used to be locked with a rusty nut and bolt. When I was around twenty five I visited it on a walk round the area and the door was open! however I did not have a torch so wisely I did not venture inside. I can remember walking from Hartshay end of the canal all the way to Cromford including going over the aqueduct at Bull bridge crossing the main road. Please get spell check on your sub titles at Benjamin Outram school it would have been six of the best!

[@americanidiot1088]

You guys are great. Never mind melons, lovely bunch of coconuts!

[@mikefoster2565]

Lovely video. I'd very much appreciate you visiting Leewood Pumping Station again when it is running and make a video of that.

[@eggy77]

Went on the Cromford canal (towpath) today for the first time, from the wharf to the bend in the A6 near the beautifully named Whatstandwell. A beautiful stretch of canal, so much to look at. Definitely want to visit again, especially to see the High Peak Trail as missed the escape catch and the crashed wagon. Did get a look inside the pumphouse so awesome to see the workings 😊

[@kevanparker908]

My uncle always reminded us that Whatstandwell was (maybe) the only place in the World where you can see Railway, River, Road, and Canal, Running Parallel to each other!

[@oldfart6318]

I agree entirely that the last part of your walk was a night mare, I did it many years ago with a neighbour and four children. What fun !

[@pwhitewick]

I think we took the wrong path of the two at hand!

[@oldfart6318]

@@pwhitewick That could easily be the case.

[@midnightwind8067]

You two are so much fun to watch.

[@mkendallpk4321]

Well, you two have done it again! Finding an interesting subject and making a fine video of it. For those of you who have not subscribed. What is holding you back? Do it! Paul and Rebecca Whitewick do a fine job of making videos that are both educational and fun. That is my two cents.

[@neilpinner5750]

Thank you again for another great journey I can't walk very far ,so you do all the explore for me and I don't get the gnats,brambles,wrong route detours your edits are great along with the maps and drone footage. Again thank you.

[@harrypalmer7169]

A wonderful and informative video. One of my favourite parts of the World. Some of the civil engineering achieved using pick and shovels back in the 1800s is astounding.

[@rogerneale4319]

Very informative video, such a pity that the A38 has prevented the full reopening of the Cromford / Erewash canals and Butterley tunnel. That location is far from me so it's quite interesting to see it. I often see old architecture and try to visualise what it was like at the height of it's original use. Clearly a lot of effort was put into these constructions and it's really sad when I hear that they can't be re-opened.

[@StevieZala]

The tunnel is shut because it collapsed in the 40's, I think. I think it's collapsed around the midway mark. It does go under the A38, they extended the tunnel when they built that road in the late 70's. It might be worth a visit up here. The buses are surprisingly good in a lot of Derbyshire (well, except the city) & go through some beautiful countryside. The Cromford Canal goes past Crich. There's the Crich Tramway Village (Formally the Tramway Museum). The tramline goes along a cliff edge and you can see across the Derwent valley. There's also Crich Stand, it's basically a lighthouse which is a War Memorial. It's built on an old beacon point.

[@w23c-e9c]

Europe, and britain in particular, has so much history just hidden in plain sight. As someone from Australia, which has no history, it's incredible to me.

[@TheLowerman]

Lovely, Sunday with the Whitewicks.

[@MrLeatherman23]

One of the most delightful videos you two have produced so far!

[@lindamccaughey6669]

Thank you so much that was fabulous. Just love the history and that beautiful country side. I so enjoy your videos. Please stay safe and take care

[@rockfan3299]

You are on Sheep Pasture Incline. at the beginning, The trap with the wagon used to be accessible til about 30 years ago (you could walk around the wagon). The High Peak Railway was based on a canal, the inclines are the locks. When you walked over the Aqueduct you came to the old cottage (now being transformed to a cafe). the branch to the left used to pass over the railway and on to Smedleys. The small aqueduct has now gone. I live a 15 minute walk from Butterley, it has an amazing history.... and remember the Falkirk wheel was manufactured there!

[@marksmith334]

Great presentation, welcome back Rebecca.

[@shirleylynch7529]

So interesting. Beautiful day for your explore. How sad that these tunnels and canals no longer in use. Thank you for taking us with you.

