Grove Bottom Lock Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This walk starts at the Gypsy Lane Community Woodland and along the edge of the old Wilts and Berks Canal.
The canal was built between 1795 and 1810, and connected the Kennet and Avon canal at Semington, near Trowbridge, with the River Thames at Abingdon. This was the main route by which Wantage received all of its building stone, road metalling, and coal. The canal was 51 miles long and had 42 narrow locks (just 7 feet wide.) Four branches connected it with Chippenham, Calne, Longcot and Wantage. The Wantage branch was ¾ mile long, ending at the wharf in Mill Street where several of the original wharf buildings still stand. Traffic on the canal ceased in 1901 when an aqueduct west of Swindon collapsed, and it was formerly closed in 1914. For over 60 years the canal slowly disappeared but in 1977 the Wilts and Berks Canal Amenity Group was formed to preserve the remains of the canal and its infrastructure. In 1987 the group changed its aim to one of full restoration. The group is now called the Wilts and Berks Canal Trust (http://www.wilts-berks-canal.org.uk/ ) and has nine branches. Considerable progress is being made but it’s a tremendous task that lies ahead of them. Grove Bottom Lock is one of several locks that were on this small section, and the deep walls are still in tact. Unfortunately the others have all but disappeared, but the remains of two others, Smallmarsh and Spirit lock, can be seen on the way if you look carefully! There’s plenty of parking space in the lay-by next to the A338 at N51º 36.485 W1º 24.843 The cache is a small ammo box containing the usual goodies. The track is level but uneven. Unfortunately it is NOT suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs as it gets a bit muddy in bad weather and has one or two narrow spots as well as the odd tree trunk to step over. As with all locks it’s quite deep, although there isn’t much water in it, so please be careful not to fall in.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Rnfg raq bs ybpx ng onfr bs ynetr gerr.