TNC On Tour Summer 2007 Page 7

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The Tuesday Night Club on Tour

Irish Summer Tour 2007

7 - Monasterevin to Bestfield - Grand Canal Barrow Line and River Barrow Navigation.

Wednesday 27th June 2007

The electrical lift bridge in Monasterevin has to be worked by the lock keeper at Lock No 25, so there was no point in hurrying, as he would not be about until 09:00. We ambled down the short distance to Monasterevin and rather predictably found a spot in the basins, where we filled with water. While this was going on Neil had a wander and went to take photos of the lift bridge, Barrow Aqueduct and the remains of the Montmellick Branch that came in the other side of the aqueduct. Neil also knocked up the lock keeper to save the phone call!
After ambling back and packing up the hose, Joe Moore, the lock keeper was at the lift bridge getting ready for our passage. Come 09:45 we were through the lift bridge, Lock No 25 and heading away from Monasterevin. The next section to Athy is lock free, some seven miles. As far as Fishertown Bridge the canal is quite shallow as it is in a cutting. From here on the canal follows the main Barrow valley, with the river on the left (east).
From Fishertown Bridge the canal passes over a couple of tributaries to the Barrow, the Sallyford Stream and the Glashna River, on fine stone aqueducts. Vicarstown (12:20) is a haven, with moored boats, clustered around the bridge, wharf and Vicarstown Inn pub. Barrowline Cruisers are now running their fleet of barges from the wharf.
Beyond the bridge there was the final tidying up after extensive dredging between Vicarstown and Athy, we clocked 7.5 feet, on the barge pole, in a good few places! There is another stone aqueduct, just below Vicarstown, where the canal goes over the River Stradbally. Although a bit featureless the next section to Athy has some fine views to the surrounding hills.
Lock No 26 marks the approach to Athy, the lock keeper was waiting for a hire boat coming up, so locked us down first. Neil walked from here down to the river, so got some nice shots of the Town Lock No 27 and the derelict Grand Canal covered loading wharf. This wharf was opposite a bad does of apartmentitis, some featureless orange boxes that spoil this classic view, that may soon be gone forever. Julian had left at Lock No 26 and had legged it into town for some shopping, with the idea he would meet up with us at the final lock, No 28, where the Barrow Line meet the River Barrow.
Beyond Lock No 27 the canal winds through a bit of industry, large silos line one bank of the canal. Where the river lock meets the Barrow there is a fine Horse Bridge across the River, as the boatstream and towpath is on the east side at this point. Julian was soon back and we were on our way down the River Barrow at 15:00. Once out on the river it became apparent it has quite a flow on it! The navigation arch of the old railway bridge is to the east, keeping close to the towpath and away from the first of many unprotected weirs.
We were soon in the tranquil Ardreigh Lock Cut. Just before the lifting bridge (kept up) there are some excellent visitor moorings. Once through Ardreigh Lock we were on our first longish reach of the river. Following the left hand (east) side we skirted down the river and soon came to the long Levitstown Lock Cut and rather impressive unprotected weir. This lock cut is the longest on the Navigation, spanned by three fixed bridges, then the fascinating vertical lifting bridge at Levitstown, which resembles a slightly over engineered 4-poster bed! A passing boater did the bridge for us, beyond here there is the classic Barrow view of the gaunt remains of the burnt out Levitstown Mill, beside the lock.
Yet again the boatstream is on the left (east) bank. Having seen some of the boulders, rapids and reeds growing on the non boatstream side we can see why you hug the correct shore. This reach is crossed by Maganey Bridge, the navigation arch is the second from the east side, so a bit of powered course correction was called for to line up past the reeded centre section of the river. Just beyond the bridge is a mooring jetty for the pub, shop and petrol station nearby.
Mageny Lock comes next, a large weir, but hardly any lock cut. The little lock cottage has been done up and sports some impressive security features. Below Maganey Lock the River Grease enters from the left. There were warnings of a shoal downstream and predictably the person steering decided to assist with its dredging!
By the remains of Shrule Castle there is an island, opposite this to the east side is the boatstream and the entrance of the tiny River Lerr. The end of this reach is wooded and less fast flowing, a Kingfisher was spotted, flitting from branch to branch in front of us. By the time we came back from the Barrow, we gave up counting the many Kingfishers we spotted. The next Lock, Bestfield has a longish weir, which blends into the lock cut. As we wanted to eat in again, there was no point in reaching Carlow, so we moored up below the lock at 18:20.