[@MrTench8]

Great video. I grew up in Ripley and know most of the area but have not seen all of the places you found! I spent much of my time fishing the Res. I have been inside that room a few times the most recent being only a couple of years ago, it is just a short space with a big valve in there! And some very nasty looking large shiny black spiders protecting their hanging egg balls!

[@petejones9755]

At Cromford you were at the bottom of Sheep Pasture incline, Middleton incline some miles away. On the way you pass Black rocks & possibly the best view in Derbyshire toward matlock & Riber castle high above, & Killers Branch now home to narrow gauge Steeple Grange Railway. Surprised you didn't look into the now restored Aqueduct Cottage which gaurded the entrance to Nightingale Arm (yes, Florence!). Pinxton Branch towards Langley Mill ran northwards & was proposed to eventually meet up with the Chesterfield canal to offer an alternative route north avoiding River Trent (tidal from Cromwell near Newark), but never got built.

[@Lichfeldian--Suttonian]

Great video again, you two. Many thanks again. I hope you had a good rest afterwards.

[@johnmehaffey9953]

Top class both of you, full of information visual and how it was built and why

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks John. Much appreciated.

[@leroyholm9075]

Paul & Rebecca: Love your videos on this area. A great help in explaining the developments and intricasies of this system.

[@RobSchofield]

My Dad wrote a well-received biography of Benjamin Outram, the principal engineer of the Cromford. I've spent many a LONG summer day tromping up and down towpaths, plateways and inclines as a kid in the late 60s and early 70s while he was researching the book. A marvellous piece of engineering. Have a look at James Brindley's work on the Bridgewater canal and Wet Earth Colliery - both excellent walks you might enjoy.

[@nickwass9700]

Great that you found the strange little tunnel to the valve under the reservoir, complete of course with a used car tyre. There's always an old tyre at such locations, even when they are quite remote! I wonder who leaves them and why. Anyway, lovely video, just enough info for me.

[@glengraham7080]

Yes, the tyre thing has always puzzled me. That's and why you find a single shoe in woods! 😂

[@gilles111]

Old railway, canal and industry. Perfect video for a lazy sunday evening. Enjoyed it, thanks!

[@scottfw7169]

I totally get the model railway baseboard "yet to be done" thing :) Eventually built just a little bit on a bookshelf, enough to have a few scenic items and a couple points/turnouts to bump some cars around for a few minutes. (that was in a past decade) Lately I've been brainstorming what kind of baseboard would be required for a canal layout ...

[@pwhitewick]

I think I'll probably end up doing the same

[@Leonard_Smith]

Nice use of maps to show locations. Also much better views of Rebecca in this video! I get distracted easily, as you may be able to tell...

[@MorrisPV]

Nice melons!... 😉

[@mrglwatson]

Great video, nice to see all these places we usually miss.

[@colinedwards7250]

Thanks and all that doubling back to get extra shots. Really interesting and professional.

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Colin, all part of the fun!!

[@denisecosta3275]

awesome video, thank you for all the info too 👌

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Denise

[@Rockdoc2174]

The Erewash canal you mention is not the Earwash but the Errywash. I grew up not far from Langley Mill, where the Cromford Canal met the Nottingham and Erewash canals. Back in the day, the River Erewash - not much more than a stream most of the year - was the county boundary between Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

[@nickhealey3388]

Great videos guys, love this hidden history, keep up the good work

[@pt9101]

What an interesting video. Love the history and places to see in the area.

[@phillunn4691]

Another fantastic video Paul and Rebecca! Very interesting and informative as usual! The lengths you go to are really super to bring us such a great video. It’s great to follow your travels! Look forward to next week’s video!

[@chrispaulp1962]

Rebecca is GORGEOUS! You are a lucky man Paul!

[@BibtheBoulder]

One of the most interesting areas of the UK, with so much to see and do. Highly recommend a visit...

[@IS-L]

Hope you enjoyed my home county of Derbyshire. I spent may a day during school holidays walking those track, later spent more time in the pubs than walking.

[@nigelhall1961]

Love having holidays in this area.Very good video

[@pwhitewick]

Likewise Nigel

[@morteASH]

Thanks for showing this off. Your in my back yard now. Lived in Ripley and moved to Heanor. Also worked on the Railway that runs through there on a Faulting/Maintenance team. Beautiful area of Derbyshire that. Bringing back fond memories.

