Ashby Canal and Moira Furnace

Just 3 of us this week and we set off south to a village called Moira where we went to look at the Ashby Canal and the Moira Furnace. We meandered a bit on the way there and parked up outside the car park for the Moira Furnace, the gate to the car park was still locked.
The Ashby Canal is not that long so we headed off in a northern direction all the way up to Conkers Waterside Centre at Bath Yard Basin. We passed this very interesting post which showed the names of the coal seams and the depth that they were at. We headed back to the Moira Furnace then carried on to the Donisthorpe Basin. Coming back we found  bench to sit and have our breakfast and i ventured into the woods following an animal trail and it opened out into the forest where they had chopped down a row of trees. I found a single fungus growing out of the ground not sure what kind it is. Further along the canal it looked like a fishing match on and a guy landed a fish just as we were going by. We got back to the Moira Furnace area but turned off the path to look at the lime kilns, unfortunately no information board to give any build dates. We then bumped into the Museum curator Mike who gave us tons of brilliant info about the furnaces, the canal and local pits.

Moira Furnace is a nineteenth-century iron-making blast furnace located in Moira, Leicestershire, on the banks of the Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal. Built by the Earl of Moira in 1804, the building has been preserved by North West Leicestershire District Council as a museum featuring lime kilns and craft workshops. It is a most important industrial monument, since it is remarkably well-preserved, and dates from a formative period of the Industrial Revolution.

This weeks route on the Ashby Canal

The Moira Furnace

Moira Furnace is a nineteenth-century iron-making blast furnace located in Moira, Leicestershire, on the banks of the Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal. Built by the Earl of Moira in 1804, the building has been preserved by North West Leicestershire District Council as a museum featuring lime kilns and craft workshops. It is a most important industrial monument, since it is remarkably well-preserved, and dates from a formative period of the Industrial Revolution

The original canal was constructed around 1800 and existing in close proximity to active coalmines meant the Ashby Canal was constantly affected by mining subsidence which eventually led to its closure. Now the canal is partially restored with further plans to join up to the existing Ashby Canal underway.

Ike and Geoff checking an info board

Rotating bridge

Teasel & Cobwebs

Moira Lock

Mine Seam Marker

Ike & Geoff

Donisthorpe Basin

Unknown fungus / mushroom

Joggers

Fisherman

Nice catch

Moira Lime Kilns
Seven lime kilns were built in phases between 1804 and 1837 to burn limestone brought down from Ticknall and Breedon by tramway and canal, to turn it into quicklime. The kilns have been sensitively repaired and panels explain how quicklime was made and used to improve the soil quality for local farmers and to make mortar for building.

Ike, Me, Mike & Geoff

Moira Furnace

A cracking short walk but full of history right at the beginning of the industrial revolution. 

See you next week