The route has many twists and turns and resulted in the canal being known locally as the curly wyrley. Some parts are currently derelict pending planned restoration to huddlesford the navigable mainline now terminates at ogley junction near brownhills.
Often referred to as the curly wyrley the wyrley and essington canal flows through suburbs countryside and mining heritage.
Wyrley and essington canal. The wyrley and essington canal is 16 5 miles long and runs from wolverhampton to the collieries at wyrley bank and essington. The wyrley and essington canal known locally as the curly wyrley is a canal in the english midlands as built it ran from wolverhampton to huddlesford junction near lichfield with a number of branches. The wyrley and essington canal originally ran from wolverhampton to huddlesford junction near lichfield.
The junction can be accessed on foot from the road named horseley fields a454 in wolverhampton. The wyrley and essington canal known locally as the curly wyrley is a canal in the english midlands as built it ran from wolverhampton to huddlesford junction near lichfield with a number of branches. The wyrley essington canal starts at horseley fields junction near the top of the wolverhampton flight on the birmingham canal.
The wyrley essington canal was constructed entirely on the level making for easy lock free boating away from the crowds in the central birmingham canal navigations. Opened in 1797 the canal once provided a vital link for the coal fields in the area. This has the advantage of allowing over sixteen miles of lock free navigation.
An act of parliament passed on 30 april 1792 permitted the building of the original main line from wyrley bank to wolverhampton. The wyrley and essington canal is nicknamed the curly wyrley at it was built entirely on the level following the contoyrs of the land. There are no locks in this section but the walk itself is very pleasant.
Some parts are currently derelict pending planned restoration to huddlesford the navigable mainline now terminates at ogley junction near brownhills. It s 16 miles long with no locks to portage. The wyrley and essington canal runs from the birmingham mainline canal in wolverhampton through wednesfield willenhall and bloxwich where it meets the walsall canal at birchills junction before continuing its journey to brownhills via pelsall at pelsall the canal meets with the cannock extension canal and the daw end branch at brownhills the canal continues a short way to ogley junction.
There are many access points to get on to a canal. The wyrley essington canal runs for 16 miles on one level from its junction with the birmingham canal at horseley fields wolverhampton through wednesfield bloxwich and pelsall to brownhills. However it now terminates at ogley junction near brownhills the canal is a contour canal which is all built on same level.
The history the wyrley essington canal was built in the 1790s following an act authorising a canal from wolverhampton to the collieries at wyrley bank and essington. We got on the canal at bentley bridge and walked with wolverhampton town centre behind us. Here it once descended through 30 locks in 7 miles to lichfield and the coventry canal at huddlesford junction.
The canal s first few miles are surrounded by houses and industry numerous busy basins once lined the canal though.