[@rogermorris6957]

Guys a fantastic blog we have a couple of railway coaches at the Midland Railway so go regular and familiar with that area, fascinating the info on the canal and wondered what the reservoir was for as you travel over on the MRT. thanks for your work on the blog

[@brianparker663]

Excellent video. Reminds me of a great week staying in one of the cottages at the head of the canal at Cromford about 25 years ago. Spent the time exploring the canal and railway. It is a fascinating area.

[@ColinHarperSummerson]

Great video, really enjoyed it , thank you both 👍🙂

[@rockfan3299]

If you hadn't been aware.... Brian Blessed is President of the "Friends of Cromford Canal", next time you are down this way invite him along.

[@pwhitewick]

Well that would be amazing.

[@katherinekinnaird4408]

Very interesting. I'm thousands of miles away from you but it is still gripping. Thanks so much.

[@danconlin3456]

Great mixture of content on this one!

[@markthompson3577]

paul .....excellent video !!.........

[@tobymaltby6036]

Awww, I love you guys !! You're like a cross between CountryFile, and 28 Days Later.

[@pwhitewick]

Beautiful. I love both!!!

[@MrJoffster]

What a extremely interesting video especially the tunnel I would love to go inside and see the wharf I bet that looks amazing I've learnt a lot from this video keep up the good work Paul and rebbeca thanks for another fantastic video

[@steveosborne2297]

Unfortunately the Butterly Tunnel collapsed many years ago which is what finally put an end to the use of the Canal .

[@kevanparker908]

@@steveosborne2297 There are videos of inside the Butterley tunnel taken by a group with canoes they could not get all the way through due to the roof sagging down and the supports looking dangerous. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3OqZaB7hZiMfq8 kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4DCaYSkqZh6ldU

[@stuartkeen5234]

The Cromford canal has always fascinated me.

[@pwhitewick]

Likewise, and we still have two branches to explore.

[@stuartkeen5234]

@@pwhitewick excellent I’ll look forward to that.

[@christopherbraiden6713]

Thanks for the video Paul and Rebecca. Very interesting as usual and added to my learning more about different canals and my addiction to tunnels!!😎🐓🐓🐓🐓🇬🇧

[@daveallen63]

Beautiful area, the aerial views really are a bonus so thanks for that.

[@simonballard6413]

Great video again! Canals are so interesting. Many thanks.

[@morturn]

Great video of one of my favourite laces, thanks. Tina Cordon produced a super report on the Butterley Tunnel with photos between 15th October and 9th November 2006. Well worth a read.

[@rogerwhittle2078]

Nice one guys, I hadn't realised there was so much stuff up there. Cromford station used to be a hostel for hiking, climbing and caving in the area. (It used to be owned by the Scout movement I think.) My wife and I once spent the night in our car, outside the station, where a Venture Unit we used to associate with were staying. Great vlog, again - you don't do dud ones.

[@samk4128]

Cromford wharf transhipment shed is still available for groups to stay in.

[@1961Jezza]

Very good video, my friends and I walked along much of this section of canal back in Sept 2020 and looking forward to going back again, we didn't get to go around Butterley reservoir though, must make an effort to do that next time. Thanks.

[@richiec9077]

I'd so love you to do some videos on the Renfrewshire and Glasgow canals. Your videos are very informative you certainly do your research, thanks for sharing

[@RobertSmith-zv1xo]

I gather this a disused part of the canal. I hope it wil be revived again, because it would be beautiful to navigate it. Another great video!

[@kevanparker908]

The whole of the Cromford canal is disused because of the failure of the Butterley Tunnel. Nobody seems to mention the Cromford canal going to Pinxton the whole town was or is founded on the canal, The main street ends at the canal wharf!

[@samk4128]

There is a section at Cromford that is not disused as it is used by a trip boat, the Birdswood. Also there is a short section at the East/Erewash end that has been restored and that bit is being extended North and then West.

[@samk4128]

@@kevanparker908 Good point about the Pinxton arm. At least some of that could be restored too.

[@ZPHOENIX27]

Paul & Rebecca, keep up the great work! It is so cool to learn about all the things and places that you explore!