Looking back at Macartney Double Lock No 24. Grand Canal, Barrow Line.

Approaches to Monasterevin. Grand Canal, Barrow Line.

Shepherd's Brook Bridge. Monasterevin. Grand Canal, Barrow Line.

The railway bridge Monasterevin. Grand Canal, Barrow Line.

Monasterevin railway station. Grand Canal, Barrow Line.

Monasterevin Harbour. Grand Canal, Barrow Line.

Monasterevin. Railway bridge over the Barrow, from the Barrow Aqueduct.

Monasterevin, the Barrow Aqueduct. Grand Canal, Barrow Line.

Railway bridge. Grand Canal, abandoned Mountmellick Branch.

Towpath over bridge, abandoned Mountmellick Branch, junction with Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Abandoned Mountmellick Branch, junction with Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Monasterevin, Aqueduct, lift bridge and church. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Monasterevin. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Moore's Bridge and Lock No 25. Monasterevin. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Lock No 25. Monasterevin. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Monasterevin, Aqueduct, lift bridge and church. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Monasterevin, lift bridge. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Monasterevin. Earnest watering up in the Harbour. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Monasterevin, lift bridge. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Looking back at Monasterevin. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Clogheen Bridge. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Footbridge. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

"Packed up" house! Grand Canal Barrow Line.

New M7 Motorway Bridge. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Fishertown Bridge. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Looking back at Fishertown Bridge and moorings. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Courtwood Bridge. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Looking back at Courtwood Bridge. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Glasha River Aqueduct. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Vicarstown and Bridge. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Vicarstown. Barrowline Cruisers operate hire barges from this wharf. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Looking back at Vicarstown. Notice the start of the serious dredging that has just been finished in this section. Grand Canal, Barrow Line

Dredged to 7.5feet! Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Not much dredging near the Camac Aqueduct. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Ballymanus Bridge. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Old narrow gauge railway horse box van body. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Another recently thatched cottage. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Miltown Bridge. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Approaches to Athy. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Cardington Bridge and Lock No 26. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Cardington Lock No 26. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Cardington Bridge and Lock No 26. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Lennon's Bridge. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

The dry dock. Athy. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

The old covered dock. Athy. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Athy before the apartments came! Grand Canal Barrow Line.

The old covered dock. Athy. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Lock No 27 Athy. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Leaving Lock No 27 Athy. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Athy. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Lock No 28, down onto the River Barrow. Athy. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Lock No 28. Athy. Grand Canal Barrow Line.

Lock No 28, down onto the River Barrow and horse bridge. Athy. River Barrow Navigation.

The new visitor mooring pontoon, upstream of the horse bridge, by the town bridge. River Barrow Navigation.

It is only a short stretch of river before once under the railway bridge you enter Ardreigh Lock Cut. River Barrow Navigation.

Ardreigh Lock Cut, moorings and lift bridge. River Barrow Navigation.

Ardreigh Lock. River Barrow Navigation.

Looking back at Ardreigh Lock. River Barrow Navigation.

Entering Levitstown Cut. River Barrow Navigation.

Bunberry's Bridge, Levitstown Cut. River Barrow Navigation.

Tankardstown Bridge, Levitstown Cut. River Barrow Navigation.

Lifting Bridge, Levitstown Cut. River Barrow Navigation.

Lifting Bridge, Levitstown Cut. A kind local boater did the bridge for us. River Barrow Navigation.

The old road roller by the Lifting Bridge, Levitstown Cut. River Barrow Navigation.

Levitstown Lock and mill. River Barrow Navigation.

Levitstown Lock. River Barrow Navigation.

Maganey Bridge. River Barrow Navigation.

The visitor moorings by Maganey Bridge. River Barrow Navigation.

The weir and Maganey Lock. River Barrow Navigation.

Maganey Lock. River Barrow Navigation.

Leaving Maganey Lock cut. River Barrow Navigation.

River Barrow Navigation.

The weir above Bestfield Lock. River Barrow Navigation.

Bestfield Lock. River Barrow Navigation.

The Tour Continues...

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