The 46 mile long Chesterfield Canal runs for 46 miles from the River Trent at West Stockwith in the east to Chesterfield in the west. It was designed by James Brindley and opened in 1777. The subsequent development of the railways, and the collapse of the Norwood Tunnel led to the demise of the canal, which became seriously neglected and fell into disrepair. In recent times much of the canal has been restored. It is navigable from the Trent to Kiveton and from the other end between Chesterfield and Staveley. The stretch in-between has still to be restored. The most complicated part of this refurbishment is the "missing link" between Killamarsh and Kiveton. Not until this "missing link" is connected, can a boat trip from Chesterfield to the Trent become a reality.
[1] With your back toward the public road, walk forward with the Forestry Commission's Kiveton Community Woodland car park to your right, pass through the metal squeeze stile and follow the red shale path round to the left at the notice board. Cross a small stream and turn right on the path snaking up to the summit rocks. Return a few metres and turn left on the red shale path in front of the sculpture (A).
The cast iron sculpture called "Dreaming of Sky" was created by artist Adam Reynold and is a tribute to the many ponies which were employed in the Kiveton Park Colliery, which formally occupied the Kiveton Waters site. The ponies lived and worked underground all year round except for a brief period during the pit holiday when they were brought to the surface.
Continue along the red shale path as it contours around the hill. Just after the second seat, beside a small pond on the left, take the path as it curves right and descends the hill. Turn left just before the squeeze stile at the bottom and cross the stile on the right beneath the telegraph wires. Keep the stream (B) on your left until you come to a stone bridge.
This stream is "Broad Bridge Dyke" which was used to convey water from Harthill Reservoir (C) to replenish the canal on the east side of Norwood Tunnel, a distance of 2 miles away.
Cross the main bridge, take the fenced footpath to the public road and turn right into Harthill.
[2] Turn right at the footpath sign immediately before the Beehive pub and pass through the car park between the small beer garden and building. The Beehive is a comfortable award winning Camra pub serving local ales and meals. Pass through the kissing gate and head across a series of fields, maintaining the same heading, to the distant houses at Woodall. Turn right along the road and take the signed bridleway on the left just before the bend. Pass under the motorway and enter the wood. Keep to the well defined path through the wood, which can be slippery and muddy, and pass Woodall Pond (D) on your left.
In order to collect and store water for replenishment of the western section of the canal, a dam was built across the valley to form Woodall Pond. A brick lined channel through Norwood Wood transferred water to a point on the canal near the west portal of Norwood Tunnel where it was used to charge the Norwood flight of locks. The present dam is much lower than the original.
Leave the wood at a gate and follow the farm track past the mostly hidden Killamarsh Pond (E). This was also created to provide top up water to the canal. It is now a fishing pond. Keep straight on past the rendering plant on the right. Turn right through the ornate wrought iron gates just beyond the stable block and pass through the stock yard to a gate in the far left corner. Follow the right-hand edge of the field to the road.
[3] Turn right into Norwood Crescent and follow this to rejoin the main road. Turn right and right again at the Cuckoo Way finger post and follow the canal. The Cuckoo Way is a long distance path that follows the route of the Chesterfield Canal. On meeting a tarmac drive go right and continue on the path beyond the houses, noting the remains of several locks on your right (F).
The lie of the land In this area made it necessary for the canal to be lifted by 76 feet . This was achieved in a distance of 3/4 mile using a total of 13 locks. These were arranged in 3 separate staircases; each of 3 or 4 rises. These locks are considered to be one of the most significant engineering feats of the early canal building era. Between the staircases, ponds were provided to give water storage. As you pass the buildings on the right you will see remains of some of the locks and some of the ponds which have become garden features.
Just before the stile, look to your right to see the sealed up, western portal of Norwood Tunnel (G). (It may be necessary to go close to the water to get a good view through the vegetation.)
The extent of the Norwood Tunnel can be seen on the attached map stretching between point G and I. It was 2,637m (1.64 miles) long, 2.82m wide and 3.7m high and was lined with brick. There was no towpath in the tunnel. The draft horse was detached from the boat at the tunnel portal and then the boatmen 'legged' the boat through the tunnel by walking on the walls.
Cross the stile, follow the well defined path to the far right corner and turn left under the motorway tunnel.
[4] Take the path through the gateway on the left and cross the field. Go over the wider path and follow the trees on your left, which disguise a dismantled railway cutting. Turn right on the wide track then left after 50 metres. When you reach the wall formed of gabbions (rocks in wire baskets), turn right through the squeeze stile. Ignore the two paths climbing left and ascend the third, opposite the footbridge to your right. Pass around the amphitheatre on the left (used for community events) and follow your outward path back to the start point.
(H) Kiveton Waters is on the site of a former colliery. It is owned by the Land Trust and managed by the Forestry Commission, however the ponds are owned by the Canals & Rivers Trust. The position of the ponds has been planned such that during a future phase of the canal reconstruction one of them can be converted into a marina for the canal boats.
Optional route:-
To appreciate the scale of the tunnel an optional route to the Western Portal is shown.
Leave Kiveton Waters via the entrance road. Cross the road and follow the " Cuckoo Way" sign across the field to reach the Western Portal (I). The Western Portal has also been sealed off. Retrace your steps back to Kiveton Waters.