[@iangrimshaw1]

Just subscribed! Great videos, thank you. This is part of my growing up stamping ground. I used to sail on Butterley Res as a school boy. What's interesting is seeing things I didn't know where there. You might like to go a bit further down the Derwent Valley. The mills at Belper and Milford have there own leats from the Derwent; Belper Mill is practically built on stilts over water. Part of my job at Milford Mill was testing the water daily as it came into the dye-house to check it's suitability for use in the mill.

[@ryboh]

Really interesting video. I live in Derbyshire, just north of Clay Cross actually which was shown on your map and I knew very little about the Cromford Canal. Looking forward to visiting Bennerley Viaduct near the Erewash canal once that's completed.

[@andymiller4971]

Another great production ,thanks for sharing .Always a shame these great feats of engineering are no longer used and shadows of their former selves.

[@johnathanrowley2707]

Walked along the Cromford canal, nice walk, the bottom end of the high peal railway there was some old brake vans when I visited but looks like they are gone

[@samk4128]

The brake vans are still there.

[@philcoogan7369]

Hi Guys thanks for another great video. You happen to be all over my area at the moment until a couple of years back I lived just up the hill from Froghall where you were the other week and I'm often around Cromford (I've even told tales at Cromford Wharf). I wonder if you spotted a boat called Birdswood? Birdswood was built as a butty boat in the 30s for a railway company, but after she went into private hands she spent many years as a horse drawn (later motorised) trip boat opperating out of Froghall. All the best and keep up the good work.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Phil, sadly we didn't see that!

[@grogalot2]

Good bit of detective work you two. Thanks for sharing

[@valve0radio]

Love this stuff! (Hiii from Australia 🦘!)

[@andrewmarriott4033]

My local area walked it many many times always good to see it on film thou 👍

[@tonybowker2430]

Back in 2019 I went to a steam railway club meeting in the building on the left at the start of the canal. There was a long boat selling two hour trips, I wonder how far they went?

[@neilevans8940]

I once did a one way trip on it to the pumping station at Leewood...

[@williamwelbourn7932]

Well done you two. Another great, informative video.

[@joolsno.124]

Very interesting video some really good information really in joyed it great work guys come and do a video on the clay cross tunnel it's got some lovely features and history

[@peterrose561]

Another fascinating video just keep them coming 👍👍

[@malcolmrichardson3881]

A fascinating, very enjoyable video. Thank you. What a pity some of these disused canal tunnels are so inaccessible.

[@gato38]

another awesome video thank you !!

[@pwhitewick]

My pleasure!

[@christopherthompson2078]

Excellent. So much history there .such a shame it can't be totally restored .But then again you never know x

[@rontanser9369]

Thank you that was very interesting

[@alistairshaw3206]

Another great and very interesting video Paul and Rebecca. Canals and Railways in the one video. Well done!

[@UTubeThePatient]

The Cromford Canal linked up with the Cromford Mill, generally acknowledged to be the first factory in eth world. It's an interesting area, along with the southern end of the Cromford and High Peak Railway that used flat bits and inclined planes instead of locks, but a canal feel to it.. The nearby Butterley Gangroad (a 3' 6" Outram construction, 18th century gravity railway) included the first railway tunnel. The Butterley factory supplied the girders to the marvellous St Pancras. Sadly the bit of the canal up to the tunnel was restored with a regular boat, but never connected to the canal network and is now derelict again. And the national tramway museum at Crich is round the corner. (Yes, trams!). All-in-all a special part of the world. Internet - feel free to correct any of this stuff done by memory. Interesting video as always, including the drama of finding the reservoir value.

[@MorrisPV]

There is, once again, a trip boat operation at Cromford Wharf...

[@leroyholm9075]

Hi both: You are building up quite a collection on this area. I believe it would be well worth doing a series edit video of all of the different clips. I would greatly appreciate this and I am sure many other subscribers would feel the same. Thank You

[@pwhitewick]

Hey Leroy, not completely sure what you mean about a series of clips?

[@pas7680]

Nice to see another video on my doorstep, i spend a fair bit of time walking and riding along the canal and it's always pained me to see the poor state that it sits in now. There are plans to reinstate the canal from the Erewash junction all the way back to ironville res, but lack of funds will probably mean it wont be done in my lifetime.

[@bertelliott1456]

Here in the U.S. we sometimes say someone married up or married down. Paul buddy you definitely married up. Rebecca's a British beauty!