Alfold and the Lost Canal

As you amble through the depths of Sidney Wood along the sinuous tow path of the long abandoned Wey and Arun canal, you can hardly fail to ponder the significance of this overgrown, muddy trench. In the closing years of the 18th century the Industrial Revolution was in full swing. The roads, such as they were, could simply not cope with carrying coal, heavy raw materials and finished goods over long distances. But in southern England, there was an even more urgent imperative. France was in turmoil and the dawn of a new century found Britain engaged in the Napoleonic Wars. Coastal cargoes in the English Channel were at risk and a new route was needed between London and the South Coast.

River traffic had flowed between London and Guildford since 1653, and the River Arun had been navigable to Pallingham Quay, near Pulborough, since Elizabethan times. All that was needed was a link - and it came in two parts. In 1787, the Arun Navigation was completed northwards from Pallingham Quay to Newbridge Wharf, near Billingshurst. Then, in 1813, Parliament authorised the Wey and Arun Junction Canal between Newbridge and Guildford. It opened in 1816 completing the link between London and the South Coast.

The price of coal in Guildford fell at once by more than 20 per cent, and the canal also carried chalk, timber and agricultural cargoes, reaching a peak of 23,000 tons in 1839. But the railways were already coming and the following year, the London and Southampton forged a new link to the South Coast. There was little immediate impact but in 1865 the London Brighton & South Coast Railway opened between Guildford and Horsham, in direct competition with the canal. Within a few years the waterway was out of business and it was formally abandoned in 1871, though the Arun Navigation struggled on until 1896.

The canal lay derelict for almost a century until, in 1970, enthusiasts established the Wey and Arun Canal Trust. Their aim was to restore navigation between London and the South Coast by reopening the waterway from Guildford to Pallingham Quay. As you'll see on your walk, they still have a mountain to climb. Long stretches remain derelict, and many bridges have been demolished. But 20 bridges and seven locks have already been rebuilt, and over a quarter of the canal's original length will soon be fully restored.

What to look for

The act establishing the Wey and Arun Junction Canal insisted that milestones must be installed every half mile along the route so that tolls could be levied accurately. All the original milestones have disappeared, but the Canal Trust is installing new ones at the original locations with a sponsorship scheme raising funds for the restoration project. You'll pass four milestones between Firfield Rough and the Sussex border.

Where to eat and drink

Head for the Crown at Alfold for a friendly, no frills local, although they don't serve food on Sunday or Monday evenings. The canal-side Onslow Arms at Loxwood is open all day at weekends, serving traditional pub food and pizzas.

While you're here

Behind the Onslow Arms at Loxwood you'll find a restored section of the canal where you can travel on board the Zachariah Keppel, a 50ft (15m) narrow boat named after the contractor who built the canal. The Wey and Arun Canal Trust operates hourly trips on Sunday afternoons between April and October.