… on the North York Moors, or wherever I happen to be.
Ulverston Canal
I had it in mind to try to find the ‘Devil’s Chair’, a rock carved stone chair, on Hord Hill near Ulverston, and was intrigued to notice a canal from the town to the sea.
A canal! In the Lakes! Perfectly straight, 1¼ miles long. It turned out to be a little gem, brimming with nature, swans, herons, and other birdlife, damsel flies.
About half way along the canal is a ‘Rolling Bridge’, a strange arrangement to allow the Furness Railway to cross the canal at towpath level without expensive earthworks to raise the height. Built in 1883, the railway was still in operation in 1994.A model illustrating the workings of the Rolling Bridge. A section of the railway slides away to allow passage of ships.
I did find the ‘Devil’s Chair’. It’s carved into a crag below Hoad the Monument, it’s origin is unknown. It’s a local dare to climb up the rock face after dark and sit in the chair. There is plenty of activity around — graffiti, bolts to attach climbing ropes. It’s easy to cheat though by scrambling down to it.Hord Hill with its monument to Sir John Barrow (1764 – 1848)
Leave a Reply