Beyond Boothwood

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waveydave

Out & About Exploration
Joined
Nov 6, 2015
Messages
56
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Location
Hinckley
I know Boothwood dam's bin done before so i wont dwell long here and ,instead, head on down to the base of the dam and downstream through the culvert and into what seems like another world.

23651199054_d30b869324_b.jpgDSCF0294 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr

Best send the other 'alf in first..
23648545444_9e89d5dbc0_b.jpgDSCF0333 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr

Immediately as you exit the culvert an old derelict bridge (boothwood bridge) stands before you, overgrown and missing much of the parapet. The bridge once led to boothwood bridge mill which was demolished by united utilities leaving almost no trace. Not even the path to the bridge exists and much scrambling through undergrowth and sliding down muddy banks was needed to get to the top of the bridge23648545524_9c3c302c19_b.jpgDSCF0335 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
23648545634_65d8819a82_b.jpgDSCF1023 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr

This was all i could find of what was once a 4 storey mill ,abandoned around 1919.
24250221156_f950559907_b.jpgDSCF1036 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr

100yds downstream we find the remains of Boothwood paper mill, also abandoned about 100yrs ago
a large stone lined pit with a massive timber beam across has me intrigued, water pours in from all over and dissappears underground and adjacent, 2 glazed brick circular vats sit half buried. probably used for bleaching or washing the pulp. An engine bed lies beneath my feet but so much is hidden by leaf litter including some very boggy ground and ankle breaking holes.
23590328035_847c8ab71c_b.jpgDSCF1405 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
23294627590_db5c26d4dd_b.jpgDSCF1404 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
DSCF1382 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr

A long wall holds back the bank and has some interesting holes (a feature we've seen elsewhere). In one a bearing still sits which would once have held one end of one of the many shafts in the mill that would have transferred power to where it was needed.
22962186124_aef57bc69c_b.jpgDSCF1413 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
23294675330_2a11a58a88_b.jpgDSCF1414 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr

Another surprise was this curved weir, about 20ft high with a sluice gate at the top which let water through to the opening at the bottom left (although both are dry and the water is finding another way down)
24250221256_34c47c0953_b.jpgDSCF1402 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
23222405649_8722f5cc89_b.jpgDSCF1403 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr

Turning to the left we find a second bridge, old ,narrow, leaning slightly, but in sound order.
23590333725_e995956740_b.jpgDSCF1406 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
22963307453_237bc94c23_b.jpgDSCF1412 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr

wish id found this path earlier, its hidden by trees on google, a direct route back up to the road. looks like a chimney base at the top, left of the steps
23590384165_74f4b1b531_b.jpgDSCF1424 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr

on the other side of the path some more substantial remains of boothwood spring mill stand, next to the river an arch appears to be a water channel (some timber can be seen among the debris), Possibly the tail race with water coming from a millpond at the top of the bank
22963368113_d64bb52828_b.jpgDSCF1431 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
23590403365_f5dd417e8f_b.jpgDSCF1429 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
23294645030_1610a14eb7_b.jpgDSCF1407 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr

Nearby a non existant steel beam leads me into the ground floor of spring mill. No doors, or gates, more of a thoroughfayre, but with some great features inside
22962377034_dc72d0f67c_b.jpgDSCF1452 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
22962210944_8f17e3b99f_b.jpgDSCF1427 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
DSCF1409 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
DSCF1410 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
22963301963_6a27de78e4_b.jpgDSCF1411 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr

this sits close to the ground and showed signs of wear around the middle, possibly done by a rope being pulled around it.
23222520509_7afeafa855_b.jpgDSCF1437 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
23508067711_4651982b41_b.jpgDSCF1439 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
23590529155_8d04267594_b.jpgDSCF1449 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
23481927502_48f44a63ec_b.jpgDSCF1440 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
23222565779_103eab55af_b.jpgDSCF1443 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
23508119351_7bd0f6c0cc_b.jpgDSCF1447 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
24250221306_e502fd6664_b.jpgDSCF1441 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
23651198994_3417b5a110_b.jpgDSCF1448 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr

I took these pics over a several visits and was fortunate on one visit to see boothwood dam overflowing
23648545574_de97512b99_b.jpgDSCF1502 by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr
the vast amount of water coming over the top almost fills the culvert and i wonder how much more of this the old bridge can take.
23482054012_83ecd0e488_b.jpgboothwood dam by Tazz & Moomoo, on Flickr

Thanks for looking
 

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