Wats Dyke Way

[dhisue 0]

I have only just discovered that the long distance trail of Wats Dyke Way comes through St Martins but the map on the website is not detailed enough to show where it actually runs here, does anyone know?

This is the link to the trail website. http://www.watsdykeway.org/1.html

[leebarnfield 30]

There is something called local view, shown here, which shows public rights of way http://shropshire.go...rrecreation.htm

I didn't find specific reference to the Wats Dyke trail but if you zoom as far as you can go to Nefod you will see a broken line which says it is a Long Distance pathway, and its very close to Wats Dyke. It then appears to share the Llwybr Maelor Way. I would assume somewhere there are some way markers.

[Simple Simon 36]

Wats Dyke was mentioned during the Transport Meeting late last year. It forms part of a route through Oswestry. I also understand that parts of the original route was dug up when they were constructing Wats Meadow in Gobowen.

[Maggie 65]

I've got the book 'Wats Dyke Way Heritage Trail' by Pete Lewis, in front of me now. It goes from Llanymynech to Holywell roughly along the course of Wats Dyke, a Dark Age boundary rampart and ditch built at the turn of the 8th to 9th century AD. (and therefore just after the more famous Offas Dyke). The section we are interested in goes from Old Oswestry, dog legs off the line of the dyke around the footpaths past Pentre-wern so that it can cross the A5 by bridge, then down to the B5069, then into Gobowen, up old Chirk Rd, rt past church, along school lane to a kissing gate, then along footpaths until meet the Dyke again near Henlle Lane. The instructions around Gobowen are a bit confusing.

(if you are interested then Henlle lane is an easily accessible section of the dyke where you can see that there is something impressive).

The trail then follows more closely the line of the dyke, to Nefod, then it follows the right bank of the Ceiroig along the lanes and tracks, Rhyn Lane, Glynmorlas, through the wood to Pen-y-Bryn, then Plas y Coed, then Sodyllt Hall, where it does another big dog leg around the hall to end up opposite the Boot Inn and Erbistock, from where it follows the river to Overton Bridge.

Once over the border into Wales the trail becomes more easy to understand; The book and the trail have been part of a Welsh Funded initiative. There is a website too: http://www.watsdykeway.org and an association!

By the way, until the houses were built on the dyke in Gobowen no-one was very sure of the age of the dyke. Some people had thought it was Roman, others that it was a Dark Age structure. Archaeologists examined soil layers buried by the Dyke's construction using optically simulated luminescence and were able to give a date of beginning of the 9th century, thus solving THAT riddle.

[Simple Simon 36]

Ha! You're a fountain of knowledge, Maggie, but tell me, how does one get a canal boat UP a staircase if the first lock is already full?

[Maggie 65]

Let the water out before trying to open the bottom gates? Know its tricky going down because you have to make sure enough water is coming down the locks with you so that the next one down is full enough to avoid getting stuck on cills between them.

Simon, If you want to come along through Frankton Locks towing another narrow boat, at the end of March we would welcome your muscles (date not fined up yet for epic journey, but round about 28th or 29th going down, back a few days later). Part of the canal sculpture project, to deliver them to site by water, so exciting and also sustainable transport! Chirk Bank leg of the delivery looks like it will be posponed until later.

I am NOT a fountain of anything and object to the slur. I have no idea whatsoever what optically simulated luminescence is, but suspect it involves eyes of toads and dancing around bonfires naked at full moon. Might be wrong though.

Edited January 20, 2012 by Maggie

[leebarnfield 30]

Isn't it optically sTimulated luminescence? or is that proving your point? ;)

[Maggie 65]

Yes! My miscopying from an obscure reference.

Point proved.

[Simple Simon 36]

Frankton are a series of locks with basins inbetween. A staircase consists of a number of locks all in a row. I don't think there are any on the Llangollen Canal, but I do recall Grindley Brook (?) and Hurlston Locks (?) on the Shropshire Union.

The answer to taking a boat up a staircase if the first lock is full:

You let the water out of the bottom lock until it reaches canal level, open the gates and chug in. Close the gates. Then you go to the very top lock and using your windlass empty the water into the 2nd one down. Continue this process until you reach the lock occupied by your own boat. Using the windlass, let the water flow into the occupied lock until it reaches the level of the next one up. Open the gates and chug in. Close the gates and repeat the process from the top lock all over again.

A very slow way of getting up hill using downward flowing water!

[Simple Simon 36]

P.S. Driving over St. Mary's in the Fields: S-C-A-R-Y!!!!!