Johnson's Hillock - Walk Guide - Section 02
The next item of interest is the towpath-side ground paddle at the upper entrance to the second lock. You can still feel the grooves worn into the cast iron at the top of the ground paddle frame. These were caused by the towlines of horse drawn boats which were passed around the vertical spindle of the ground paddle to prevent them from catching on the lock gate. A tactile panel here shows the three phases of a boat passing through a lock, that is entering the lock, descending the lock and leaving the lock. Note the position of the lock gates for each phase.
 |
 |
About halfway to the next lock there is a quarter mile post on the right hand side of the towpath in the hedge bottom. It can become overgrown, so you need to look out for it carefully. Triangular in section and painted white, such cast iron posts were installed in 1893 to provide an exact measurement for charging tolls. Boats had to pay a specific amount per ton per mile, dependent upon the cargo being carried. Manure was cheapest, then came coal, with general cargoes the most expensive. Half mile and mile posts were also installed, the former with 1/2 on the flat upper surface, and the mileposts with plates showing the distances to Leeds and Liverpool on plates fitted to the sides of the post. Continue down the locks until you reach the road bridge before the fourth lock. Both a ramp and steps take you up to the road from the towpath. Stop before reaching the road for the next point of interest.
|
