It’s a fantastic walk from our moorings just south of Carr Lift Bridge to the old mill sites at New Mills ...
… passing the Lamas …
… and approaching the huge railway viaduct ...
… with its decorative brick and stone arches ...
The River Goyt flows over the weirs …
… and would have flowed through the old mill leat via this sluice and the archway beyond which was built in 1888. The bed of the leat would have been very much deeper than the current pathway by at least 6 or 7 feet.
Wow, what a spectacular sight through that archway - mysterious and yet romantic!
The information plaque mentions that after cotton production ceased on the site in 1890 the building was used by a fustian cutting firm - it reminded me that one of my distant relations
Rachel Nickisson (1873-1937) was a
fustian cutter!
Continuing round the bend is a wonderful packhorse bridge towered over by the Union Road Bridge, one of the highest road bridges in the area and build in 1884 ...
… where half way up a rock climber is doing his thing!
The ruins of Torr Mill stand where the rivers Goyt and Sett meet …
… where this reverse archimedean screw is now housed and used to generate renewable electricity by turning ...
… as the waters from the weirs flow down it. The screw is fondly named Archie!
Although it was not producing any electricity today, due to the unusually heavy rainfall during 2012 Archie was generating an average of 50 kilowatts on most days.
Continuing under those arches and past another weir we come to the remains of the ...
The River Goyt would have flowed with some force over the weirs, through the sluice and under the arch ...
… where the mill wheels were housed inside the building
The impressive millennium bridge follows the contour of the railway embankment above the river ...
… and commemorates the life of Stan Brewster.
The Torr Vale Mill built in 1788 was the longest continuously running mill until it closed in 2000.
We also walked a short distance away from the Goyt to take a look at …
The River Sett where we saw a strange sight in this tree ...
… a child’s tricycle - I’m sure that the river hasn’t risen this high and judging by the amount of rubbish on the far bank I think that it has been ‘chucked’ over the wall at the top of the bank and caught on the branch.
The River Sett ...
… and the remains of an old wharf …
… where we found these remains - they appear to be joined together by a wooden beam ...
… and look like it may be an upturned, buried wagon which would have brought the coal to the surface.
The site of the former ...
… Chain Horse House overlooking the remains of the old wharf
Another lovely pack horse bridge, this time over the River Sett.
That’s
Meg waiting for ‘permission’ from dad to get wet again!
Fish out of water
… and luminous wild anemones as we start our walk back to the canal.
A wonderful place to explore!
