Level Survey for Daisy Nook Canals

Modern technology has come to the aid of the Hollinwood Canal Society to check out the levels of the 213-year-old canal in Daisy Nook Country Park.

The GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite network was used to measure the exact heights above sea level of the canal between Crime Lake and Bardsley Bridge in Daisy Nook Country Park.


The Society is most grateful to N. D. Oliver and Co. Ltd., Chartered Land Surveyors, of Sale, who carried out the survey, and to the Business in the Community scheme, which enables businesses to benefit society by assisting community groups and charities.

Gina Hine, who is the North West Community Impact Manager for BITC, put the Society in touch with N. D. Oliver and Co. and arranged a site meeting at Daisy Nook. The survey was completed on 21st September.

N.D. Oliver and Co. gave their services free of charge and the Society only had to pay for the Ordnance Survey mapping used for the presentation of the results. This is a considerable help to a young Society that lacks huge financial resources.

The survey is a first step towards more detailed investigations exploring the plan to re-open the mile long stretch of water between Crime Lake and Bardsley Bridge, which includes part of the main Hollinwood Branch and much of the Fairbottom Branch.

In the past there has been mining subsidence in the area so it is necessary to find out whether this will be an issue. Other matters that will need to be investigated are ways to prevent leaks at Valley Aqueduct and on the embankment near Valley Farm, which had been a problem in the past.


The plan was first put forward in 2006 in a bid made jointly by the Society and Oldham Council for funding from IWA’s Jubilee Grant. The scheme was one of 9 chemes
short-listed out of 34 bids.

The work would have included removing the infill above Valley Aqueduct and carrying out repairs to that Aqueduct and the one over Crime Lane. The scheme would also have involved dredging as well as vegetation clearance, towpath improvements and a slipway. It would also have enabled a trip boat to be put onto the canal.

The short timescale in 2006 meant that a level survey could not be carried out at that time.

The Society’s Ed Mortimer said back in 2006, "While we are disappointed not to be awarded this grant, we are pleased with the enthusiasm shown for this scheme and the positive feedback received. As a new society, we did well for our bid to reach the shortlist. Putting the bid forward has helped to raise the profile of the restoration potential of this canal. Preparing the bid was a useful exercise involving the canal society working closely with Oldham Council."

The current economic climate makes it less likely that funding will be available for such projects in the immediate future but the level survey is a step towards being ready to make future bids.

In the mean time, working parties involving the Waterway Recovery Group North West are continuing to improve the condition of the Fairbottom Branch by removing trees growing in the canal bed as well as those damaging the wash wall and edging stones.

You can find more information about Business in the Community at www.bitc.org.uk and about N. D. Oliver and Co. at www.ndoliver.com

Vandals Attack Valley Aqueduct

Regular users of the Fairbottom Branch towpath that crosses Valley Aqueduct were dismayed to discover that vandals had attacked the stonework towards the end of November.

Nearly half of the heavy coping stones had been dislodged and pushed over and a large section of the centre of the parapet wall had been smashed, with the stones crashing down onto the road below.

Oldham Council acted promptly and put the stones into safe storage until the wall could be repaired. During December the council then sent a team to carry out the repairs.

The original damage to the parapet of Valley Aqueduct at the beginning of December.

Unbelievably, within a few days of the work being completed, most of the repaired section had been wrecked again, along with a lot more stones.

The area of damage extended further around the curve of the wall, and the parapet was demolished down to towpath level in places.

The second lot of damage. Part of the repair to the first attack can be seen where the new mortar is lighter than that of the surrounding stonework..

Daisy Nook Country Park rangers were very upset by this further damage, as the first repair had been costly. The fallen stones have once again been removed and the roadway under the aqueduct blocked off in case of loose stonework falling.

At the time of publication it is not known how soon the parapet can be repaired or whether it would be possible to reinforce the wall in some way.

It remains a mystery how so much damage could be done without attracting attention. The towpath across the aqueduct is in constant use during the daytime with walkers, cyclist, dog owners and horse riders. At night time it is a long dark walk from the nearest areas of housing. It also defies explanation why anyone would put so much effort into such mindless and pointless destruction of a historic structure.

Working Party

November 2009’s working party saw more clearance of trees growing in the bed of the Fairbottom Branch by volunteers from WRG North West and Hollinwood Canal Society.


Somewhere there's a team of volunteers removing tree growth from the canal bed.

More photos from the November Working Party can be seen here.

Working Party

A very productive Working Party took place in January on the Fairbottom Branch, where trees are encroaching halfway across the canal from the far bank.

The team sets about cutting back the overhanging branches and cutting back the trees growing from the canal bed.


There were many thin branches that needed to be cut back before the trees in the canal bed could be tackled.


A woven fence was made from some of the branches cut down. Some of the branches used as stakes will take root so this will eventually become a living hedge.



See more photos from this weekend in our Photo Gallery.

Working Party

In November 2008, our Working Party undertook a number of tasks, including removing tree stumps from the towpath edge on the Fairbottom Branch, re-laying edging stones and clearing vegetation from around the locks.


There were a couple of places on the Fairbottom Branch where edging stones had slipped into the water.


That's all the stones fished out - now we've got to see about getting them into place!


With ropes and levers and lots of helpers, the heavy stones are carefully positioned.


With the stones in place the gaps have to be filled with small stones and packed firmly.


The edging stones firmly re-laid and the towpath edge is as good as new!

See more photos from this weekend in our Photo Gallery.